Hi all i a 3rd year economics major at the University of Georgia. I slacked off my first two years of college and it has landed me with a 2.8 overall gpa. I’ve been trying to get financial internships but have not succeeded. I heard full time entry level positions are easier to come by. Will taking the CFA level one help my chances of landing a full time job considerably?
yes, although you’d have probably a harder time passing and will have to justify your 2.8
the thing is i think id do fine on the level one if i study hard enough. im doing well in finance/accounting classes. i just messed up english 101 etc. how do i justify a 2.8? with a higher major GPA?
Are you enrolled in Terry? If not, then that is your #1 priority. 2.8 is way too low. Try to declare additional concentration/major to stay in school for another year to get your gpa to at least 3.4. You may still not get the finance job you want after that, but the 3.4 gives you a better chance for a top tier MBA if you have decent experience.
I am enrolled in terry. i have a 3.5 Major GPA. I seriously doubt i can get my overall gpa above a 3.1 upon graduation, possibly a 3.0. All i want to do is successfully complete the cfa progam. I am wondering if I complete lvl 1, if ill be able to get a job that fullfills the requirements of the cfa work experience. Im not worried about salary/actual job, just the work experience counting toward my CFA. I heard once your 3-5 years out, GPA doesnt matter anymore. is this true?
also what about if i pass all 3 levels in the next four years. can i get the work experience necessary then? i know itl take about 8 years to fullfill but it might be worth it.
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You have to do something to make up for that sub-3.0 gpa. Passing L1 will help you in job searches but don’t rely on it. I’ve seen people list 1st/2nd year gpa, 3rd/4th year gpa and overall. It helps explain why the overall is low and could show that you made an improvement and got your stuff together. I was very consistent through college. My semester GPAs never deviated by more than 0.2 from my final cumulative.
how do i make up for the sub 3.0 gpa. is it by taking lvl 1 and 2? and passing both. I think that by passing lvl 1 and lvl two it shows that you are well on your way to acheiving the cfa and firms will hire you, but i dont know if my logic is correct
kush87 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I am enrolled in terry. i have a 3.5 Major GPA. I > seriously doubt i can get my overall gpa above a > 3.1 upon graduation, possibly a 3.0. All i want to > do is successfully complete the cfa progam. I am > wondering if I complete lvl 1, if ill be able to > get a job that fullfills the requirements of the > cfa work experience. Im not worried about > salary/actual job, just the work experience > counting toward my CFA. I heard once your 3-5 > years out, GPA doesnt matter anymore. is this > true? i had similar stats to you. 3.0 overall gpa, 3.3 major gpa in econ, non-target school. i thought passing cfa level 1 would be my ticket, and i did get my first big break shortly after i passed. but by far and away the most important thing for somebody in your shoes will be interviewing ability. better credentials gets you more interviews. if you’re a great interviewer you only need one interview.
stylemog do you think you will get better and better jobs once you complete lvl 2 and 3?
I would list only your major GPA on your resume. I listed both my overall and my major GPA, because the major GPA was better. The resume is a marketing tool; you need to portray yourself in a positive light without being misleading (if you’re asked about your overall, be honest). But this is a difficult hiring environment, and a low GPA is going to handicap your chances. Your best bet is to work any network you may have.
so assuming I do get a job that meets the requirements for the cfa and i pass all three levels, will my gpa basically go away? after i have earned a cfa?
stylemog has a very valid point there- interview ability… Apart from that, market yourself, emphasize your GPA in the last two years…If you want to prove to them that you are a potential super star, get straight A’s in the last two years or whatever you have left…Look dude - you messed up and now you need to make up for it… My case was quite the opposite - I had a 4.0 the first two years and once I turned 21, it was all over haha…But I realized just in the nick of time to let it not fall below 3.5… I just found a job less than 2 motnhs ago, in the toughest of times…Its doable, focus on interview skills, contact me at chawlapreet At G-mail dottt com… I have some material that I can send you that can be of help, financial modeling in excel and interview tips etc…
GPA is important in your initial job search, and yes, the impact it has on early career development (say 2nd ~6th year) slowly becomes nil as you fill your resume with job experience. But if an MBA is required in your career advancement, then your GPA becomes very important. I get mixed messages on whether a CFA is a replacement for MBA, to err on the safe side, I’d say try to get above 3.0 so you have a chance for a good MBA when you have to head back to school.
I think people here are overemphasizing GPA. Admittedly, I have never worked on sellside/banking, nor have I worked for a Blackstone or PIMCO or a big name like that. But, there are plenty of shops out there that pay well, provide an opportunity to learn, and get real experience that never even look at GPAs. However, maybe times have changed for recent grads (and, to Kevin’s point, I am not addressing MBA). But, aside from the highly structured environment of these “tier 1” firms, I think that the majority of shops out there don’t even ask for GPA. Frankly, my GPA was awful, so this is something I have spent a lot of time thinking about. Don’t worry, things will work out. Be persistent, work hard to improve as much as you can, get your CFA. If you truly enjoy this business, you will find a way. You may never work for Goldman (I wont either), but you might not even want that. edit: Yes, a high GPA will make your life easier. But, don’t count yourself out. Have faith.
kush87 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > stylemog do you think you will get better and > better jobs once you complete lvl 2 and 3? personally i’m quitting sellside research to move into trading… so i’m basically done w/ CFA. but as far as lvls 2 and 3 go it depends on what type of jobs you’re looking for. once you’re in the sell-side as an associate, CFA is irrelevant internally in terms of comp or immediate career progression until you start talking about promotion to senior analyst. in that case CFA will make you more promotable, esp if you don’t have an MBA. there are very few seniors with just an undergrad degree and no other credentials. if you’re looking to go to the buy-side it will help a lot with long-only funds. maybe help a little with hedge funds but not as much.
preetchawla Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > stylemog has a very valid point there- interview > ability… > > Apart from that, market yourself, emphasize your > GPA in the last two years…If you want to prove > to them that you are a potential super star, get > straight A’s in the last two years or whatever you > have left…Look dude - you messed up and now you > need to make up for it… > > My case was quite the opposite - I had a 4.0 the > first two years and once I turned 21, it was all > over haha…But I realized just in the nick of > time to let it not fall below 3.5… > > I just found a job less than 2 motnhs ago, in the > toughest of times…Its doable, focus on interview > skills, contact me at chawlapreet At G-mail dottt > com… > > I have some material that I can send you that can > be of help, financial modeling in excel and > interview tips etc… preetchawla, can you send me the interview help material, I would really appreciate it, my email is: mark.samson11 [at] gmail [dot] com
thanks for the input everyone, if anyone has any more advice id love to hear it. thanks again
I’m with grover. My GPA was nothing short of repugnant coming out of a state university (albeit, it has a fantastic finance program). My first job out of college was an investment banking analyst position for a less known shop that never even asked for GPA (they did a lot of testing and junk). The fact is, you’ll never work at Goldman Sachs or Bear Stearns (haha, joke), but there are plenty of opportunities out there for the persistent. Although, there may be far less right now. I passed L1 of the CFA exam. It helped close to zero percent in my job search.