What do you put for grade on LinkedIn?

When filling out the education section of your LinkedIn profile, you need to provide information on the schools you attended, the degrees you earned, and the dates you were enrolled. One part many people overlook is listing your grade or grade point average (GPA). Here’s what you need to know about including your grades on LinkedIn.

Should you put your GPA on LinkedIn?

Whether or not to include your GPA on LinkedIn is a common question new grads and job seekers face. On one hand, a high GPA can showcase your academic achievements and intellectual abilities. However, leaving your GPA off may be better if it was an average or low score.

Here are some pros and cons to consider when deciding if you should add your GPA:

Pros of including GPA:

• Demonstrates academic success and mastery of subject matter
• Shows time management and responsibility
• Highlights exceptional grades like summa cum laude
• Required for some scholarships and programs
• Verified by transcripts

Cons of including GPA:

• Low GPA can hurt your chances
• Not all schools use the 4.0 scale
• GPA is just one data point
• Work experience matters more later in your career
• May invite assumptions or stereotypes

Overall, including your GPA is recommended if it was a 3.5 or higher. Anything under 3.0 is better left off your profile. Use your judgement in the 3.0-3.5 range.

Where to add GPA on LinkedIn profile

If you decide to add your GPA to your LinkedIn profile, there are two places you can include it:

1. Education section
2. Accomplishments section

In the education section, add your GPA next to each degree or certification you earned. This lets recruiters and connections view your grades in the context of your academics.

The accomplishments section is located within your summary statement. You can highlight an excellent GPA here, along with other achievements like honors, awards, and test scores.

How to calculate your GPA for LinkedIn

To correctly list grades on LinkedIn, you’ll need to calculate your GPA. Here are some tips:

• Cumulative vs. major – Use your cumulative GPA from all college courses unless your major GPA is higher.
• Graduate school – Calculate your graduate school GPA separately from undergraduate.
• Transfer schools – Only use GPA from the degree-granting institution.
• Community college – Include this if the credits transferred to your bachelor’s degree.
• Recent classes – Manually compute GPA from latest terms if you don’t have the full transcript yet.

Some common GPA scales include:

For example, if your transcript shows number grades, convert them to letter grades and then to GPA points. Add up all the GPA points and divide by the number of credit hours to calculate your overall GPA.

How to format and present your GPA

Once you’ve computed your GPA, there are a few ways to format it on LinkedIn:

• Number format – 3.67
• Spelled out – 3 point 67 grade point average
• Scale – 4.0 scale
• Honors – cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude

Choose the format that presents your GPA in the best possible light. Here are some examples of how to highlight your GPA with honors:

Good GPA:

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, University of Michigan, 3.67 GPA

Great GPA:

Master of Business Administration, New York University, 3.9 grade point average on a 4.0 scale

Excellent GPA:

Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, Political Science, Yale University

Only include your GPA to the tenths place – any more looks boastful. It’s also best to leave your GPA off entirely once you have extensive work experience later in your career.

Tips for a low GPA on LinkedIn

If your GPA is under 3.0 or otherwise lackluster, here are some ways to handle it on your LinkedIn profile:

• Simply leave it off – No need to include it if it hurts more than helps
• Round up – Round a 2.7 up to a 3.0
• Use major GPA – List your higher major GPA instead of cumulative
• Explain circumstances – Note if there were extenuating reasons for a poor GPA
• Highlight upward trend – If grades improved over time, emphasize that
• Focus on other achievements – Draw attention to skills, accomplishments, credentials instead

Having a lower GPA isn’t ideal but it’s not a deal-breaker either. Use your judgement but don’t be afraid to leave it off your profile if needed.

Who can see your GPA on LinkedIn?

Any information you add to your LinkedIn profile can be seen by your 1st-degree connections. This includes your GPA if you decide to add it. Here’s how LinkedIn controls visibility of your GPA:

• 1st degree connections – Can see your entire profile including GPA
• 2nd & 3rd degree connections – Can see your profile but not your GPA
• Public view – Logged out visitors can see your name, headline, and current position only
• Private mode – Toggle this on to exclude your GPA (and name) from public view

So in most cases, your GPA will not be visible outside of your direct network. However, always double check your profile’s public visibility in your account settings.

Should you include GPA on a resume?

Beyond LinkedIn, whether or not to put GPA on a resume is another common resume question. Here are some quick guidelines:

• Include if requested – Always add GPA if the job listing specifically asks for it
• New grads – Include if you graduated in the past 1-2 years
• GPA over 3.5 – Feel free to add an impressive GPA
• Omit if under 3.0 – Leave off anything poor or mediocre
• Honors – Mention Latin honors like magna cum laude
• Omit later in career – Once you have experience, GPA matters less

The resume guidelines are similar to LinkedIn – highlight your GPA if it’s a strength but leave it off if it could raise eyebrows. As always, tailor your resume to each application.

Conclusion

Adding your GPA to LinkedIn is optional but recommended if you graduated with honors or excelled academically. Include your numerical GPA and any Latin honors. However, it’s fine to omit your GPA if it is lackluster or weak. Focus on highlighting your skills and achievements instead. With a thoughtful approach, you can add your GPA to LinkedIn in a way that puts your best foot forward.