Q – How should I list my GPA on my resume since I have a GPA at Penn and from my previous institution?
A: When first arriving at Penn, you will only have your GPA from your previous institution so you should list that GPA in the Education section on your resume. However, once you have grades from Penn, you have the option to list only your Penn GPA, or list both GPAs from both institutions – one GPA under each school.
You also have the option of listing a combined GPA from both schools, which needs to clearly be labeled as “Combined GPA:”. Please note calculating a combined GPA may be difficult depending on the grading scales at both institutions and number of credits completed – do not include a Combined GPA on your resume unless you are sure it is accurate.
Q – How should I list my major/concentration GPA(s) at Penn?
A: It will likely only make sense to include major/concentration GPA(s) if higher than your cumulative GPA from Penn. If so, you can also include your major/concentration GPA(s) as shown in the examples below. Make sure to also include the number of courses a major/concentration GPA represents.
Major GPA: 3.64 (4 courses), Cumulative GPA: 3.35
If you have more than one major or multiple concentrations, do not create 1 combined major/concentration GPA. In that situation, you can list one or more major/concentration GPAs, but if you want to include grades from more than one major/concentration, each must be listed separately with the corresponding number of courses used to calculate the GPA. Be sure to add the specific name for each major/concentration GPA listed.
Q – How should I list my GPA on my resume if I haven’t received my first semester grades at Penn?
A: If you have not yet received grades from Penn, then be sure to include your previous institution on your resume as well and include your GPA from there.
Q – How do I obtain my unofficial transcript? Is there anything I need to do with my unofficial transcript before including it as part of my application?
A: When an organization asks for an unofficial transcript, taking a screenshot of your transcript from PennInTouch and putting it into a MS Word document along with a screenshot of your transcript from your previous institution, then creating a single combined PDF is ideal and will typically suffice for employers. Any unofficial transcript document submitted as part of an application should have your name on it and be labeled as “Unofficial Transcript.”
Be aware that any organization requesting this information will likely eventually request an official copy of your transcripts later so do not change or alter anything as part of your application submission.
Q – Should I combine/average my cumulative GPA from my previous institution and Penn?
You have the option of listing a combined GPA from both schools, which needs to clearly be labeled as “Combined GPA:”. Please note calculating a combined GPA may be difficult depending on the grading scales at both institutions, number of credit hours for different courses, and number of credits completed – do not include a Combined GPA on your resume unless you are sure it is accurate.
Q – Can I request an official .pdf transcript from the registrar’s office and use that for my unofficial transcript in Handshake?
A: Yes, you can do this but it is not recommended. Since an employer will want a full picture of your academic journey, including the classes you are currently taking, as well as those you completed at your previous institution, having two official copies of your transcripts will probably complicate your application process. Oftentimes, there is a limit on the number of documents you can upload and with official transcripts, it will likely be difficult to combine them into a single document. In addition, it normally takes the registrar’s office multiple business days to process requests for official transcripts so this will also be challenging in situations where application deadlines are tight.
Q – How should I list my school and degree information in my Education section as a transfer student? Do I have to list my previous institution?
A: For incoming transfer students it is recommended to include your previous institution since there is not yet a record of grades at Penn. However, once you have established yourself as a Penn student, you have the option of continuing to include your previous institution or only including your involvement at Penn. That said, in many instances, it may be helpful to keep the previous institution on your resume indefinitely, at least while an undergraduate student – especially if you had significant extracurricular involvement at your former institution that may create the impression of a lack of involvement if removed. You have the option to list your institutions as follows (note that you would not list “Candidate for…degree”) as part of your former institution because you are no longer a candidate for that degree at that institution:
EDUCATION
University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA May 2022
Candidate for Bachelor of Arts (or Science or Bachelor of Science in Economics–depending upon your degree)
Intended major (or concentration):
Institution Name | City, ST August 2019 – May 2020
Cumulative GPA: 3.87
