What did it take to get into college? A high GPA, and high SAT score, and a few extra-curriculars thrown in for good measure. That’s the screening process. Yet, only 40-70% of students (depending on socioeconomic factors) graduate college. If the goal is to admit only the students who will succeed, then the screening process isn’t very effective.
Consider this: Colleges use the GPA/SAT to filter out which customers they will allow to come GIVE them money. That’s right. College admissions is the process by which the education business screens customers. Why not let everyone in? Because colleges can’t produce a quality product for an unlimited number of customers.
Other businesses screen customers by pricing: they set the price of the product to match the number they can produce to the number of people willing to pay. It takes more effort to produce a Ferrari, so they can’t make as many cars each year as Ford can. So how do we decide who gets to drive a Ferrari? By pricing it in a way that only the people who REALLY want one will buy.
I digress.
The GPA is used to filter College Customers.
The investment in you by the college is minimal, and so that’s all they need. If you leave school, you don’t cost the college much (any?) money. GPA and SAT, that’s the screening process for you to be allowed to spend your money at their business.
Now think about the fact that your future employer is going to invest in you!
At a minimum, you’re going to cost your employers DOUBLE what they pay you the first year. There are taxes, benefits, recruiting, and training costs. If you turn out to be a bad fit, they will lose money on you. Lots of it.
Don’t you think the screening process should be a bit more in-depth? Well, it is. That’s why there’s several rounds of interviews. That’s why they call you on the phone to talk. Then they bring you in person to their facility for a day or two. They’re trying to get to know the real you.
The point:
To get into college, you used a GPA.
It didn’t really matter if you were good at anything, they just assumed you were if you had a high GPA. But the stakes were low. No investment on the part of the school.
To get into a job, you have to actually be good at something.
You can’t hide behind that GPA this time. You can game the system through 4+ years of college and leave with a shiny GPA. But that doesn’t mean anyone will let you past their “admissions process” to land a job.
Instead of gaming the system to get good grades, invest in your future by learning to add incredible value.
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