[Anonymous]

Pretty much this semester I had plan to do great but that completely back fired on me. I planned to get my GPA to a 3.2 but not gonna happen no more. Its below a 3.0 (I think) and I am extremely depressed at the moment, I still have 2 semesters left.

Amway, I have an appointment with a PWC recruiter in the end of the month. Met her in a panel and found her on linkedin. Spoke to her and she is willing to speak to me on her own time (in person).

My first question is should I still meet her?

How can I take advantage of this meeting, if I choose to go? Like what should I ask? I honestly did not think it through. Please give me your advice.

How do I deal with this low GPA?

I am the type of student who does not perform well in exams but know my stuff.

My proof of this statement is provided below.

I interned for VITA under IRS and got promoted to site manager because I performed well as a tax preparer.

If I don;t get in, what do I do then?

I will enough credits after the 2 semesters to sit for CPA.

Thank You

[NYC2009]

I had a 2.7 undergrad accounting GPA and around a 3.3 overall GPA and I got a Big 4 internship that turned into a full time offer. It also depends on your schools accounting program. They want people that they could see themselves working with. I'm pretty outgoing and can interview well too so that helps. There were people in my classes with really high GPAs that didn't get offers with the Big 4. I wouldn't worry just yet.

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[Anonymous]

NYC 2009.

Are you serious?

Can you please address the question the other questions I have asked?

Thank You

[nbad311]

Sure, why not meet with her? It'll be good practice and networking, if anything.

Ask her what type of attributes or skills someone that succeeds at the company has. Ask her why people chose PWC over other firms to work at.

How do you deal with a low GPA? I don't know, just try to make the best of it. Don't mention it or anything – focus on what you do have going for you, your strengths and edges over the next candidate she may see.

If you don't get in, look elsewhere. PWC isn't the only good firm out there. MY GPAs were flip-flopped compared to yours, about a 3.3 accounting GPA and 2.9 overall (lots of uncool organic chem grades before switching to an accounting major). Not to burst your bubble, but I got the feeling that when I interviewed for an internship at PWC in college, they basically dismissed me right off the bat after looking at my GPA on my resume when the interview started. Also, as NYC mentioned, me and other classmates got a strong feeling that yes, they wanted out-going, jock-type people and those involved in frats/sororities that were very personable and well-rounded. I was none of these but I'm glad none of the big 4 worked out. I ended up at a top-20 firm (size-wise) and started my career there, meeting great “non big 4” type people who were more like myself and more in line with my long-term goals.

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[NYC2009]

Yea I'm completely serious. I had two internship offers with the Big 4. PwC was not one of them. At my school, there's a minimum GPA requirement to get an interview with them. I would still meet with the recruiter. You don't want to burn any bridges. The recruiter might tell you that your GPA is too low, but if you do well in your MAcc program, you might land an interview with them in the future. I just finished my MAcc program and my graduate GPA was around a 3.5 so I could have gone through the recruiting process if I hadn't liked my internship with the firm I chose. When I went through recruitment, I went to every event and spoke with the tax partners to get in good with them. I talked about everything besides accounting because that's the last thing they want to talk about. Since I'm a guy and recruiting was in the fall, I always brought up football because I go to a big flagship school where football is everything. I'm not in a fraternity or anything like that either, but I do have other extracurriculars. Just be personable and don't bring up your GPA unless they do so first.

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[acamp]

Really GPA is a nice way to filter people when you have thousands of applicants for a limited number of jobs. Its not a perfect filter, as a portion of those filtered out right off the bat may have been a good fit, and conversely those with 4.0s aren't always great candidates either. the cut either.

That said, you have an in. You have a meeting with a recruiter, this person could push you along for an office interview if they think you have what it takes regardless of your GPA. So of course you want to meet with this person, and show up professional and prepared. Further, you don't need to be a jock or in a frat to fit in with Big4, just be personable 🙂

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[lastsection4mee]

Ever think that maybe you aren't smart enough for the big 4. One of the criteria they look at is GPA and you don't have a very good one. Also you don't seem to write too well either.

I would be very surprised if you got a job at a big four with under a 3.0. There are thousands of students with much better GPA's that dont get jobs at the big four. Unless you are a wiz kid, your chances are doubtful.

If you can't do well on exams how do you ever expect to pass the CPA exam? You don't I suppose.

My advice would be to try harder in school. Study. Put the time in. It's BS that you say you aren't good at exams. Thats a cop out. Study and put in the effort and you will do well. I think you need to take a look in the mirror and evaluate how things are going for you.

