# Does college GPA reflect how intelligent someone is?



## Obvious (Aug 7, 2010)

I thought I was pretty bright. But when most people look at my GPA, they suspect me of being a dumb***. 

They think I spent my entire time in college partying, drinking, etc. When I don't even engage in those activities. I'm usually at home lol 

I had a higher GPA but screwed myself over big time sophomore year and never recovered. I don't even know what happened, I haven't been the same person since then. No motivation whatsoever and I can't even retain what I've learned at all.

Regardless, tech employers think I'm an idiot. And McDonalds would probably believe I'm overqualified because of my degree :/ 

So I'm not sure what I to do for a job now ...


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## little toaster (Jul 5, 2012)

Not really. It just shows how well you keep up with the material that is tested. It doesn't say anything about how well you learn the material that teachers skip when they write test questions.

You could be the brightest person in the class, but if you second guess yourself a lot on exams, your grades aren't gonna be stellar. If you spend a lot of time on stuff that a teacher decides isn't important, your grades aren't gonna be as good as you want. It's not always fair because the questions are just that random.

Figure out how to get the highest number of points and stick to that. Even if you don't understand the material as well as you want, if you know how to get the right answers, it's all that matters. If you have to memorize stuff, and then dump it when you're done, that's what you gotta do.

One thing you could do is just focus on what interests you and learn about those, so you can be really good at it. You don't have to be good at every little detail, but just enough to be a good employee.


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## mesmerize (Oct 19, 2012)

no it just reflects the amount of problems one has in their life that hinders them from succeding......thats the way i view it anyway.


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## minimized (Nov 17, 2007)

Aw hell no. I always did very well (and possibly better had it not been for SA), and I'm jack stupid. Just another arbitrary number placed by the meager measurements we depend on to quantify our world. If you have a direction, a focus, a skill, you're lightyears ahead of everyone else.


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## JadedAm (Dec 28, 2011)

College GPAs doesn't seem to have a correlation with a person's intelligence. They are just becoming a bunch of random numbers for me. I can possibly no smarter than a person with a higher GPA and vice versa.


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## meanmachine13 (Mar 13, 2011)

I have the opposite problem. I have a perfect GPA, literally a 4.0, but when I show up to an interview because I am unable to answer questions very well (mainly due to anxiety), employers arent interested in me. 

If you are able to sell yourself in an interview then they will often look past your GPA.


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## Eastcheap (Oct 31, 2012)

Maybe a low GPA just means that you stuck out a tough course of study to the bitter end. I've known retired scientists and engineers who wanted to go into teaching, but were disqualified by low grades.

Frankly, if I were an employer, I'd be more impressed with an iffy GPA than a 4.0 with a bunch of Ws. But that's just me.


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## Chieve (Oct 9, 2012)

i personally dont think it is a good indicator of someones intelligence

it is irrational thinking...


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## Obvious (Aug 7, 2010)

Thanks everyone for the responses! I really appreciate reading them.

If only I could eliminate my work anxiety altogether and be confident and prepared for an interview ... maybe employers would completely forget about my crappy gpa lol

I've been told by a career counselor that I shouldn't try applying for jobs (or internships at the time) that included a gpa > 3.0 because it wouldn't be worth the effort. That eliminates so many options. Everyone is competitive these days. It's pretty depressing.


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## vanishingpt (Mar 9, 2012)

Definitely not. I think there's many more forms and definitions versus the traditional one where if you are good at school, it must mean you are intelligent. Also there are other factors that apply, just because someone has a low GPA doesn't mean they're not intelligent. Things happen in life, people don't always have the time or strength to put 100% into their studies. They could be dealing with personal problems and such... so GPA is not always the indicator of intelligence.


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## sansd (Mar 22, 2006)

I think more intelligent people tend to have higher GPAs, but an individual's GPA doesn't tell you anything about their intelligence. It may not be intelligence that employers care about, however. Most would probably prefer a reasonably intelligent person who went to every class and did everything they were supposed to (thus earning good grades) over an extremely intelligent person who appears to have been a slacker.


