<p>What GPA do you need in college to get into the best graduate schools? How hard is it to get a 4.0?</p>
<p>Both questions rely on the major, but 4.0 (or straight A equivalent) are preferred.</p>
<p>Say I was double majoring in Political Science and Business Administration...is a 4.0 rather difficult....what about with a lot of work?</p>
<p>Well, obviously the 4.0 is going to take a lot of work. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>but it is do-able...with a social life...?</p>
<p>Depends on the school.</p>
<p>At MIT, no way.</p>
<p>As an engineer, probably not.</p>
<p>As a Communications major at Northeastern Humperdick State, you've got a shot.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Both questions rely on the major, but 4.0 (or straight A equivalent) are preferred.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>A 4.0 is NOT necessary, not even for top grad schools. My mother is a prof at a top school, and she says that when she evaluates grad students for admissions, anything above a 3.7 or so is enough to prove to her that the student is smart and hardworking. As long as the student has that, they are definitly in the running, and other things matter. She'd rather have a 3.7 student with great ideas than a 4.0 student with little to offer (and, of course, something under 3.7 doesn't automatically discount someone, but they have to have more to make up for it).</p>
<p>I don't have any direct experience with grad school, but I read the grad forums here in CC religiously, and I would say that Weskid is much more on target than previous posters, based upon what all the kids applying to grad say.
While med school and law school are much more numbers-based, PhD programs will be more interested in recs, statment of purpose, and any research/publications/etc that you've done.
Plus, since grad school is so specialized, a very strong major GPA can often make up for a middle-3's overall GPA, I believe.</p>
<p>thanks weskid and poster who agrees with weskid
i was just wondering though does a 3.7+ put you in the running at top law and business schools such as harvard, yale, columbia, nyu.....or do you need to have close to perfect 3.9+??</p>
<p>My father (who went to Harvard law and tends to obsessivley keep up with these things) advised me that for a top law school I'd (once again) need at least a 3.7 or 3.75 (plus some good number on the LSATS, not sure what it is) for the top law schools. At least according to him the only school you'd basically NEED a 3.9+ is Yale law. </p>
<p>Not sure about busness school.</p>
<p>even top business schools have gpa ranges in the low-mid 3s. most of the time, however, you need to have work experience in order to get into a go to a top business school. you arn't going the year after you get your BA.</p>
<p>i am looking to get JD/MBA, so how does that work out..i know i have to apply to both at the same time, but wouldn't that be right after undergraduate school</p>
<p>what about harvard law, you don't NEED a 3.9+ for that? so basically you guys are saying a 3.7+ is seen as competitive for the top graduate schools?</p>
<p>Yes. (ten chars.)</p>
<p>People don't usually apply for JD/MBA unless they already have a few years of work experience. The avg GPA for the top 10 law schools is probably ~ 3.6-3.7, while avg GPA for the top 10 MBA schools is probably ~ 3.4-3.5.</p>
<p>so what would i have to do during undergraduate and in the time right after undergraduate to obtain the necessary experience to get the JD/MBA?</p>
<p>also, why is the gpa lower for top MBA schools? is it because the business majors are harder...or what?</p>