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure of the nature of the “appointment”, but unless she says otherwise, it is probably a get to know you type meeting. I would focus on your questions about the position you want, firm in general, opportunities at PWC that are better than other firms, etc. Don't talk about your grades now unless she brings your grades up while you're talking. If so, be candid, but take responsibility. Anything along the lines of “I'm not a good test taker… but I'm smart, I promise!” will not be believed.

From her perspective, I'm sure she sees this all the time. I don't have the full details of why she's meeting you, but it looks like this is your chance to make an impression. Don't waste the opportunity by making excuses for your shortcomings. You need to make it obvious why they absolutely have to have you! I'm assuming you do think this is the case? I personally barely had a 3.0 accounting gpa (~3.5 overall), but will be working at Big 4 soon. Low grades make it tougher to get past the initial screen, since there are many who have great grades and this market is still tough enough where they can still choose whoever they want.

In any case, if you can manage an offer at any firm, your real test will be whether you can pass the CPA.

[Anonymous]

I agree with previous posters: GPA is a huge screening factor. I interned twice at a Big 4 firm and secured a full-time position there. The minimum overall AND major GPA's to even get an interview on campus (let alone an office interview) was 3.5. Average overall GPA for my intern and starting classes were around 3.8. I work in a larger office next door to a gigantic state university, so recruiting is more competitive. If you're in a smaller office or city, maybe you will have more luck overcoming this hurdle.

Emphasize your work experience with VITA (and any other relevant organizations), enthusiasm for a specific position, and professionalism (dress well). If she brings up the GPA, you could explain whether you had any extenuating circumstances (caring for children, working full time, medical leave, etc) that adversely impacted grades. If you didn't have special circumstances, you might have to accept that Big 4 is off the table for now. That's not a bad thing, though. Big 4 can be an intense culture and if you're not normally a hyper focused, goal-driven, or academically competitive person, you might find it is too much. Smaller public firms and corporate positions are great places to start too, and I know a fair amount of people who transitioned from internships and jobs at these places into a Big 4 firm.

[wmterp12]

I had a 2.9 overall and a 3.0 Major GPA. I got office visits for full time jobs (without a public accounting internship, I did have some relevant experience but at the industry level for 3 months one summer) with Deloitte, PWC, EY, BDO, and 4 mid to large consulting firms and finished with offers from about half of them. I'm at Deloitte now.

The key is networking. Go to EVERY event and meet with as many people as possible. Make the recruiters feel like joining their company is your #1 priority. They want people who are excited to be there.Follow up after you meet with them with emails indicating how well you fit with their company and their culture. Networking with the recruiters is the best way to get interviews. Once you actually get your interview, it's your job to blow the interviewer away (it's generally out of the recruiters hands once the interviews are set). You can't approach interviews like other students with high GPAs. You need to explain what makes you better then someone who has a 3.6. Have a story to tell. Don't plan responses to specific questions, but rather have life events ready to be mapped to questions that are asked of you that you can apply to answers that would make you a better employee.

[Anonymous]

Thank You everybody for your answers.

@wmterp12

Your telling me that you were accepted to Deloitte with such a low GPA?

But why would they even give you a chance with such low GPA?

[kcuster87]

I can't help but think of some of my favorite Daniel Tosh jokes after reading this thread.

Specifically, “Don't you love it when people in school are like, ‘I'm a bad test taker.' You mean you're stupid. Oh, you struggle with that part where we find out what you know? I can totally relate see, because I'm a brilliant painter minus my god awful brushstrokes. Oh, how the masterpiece is crystal up here but once paint hits canvas I develop Parkinson's.”

As well as “Being an ugly woman is like being a man. You're gonna have to work.” after reading @mypetmeatball‘s response.

I suppose ‘ll close with another Tosh-ism:

“If I offended anybody, I apologize. That's not my intention. I'm not going to guess what your personal line of decency is; I cross my own from time to time — it's how I know I still have one.”

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[wmterp12]

They (along with EY, Booz Allen, CGI and a few others) took me with a low GPA because I networked with the recruiters, had people write me recommendations (not important people, just people a year older then me who got jobs there), and put myself out there at the events. You can sit back and wait for offers with a high gpa, but with a low one you have to show your other qualities. Also, have an exact job you want to do in mind with each company. Try to figure out which areas a company is hiring most for and target that area and network with those people.

[Anonymous]

@wmterp12

Thanks again

[ParanoidAndroid]

@lastsection4mee..what an a**hole!!

CPA for life...

[Anonymous]

I had just a 3.4 Accounting and 3.3 Overall.

[Author]

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