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Comment by kevhsu | Hacker News Reader

As a computer engineering undergrad with a < 3.0 GPA at a top 5 CompE school with 1 more semester to go, I've felt a lot of pressure to lie about my GPA on my resume just to be above the 3.0/3.3/3.5 cutoffs that so many jobs have. It's a little tougher to score an interview without a GPA on my resume, but I feel that once I'm in an interview, I'm at little to no disadvantage compared to anyone else since I think most places will prioritize actual problem solving skills over a number with 3 significant figures...

Currently unsure whether it's better to blurt out "2.6" or "don't worry about it" when recruiters ask me what my GPA is after seeing the rest of my resume. Either way, I sleep way better at night compared to lying.

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Whatever the current HR types say, it doesn't define you.

It will matter to them for the next couple years and then real world experience will be much more important. And more enlightened companies will care more about real world results instead of grades most of the time anyway.

I didn't meet the "GPA minimums" for my first job but since I left my GPA off, no one realized it until much later.. a year after I had the job and I was invited to do college recruiting. ;)

Most of the mainstream tech companies that the other students are going after don't ask for GPA. The only company who did go out of their way to ask for it is Google. I don't list my GPA on my resume at all, and it's worked out pretty well (as long as you can fill the space with side projects or other experiences). I tend to apply solely to those companies and startups, so I definitely can't say anything about the whole field.

Just one anecdotal data point for you.

I graduated with a 2.8 from a top 15 school (actually, I believe it was 16, now that I think about). I never felt the need to put my GPA on my resume. The few times I was asked, I explained I was working nearly full time while attending school full time.

If a recruiter asked, I would respond with, "Is there a minimum GPA?" If so, tell her. If not, I would say its not important. The important thing is you have a degree from a top 5 school.

Round it to 3. You did say engineering, right?

My school has a one page policy document in acceptable ways to format the significant figures (up to 4) and rounding (down only). Violations can lead to excommunication from career services office.

Don't lie about your GPA and don't bring it up. If some recruiter asks it, say "its not worth putting on the resume, and you shouldn't be rewriting my resume. IF you're looking for something to use to pitch me use X, Y, or Z" ,where those are projects you've done, in class our outside of class, that are relevant to the job.

Two possibilities- the recruiter is trying to filter you out (in which case, if you are qualified for the job, never work with that recruiter or firm again, and tell them this every time they contact you) or they are looking for something that can use to make you stand out... and don't really care about the GPA.

Any company that won't hire you because your GPA is not high enough is a company run by idiots.

At your age, it may seem silly for me to say that, because you've not experienced this kind of idiocy before, I bet, but it is the case.

A company looking for a CS student whose worth your time is one who will want to talk to you about programming, not your GPA. (they might ask but they won't really care)

You'll learn a lot more from the people who don't confuse symbols for reality.

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