SAFF EDIT: Want a higher GPA? Look elsewhere

In today’s economy, graduating students will have a hard time trying to find an open position for a full-time job, never mind the job of their dreams, or even one in their field. Many will settle for internships, paid or otherwise, part-time gigs, picking up serving or bartending shifts and other menial tasks &- or maybe they’ll just graciously accept unemployment for couple of months before they are forced to find any sort of compensation that will allow for them to move out of their parent’s basement.

Today’s graduating students will have a hard time trying to find both an open position for a full-time job and an employer willing to give their resume anything more than a quick glance. The Internet has proven to be both a blessing (for finding ample opportunities) and a curse (for flooding the inboxes of prospective employers beyond the point of tolerance), so what’s the solution?

If you’re hoping that a higher grade point average will make you stand out, or if you’re hoping for a higher GPA in general ­­&-&- best of luck to you, unless you go to a private school that is not Boston University. Recent data shows that GPAs at private colleges and universities, which tend to be higher than those of public schools, are sharply on the rise over the past five decades &-&- again, especially compared to public schools.
But does that really matter anymore?

BU students, conversely to many private school peers, are aware of the “grade deflation” that occurs on this campus &-&- especially when they’re constantly competing with their Ivy League counterparts, who benefit from private institution grade inflation just across the river.

So what’s a BU student to do, when our competition (other private school graduates) is statistically inclined to have higher GPAs than him or her? Simply this: that in many humanities-related fields, GPAs are relatively insignificant anyway. The grades are subjective and are often an imperfect indicator of a student’s ability to complete the task at hand. Not to mention, an employer for such a field probably won’t know the difference between a 3.0 and a 3.4.

But most importantly, take stock in the name of your institution. Network, network and network some more, and milk your tuition dollars for all that they are worth &-&- drop the words “Boston University” at interviews, in email, during phone calls and certainly on your resume whenever possible. And be certain to have references lined up. Got a couple of close former professors or your blog roll? Maybe even the cell phone number of a department head? Is Dean Elmore following you back on Twitter?

Remember, the ability to communicate, network and socialize is often just as important, if not more important, than academic aptitude. Who really wants a quiet brainiac to be the liaison between clients anyway? And no one likes a shy receptionist.

And if a still-stellar GPA caps a laundry list of impressive internships or part-time jobs, but you just can’t seem to land a post-graduate entry-level position, and you’ve exhausted social media beyond what some would consider a professional or even tolerable level, then what do you do? Consider maybe spraying your resume with a pleasant perfume (a la Elle Woods), or even uploading a YouTube video (if interested in Tufts University). Otherwise, BU near-grads, you’re left to your own creative devices.