<p>I have a friend (college sophmore) who's majoring in a social science with plans to go to grad school because he doesn't like the prospects with just a BA (and I don't blame him). Let me start by saying that he's a great guy and that this post is in no waY meant to bash him. He's intelligent, dedicated, and opinionated. He's devoted to social advocacy to an amazing degree, and I think he coulld really make a huge impact in that area.<br>
Advocacy takes up a huge amount of time (judging from what I know, it seems like a full time job for him), and he has physical problems that sap some energy from him as well. He drinks occasionally and has a good number of friends, but I won't call him a partier. I really respect him (even if we don't always see eye-to-eye) and think he definitely has lots of potential.</p>
<p>Here's the problem:
His GPA isn't that good, even though he takes below average credit loads. Last semester, it was sub-3.0 with 9 credits, and I think his other grades are in the same range. It's not a matter of intelligence (as the guy's brillant-probably smarter than me!) but a combination of fatigue, his demanding advocacy work, and not getting along with profs. I really don't think this GPA will be good enough for grad. schools, but I don't know what to say. I guess its none of my business,but I get the impression that he really doesn't know about the competitiveness of grad school admissions. and I think, if he really wanted to, he could do much better. How do I say something (or should I) without coming across as an arrogant jerk (amd a freshman to boot)? I just respect the guy too much to see him dig himself into a hole with his laissez faire attitude about grad. school.</p>
<p>How are you doing Wolf? Are you in college now?</p>
<p>I wouldn't say anything to him directly. I would fret personally, say that I am really worried about getting into Grad School because, well, you know, I have to have a better GPA, etc. etc. By MY fretting this guy will learn alot. The more you talk the more he will learn.YOu can play this little game with him and by fretting personally he will learn and not feel he is being insulted in any way.
Another point is that many people may not have the same perspective on a situation as you may have. There are plenty of people who do not fret or try too hard but bungle their way in life and do succeed and are happy and productive. And they probably live longer than others because of their relaxed, accepting attitude in life.
Maybe to this guy it is okay to get a local grad degree from an easy college and teach locally at a coimmunity college.(Now that's JUST an example! NO INSULT!) Maybe he doesn't aspire to great things or authoring books.</p>
<p>Some kids are just not very good students when they start college because they have only known school their entire life. After this kid goes out to work for a few years he may be a better student when he returns to academics. I don't think you can tell him very much.He has to learn it for himself.</p>
<p>Since your friend is a sophomore, he still has time to turn things around (even if it means pulling back a little on his advocacy work to dedicate more time to the books). He can even start to build up more credits and good grades before he graduates.</p>
<p>By the time he is ready to graduate, if he still hasn't pulled up his GPA enough, I would recommend that he works a few years to distance himself a little from his college transcript then applying to grad school.</p>
<p>If he's your friend, you could encourage him to shoot for a higher gpa so as to have more options after graduation, which could include options that would best allow him to continue his advocacy work (such as if he wants to go to law school).</p>
<p>However, while his relatively low gpa will restrict his options, he still would be able to go to grad school especially if he works for a few years after graduation, something that often is a good idea for people to do so they get a better idea of what they want to do in grad school and as a career. If he has a very strong work record in a field related to what he ends up wanting to go to grad or professional school in, that could help him get into grad school.</p>
<p>You also could invite him to go with you to check out the college's career and placement center so that both of you could find out about options after college. Doing so could help him learn how his grades may affect his options -- without your having to say anything directly to him about that.</p>
<p>Back when I was applying applying to grad schools, nearly all programs had a mimimum 3.0 requirement before they would even consider your application. Your brilliant essay and all your other great attributes, achievements, and abilities would count for nothing, because some computer was going to kick your app out before it ever got read by a human.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input. Courer, that automatic cut is what I'm worried about with him, as I imagine the other aspects could have the potential to be very strong.</p>
<p>I'm known as the hyper overachiever, involved in everything, on huge merit scholarship, freaked about GPA in the group, so I don't think worrying about MY GPA would send any kind of strong message. Also, as he's in the same building as the career services office a ton, it's not like he doesn't know it exists. I think he just sees grad. school as a natural progresson from undergrad (as well as way to avoid paying off subsadized loans, so he doesn't plan to take time off for work) and expects if he wants in, he'll get in somehow. I really can't see him in academia, though I think he would make an EXCELLENT CR lawyer (he already has some of codes comitted to memory; it's really impressive), but I'm not sure if that's his plan specificslly.</p>
<p>Last semester, he had a NC (an F that doesn't count in the GPA calcuations) and an I (not really his fault) and two other courses. This semester, he's completing the I and taking 6 other credits. I know this looks bad, but I know he's brillant and has overcome a lot. He'd be a catch for grad/law school, imo, and I just want him to have that opprotunity. If anyone deserves it, he does.</p>
<p>Some schools will take either the GPA based on the last two years worth of work or based on the GPA in the major classes. I don't know if that will help or hurt your friend.</p>
<p>This is America, the land of many chances and multiple roads to Rome (mixing metaphors). I have know students who have not blossomed until grad school. It is possible to go to a "lesser" local M.A. program and then apply to a more prestigious Ph.D. program. Further, many of the more well known privates and publics have Masters only programs with next to open admission requirements. Once enrolled, students who do well and impress the profs often can apply to Ph.D. programs. This can, and has, been done with law schools as well (helped a student to do it). The price one pays is that it takes more time and funding is more tenuous.</p>
<p>The first thing a student like your friend needs to do is be sure he is taking classes where he is interested in the work, willing to do the work, and willing to put aside the conflict issues. He sounds like he lives in today and that even next month is too far away to effect how he acts now. When he does something that backfires he is not yet willing to stop the behavior.
If he actually cares about the GPA or college, my only thought is to help him find ways to do the work day-to-day.<br>
law school is a tricky admission situation. BU used to have a little grid to look at that made it very clear. LSAT score + GPA = a letter and then you'd click on the letter to see which schools would possibly take you. All letters below yours in the grid were schools to look at as well. Very high LSAT (take the $$$ course to pass well) and a lower GPA will still get you admitted. LSAT will not have codes, laws etc. It's about logical thinking and problem solving in a specific way. The trick is then you have to work like a dog, doing the work the way they want it done, to get a good GPA and a job. Many law school grads don't get to work in the law.
<a href="http://www.bc.edu/offices/careers/gradschool/law/lawlocator/#the25%5B/url%5D">http://www.bc.edu/offices/careers/gradschool/law/lawlocator/#the25</a></p>
<p>He could get high score in GRE and get into a graduate school like FAU (<a href="http://www.fau.edu)%5B/url%5D">www.fau.edu)</a> with less than 3.0 GPA. Build up his GPA at master degree and move on to a Ph.D. program somewhere else.</p>
<p>So I don't assume - when you say he's "opinionated" and that he's "not getting along with profs", is he always arguing with them, thinking he knows better/more about a topic? </p>
<p>That's a potential red flag to me about his maturity/level of arrogance if that's the case. Speaking only of myself, I was the MOST arrogant person at 20. Couldn't tell me a thing because I knew it all. I get the impression that your friend is working hard for what he believes in (and that's good), but it sounds like he may need to tone himself down a notch or two and listen to what his profs have to say. Then maybe his grades will improve. </p>
<p>Best of luck; you're a good friend for caring.</p>