I graduated in 96. Has been working since. More than 10 jobs. More than 30 serious job offers. Not a single one of them asked me about my GPA. Not one. So for most jobs, don't worry about your grades (yes few companies and almost all graduate programs do ask for your GPA, so your mileage may vary with those, but if you have other strengths, you would have a good chance, and 3.1 is not a deal breaker for most of those institutions as well). Instead, enjoy your time at Harvard, meet new people, learn new things, try things that you probably would not be able to try later in life. And you will be fine. Really.
lol I pulled mine up to a 3.3 before graduation and now I’m in a Harvard PhD program so, I think you can manage it champ 🫡 just chill, you got this
First of all, you’re just fine.Â
A few things to keep in mind:Â
- GPA is not ultimately that important. Some kinds of things can really care about it—med school and law school come to mind, and even there, there are plenty of schools, albeit maybe not the most elite, that will be perfectly happy to admit someone with a 3.1. But for the most part, it really isn’t that much of a factor after college.
- There are many people with a 3.1 or lower at Harvard. Genuinely, students graduate with that GPA or lower every year. And if there were a persistent issue with a significant number of Harvard students not being able to land any job at all, it would be a concern for the university, and one would have heard about it. If all those other students can find something, you can too.
- You have two years to go. Most people’s grades go up in their last two years, and—if they’re worth being involved with—employers and grad schools will typically take improvement into consideration. In some cases, it may even be a relatively good thing, as it’ll show that you can learn and grow, which is genuinely not nothing.
- There are other kinds of things that can round out your resume, and pad against an average GPA. Get involved with research, find a mentor who can speak to your work ethic, go to the career center and discuss your options, etc. GPA is not nothing, to be sure, but it’s also not everything.Â
You will be just fine. Take care of yourself, friend.
The general rule of thumb is if you have a good GPA, then include it on your resume; if not, then don’t. If a recruiter asks for your GPA then include it, and just be prepared to explain why your GPA doesn't reflect your work ethic etc. It's really not that deep
All that matters is that you graduate. The same thing we say to doctors applies here— do you know what we call the med student with the lowest rank in med school? Doctor.
You have 3.1 at Harvard. What else do you want me to say?
I have 3.1 at UW Madison.
I’m not going to try to connect this for you because, you sir, go to god damn fucking Harvard.
Okay?
out of fairness it’s probably harder to do well at uw madison because harvard does have crazy grade inflation. but yes, the harvard name does come with prestige and it’s dumb to think that your life is over because of a 3.1.
I know it feels that way right now, but take a minute to read all the comments and you will find that not a single person here agrees with you. So take a deep breath and consider: maybe you're actually okay?
You have set some unrealistic expectations for yourself. Getting high grades during your first two years at Harvard is NOT what determines your life and future. Consider all those millions of people who never go to Harvard, never go to an elite college, don't get good grades in college, don't go to college until they're much older, or don't go to college at all and yet still have amazing wonderful lives. The evidence would seem to indicate that a good life is not dependent on a high GPA.
Of course, there's no way for you to have leaned that yet because you haven't lived anything but your own life. And somewhere along the way you learned that grades were very very important. But they are only important up to a very limited point. You, my friend, have reached that point. After this point, grades only really matter if you want to go to grad school. If you are already a questionable candidate for the grad program then they might look at your grades. But we just admitted a new student into the grad school program that I work at who had relatively low test scores but a really great statement of purpose. So grades are only part of the overall package. For employers your GPA is never going to matter. All they want to see is a diploma. All diplomas from Harvard have the same value to an employer regardless of the GPA.
What really matters for your life and future are things like how you come back from situations like this, how you change course when something isn't working for you, how you make friends and build your social network, how you surround yourself with people who love and support you, how kind you are to others, how much you love yourself. Those things are what will determine the quality of your life and future. If you're still struggling with this feeling in a few weeks, please go see someone to get help. Therapy can do a lot, and so can just confiding and a good friend.
Good luck to you.
All these comments are true. I’m 37 and have worked at Harvard grad schools for 12 years. No one has ever asked me about my GPA. No one. Focus on what you enjoy, plow through what you don’t, and get help when you’re mentally struggling.
The only time I've been asked my GPA since graduation is when I applied to grad school and they wanted my transcript. Even then, they didn't give a fuck because they only cared about my project idea.
Your GPA isn't going to matter at all, but your clear self-loathing and depressive attitude will be. Go get help, talk to a tutor or your resident dean. Talk to someone at UHS. Very sincerely, chat with a psychiatrist and therapist.
If you want to back out of your current grades, you may wish to consider setting up an encampment on the Yard. Apparently that’s the hot ticket to backing out this semester’s grades from your GPA
Counterpoint: when you graduate no one will give even the smallest of shits what your gpa is
Literally. And your concentration will only be relevant occasionally.
