below median gpa on resume? Forum

[Anonymous User]

So Im a law graduate with a 3.05 gpa at school where 3.2 was median. Do I put it on the resume or not? One person told me not putting it on makes it seem like my grades are even lower than that. I really don't know what to do. I'm mostly targeting small/mid firms or government. Thanks.

[fratstar1]

I think if it's over a 3.0 you should include it. Lots of TTT schools have 2.8-3.0 medians so unless your applying to a firm that really understands the curve at your particular school I wouldnt worry about it.

[pancakes3]

Everyone I've talked to says that you only put your GPA if it's absurdly high, or it passes some posted GPA requirement (3.5 for fed jobs). So if that's the convention, I would think most employers assume that a resume without grade signals like latin honors, LR, or explicit GPA is around median rather than fearing the worst.

[Johann]

yeah just don't include it. they get your transcript and will look there if they care about grades. put your gpa if:

(1) above 3.5, or
(2) you are top 25/30%

Other than that, don't use it. Nobody will assume its low if you dont have it. They will just assume you aren't a grade centered striver, which is fine.

[Anonymous User]

yeah just don't include it. they get your transcript and will look there if they care about grades. put your gpa if:

(1) above 3.5, or
(2) you are top 25/30%

Other than that, don't use it. Nobody will assume its low if you dont have it. They will just assume you aren't a grade centered striver, which is fine.

That is what I have been doing. However, I recently got resume advice from a big law lawyer, who was mostly helpful but said that not putting it on looks like im really low. Don't know what to do. Thanks. But yeah, i figure, if they want a transcript, they'll get a transcript.

[Anonymous User]

A partner on the lateral market called me out for this. Just put it. Don't make people comb through your transcript.

[Anonymous User]

Got grilled about my UG gpa not being on my resume, probably an exception (also non-IP wtf)

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on a under-median non-traditional gpa on resume? I have been putting mine on, but everyone who sees it says "wtf does that mean?" And then I have to awkwardly explain that 1) no one understands the grade scale and 2) mine is slightly under median.

[Anonymous User]

A partner on the lateral market called me out for this. Just put it. Don't make people comb through your transcript.

Was this big law?

[abl]

It's context-dependent. Are you applying to jobs that ask for a minimum 3.0 GPA? Or are you applying to jobs that you know regularly accept folks with ~3.0 GPAs? If so, I'd probably list it. On the other hand, if you're applying for jobs that usually hire candidates with higher GPAs, I'd leave it out. Best case scenario, you'll dodge an initial screen with these more competitive jobs because they'll like something else about your resume. Worst case scenario, you're almost certainly not getting any interview anywhere that's looking for >3.5 or whatever GPAs with a 3.05 listed on your resume, so you don't have much to lose.

tl;dr: if your GPA is a plus or even a neutral for the jobs for which you're applying, list it. If your GPA is a negative, leave it out.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Everyone I've talked to says that you only put your GPA if it's absurdly high, or it passes some posted GPA requirement (3.5 for fed jobs). So if that's the convention, I would think most employers assume that a resume without grade signals like latin honors, LR, or explicit GPA is around median rather than fearing the worst.

I have never heard this (I've only ever heard that if you leave it off, they assume it's terrible). At least, for firms. The "put it on if it helps, leave it off if it hurts" makes sense though.

[Anonymous User]

Everyone I've talked to says that you only put your GPA if it's absurdly high, or it passes some posted GPA requirement (3.5 for fed jobs). So if that's the convention, I would think most employers assume that a resume without grade signals like latin honors, LR, or explicit GPA is around median rather than fearing the worst.

I have never heard this (I've only ever heard that if you leave it off, they assume it's terrible). At least, for firms. The "put it on if it helps, leave it off if it hurts" makes sense though.

OP here. So is 3.05 not as bad as I'm making it out to be? I assume im in the bottom 30%, but I guess there are likely people with sub 3.0 grades...this is a real tricky one for me...I also think that my school's official advice is to leave the GPA off if its too low.

[haus]

Everyone I've talked to says that you only put your GPA if it's absurdly high, or it passes some posted GPA requirement (3.5 for fed jobs). So if that's the convention, I would think most employers assume that a resume without grade signals like latin honors, LR, or explicit GPA is around median rather than fearing the worst.

I have never heard this (I've only ever heard that if you leave it off, they assume it's terrible). At least, for firms. The "put it on if it helps, leave it off if it hurts" makes sense though.

Is it just me or does GPAs on resumes start looking out of place after someone has been working for awhile?

