Which GPA Matters More for Grad School Admissions? (2024)

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Related to Which GPA Matters More for Grad School Admissions? 1. What is Overall GPA? 2. How is Overall GPA different from department GPA? 3. Which GPA is more important for graduate school applications? 4. Can a student's GPA change over time? 5. How does a low Overall GPA affect a student's academic standing? Similar threads
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In summary: Your cumulative GPA is important, but so is your GPA for classes within your major. In summary, your GPA for classes within your major is more important in graduate admissions than your overall GPA.

  • #1

acme37

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Which GPA is looked at in graduate admissions - your overall GPA or your GPA for classes within your major. I ask because I have done well in all my Physics and Math classes, but for my "other" courses I take Chinese, which, try as I might, I can get no better than a B in. It's a tough language to start learning from scratch. The first two years are 5 credit classes and this has tended to bring down my overall GPA, so I would hate to be penalized for trying something completely new.

  • #2

JasonRox

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acme37 said:

Which GPA is looked at in graduate admissions - your overall GPA or your GPA for classes within your major. I ask because I have done well in all my Physics and Math classes, but for my "other" courses I take Chinese, which, try as I might, I can get no better than a B in. It's a tough language to start learning from scratch. The first two years are 5 credit classes and this has tended to bring down my overall GPA, so I would hate to be penalized for trying something completely new.

You simply discuss how you tried something new in your application.

I think that's all you can do, but I doubt you'd really can penalized. Not a lot anyways.

  • #3

acme37

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Thanks, that's kind of what I figured. Just wanted some reassurance that it wasn't a dumb thing to be doing - considering there are some people in the class who take it only as a GPA booster. I don't usually care about my GPA but I know it is important and a bad GPA certainly won't help.

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  • #4

robphy

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For graduate school, your major-GPA is probably more important than your cumulative-GPA. In your application, present both GPAs...especially if your major-GPA is higher.

In addition, I would think that your junior-senior-major-GPA is more important than your fresh-soph-major-GPA.

  • #5

Hypnotoad

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When I was applying for grad school, they asked for my GPA during my last two years in school. At that point, you are probably mostly in your physics and math classes, so even if you are only getting B's in Chinese, your GPA should be fine. Classes you took your first couple years of school won't even matter.

  • #6

Pengwuino

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I've been told repeatedly that graduate schools emphasize your major GPA.

laminatedevildoll

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A relief!

To hear that grad schools only look at last two years of college is such a relief. I was also concerned about my gpa. During my fresh and soph years, I got mostly B+'s, some B's and a few A's for my humanities classes (i.e history, women's studies).

  • #8

Pengwuino

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laminatedevildoll said:

To hear that grad schools only look at last two years of college is such a relief. I was also concerned about my gpa. During my fresh and soph years, I got mostly B+'s, some B's and a few A's for my humanities classes (i.e history, women's studies).

Well they don't exclusively look at the major classes...

Related to Which GPA Matters More for Grad School Admissions?

1. What is Overall GPA?

Overall GPA (Grade Point Average) is a numerical representation of a student's academic performance throughout their entire college career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of credit hours attempted.

2. How is Overall GPA different from department GPA?

Overall GPA takes into account all courses taken by a student, regardless of the department or major. Department GPA, on the other hand, only includes courses within a specific department or major. This means that Overall GPA may be affected by a wider range of courses, while department GPA may be more specific to a particular area of study.

3. Which GPA is more important for graduate school applications?

Both Overall GPA and department GPA are considered by graduate schools during the application process. However, the weight placed on each may vary depending on the program and institution. It is important for students to maintain a strong overall GPA, but also to excel in their chosen field of study to demonstrate their academic abilities in that specific area.

4. Can a student's GPA change over time?

Yes, a student's GPA can change over time as they continue to take courses and earn grades. This may be due to factors such as retaking a course to improve a grade, or taking more advanced courses in their major. It is important for students to regularly monitor their GPA and strive to improve it if needed.

5. How does a low Overall GPA affect a student's academic standing?

A low Overall GPA can have a negative impact on a student's academic standing, as it may affect their eligibility for scholarships, academic honors, and even lead to academic probation or dismissal. It is important for students to maintain a strong Overall GPA to stay on track academically and achieve their academic goals.

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