Importance of GPA

[Potatoloco]

Ok, I know this may sound dumb and all but how truly important is your GPA, if you are not planning on going further than a Bachelors degree.

I guess what I am asking, generally speaking does an employer care if you were a 2.0 or 4.0 GPA, especially if you have real-life experience, etc? I seem to think tist is more of a trivial thing rather than something that is terribly important, especially if you are just getting a basic, general degree like liberal arts, etc. Maybe just another extra feather in your cap sort of thing.

Not trying to down play the importance of truly understanding the material, spending quality time syudying, etc or ecelling at your education because you simply want for your own personal reasons. Of course those going for further education, well thats a different subject all together.

I'm, just curious what the concensus is on this topic. Thoughts and opinions - PLEASE???

Depends on what degree you're getting and what area of employment you seek. I have lots of friends that graduated with 2.0 GPA's and got hired on immediately after graduation. Then again I've known others with near 4.0 that couldn't find a job to save their life because either their degree choice and/or interpersonal skills. All of these involved different processes where transcripts were required or not required.

The police in my area require 60 credit hours of at least a "C". That's a 2.0 GPA for a job starting out in the high 40k range. Same with fire.

Wife's best friend was an alternate for vet school with a 3.9 GPA from the same campus.

My own mother has a GED with no college experience and makes close to 50k a year in management.

Father-in-law dropped out after one semester and a 1.0 GPA. He makes 95k now working for the FAA.

Sister-in-law and brother-in-law make 250k combined with 3.5-4.0 GPAs.

A former investor of mine is a multi-millionaire after dropping out of college and starting several business ventures.

Another family friend carried a 4.0 in her major, had a business fail, now works part time at a donut shop and hasn't found a job in 2 years.

The only conclusion I can really make is, GPA isn't always cut and dry upon what success you will have in life. Sometimes it's who you know, life experience, personality, or just dumb luck of being in the right place at the right time.