sf3sce From United States of America, joined Apr 2008, 115 posts, RR: 0 Posted (2 years 5 months 1 week 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 3305 times:
Hi guys! I just finished my first semester at University, my degree is Aeronautical Science and I got to thinking tonight after calculating my first GPA for University, do airlines require pilots to have a certain GPA when it comes to hiring?
ThePinnacleKid From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 674 posts, RR: 9 Reply 1, posted (2 years 5 months 1 week 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 3275 times:
Nope.... but remember, the competitive landscape is always changing... different factors weigh more at different times... Just do your best to make the resume look attractive when compared to other candidates and you'll be fine...
sf3sce From United States of America, joined Apr 2008, 115 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (2 years 5 months 1 week 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 3260 times:
I am trying my best. I am not the sharpest tool in the shed though, I go to wondering because my roommate was going off on a tangent about his 3.8GPA as opposed to my 2.8, which in my opinion feels bad considering I graduated High School with a 3.4. Do you have any suggestions on making a resume more spiced up? I am going to have a job here next month at a local ice cream store Shift Managing, anything else I should do?
jetblast From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 1198 posts, RR: 11 Reply 3, posted (2 years 5 months 1 week 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 3233 times:
I don't believe your GPA really makes much of a difference (or your major for that matter, I know of an individual who flies for a major with a degree in Italian language).
Have you considered trying to get an entry-level job anywhere in aviation? It never hurts to have some connections within the industry.
DesertJets From United States of America, joined Feb 2000, 7673 posts, RR: 18 Reply 4, posted (2 years 5 months 1 week 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 3224 times:
After one semester I would not worry too much. But I would try to get more As and Bs, then Bs and Cs grade wise.
GPA matters if you are looking at transferring to another college or getting into grad school. But not so much in the workplace. However in a competitive environment it will matter more, but your employer will only know for sure if they have you submit official transcripts as part of the application process.
Now what may matter is what your grades are like in your major, especially as it is in Aeronautical Science. If you have mediocre grades there then that would be a red flag to me.
Stop drop and roll will not save you in hell. --- seen on a church marque in rural Virginia
sf3sce From United States of America, joined Apr 2008, 115 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (2 years 5 months 1 week 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 3223 times:
My main courses such as the Aviation ones are good grades, I just have trouble with Math and Physics. That is where my C's come into place, everything else comes up in the B's and A's.
modesto2 From United States of America, joined Jul 2000, 2634 posts, RR: 6 Reply 6, posted (2 years 5 months 1 week 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 3189 times:
U.S. airlines do not give serious consideration to academic performance and qualifications when hiring. This is most definitely true in hiring at the regional carriers while major carriers will give it some consideration. But at the most, they'll just care that you hold a bachelor's degree - GPA is irrelevant. As always, you should do your best to earn high marks, but I certainly wouldn't lose sleep over a 2.8 GPA - it won't jeopardize your employment chances.
PGNCS From United States of America, joined Apr 2007, 2516 posts, RR: 45 Reply 7, posted (2 years 5 months 1 week 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 3167 times:
Quoting modesto2 (Reply 6): U.S. airlines do not give serious consideration to academic performance and qualifications when hiring. This is most definitely true in hiring at the regional carriers while major carriers will give it some consideration. But at the most, they'll just care that you hold a bachelor's degree - GPA is irrelevant. As always, you should do your best to earn high marks, but I certainly wouldn't lose sleep over a 2.8 GPA - it won't jeopardize your employment chances.
I am unsure of your source on this, but having done hiring for a major it is simply untrue that GPA does not matter. My carrier certainly does care that you hold a baccalaureate degree, but that is the requirement to even have your application considered.
GPA does matter. If somebody comes in with a 2.8 GPA and a degree in something like Aeronautical or Nuclear Engineering, the inclination would be to consider that neutrally, especially if he or she also had other commitments during college (e.g. work, learning to fly, substantive extracurricular activities, taking care of family members, etc.) If someone comes in with a degree in a humanity, social science, or a degree not generally considered to be especially rigorous (including Aeronautical Science) and a 2.8 GPA they are unlikely to get an interview. If they do, there will definitely be intense scrutiny of their academic performance.
