Does GPA really that matter?

Graduate School
1

<p>I'm a undergrad at UIUC. I talked with a grad student today and he told me that if I wanna become a grad student at UIUC I need at least a 3.9 GPA, which really scared me. My GPA is 3.82(cumulative), 3.8(institution) and 3.85(technical), EE major. Do you think it's enough to stay at UIUC?</p>

2

<p>I think said graduate student was exaggerating a bit. Most graduate programs don’t have a hard cut-off GPA, and even if they did, it most likely wouldn’t be a 3.9. Your 3.82+ will most likely be high enough.</p>

3

<p>I have another question. Right now I mainly focus on microelectronics/semiconductors study, and I’m doing a research in this field. However, I begin to feel that circuit is more interesting this semester. Is the chance small if I wanna focus on circuits in grad school, say, Berkeley? I have not much coursework related to it, although it’s also a discipline of EE. Also, circuit design in UIUC is not very good compared with other disciplines.</p>

4

<p>My friend got into UIUC’s Aerospace program with a 3.4, (3.5 major I think) from a state school, but with other strong areas. His GRE score was not very high either (740Q and 400 something V)</p>

<p>Sounds like that guy was trying to brag.</p>

<p>GPA is definitely important. A few professors from my prospective schools stated “Obtaining more research experience always helps - as long as it does not interfere with your GPA.” </p>

<p>But “at least a 3.9” is bull ****.</p>

5

<p>a grad student I talked to told me that without an REU, you’re pretty much SOL. He said it because he did a lot of computational research, without an REU, and ended up getting rejected by every place except the one he’s at right now. His GPA was 3.2 btw… everyone has his theory.</p>

6

<p>

I am a UIUC ECE grad student, and had a 3.85 GPA at a lower ranked institution - I think you will be fine. Just remember that you need some research, strong LOR’s, and at least adequate GRE as well!</p>

<p>Most departments get so many applications that the first thing they do is a downselect where someone (usually an admin or very junior professor) goes through the stack of applicants and tosses out everyone with an unacceptable GPA or GRE. This is all just to get down to a pool about 2x the number of open spots so that the adcom doesn’t have so many to work through - the GPA limit is generally not hugely high, maybe 3.6-3.7 at the best schools in a tough year. The second thing they do is an upselect where those with spots to fill select their grad students, and since they can use any criteria they want it is certainly possible that his advisor imposes a bizarrely difficult 3.9 GPA minimum on his limits.</p>

<p>

Very small. You can certainly move around a little bit, but you are going to need some real preparation in your area of interest to get admitted. Grad programs generally expect you to be ready to start grad-level classes when you arrive, and while they will be tolerant with a little bit of catch-up you are talking about easily a semesters worth of courses just to be par with most applicants. That is too much for most programs, especially top programs like Berkeley where they get dozens or hundreds of applicants who have numbers like yours AND all the right circuits coursework as an undergrad! Heck, a lot of the applicants have already taken some grad courses in circuits and are ahead of the curve! So why would they take you when you are so far behind?</p>