<p>Hey guys. I'm a freshman at one of top engineering schools and I'm really depressed/worried about my first semester grades. I got a 2.94 gpa from 17 credit hours, one class I got gyped of an B and got a B- by like .10 percent. Another class I received a B+ but I'm going to look over the final (because i think something could be wrong) and see if I can get an A, which would bump be to a 3.06. Another reason to explain my bad grades is the fact that I had to take chemistry, which I am horrible at and is completely unrelated to my major and received a C in (thank god I'm done with chem..)</p>
<p>But in the worst case scenario, I'm stuck with the 2.94, which I think is really bad. Now people always tell me that the classes just get harder, so I'm even more depressed of bumping my grades up.</p>
<p>People keep telling me that a 3.0+ is good enough for an engineering major to land internships/job when he/she graduates and received his/her bachelor's degree..is this true?</p>
<p>Will getting something under a 3.0 completely screw me over? I'm aiming for a 4.0 to bump my gpa but I don't know how realistic this is...</p>
<p>Has anyone been in this situation, completely messing up their first semester, which apparently is the easiest, of college in engineering?</p>
<p>You will be just fine. Every engineer I know had semesters that were worse than your first one. Many of them graduated with a lower GPA than you had in your first try (myself included).</p>
<p>Seriously. You will be fine. First of all, all the engineers I know had an adjustment to engineering school and did better as time went by. Secondly, I know engineers who graduated with 3.3 gpa who went to medical school. Engineering is a tough major, but it teaches you so much. Hang in there. That’s not a bad freshman start. I think that you may also find that your classes become more applied and less theoretical, and ultimately, more interesting.</p>
<p>Getting 2.0 or lower in major (that’s called QPA, quality point of average) would put you in academic prohibition. But don’t sweat it, you are far from it. That 2.94 is not QPA.
LOL DID I SCARE YOU? LOL SORRY.</p>
<p>Anyway.
First, it’s good that you are worrying because it shows that you are a good student. At least you care.
Second, your grades have been determined, so there is no going back and in fact, you can’t travel to the past. Don’t search the frowning face in your memory; turn around and walk tall.
Third, as of this time, as of this break, do a reflection on yourself, in particular this 2010. I suppose you just graduated from high school this summer. Reflect why you didn’t get better grade? What had you done? What could you have done instead? Be committed for next semester, and learn from your mistake.</p>
<p>Let me add my two cents to what everybody else is saying: YES, it’s not a big deal but only IF you get your crap together and graduate with at least a 3.5! Mister! So study like it’s your job. Because it is. Ideally you would go into a class having already covered the material. Yes, you read me correctly, I’ve actually done that. And I have a 4.0.</p>
<p>Wanna know my first semester GPA? 2.5! (no, that’s not a factorial, it’s an exclamation mark). Yes, 2.5 (C in Chem, C in Calc II). No study skills, don’t know what to expect on exams, completely unaware of grading methods and policies, living on your own, trying to find friends…god I could go on forever. Junior now and my GPA’s at 3.71, don’t sweat it you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>First semester is always the worst. Pretty much everyone in all my engineering classes had below 3.0 GPAs after their first semester - soon they learned the tricks of the trades, how to succeed in certain classes and study skills and bumped their GPAs to a decent 3.5ish range. Just make sure you don’t do WORSE second semester, you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>I started with a 2.0, went up to a 2.8, then down to a 1.5. Graduated with a 2.01.
Started at a lower salary them my peers. Passed the PE 1st time and was making more than my peers 5 years after graduation.
I would not go so far as to say GPA is irrelevant, but don’t sweat it. Any time we work hard it opens up doors, but it does not mean easy street for the rest of our lives.
By the way, in the last 30 years, no one asked me what my GPA was.</p>
<p>Seems like a C in a course you didn’t like was the main issue, and you won’t have to take chemistry again. So naturally the GPA will rise. No problem. If you like the courses in your major, then it won’t matter if they get a little bit harder.</p>
<p>That was purely tongue-in-cheek. I mean come on, “mister”? I was clearly having fun. Man, omit the and people think you’re an ogre. Well kiss my dishrag! (pretend there was a smiley there…or was there?)</p>
<p>I am a student at one of the top engineering universities in the US and my first semester GPA was actually really close to yours. Don’t worry too much about it, you still have a lot of time to make up for it and it really isn’t that bad of a GPA in engineering terms. I was able to get a 3.4 the semester after by working harder, and generally if you have a >3.0 you’ll be fine (unless you’re looking to go to grad school).</p>
<p>Don’t worry too much about your GPA unless you are below a 2.7. Most companies look for at least a 2.8 GPA when hiring interns. If you know the material and have ambition about your field you will find a job. 2.94 isnt that bad for engineering, but getting it above a 3.0 wouldnt hurt either.</p>
and people think you’re an ogre. Well kiss my dishrag! (pretend there was a smiley there…or was there?)</p>