GPA Question for Resume

[JEJ]

I went to 2 colleges (credits from the first transferred to the second), but I only want to list the college that I obtained my degree from on my resume.

It would increase my overall GPA if I could average my GPA from both schools. Is it acceptable to do this?

It gets a little hairy because the second school can't tell me exactly which credits from the first school were put toward my degree. Therefore, I would have to take a stab at determining this myself which would undoubtedly involve some guessing...

[Enough Exams Already]

A lot of places don't consider the grades you got in transferred classes in your GPA at that school. So your GPA at your second school probably doesn't include grades for classes taken at other schools. They usually transfer in as "Credit Granted" or the like, and are noted as such on your transcript.

If you list two schools, list your GPA at each school. If one of them is bad, be ready to explain.

Think of it this way--if I'm interviewing you, and I ask for a complete set of your college transcripts, what numbers would the schools list on those transcripts? Those are the numbers you should put down, since they're the numbers you can prove. If I really need one overall number, I can calculate it myself based on your transcript information. (I *am* and actuary, after all.)

[Vorian Atreides]

List the GPA that'll show up on your transcript. If you're calculating a major GPA, include only those classes at your last school. (If you're worried about an HR screen, consider including a major GPA along with the Cumulative.)

If you attended two schools to get your 4-yr degree, list both and include GPA at both. Listing only one will be misleading and can come back to bite you in the nether regions of your pelvic area.

[JEJ]

Originally Posted by Vorian Atreides

If you attended two schools to get your 4-yr degree, list both and include GPA at both. Listing only one will be misleading and can come back to bite you in the nether regions of your pelvic area.

DW Simpson advised me not to list both schools since employers only care about the Bachelor degree, but classes did transfer from the first college. Plus I received an Associate degree from the first college that couldn't hurt being listed on my resume right???

I definitely don't want to be misleading...

[Vorian Atreides]

I would suggest discussing this with your recruiter--I will acknowledge that they're likely to know what's best to get that job. However, just remember that it's ultimately your resume that's getting sent out. (I'm only pointing out the potential downfall of listing only the latter school.)

If you're hurting for space on your resume, then dropping the first school might be a good idea. However, listing the first school (where you might've had a good GPA) can provide a good counter to a lower GPA at the second school--at least, the employer might be more willing to bring you in and hear your story. Just make sure that it's a good story and that it's well presented.

Whether or not you list that first school, you are likely going to need to explain it as well as the differences in GPA's between the two schools. You are certainly going to be asked about the "low GPA". If part of your response is going to be referencing the first school (that is, the first school is going to be "relevant info") then there's also going to be the issue of why you didn't list it on your resume (if that's the case). This is the part where it can come back to haunt you.

I agree with the recruiter's advice that you need to include only relevant points on your resume; but you need to also take into consideration the interview process as well as what's listed on your resume.

[PhildeTruth]

Originally Posted by Vorian Atreides

However, just remember that it's ultimately your resume that's getting sent out. (I'm only pointing out the potential downfall of listing only the latter school.)

I agree with this. Don't let a recruiter make a final decision for you unless you have no clue. A recruiter rearranged my resume once, and I made a lot of changes to it because I didn't like the way it presented myself.

[Vorian Atreides]

Missed the part about getting the Associates degree. If the first school was a community/junior college; then it might not be a bad idea to leave it off and address it in an interview (if it comes up). I was thinking that you started at one school and then transferred w/o completing any sort of degree.