I can't address regional hiring, as I never worked for a regional, but I was asked questions about my transcript when I was hired at the major I work for and that is still the norm (at least it is for some employers.) I had one C in college (it was in Spanish lab,) and was asked several questions specifically about that; I was also asked why I dropped one class. Every airline emphasizes different things, but depending on whom you aspire to work for your transcript can (and will) be heavily scrutinized.
PGNCS From United States of America, joined Apr 2007, 2516 posts, RR: 45 Reply 8, posted (2 years 5 months 1 week 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 3164 times:
Quoting DesertJets (Reply 4): However in a competitive environment it will matter more, but your employer will only know for sure if they have you submit official transcripts as part of the application process.
If you want to work for a major carrier expect this to be the case. (See my earlier reply.)
DiamondFlyer From United States of America, joined Oct 2008, 1294 posts, RR: 3 Reply 9, posted (2 years 5 months 1 week 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 3141 times:
Quoting PGNCS (Reply 8): f you want to work for a major carrier expect this to be the case. (See my earlier reply.)
I'm confused how college GPA makes a difference once a person is more than say 5 years beyond college. At that point, shouldn't it be more about experience rather than what a person did that long ago?
PGNCS From United States of America, joined Apr 2007, 2516 posts, RR: 45 Reply 10, posted (2 years 5 months 1 week 5 days ago) and read 3128 times:
Quoting DiamondFlyer (Reply 9): Quoting PGNCS (Reply 8):
f you want to work for a major carrier expect this to be the case. (See my earlier reply.)
I'm confused how college GPA makes a difference once a person is more than say 5 years beyond college. At that point, shouldn't it be more about experience rather than what a person did that long ago?
The airlines (and many other employers) believe it matters because it shows willingness to study, willingness to work hard, and motivation among other things. Certainly experience is a huge part of the equation, but with thousands of applications and very few positions, if experience is acceptable something else has to determine suitability for employment. Airlines like smart and motivated pilots; getting good grades in college shows determination at a young age, and that you take challenges seriously. I have certainly seen people hired with GPA's in the 2.5 range, but most are people with difficult degrees and with other weighty concurrent responsibilities. Those people also have very convincing and well-rehearsed arguments explaining why their GPA was poor in the interview. They have also accomplished a lot since school.
I'm not saying GPA is the most important factor in the hiring process, it isn't. What I am saying is that everyone called for an interview at a major has a lot of experience and meets far more than the minimum requirements posted for the job. The companies have to base their decisions on something, and GPA is one tangible thing that is useful in deciding (especially in selecting who to interview.) If you make it to the interview with a GPA less than 3, you would be very wise to look at your transcript (which they WILL want) and have your explanations down cold for every non A or B grade on the list.
To sum up: it's not the most important thing in the hiring decision, but if you don't think your GPA matters to a major airline, you are not being realistic; there's too many other candidates out there with great GPA's and the same experience.
modesto2 From United States of America, joined Jul 2000, 2634 posts, RR: 6 Reply 11, posted (2 years 5 months 1 week 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 3063 times:
Quoting PGNCS (Reply 10): To sum up: it's not the most important thing in the hiring decision, but if you don't think your GPA matters to a major airline, you are not being realistic; there's too many other candidates out there with great GPA's and the same experience.
I don't understand how GPA can be such a significant consideration when so many pilots have degrees from ERAU and other aviation schools. Let's be honest - it doesn't take a rocket scientist to gain acceptance to these schools, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to earn high marks at these schools. I'm not trying to be condescending; I'm trying to be realistic and truthful. If someone has a 3.5+ GPA at ERAU in aviation, I'm not impressed. Yes, they can study and earn high grades, but when so many people can earn a similar GPA at the same university, it's analogous to praising someone for having a 3.5+ GPA in high school. If you really want to differentiate candidates, one must consider university, major, and courses taken. And with most majors not even requiring a degree, scrutinizing GPA seems rather ironic. Set aside the GPA and apply to the job with check airman and instructor experience. That'll be considered far more favorably than a 3.5 GPA!
To be fair, I don't have experience with the majors, but in my experience with the regionals, they don't care about GPA. Half the guys have nonsense degrees from online aviation universities that amount to very little value. Regardless, it's still a degree, but it cannot be compared to an engineering degree from a top school.
What's far more important than GPA? It's WHO you know. Networking is one of the keys to success in the business world, and airline pilot hiring is no exception. Most of my friends who are working at the majors (or trying to work there) leveraged their network to obtain that position. Never burn your bridges and always keep in touch.
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