[icpait]

I got a 2.6 gpa in finance from a relatively good university about a year and a half ago. I went to community college after to meet the accounting requirements and 150 hr requirement. I sat for the cpa and passed but now comes the part of getting the necessary experience to actual get my cpa certification. My question is will the fact that I passed all four parts be good enough to get me a job or will my low gpa from undergrad still cause a problem when going to get the experience needed to get my cpa license??

[Anonymous]

I found that most employers outside of the big 4 and regional CPA firms generally don't care. I wish they did.

I think my undergrad GPA was 3.5 and my grad school GPA was 4.0 (with honors). No one seems to care honestly…..which is a shame because I'm quite proud of my Gradschool GPA and that I was one of the top 5 students in my class. But no one else does! 😀

I think having your CPA will certainly cushion any negative feedback if an employer doesn't like your undergrad. Most know that if you can pass the CPA, you can do just about anything. Most also know that many kids screw around during undergrad.

Congrats on the test!

[Anonymous]

Outside of my first professional job no one has ever cared or asked about my GPA. They did ask about it on my first job since I had no professional job experience. Even still, they focused mainly on my past job experience.

[ReadytoPasstheCPA]

From my experience, Undergrad GPA is generally important for entry level positions. However, after you have relevant experience, the focus is generally on how well you can add value to the role you are applying for, and less emphasis on how well you scored in college. Congrats on passing the exams.

[Whatdidyou]

It still matters but obviously passing the CPA is a huge plus as well. 2.6 is low, a 3.0 would be much better.

“My question is will the fact that I passed all four parts be good enough to get me a job or will my low gpa from undergrad still cause a problem when going to get the experience needed to get my cpa license?? “

My guess, it'll still cause problems but it won't be as difficult as it otherwise would be since you've passed the CPA.

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[LittleMoe]

Definitely have a good answer in your back pocket for interviews in case they ask about it. You need to be able to win them over by telling them why your undergrad GPA doesn't reflect on your work ethic now. Maybe a good bit of time has gone by and you have learned more about yourself and your work habits. Or maybe you weren't as interested in your undergrad and have found that you are stronger in accounting and that lead to your persuit of the CPA. I think that if you have a great answer to that, you would be able to convince most employers that the GPA is not a reflection of how you will work when they hire you.

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[Anonymous]

I have a 2.5 GPA for my undergrad and have never been asked about my GPA other than on application forms which I have always been honest and always had an answer in case. I just got hired by a Big 4 firm 6 months ago and they never asked what my GPA was. They were more concerned with knowing that I was pursuing my CPA.

[ImaCPA168]

I agree with everyone. If you're going out for your first job, then it will come up. Especially if you are fresh out of school there is nothing else on your resume to talk about. But if you're going out for your second, thrid, fourth job and you have good relevant experience on your resume, then chances are it won't come up. If it does, you can explain your way out of it.

I had a low undergrad GPA because I did 2 years of Pre-med and bombed before I switched to Business Administration. Rather than giving potential employers the total GPA that included the Pre-med courses (some that I failed), I took out all the science classes when I calculated my GPA for my resume. And I labelled the new GPA on the resume as “Upper division/Major specific GPA” — which was quite good. When employers ask me, I tell them the truth. My parents wanted me to be a doctor, so I was initially a pre-med. I realized it wasn't for me and it showed in my grades. But when I switched to a major of my own choosing, I did much better. Everyone I've encountered has accepted that explanation. Some even sympathized with the parental pressure!

Last thing, based on my experience in a Big 4, I think your GPA will definitely be a hindrance if you have your sights set for Big 4 entry-level positions. So if you want to go Big 4, transfer in as an experienced hire (senior or above) from a big regional firm. Or go get your Masters degree for a second chance at bettering your GPA and going through recruiting.

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[Anonymous]

If you passed the CPA exam and the firm is breaking your horns about your GPA from undergrad; you probably do not want to work for them anyway. You just passed one of if not THE HARDEST professional exam. If that does not prove your maturing and progress since college to them….they are morons. I did not do that well in college; hell I still have bong resin in my brain from it. I make very good money; more than my friends who did alot better than me and did not have as much fun as me.

[Mayo]

@Bluefin, Not sure if the above post is the right attitude. Whether YOU think passing the CPA exam is worth more than your undergrad GPA is irrelevant.

If I were a campus recruiter, seeing the CPA exam passed would be nice, and it shows me you have the commitment to pass a difficut exam. In addition, it's one less thing the firm has to worry about (i.e. they want you to have that passed ASAP).