[abl]

Everyone I've talked to says that you only put your GPA if it's absurdly high, or it passes some posted GPA requirement (3.5 for fed jobs). So if that's the convention, I would think most employers assume that a resume without grade signals like latin honors, LR, or explicit GPA is around median rather than fearing the worst.

I have never heard this (I've only ever heard that if you leave it off, they assume it's terrible). At least, for firms. The "put it on if it helps, leave it off if it hurts" makes sense though.

OP here. So is 3.05 not as bad as I'm making it out to be? I assume im in the bottom 30%, but I guess there are likely people with sub 3.0 grades...this is a real tricky one for me...I also think that my school's official advice is to leave the GPA off if its too low.

A 3.05 is terrible if you want a federal clerkship or biglaw SA. It's probably more than adequate for a midlaw part-time contract attorney position. What counts as "bad" depends enormously on your goals. It also depends enormously on where you go to law school. I don't think you've told us where you attend. A 3.05 at Georgetown is very different from a 3.05 at SMU.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Everyone I've talked to says that you only put your GPA if it's absurdly high, or it passes some posted GPA requirement (3.5 for fed jobs). So if that's the convention, I would think most employers assume that a resume without grade signals like latin honors, LR, or explicit GPA is around median rather than fearing the worst.

I have never heard this (I've only ever heard that if you leave it off, they assume it's terrible). At least, for firms. The "put it on if it helps, leave it off if it hurts" makes sense though.

Is it just me or does GPAs on resumes start looking out of place after someone has been working for awhile?

Probably depends on the job. There are people who have reported biglaw firms asking about their grades as laterals/asking laterals about their grades (though I don't know if you'd put it on the resume or provide a transcript).

[victortsoi]

Everyone I've talked to says that you only put your GPA if it's absurdly high, or it passes some posted GPA requirement (3.5 for fed jobs). So if that's the convention, I would think most employers assume that a resume without grade signals like latin honors, LR, or explicit GPA is around median rather than fearing the worst.

I have never heard this (I've only ever heard that if you leave it off, they assume it's terrible). At least, for firms. The "put it on if it helps, leave it off if it hurts" makes sense though.

OP here. So is 3.05 not as bad as I'm making it out to be? I assume im in the bottom 30%, but I guess there are likely people with sub 3.0 grades...this is a real tricky one for me...I also think that my school's official advice is to leave the GPA off if its too low.

A 3.05 is terrible if you want a federal clerkship or biglaw SA. It's probably more than adequate for a midlaw part-time contract attorney position. What counts as "bad" depends enormously on your goals. It also depends enormously on where you go to law school. I don't think you've told us where you attend. A 3.05 at Georgetown is very different from a 3.05 at SMU.

I go to a school that usually ranks between 50-70 in nyc. I'm mostly targeting city government, non profits, small-midlaw, hopefully not contract, but I'm open to those too of course. This is my gpa at graduation, to clarify, not as a 2L looking for summer work. Edit- outed, whatever.

[abl]

Everyone I've talked to says that you only put your GPA if it's absurdly high, or it passes some posted GPA requirement (3.5 for fed jobs). So if that's the convention, I would think most employers assume that a resume without grade signals like latin honors, LR, or explicit GPA is around median rather than fearing the worst.

I have never heard this (I've only ever heard that if you leave it off, they assume it's terrible). At least, for firms. The "put it on if it helps, leave it off if it hurts" makes sense though.

OP here. So is 3.05 not as bad as I'm making it out to be? I assume im in the bottom 30%, but I guess there are likely people with sub 3.0 grades...this is a real tricky one for me...I also think that my school's official advice is to leave the GPA off if its too low.

A 3.05 is terrible if you want a federal clerkship or biglaw SA. It's probably more than adequate for a midlaw part-time contract attorney position. What counts as "bad" depends enormously on your goals. It also depends enormously on where you go to law school. I don't think you've told us where you attend. A 3.05 at Georgetown is very different from a 3.05 at SMU.

I go to a school that usually ranks between 50-70 in nyc. I'm mostly targeting city government, non profits, small-midlaw, hopefully not contract, but I'm open to those too of course. This is my gpa at graduation, to clarify, not as a 2L looking for summer work. Edit- outed, whatever.

I'd go by what your school career service office says. They are much more likely to have a handle on the local folks and the sorts of jobs that you're applying for, as well as your school's reputation, than anyone here will. For jobs that a 3.05 exceeds the minimum requested qualifications, I'd consider listing it. For jobs that it does not, I wouldn't list it. Personally, I'd err on the side of not listing it, but if your career services tells you otherwise, I'd do whatever they say.