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## Nono441 (May 14, 2012)

A single number cannot possibly represent an individual's intelligence. It's just a more convenient metric to be able to group people up in well-defined categories, as society likes to do. Don't think anything of it.

To me, perfect grades actually makes me initially wary of that person as someone who has been conditioned to regurgitate information and never think outside the box, and who has no personality. On average, of course, I know some great people with really good grades.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

It is kind of hard to compare because some schools and majors are much easier than others. If we were to compare two people in the same major at the same school who both put in about the same amount of effort then I'd guess that the one with the higher GPA is brighter.


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## CrimsonTrigger (Jun 28, 2011)

It means little to me. I got an A in one psych class and got a C in another. The material is very similar, so what happened? Easy: Depression and low motivation creeped up on me. I'm certainly smart enough to learn the material, and I find that I actually use some of that material when trying to solve the puzzle that is my life, as well as in everyday situations, but my level of intelligence doesn't make much of a difference if I'm too depressed to care.

I think GPA stands for a lot of things, but ironically enough, I'd say that intelligence isn't one of the higher ones. Two highly intelligent people could get very different grades on the same test due to a difference in where they are in their life right now. Someone like me who sees little point to life isn't going to do exceptionally well on most exams as a result.

It sucks when others see our GPA and make a complete judgment about our character over it. It's pathetic. I personally don't want a number assigned to my level of intelligence because it will just cause me huge anxiety over it. Because no matter how good my intelligence is, there is someone out there more intelligent than me, and I find that difficult to accept.


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## Earl of Lemongrab (May 15, 2012)

mesmerize said:


> no it just reflects the amount of problems one has in their life that hinders them from succeding......thats the way i view it anyway.


This

I'd be doing 100x better in school if I had good mental/physical health, guaranteed. It's not like those are factors which are within my control, either...


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## laetus (Nov 23, 2012)

It depends where you're going to college. Since most courses are based on a curve, having a 4.0 in a low-tier college (one of the best among mediocres) to a 3.0 in a high tier/ivy (average among the most educated in the country) is obviously different.

I think the university you go to does reflect intelligence, especially in a time where money is given out like candy to help those that can't afford to pay.


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## ryobi (Jan 13, 2009)

Yes and No. I studied chemistry and biology at a traditional university and I believe it could have been possible to get a 4.0 gpa and have learned absolutely nothing.
The only time I learned anything is when I found something interesting and I taught myself.

Chemistry is like learning what the parts on an engine look like and where they are located on different cars without having an idea what they do and how they work together. Basically, in chemistry, you memorize symbols and where they're located in different equations and then you plug numbers into those equations and you get an answer. If you memorized everything correctly then you probably answered the question correctly without learning anything at all.
And Biology???Biology is even worse. Most of it is rote memorization. So, at least in my degree, GPA is a good reflection of how hard someone is willing to work without learning anything at all.


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## Barette (Jan 17, 2012)

Not at all. A GPA simply reflects how much work you put into learning. You can be very intelligent, but also very lazy and uncaring about that kind of thing. You can also be very simple or obtuse, and study and learn things and do well and earn a high GPA.


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## Banzai (Jun 4, 2009)

ryobi said:


> Chemistry is like learning what the parts on an engine look like and where they are located on different cars without having an idea what they do and how they work together. Basically, in chemistry, you memorize symbols and where they're located in different equations and then you plug numbers into those equations and you get an answer. If you memorized everything correctly then you probably answered the question correctly without learning anything at all.


I feel very stupid now . I thought chemistry was one of the hardest subjects at school.

Plugging in numbers is _quite_ hard isn't it? And memorising all those little letters...right??