However, if I see a history of bad grades, it shows immaturity, inconsistency, and lack of drive. I'd also have serious doubts of your accounting chops. Yes, even if you passed the exam.

Look, its nice that you were able to coast by with bad grades and have done well. But look around at many of the posts on this forum. The job landscape is still extremely competitive, and a low undergrad GPA will not look well against tons of better qualified candidates.

Also, recruiters at my firm have clearly stated to us that gpa matters, and the cutoff limit exists for interviews. So to the OP, I'd say it matters coming out of school. But GPA becomes less important as you gather work obviously. However, the Catch-22 is that a good gpa helps getting good experience.

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[Spock]

To lay it all out, in so many words, your GPA is the “go to” measurement of candidates without much work experience. Right or wrong, GPA is seen as an indicator of strength and your potential to perform on the job. As mayo mentioned, the CPA is great to have but seeing a 2.6 GPA, or anything below a 3.0, will place a questionable note in the minds of recruiters.

Remember, if your applying to Big 4 or other large firms, they have minimum GPA cutoffs that you do not qualify for regardless of your CPA. Smaller firms “may” place less emphasis on GPA, but positions are harder to come by and will probably require networking. Your on the right track with the CPA, now just hit the phones, and send out some emails that demonstrate your interest/motivation to attain such and such a position. Good luck.

[musicamor]

Unless you're Big 4, GPA does not matter. I am a seasoned accounting professional who got their CPA later in life. No employer cares about your GPA.

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[Anonymous]

@ Mayo – Who said anything about coasting by? I am 8 years out of school. I worked my balls off once out of college. Always had 2 jobs. Lack of drive? HA! I just made partner jerkoff.

To the OP – You passed the exam, I wonder how many people that particular firm has working for them that have NOT passed the exam. Maybe they need to reevaluate ther erecruitment procedures since grades are not an indicator if somoene can balance thier life, function outside a textbook, and follow through on their promises to pass the exam (which they definitely said they were going to during the interview)

[Anonymous]

I agree with BluefinCPA, I believe its time these companies re-evaluate their recruitment procedures. A good GPA looks good on paper and thats it. I'm not in public accounting right now but presently work at JPMorgan, a few of my co-workers and myself all went to the same school, majority of them all have better GPA's than I do, i'm talking about north of 3.8 and the likes, my major GPA is 3.2 and my overall GPA is even lower than that. I recently pass all four parts of the CPA exam while these same people are struggling to pass. And I'm not just saying that to prove a point. It is the truth. One girl was recruited straight out of college by E&Y and she did not last long there. She just recently took REG for the 3rd time and failed, took AUD and failed, passed BEC on her second try and its about to expire this window. She graduated with a 3.89. I did not pursue public accounting straight out of college because I've heard the stories of the long hours you have to put in, which i'm not scared of but I wanted to get the exams out of the way first. So now i'm ready to pursue public accounting and i'm hoping my passing the exams will have much more weight than my meager college GPA which I was able to accomplish going to school fulltime and having a fulltime job.

[Anonymous]

As long as your major GPA is 3.0 and better you should be fine. But the further out of school you are, the less it matters. Any good business man/woman will be able to see past a GPA. Can you work hard and do you want to? Can you communicate effictively? Can I go out to lunch with you and not want to blow my brains out? Can you bring in clients? Or do you want to be locked in a cubicle and not talk to anyone.

Big difference in being able to get a good GPA and being able to make money.

[ImaCPA168]

Right…as long as you have a 3.0 or above, there's nothing to worry about. Problem is, the person (icpait) who posed the question in the first place has a 2.6. So if she/he is straight out of college, it will definitely be more challenging to land that first job because one of the main factors employers use to filter candidates is by their GPA — especially when there is nothing else on the resume except an internship, some part-time college jobs, clubs and activites, personal interests…etc. to differentiate one candidate from another. A 2.6 will definitely not meet the minimum requirements for Big 4.

But a CPA license is a good to have and will help but I believe the low GPA will come up if you're newly graduated. So just be prepared to answer any questions that come up. And be ready to SHINE on your interview because you have to work harder than the applicant who has a 3.8.

I had an interviewer comment on my 3.3 saying, “Looks like you did some partying at school, eh?” Whatever he meant by that is left in the past but I think that the good thing for icpait is, it is not impossible to get hired with a 2.6 GPA. And later on , the more relevant job experience you have and the longer you've been out of college, the less your GPA will matter.

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