fascinating—kind of like the CSI stuff on TV—and I was learning a lot, but it was all so foreign to me. For my final exam, I had to enter a room that contained nothing but old—and I mean old —bones laid out on several tables. I had to identify whether they were animal or human, their gender, their age,and so forth. I have never worked so hard in my life. I got a B minus and it was the hardest grade I ever earned. I’m more proud of that grade than the A’s I had in other courses. When employers ask me if I can handle challenges, I tell them about the feeling I had when I walked into that room full of bones. They always laugh and tell me they admire my perseverance. And then we talk about the differences between anthropological reality and what’s on TV.
Most studies reveal that ultimately there is little correlation between your college grade point average (GPA) and the salary you receive or how successful you are in your career. And once you’re in the workplace, your GPA will continue to have less impact, except perhaps for highly academic employers such as institutions of higher education or think tanks. But it is also true that the higher your grade point average, the more opportunities will be available to you. Many prestigious programs, including White House internships, FBI programs, pharmaceutical sales positions, Wall Street jobs, and so on, screen candidates by GPA. And obviously, the better your grades, the better the graduate or professional school you will be able to attend. Good grades give you more freedom to select opportunities.
Does this mean if you don’t have a perfect GPA. you’re sunk? Of course not. There are numerous examples of successful people who had poor grades or even dropped out of college. Your GPA is just one factor in the employment and graduate school process and there are lots of ways to compensate. It still makes sense to go for the best grades you can within reason, but you are in college to learn, so don’t avoid classes just because you might not get the best grade.
You’ve been working hard in your classes—studying, writing papers, taking tests, and so on. Isn’t it time your courses did something for you ? Let’s look at strategies that will help you improve your grades, if needed, as well as present your education in the best possible light to employers.
MAKING YOUR CLASSES WORK FOR YOU
You already know from your Wandering Map and your analysis of your mindsets that you possess a unique set of talents, skills, knowledge, and experiences. Contrary to some people’s thinking, you are not taking refuge from the workplace during your years as a student. You are actively acquiring knowledge and information that will serve you later on, so consider keeping your projects, papers, books, and other records of your learning to create a portfolio for future employers.
If you believe that your courses are not relevant to your life postcollege, you are wrong. Even if the specific information from the courses isn’t directly relevant, you are acquiring metaknowledge: knowledge that teaches you a framework for thinking about a situation. For example, most of us are seldom called upon to solve an algebra problem. But we developed logical thinking and problem-solving skills from working those formulas and we use that knowledge daily. Most courses contain metaknowledge that can be extrapolated and applied to workplace settings. So take some time to examine those courses you think don’t apply to your future endeavors. Are you sure they are “useless”? How could you challenge an employer’s assumption about your classes? How could you sell your potential based on your education? Did you take a class where you knew nothing about the subject but by the end of the semester were practically an expert? How could that skill apply in a job setting?
The concept of deriving skills from majors is hardly new. Career counselor and writer Dr. Howard Figler offered groundbreaking
Most studies reveal that ultimately there is little correlation between your college grade point average (GPA) and the salary you receive or how successful you are in your career. And once you’re in the workplace, your GPA will continue to have less impact, except perhaps for highly academic employers such as institutions of higher education or think tanks. But it is also true that the higher your grade point average, the more opportunities will be available to you. Many prestigious programs, including White House internships, FBI programs, pharmaceutical sales positions, Wall Street jobs, and so on, screen candidates by GPA. And obviously, the better your grades, the better the graduate or professional school you will be able to attend. Good grades give you more freedom to select opportunities.
Does this mean if you don’t have a perfect GPA. you’re sunk? Of course not. There are numerous examples of successful people who had poor grades or even dropped out of college. Your GPA is just one factor in the employment and graduate school process and there are lots of ways to compensate. It still makes sense to go for the best grades you can within reason, but you are in college to learn, so don’t avoid classes just because you might not get the best grade.
You’ve been working hard in your classes—studying, writing papers, taking tests, and so on. Isn’t it time your courses did something for you ? Let’s look at strategies that will help you improve your grades, if needed, as well as present your education in the best possible light to employers.
MAKING YOUR CLASSES WORK FOR YOU
You already know from your Wandering Map and your analysis of your mindsets that you possess a unique set of talents, skills, knowledge, and experiences. Contrary to some people’s thinking, you are not taking refuge from the workplace during your years as a student. You are actively acquiring knowledge and information that will serve you later on, so consider keeping your projects, papers, books, and other records of your learning to create a portfolio for future employers.
If you believe that your courses are not relevant to your life postcollege, you are wrong. Even if the specific information from the courses isn’t directly relevant, you are acquiring metaknowledge: knowledge that teaches you a framework for thinking about a situation. For example, most of us are seldom called upon to solve an algebra problem. But we developed logical thinking and problem-solving skills from working those formulas and we use that knowledge daily. Most courses contain metaknowledge that can be extrapolated and applied to workplace settings. So take some time to examine those courses you think don’t apply to your future endeavors. Are you sure they are “useless”? How could you challenge an employer’s assumption about your classes? How could you sell your potential based on your education? Did you take a class where you knew nothing about the subject but by the end of the semester were practically an expert? How could that skill apply in a job setting?
The concept of deriving skills from majors is hardly new. Career counselor and writer Dr. Howard Figler offered groundbreaking
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