College success #2: Why is GPA important?

Hope you are all doing healthy, and being productive as much as you can :)

By the end of this blog you will understand why grades in university is important regardless of what your goals and ambitions are. Having gone through 4 years at college, I want to share with you my personal take on this subject. If you haven't read about what college success means, have a read here first before you start this one.

There are 3 reasons why I think GPA is important.

1. Easiest way to stand out for job search

2. Key metric for employers to gauge your competence on paper

3. You learn to be persistent

Easiest way to stand out for job search

For the most of us, one of the key goals after finishing our studies in university is to get a GREAT full time job. A great full time job in my opinion consists of the following:

• Doing work that is exciting and fun

• Amazing work culture (steep learning curve, great feedback culture etc)

• Great benefits (financial, health etc)

Of course competition for these great full time job opportunities will be fierce. This is why standing out among the crowd is crucial and a high GPA is the easiest way to do so. Why is it easy? Because it is a variable we can control. Every one of you is capable of getting an impressive GPA. It is one thing we can all achieve through consistent effort, and a willingness to work hard.

If desire for great GPA == 'yes':
    greatGpa = right mindset + right approach + consistent effort

Key metric for employers to gauge your competence on paper

As human beings, we base our decisions on both quantitative and qualitative analysis. When recruiters screen over your resume, they will look for quantifiable achievements as part of their decision making process and a key component is your GPA! There is nothing bad about having amazing grades so why not try and do your best? It is only dependent on your mindset and the amount of time and effort you put into your classes. Employers will assume you are somewhat competent just from a number they see on your resume before even meeting you.

Getting an amazing GPA isn't magic, but rather a combination of the right mindset, approach, and consistent effort.

You learn to be persistent

A great GPA shows you are persistent. University is tough. US universities are especially rigorous since you have to be extremely consistent in your approach. You have daily assignments, quizzes, reports, and on top of that cheeky mid terms to deal with. All these components impact your final grade meaning you have to be on top of your game ALL THE TIME. Striving for a good grade is one way to build up your persistence, an important life skill you will definitely need once you enter the real world.

Modeling in Bristol, UK :)

I am living evidence that getting a great GPA is possible. I had mediocre grades in high school. After coming to college, I put in the time and effort to learn as much as I can and do well in my academics. As a result, I graduated with Highest Distinction from college. This is not to boast but to let you know that getting good grades isn't rocket science!

Taka's Tip Top Tips

When you're working, remove all distraction, set a timer for a specific task and make sure you take 5-10 min breaks in between to refresh!

Thanks for sticking around! Hope you found one or two things useful and remember, take baby steps and good things will happen eventually. Be yourself and let's get moving!

Yours sincerely,

Taka