<p>I've heard that getting good marks in Computer Engineering (or any engineering for that matter) is difficult if not very tough. I was just wondering if I should not even aim for a 4.0, because it is so unlikely to achieve.</p>
<p>Here is what my freshman schedule was going to be.
<15 credits>
(3 credits) Intro to Engineering
(4 credits) Objected Oriented Programming 2
(3 credits) General Chemistry 1
(3 credits) General Physics 1 Mechanics
(1 credit) Physics Lab
(1 credit) University Orientation</p>
<p><17 credits>
(3 credits) Digital Logic Design
(4 credits) Introduction to Computer Systems
(3 credits) General Physics II E&M
(1 credit) General Physics II Lab
(2 credits) General Chemistry II
(4 credits) Honors Program</p>
<p>Getting a 4.0 is doable for a specific quarter or semester. But getting a 4.0 for your entire college career is extremely difficult, and nearly impossible if your college treats an A- as a 3.7.</p>
<p>Look, always aim for straight A’s. But if you do happen to get a B, don’t kill yourself over it. I am sitting with a 4.0 right now and I find myself worrying about what if I mess up and get a B. But seriously, so what. If I get a B, I will have a 3.8-3.9…I can live with that, but I will still always try for A’s.</p>
<p>At my school, 4.0s are practically impossible to maintain, since grades are given directly as 4.0, 3.9, 3.8, etc. for each class (which means the number of people getting a 4.0 is really low). So I’ve sort of given up on that…but anything in the general A range (3.8-4.0) is worth shooting for.</p>
<p>You should always expect the best from yourself. Just realize that even most brilliant people won’t get a 4.0 through all four years, so if you don’t do it, don’t beat yourself up over it. Honestly, if getting a 4.0 requires you to give up on other important parts of your life and growth as a person during college, then I am personally an advocate of taking a B or two here and there if it helps you progress as a person.</p>
<p>I know one guy who is graduating with a 4.0. But it’s very uncommon. Not unheard of, but if you’re actually wondering if you can do it, you probably can’t.</p>
<p>Always try your best? I don’t even get how this is a thread.</p>
<p>FYI, I recognize from the UMD section and I just wanted to let you know that UMD treats an A- as a 3.7 starting next semester. Not saying it’s impossible to get a 4.0, but it just got harder…</p>
<p>BTW, if you need help or have any questions with comp sci, you can talk to me! Current sophomore.</p>
<p>EDIT: Why are you taking a second semester of chemistry? Engineers only need one. Secondly, aren’t you jumping the gun planning for second semester courses? I know your eager (I was making my four year plan freshman year, too), but just calm down.</p>
<p>@norris: 3.2-3.4. On second look at this thread, it’s difficult to discern if we’re talking about the upper or lower limits of letter grades, since they’re obviously in a range. It may end up being closer than I thought.</p>
<p>I think more pertinent to this thread than the letter grade scale is the intro class curve. Most of the introductory science classes at my school were median curved to 2.6 and math courses to 3.0. That’s where they’ll get you.</p>
<p>Given such setting of the average, I suppose in retrospect my most impressive grade is not a 4.0, but a 3.9 in o-chem one quarter. What a horrible but great class.</p>
<p>I heartily agree with the majority of responses - AIM for a 4.0, because aiming for perfection is the only way to get close, but at the same time acknowledge that ACHIEVING perfection is nigh impossible so falling a little short is still pretty dang good.</p>
<p>
Exceptionally so. The year I graduated the PSU college of engineering did not identify anyone with a 4.00 GPA, and I think only one person with a 3.99 in the entire college. The marshals for most of the departments were in the 3.95-3.98 range.</p>
<p>
What other posters are referring to is the GPA associated with the grade for a specific class - if I get an A- in a 3 credit class, I get 11 grade points, or a 3.67 GPA. There is no hard rule for equating overall GPA’s to letter grade equivalents, but most people consider the same GPA as being the BOTTOM of the letter grade, so if you have a 3.0 GPA you are barely a B student and if you have a 3.32 GPA you are almost a B+ student. Still, this is not a hard rule (which is why no one really uses letter grades to describe overall GPAs) and specifically breaks down at A, which by that convention can ONLY describe a 4.00 GPA student.</p>