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## Jason 1 (Jul 26, 2012)

I don't think so. I think it measures one's ability to retain knowledge for a fixed length of time. I also measures one's test taking ability and dedication. For most to maintain a high GPA, you must do all assignments and study for all test. In other words, it is probably a better indicator of work ethic than intelligence.

With enough time and dedication, I think most can achieve a reasonable high GPA. Unfortunately, jobs don't really care about GPAs or hard work. You could be the most industrious person in the world, but if you can't sell yourself to the company during an interview, it is very difficult to get hired.

Many companies seem to care more about eye contact, social skills, and fake smiles than technical skills and abilities. My technical skill exceed that of nearly every person I graduated with but it doesn't really matter since I'm extremely shy, introverted, and socially inept.


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## louiselouisa (Jul 12, 2012)




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## ryobi (Jan 13, 2009)

Banzai said:


> I feel very stupid now . I thought chemistry was one of the hardest subjects at school.
> 
> Plugging in numbers is _quite_ hard isn't it? And memorising all those little letters...right??


Exactly.

4 years well 5( I went for another degree) and 28,000 thousand dollars later(and I got off cheap I worked throughout school) and all I know that was worth anyhting I taught myself. But I have a piece of paper with my name on it :roll


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## Deadguy (Aug 19, 2011)

Obvious said:


> Thanks everyone for the responses! I really appreciate reading them.
> 
> If only I could eliminate my work anxiety altogether and be confident and prepared for an interview ... maybe employers would completely forget about my crappy gpa lol
> 
> I've been told by a career counselor that I shouldn't try applying for jobs (or internships at the time) that included a gpa > 3.0 because it wouldn't be worth the effort. That eliminates so many options. Everyone is competitive these days. It's pretty depressing.


Your career counselor is right. I had a 2.5 GPA and had a very difficult time explaining why my GPA was so low.

One interviewer told me that a high GPA may not reflect your intelligence, but it does prove that you can learn information and apply it in a practical situation. It also shows that you have self-discipline and a good work ethic, which are qualities that most employers will want out of someone they are hiring.


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## BobbyByThePound (Apr 4, 2012)

Didnt Jay-Z drop out of high school? Would Jay-Z's academic record be an accurate indicator of his intelligence? I use this example to demonstrate how silly it is to judge a person's intelligence by how they did in school.


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## octodoc (Dec 25, 2012)

Only to a small degree. As someone who already finished undergrad, I can tell you I don't remember 80% of the things I learned there, and a lot of the material that was taught was geared toward people memorizing things for a test...so for the most part it's not really a true reflection of intelligence.

What I think it does show to some degree is how motivated you are, how you value your education, and if you are willing to work toward your goals. I am a teacher now and I can say that if you want to enter a good graduate program, your undergrad GPA does matter...


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## AussiePea (Mar 27, 2007)

As stated, it varies depending on many factors. Also someones intelligence when it comes to school (assignments and exams) may not reflect where it matters in a job and vise versa. If you get a poor GPA, it could mean that you were simply lazy and/or unmotivated during your studies, doing a course which was not suited to your type of intelligence or yes, you just struggled with the course material, but it does not mean you will be unsuccessful in the big bad world itself.

I think the key is to find something which you really do enjoy, and with that I think the rest would automatically follow.

Oh and honestly, a lot of employers couldn't give two rats about your GPA, if you can show you have done work experience in your desired field during your studies and have a positive result from your employer at that time, that counts for so much more. In the 3 full time engineering jobs I have had since graduating from uni, not once was I ever asked for my GPA score and they honestly did not give two ****s, all they cared about was the fact that I had graduated and that I had useful experience since.

I graduated with a GPA of 52% of the top mark and yet I have had no issues whatsoever pursuing an so far successful career in the engineering field. So do not despair!


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## Eastcheap (Oct 31, 2012)

AussiePea said:


> If you get a poor GPA, it could mean that you were simply lazy and/or unmotivated during your studies,


On the other hand, a high GPA could indicate that you had easy instructors. In the U.S., at the undergraduate level, your grades are pretty much in the hands of individual lecturers.



