Is a 3.0 GPA a bad way to start off your first semester of college?

Not entirely true, if a course is required for your major you may drop it the first time but eventually you'll have to take it and pass it. If it's not required for your major, just tell them you didn't want to...

So if it is required and you do eventually stay in it and pass it, they will indeed see that you dropped it. However, they will also see that you have passed the course and to some admissions officials that I have talked to, it shows that you know your limits and you know how to accomplish your goals.

 

Sure, give that a try in YOUR admissions interview and let me know how it works out.

We're talking about two very different things here. I'm talking about someone dropping a class because it's challenging and then substituting an easier class to bolster GPA. You're talking about dropping a class and then coming back and taking the same class again later. While I agree that what you're talking about isn't a big deal to do ONCE, making a trend of it will be fatal to top-tier biz school applications.

 

If you dorp within a certain period it won't show on your transcript, and no one but you will know about it....

But lets say you had to take a W (withdrawl) in an lower division Accounting course ... in the summer... Would the eyebrows be raised less?

 

Talking about school and GPA's, anyone have those wacky dreams - where you foget its the day of your final exam, you miss it...and all hell breaks loose?

I keep dreaming that I just recieved a letter from my med-school stating that I was one credit short of graduating 10-15 years ago, and that my diploma was being revoked now... I try to keep it from my employer, and go to night school on weekends...and I keep failing the damn test. Over, and over, and over. I manage to drag my 3.95/4.0 gpa down to a 2.0...then I wake up...

I think my soul really doesn't want me practicing medicine, and is punishing me .

Your GPA matters...it opens doors.

 

I keep having dreams that I have to go back to high school to take a math class. I'm trying to explain to people in the class that I'm in law school already and they don't believe me.

Actually, last semester I sat down to take a final with the coursebook (which I hadn't read much of) only ~3 pages of my own notes but an exhaustive commercial outline and a really good outline from someone else. I had focused my study entirely on the commercial outline and the other outline. When I opened the test the front page said "no commercial outlines or outlines you haven't prepared." Oh no! I wrote the test using only my meager notes and my practically unmarked text.

 

Yep, after 15 years I STILL have that dream about finals, don't even know where it is, haven't studied or gone to class all semester....

And I graduated Summa Cum Laude!

Go figure.

 

I did...

 

I'd recommend getting involved in community activities. Volunteering with an organization or cause that is important to you will help strengthen your application.

Talk with your career services office at school to see what kind of internships you could apply for. It's fairly early for you, as a freshman, but never too early to start.

 

A 3.0 is a GREAT GPA if you're a minority. It will open all the doors of affermative action.

A 3.0 is a HORRIBLE GPA if you're white. It will slam all sorts of door shut as less qualified people get bumped ahead of you.

 

Cry me a river...

I'm at one of the hardest schools in the country and guess what? Whites are the minority.

 

I think that was his point.

Note - I DON'T support his viewpoints, just making an observation.

 

No, his point was that white people have to work harder to get the same job as a minority. In my school, it's the minorities who bust their asses everyday while the white kids join fraternities and party all the time and just scoot bye, but still land high-end corporate jobs and the minorities land desk jobs punching numbers.

 

I think like everyone said that 3.0 is a good GPA but it is relative to the college you went to. Last year I attended an auxiliary university (Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis- IUPUI) and i received a 3.45 GPA for the year. This first semester living by myself (Fall '06) I received a 2.9 at Indiana University (formerly 1st and now 3rd top party school in the country) but was still accepted into a pretty good Business School, the Kelley School of Business. But I am hoping to get a 3.6 this semester. It al comes down to studying a lot when it counts, but to not get burnt out on studying or else you will just find yourself frustrated. I found that when I studied 3-4 hours for one test and then took a break for an hour to do something entertaining and then getting back to studying, it made me want to study that much more because I had not been studying for 8 straight hours. Also, getting away from all of your friends helps a lot too, go to the library. Libraries are good study tools and have other bonuses, like all of the hot girls that are also studying. So good luck, and hopefully you all do well this semester.

 

Perhaps that is your observation. Mine was different. I guess we won't know for sure unless ZR1 responds.

 

I received a 4.0 after my first year ( if you added both semesters of my first year together)! And this was from Baylor University where they weed out 650+ premed students down to 65 that actually graduate. I just buckled down my second year to get me back to par then got 3.6s or so my 3 year . If you are wanting to get into a good grad program, you need to get half As and half Bs ( 3.5) from here on out. Mix some easy classes that you know you can get an A in with the more difficult classes that you know you might get a B in. Do not neglect " quality extracurricular activities" that will look good on a resume or application. When applying, poor grades along with an entry for " Habitats for Humanity" or other redeeming volunteering type activities might give you and edge over other candidates with similar grades but whose only other outside activities is winning an award for largest beer belly in I Tappa Kegga. Don't give up... trust me, you did better that I did my first year but use your concerns to motivate yourself.

 

Indeed...

 

It is a fact that public universities and government jobs give preference to minorities. The University of Michigan uses a points system to rank applicants. The formula includes granting points for GPA and test scores. The forumla also grants points for being a minority. In their system, it is possible for a white person to have a higher GPA and better test scores, but get pushed aside to make room for a minority applicant. In addition, the school has a set number of seats reserved for minorities no matter how low the test scores or GPA.

Here is an article from Time Magazine- http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,460435,00.html "University of Michigan's undergraduate program, which rewarded minority applicants 20 points on a 100 point scale in the admission process... Michigan's undergraduate plan, which rewarded more points for being black, Hispanic or Native American than for a perfect score on the SAT. "

It is GOOD to have a 3.0 GPA for a minority but BAD for a white person. The white person must work harder to make up for the "extra credit" minorities recieve based on skin color. A black woman with a 2.8 GPA can get into a medical school. A white man with a 3.3 GPA will probably not find a medical school to admit him.

 

That came out back in 2001/2002 and they were criticized for that. That is no longer the case I'm pretty sure..

 

Look at becoming proficient in several languages . Spanish is a given... find one you are interested , say Italian ( this is a Ferrari site) and look take some international business classes that might have some relation to Italy. That should make your application more attractive. I also agree strongly with the gentlemen above. Everyone has a 3.0-4.0 . Do something to make you stand out among other candidates. BTW my son is being scouted to play hockey for Michigan. I hope atheltic ability adds bonus points.

 

Do you know what they call they person with the lowest GPA to graduate from medical school?


















....Doctor.

Your fine.

 

I was an athlete in high school and the first two years of college, I did cross country and track. They are HUGE bonus points. Shows you are disciplined and know how to work as a team. Athletics taught me a lot about discipline and respect that you simply can't learn otherwise.

Edit: BTW, congrats to your son, I hope he does well my friend!

 

Thank you so much. We are very proud of him. He is playing in the NHL All Stars Alumni vs. Young guns game this Tuesday afternoon as part of the NHL All Stars event this next week.