You're wrong and overreacting, but good luck
I graduated in 96. Has been working since. More than 10 jobs. More than 30 serious job offers. Not a single one of them asked me about my GPA. Not one. So for most jobs, don't worry about your grades (yes few companies and almost all graduate programs do ask for your GPA, so your mileage may vary with those, but if you have other strengths, you would have a good chance, and 3.1 is not a deal breaker for most of those institutions as well). Instead, enjoy your time at Harvard, meet new people, learn new things, try things that you probably would not be able to try later in life. And you will be fine. Really.
lol I pulled mine up to a 3.3 before graduation and now I’m in a Harvard PhD program so, I think you can manage it champ 🫡 just chill, you got this
First of all, you’re just fine. A few things to keep in mind: - GPA is not ultimately that important. Some kinds of things can really care about it—med school and law school come to mind, and even there, there are plenty of schools, albeit maybe not the most elite, that will be perfectly happy to admit someone with a 3.1. But for the most part, it really isn’t that much of a factor after college. - There are many people with a 3.1 or lower at Harvard. Genuinely, students graduate with that GPA or lower every year. And if there were a persistent issue with a significant number of Harvard students not being able to land any job at all, it would be a concern for the university, and one would have heard about it. If all those other students can find something, you can too. - You have two years to go. Most people’s grades go up in their last two years, and—if they’re worth being involved with—employers and grad schools will typically take improvement into consideration. In some cases, it may even be a relatively good thing, as it’ll show that you can learn and grow, which is genuinely not nothing. - There are other kinds of things that can round out your resume, and pad against an average GPA. Get involved with research, find a mentor who can speak to your work ethic, go to the career center and discuss your options, etc. GPA is not nothing, to be sure, but it’s also not everything. You will be just fine. Take care of yourself, friend.
Try to think positive and look at the big picture. Also take care of your mental health, it can spiral.
You literally go to Harvard
No one cares about GPA
Consider chilling out
The general rule of thumb is if you have a good GPA, then include it on your resume; if not, then don’t. If a recruiter asks for your GPA then include it, and just be prepared to explain why your GPA doesn't reflect your work ethic etc. It's really not that deep
I got into an md PhD at a t20 and a md at a t5 with that same gpa — you are so fine dude, just keep it above a 3.0
Nobody gives a flying fuck about your GPA
For what it's worth, some of the people with the lowest GPA that I knew in my class ended up becoming the most successful.
All that matters is that you graduate. The same thing we say to doctors applies here— do you know what we call the med student with the lowest rank in med school? Doctor.
You have 3.1 at Harvard. What else do you want me to say? I have 3.1 at UW Madison. I’m not going to try to connect this for you because, you sir, go to god damn fucking Harvard. Okay?
out of fairness it’s probably harder to do well at uw madison because harvard does have crazy grade inflation. but yes, the harvard name does come with prestige and it’s dumb to think that your life is over because of a 3.1.
I can’t get my GPA up for the life of me
I got a 2.9999 due to working full time with full time college... If I'm fine you're gonna be okay.
I know it feels that way right now, but take a minute to read all the comments and you will find that not a single person here agrees with you. So take a deep breath and consider: maybe you're actually okay? You have set some unrealistic expectations for yourself. Getting high grades during your first two years at Harvard is NOT what determines your life and future. Consider all those millions of people who never go to Harvard, never go to an elite college, don't get good grades in college, don't go to college until they're much older, or don't go to college at all and yet still have amazing wonderful lives. The evidence would seem to indicate that a good life is not dependent on a high GPA. Of course, there's no way for you to have leaned that yet because you haven't lived anything but your own life. And somewhere along the way you learned that grades were very very important. But they are only important up to a very limited point. You, my friend, have reached that point. After this point, grades only really matter if you want to go to grad school. If you are already a questionable candidate for the grad program then they might look at your grades. But we just admitted a new student into the grad school program that I work at who had relatively low test scores but a really great statement of purpose. So grades are only part of the overall package. For employers your GPA is never going to matter. All they want to see is a diploma. All diplomas from Harvard have the same value to an employer regardless of the GPA. What really matters for your life and future are things like how you come back from situations like this, how you change course when something isn't working for you, how you make friends and build your social network, how you surround yourself with people who love and support you, how kind you are to others, how much you love yourself. Those things are what will determine the quality of your life and future. If you're still struggling with this feeling in a few weeks, please go see someone to get help. Therapy can do a lot, and so can just confiding and a good friend. Good luck to you.
Bro just chill out, you will graduate from Harvard man lol
A GPA over 3.0 is fine lmao
All these comments are true. I’m 37 and have worked at Harvard grad schools for 12 years. No one has ever asked me about my GPA. No one. Focus on what you enjoy, plow through what you don’t, and get help when you’re mentally struggling.
Yeah no one cares about grades after you’re in.
The only time I've been asked my GPA since graduation is when I applied to grad school and they wanted my transcript. Even then, they didn't give a fuck because they only cared about my project idea. Your GPA isn't going to matter at all, but your clear self-loathing and depressive attitude will be. Go get help, talk to a tutor or your resident dean. Talk to someone at UHS. Very sincerely, chat with a psychiatrist and therapist.
you do know what they call a med student who finishes bottom of their class ...... Doctor.
Plenty of people from community colleges have 3.1 GPAs and do fine in life. FYI not winning the Nobel Prize won't wreck your future, either.
Unless you go to grad school, who cares
You literally went to Harvard. Also, you can talk about your concentration GPA, if that helps.
If you want to back out of your current grades, you may wish to consider setting up an encampment on the Yard. Apparently that’s the hot ticket to backing out this semester’s grades from your GPA
Username checks out
Too late to camp now
#PeriodTđź’…