> I think the key is to find something which you really do enjoy, and with that I think the rest would automatically follow.


That's the advice I always give to the young'uns. Naturally, they then go and study "growth sector" stuff that they hate and end up working in a different field anyway. :roll



> Oh and honestly, a lot of employers couldn't give two rats about your GPA,


It's only recently that Ive started seeing U.S. employers get picky about it. Not surprisingly, a lot of that comes from the kinds of companies that are more interested in making a show of recruitment than in actually hiring anyone.


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## tario (Dec 17, 2012)

From my experience, not at all. But then again I don`t have good grades so I guess I am biased? Dunno. I never felt like I couldn`t keep up with conversations at all. Frankly it is the totally opposite. If I bring up something that requires some thought I usually get blank expressions or crappy answers.


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## gorbulas (Feb 13, 2004)

I am going to answer the original question without reading the replies. The answer is no. Some people don't do well in school or have other things on their plate when going to school so their studies can suffer. Everyone learns differently. Being book smart won't get you very far after school. It's the critical thinking and applying what you know that is worth the most.


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## ImAlwaysAnxious (Dec 30, 2012)

Somewhat. People who know what's good for them would probably work hard to earn higher scores. I know some lazy people who have low GPAs, but they are unmotivated, so that makes them dumber, because they have the chance to do well, but turn down the opportunity. (Not that everyone who has a low GPA is lazy or dumb.) 
A while ago, my advisor checked my grades during our meeting and she said (based on my scores), "You're smart." I never thought of myself as smart; I always considered and still consider myself "average" and nothing exceptionally intelligent. It's the self-deprecation that eats away at my confidence and contributes to my anxiety. It's so bad. I get some people telling me how intelligent I am, yet sometimes I really doubt it. It's something that I've needed to work on for many years. The bottom line is: If you want something that's worth your time and effort, you should work to achieve it. So if you want to consider yourself or you want others to consider you to be smart, then work at it. Do the actions that confirm how "smart" you are.


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## Amity (Dec 28, 2012)

It can. Smart person=high grades, dumb person=low grades. But I guess it isn't as simple as that. There are factors outside of intelligence that can alter the person's GPA, that's true. You can get stuck with the hard teachers, develop a disorder, have relationship problems, etc. I guess it really depends on how your life is.


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## maninabox (Aug 23, 2012)

Not always ... I knew people with high GPAs who lacked common sense, and I knew people who I was surprised how low their GPA was because they seemed intelligent while speaking to them.


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## Peter Attis (Aug 31, 2009)

I think a more appropriate question is "Does college GPA reflect how hard someone works?" In that case, I'd still say no. I've seen people study for hours and get C's and D's while others laze their way through A's and B's.


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## arnie (Jan 24, 2012)

It's only loosely correlated. Intelligence will let you breeze through high school but to succeed in college determination, study skills, money and the support of friends is more important.


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## Whatev (Feb 6, 2012)

Nope.


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## Ricebunnyx3 (Sep 1, 2010)

In a way yes... I got an F in my US Hist Class and although I'm good at that subject, we barely had any work, and I didn't do any of it. So personally that reflects that I'm lazy as fck and I think that in itself is a reflection on my intelligence. 'Cause I think a more intelligent person than I would've just done the work.


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## Ricebunnyx3 (Sep 1, 2010)

Peter Attis said:


> I think a more appropriate question is "Does college GPA reflect how hard someone works?" In that case, I'd still say no. I've seen people study for hours and get C's and D's while others laze their way through A's and B's.


I think what it shows to an employer or school is either that you're so smart you can breeze through anything - still a good trait - or you work really hard and are able to make good grades even though your not a genius - also still a good trait, so either way having a high GPA is a good thing.


