How much does GPA and Prestigious school indicate success?

[Pipsqueakalchemist]

So to give context, I'm going to be graduating from University this year with a mech engineering degree. And to give further context, I was a flunk in high school, only took serious in grade 12 because that's when things got serious. I picked science because all my friend took it, then switched to Engineering. The first 2 years of Engineering were pretty good and I had close to a 4.0 gpa and I initially was planning to go to grad school for physics.

But the last 2-3 years I kinda dropped the ball. My GPA now is at a 2.9. It's weird because I would study hard but I wouldn't succeed on tests like I did in the first 2 years of Engineering. Kinda started to slowly shatter my confidence and I had stopped caring for grades and started to kinda flunk because Grad school wasn't going to happen.

Luckily the last year I found a new passion in programming and have worked really in self teaching myself comp sci/programming. Like 40 - 50 hours for last year. I basically stopped caring about my school work and instead poured all my time into programming. I realized I should've software engineering instead of mech. So I've been quite happy recently and reinvigorated with passion for programming specifically machine learning and game dev.

But I recently was thinking about how most great scientist like Einstein, Feynman, Newton, Hawkings, etc. They all were overachievers in school and graduated from prestigious university. I was thinking how could I possibly compete with kids who go to harder and more prestigious universities when I go to an average one that give easier test and workload but I still have a trash gpa. Basically I feel kinda insecure that I'm not one those kids who went to a top university and got 90s. It's kinda making me doubt my ability to achieve anything in STEM. I feel like I'll always be what I've been all my life and that is average at best.

Sorry for long, directionless paragraphs, just needed to get this off my chest.

 

[CrysPhys]

But I recently was thinking about how most great scientist like Einstein, Feynman, Newton, Hawkings, etc. They all were overachievers in school and graduated from prestigious university.

Well, since your future appears to lie in programming, why don't you look to Bill Gates for inspiration? You know, the guy who famously dropped out of Harvard to found Microsoft? And since your list of "great scientists" (though really limited to physicists) includes physicists stretching waaay back to Newton, take a look at Michael Faraday as a counter-example. There are many other counter-examples, if you do your homework (especially if you broaden your scope to include fields outside of physics).

 

[gmax137]

I hate clichés, but "today is the first day of the rest of your life" is a good one. Just get on with it. Learn from your past without living there.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I feel kinda insecure that I'm not one those kids who went to a top university and got 90s.

That's something you need to talk ro a professional about. It is a fact. They can help you with how you feel about it.

Grad school in physics isn't going to happen. Yeah, never say never, but planning on this is unrealistic.

Its good that you seem to have found your niche in programming. Be sure you understand programming algorithms, data structures, variable scope and typing, etc. While there are jobs for people who don't know these things, they are getting scarcer,

 

[DaveE]

As you go into industry I think you'll find that what you know and what you've done is much, much more important than school transcripts. When I interviewed hardware EEs I never even asked about GPAs, I knew what they had learned by asking them to solve a few key problems. Focus on learning your craft, that is what matters in the long run.

 

[Pipsqueakalchemist]

As you go into industry I think you'll find that what you know and what you've done is much, much more important than school transcripts. When I interviewed hardware EEs I never even asked about GPAs, I knew what they had learned by asking them to solve a few key problems. Focus on learning your craft, that is what matters in the long run.

Yeah I'm experiencing that now with my current school projects. The grades not great but I've learned so much by failing and spending hours banging my head against the wall. The grades not there but I'm learning so much so I'm happy.

 

[Pipsqueakalchemist]

That's something you need to talk ro a professional about. It is a fact. They can help you with how you feel about it.

Grad school in physics isn't going to happen. Yeah, never say never, but planning on this is unrealistic.

Its good that you seem to have found your niche in programming. Be sure you understand programming algorithms, data structures, variable scope and typing, etc. While there are jobs for people who don't know these things, they are getting scarcer,

Oh don't worry, I know more than some of my computer science friends. I've used data structures and algorithms to make some mini games

 

[Pipsqueakalchemist]

Well, since your future appears to lie in programming, why don't you look to Bill Gates for inspiration? You know, the guy who famously dropped out of Harvard to found Microsoft? And since your list of "great scientists" (though really limited to physicists) includes physicists stretching waaay back to Newton, take a look at Michael Faraday as a counter-example. There are many other counter-examples, if you do your homework (especially if you broaden your scope to include fields outside of physics).

My inspiration for this whole programming journey is actually Eric barons the creator of stardew valley