College Transcript

[i'mbatman]

I was wondering how carefully airlines examine college transcripts. I have excellent grades (Cum. GPA 3.5), however this being my last semester I am feeling some serious senioritis and I don't want to mess up any chances in the future. Thanks!

i'mbatman

 

[LearLove]

Well the obvious answer and sounding like my parents is: you've come too far don't screw it up now.

However since graduating in 97 I've been on 5 interviews and IMHO its random at best.

My first two interviews were the 2 charter companies I worked for and the first asked some questions because at the time I was still in college and about to graduate. They didn't ask for transcripts though.
The second charter job was for a capt job and the boss just made fun of me for "wasting my life as a pilot when I should have been using my degree", after which he offered me a job as long as I was ok with "rotting my brain sitting around FBO's".
My first airline interview was with COEX. The girl interviewing me in the first interview set made a comment (that it was a little low) on my GPA but never looked at the transcripts I brought. I didn't get the job, not becuase of the GPA but b/c sucked that day and they wanted me to PFT (another story) when the guy who set up the interview said I met the non PFT mins.
Second airline interview was with Allegheny. They never asked anything about college (only on the app. where you listed highschool and college). I don't think they really care about college here. Most of our guys with 15 plus years never went and there is one capt here with 20 + years who never finished highschool.
My third airline interview was with a national carrier. They asked me maybe 3 questions and sent me on my way. Again the only place college or any school came up was on the app. they sent prior to the interview which asks for highschool and colleges attended. They called me 3 days later with a job offer and I turned them down.

So as you can see its pretty random, but thoes were different times (prior to 911). It seems like back then you could get away with anything and get a job, my "national carrier" interview had a guy show up with no paper work, in wrinkled kakis and a sport coat that was too small and they hired him. I know of a girl at ACA who crashed the sim in her interview they hired her and now shes a 41 capt. My buddy had 2 dui's and a gear-up and he was hired in 99 by COEX. Big diff in interviewing now. Your GPA could be the deal braker. You never know.

Hope it helps and good luck.

 

[bobbysamd]

Transcripts

I went to four interviews and one cattle call and was never asked about my education or even my background. Good thing, because my college GPA was horrendous.

I wasn't hired at any of these interviews, though.

 

[charterpuke]

Do the best you can in all your classes. If you don't it may come back to haunt you. I have been to three major airline and two regional airline interviews. At the regional interviews they don't seem to place much importance on college. At the majors it is a whole different ballgame. They not only asked me why my GPA wasn't so high but they even asked me why I got poor grades in specific classes. If a major airline is your goal you need to do everthing to make yourself look as good as possible because the competition is very fierce. The competition is going to be even more fierce when the majors start hiring again. Good luck.

 

[ceo_of_the_sofa]

My buddy had 2 dui's and a gear-up and he was hired in 99 by COEX

You're kidding, right? Two Driving Under Influence and a Gear Up landing, and he gets hired by Continental? How did he ever explain that?
Oh, and GPA...I wouldn't worry about that...Unless, your first job interview is straight out of college, where the ONE and ONLY thing you have is College. When you're in your late 20s or so, it would have been to long for them to make light of your grades. That's just my take on it, and you just may be a 29 year old just getting his/her degree

 

[bobbysamd]

Bad GPA

Sometimes, lack of motivation is a cause for a mediocre GPA. In my case, I decided that I wanted to work in radio, but I continued with my Accounting major because I figured that it would benefit me in the long run. As it turns out, it did. But, I wasn't all that motivated in college. So, an answer I would have used to try to explain away a low GPA is (1) I had been working already for years and accomplished a few things and (2) aviation was something that I loved and motivated me. Proof was I scored over 90 on most of my writtens. Also, as you get older, you mature and see things differently. So, something like that would have been my answer.

 

[LearLove]

actually I screwed that up he was hired in 98 by coex and his second dui was only a 2 years prior, he had just got his drivers license back. he is now a erj capt.