Good Grades, My Arse!
This is for all those who over-emphasize the importance of getting GOOD grades at a university like NED. Quite frankly, that is total bull and nothing else. I am most certainly NOT saying that grades don't matter at all, they do and I would just love it if I were to get an A-1 myself BUT getting below that is not the end of the world.What pressed me to make this post here was an experience a very close cousin of mine had recently when he was appying at GeorgiaTech. He had a GPA of 3.4 but unfortunately couldn't get a very good GRE score on his first attempt. Much to his surprise, his batchmates with a GPA as low as 2.6 got the greenlight and he was kept waiting until finally being rejected. It was only later that he found out that what had kept him from getting in was his GRE score. His university grades were great, but GeorgiaTech preferred his GRE score over his academic grades that he secured here in Pakistan. He had to give the GRE again just to improve his score, which he did in the end and now he IS at Georgia Tech.
So, just goes to show how much they rely on gradings of our universities and it couldn't be more fitting to a system such as the one at work at our very own NED.
posted by Unknown @ 11:36 AM
10 Comments:
I agree with you and I agree with Sanjeev that GRE and references are important. From what I have heard, the criteria varies from university to university, some might weigh your academic records more. People from our own batch, who have failed in subjects, might end up drawing much more salaries than the position holders, its not always about that. Recently, Siffat told me that one of his hostel-mate (who appeared in atleast 4 supplementary papers) got a job at PSO and the position holders of his batch were rejected.
On a personal note, I think what your academic record shows is your endurance. If you care less about your grades, its likely that you'll care less about the work that is given to you. It shows how focused and determined you can be when you are asked of it. You can argue that the subjects were not of your interest but then you might be asked to do something in your practical life which you don't really find interesting. You get the point. :)
I would second Faisal's point that different universities have different criteria. The university administration, i.e., the registrar level cares about high level issues such as minimum cumulative GPA or GRE scores, then the department has its own lower level guidelines. They may assess, for instance, on the basis of scores on a certain subject.
As for supply holders in PSO, I know a supply holder friend of mine is getting Rs. 90,000/= per month at a local company, while I was working at just over four times less. Read my blog entry http://msaqib.blogspot.com/2005/09/recruitment-criterion.html for more details.
I think what your academic record shows is your endurance. If you care less about your grades, its likely that you'll care less about the work that is given to you. It shows how focused and determined you can be when you are asked of it. You can argue that the subjects were not of your interest but then you might be asked to do something in your practical life which you don't really find interesting.
Yeah, tell that to Steve Jobs! :P What could possibly be more un-interesting than EMF and CT?!!
As for you Sanjeev, we get this from you every year, yet you end up getting 1280!
CT uninteresting? My word!
Okay, here are the golden words:
BREAK THE CHAIN! OR DON'T COMPLAIN! ;)
Breaking the chain is a bit difficult in our society; people will look down upon you, plus there's all kinds of social pressure and they scare you that you won't have a future blah blah. To an extent, I think they are right because good students are the only thing we're producing, rest is imported. Guess that is why I haven't migrated to the jungle yet. Flames welcome.
Sir Saqib:
CT is uninteresting because of the disinterest. Makes sense?
Why? Obvious reasons.
Razzu:
One more small note, it feels *great* when you quote me italics... really! ;)
Well Razz, what's so bad about good grades. What if they don't matter, you can still have something to brag about(:P). And there ain't nothing to loose, even if they DON'T MATTER AT ALL.
Mug: Good point. One of my seniors told me that if I am in a class of 70 students, and I am studying, and working hard, and someone gets good grades and distinction, then why shouldnt I? Enough reason to pass with good grades. Also, come time of course waivers, bad grades give you trouble.
MUG is alive! Wohoo! He lives! You MKA! ;)
I am NOT against good grades man ... only saying it's not the first criterion.
Good to see you've awaken from your slumber! :)
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