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## Abenthy (Oct 9, 2011)

That would depend on how you want to define intelligence and whether there are multiple intelligences. There is certainly a correlation between academic performance and IQ, but a high GPA isn't a guarantee of a high IQ and a high IQ isn't a guarantee of a high GPA. There are other contributing factors, such as the difficulty of classes a person takes, etc.


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## AlphaHydrae (Jun 15, 2011)

Percentage wise, I just passed. It's my first semester, it's a big discouragement. Mass me wonder if I an handle uni. But question is, why can't I while others can succeed and be so bright?


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## StarryNight (Mar 14, 2011)

Definitely not, in my opinion. I have a high GPA, yet I'm ridiculously stupid when it comes to common sense tasks. I honestly think that mostly anyone can do well in school - it all comes down to how much effort you put in.


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## Remnant of Dawn (Feb 22, 2012)

I think it depends on a lot of factors, the biggest being how exactly you define intelligence.

If you define intelligence to mean a general understanding of the world and common sense, then I would say having a high GPA is no indication of intelligence whatsoever. 

Also, in my opinion, a high GPA for a liberal arts major doesn't mean much. I'm not saying this because I don't think people who study liberal arts cannot be intelligent, but because I don't think tests and GPAs can accurately define subjects as arbitrary and subjective as literature or history (it may just come down to memorizing facts).

However, I do think GPA is an accurate measure of intelligence in fields such as technology/science/engineering/etc, which deal with absolute universal truths that you either understand or do not. Obviously different GPAs in different schools mean different things (depending on the difficulty of the program), and there are always exceptions, but I think in general GPAs can reflect intelligence in this area.

I also agree with the fact that people who are truly intelligent will likely understand the importance of knowledge and education, and thus be more likely to have a higher GPA.


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## Lacking Serotonin (Nov 18, 2012)

It reflects how hard you study and work for it.


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## lonelyjew (Jan 20, 2010)

Old thread, but I'll say that there are plenty of smart people who don't have stellar GPAs, however, with few exceptions, people who get close to a 4.0 are smart.


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## euphoria04 (May 8, 2012)

I hope not.


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## Finished123 (Jan 15, 2014)

I think GPA is a result of three factors: intelligence, how important GPA is to the person, and outside factors (death in the family, SA, lack of good study partners, how motivated the other people in class are to get a good grade, etc.)


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## EddieDee (Jan 13, 2014)

Not really. It is just that some people are better in a subject than other. It depends how much you study. Those who gets straight A's spend a lot of time studying. It doesn't matter who you are, if you study hard, the right way , you'll get that A.


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## I Lurk Life (Oct 9, 2013)

There are different ways to express your intelligence.

I have a 4.0 GPA, aced Multivariable Calculus, have gotten on the Dean's List for 3 semesters, and received an award for extraordinary academic achievement, but I'll be the first one to tell you that I'm as dumb as dirt.

If you think about it, school's just an institution. It's a system. Teachers just follow curriculums that people in charge of the education system agree upon. Students get used to the education system as they grow up and a degree is just a standardized symbol of knowledge, sort of like why some people take the SAT/ACT.

But then, there's so much to this process. Personal issues, lifestyle, lack of motivation, etc. You could also get a bad professor, a helpful one, etc. Also there's the issue of rote memory versus true intelligence.

I've seen a lot of intelligence from people who don't do well in school. There's one guy I know who gets drunk all the time, who carries himself as an OG gangster, and who fools around in school, and he's the most brilliant player in some video game that I play--coming up with plays that Harvard gamers could only dream of. He also has a bunch of really good lines about life and some deep philosophy.

There's another guy I've met who had a lot of trouble understanding math, but he was like way beyond everyone else when it came to philosophy.

I feel like one of the special properties of intelligence is taking on the world as it is and making it into something better, or something different. In some ways, intelligence depends on the status quo. Intelligence is how we're always changing, how we keep evolving. To me, intelligence goes far beyond answering multiple choice questions and other stuff like that.


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