<p>I'm pretty sure that I'm going to get a B in one of my five classes. It's a 3000-level humanities class, and it's not a requirement for me. I took it out of interest. But if I drop it, I'll only have 13 credits (four classes). Is it better to stick with the class and get a B in it, or drop it and get a perfect GPA? I can drop it later in the semester (if I'm positive I can't get an A), but I want to know if dropping it at all is a bad idea.</p>
<p>One B with the rest being As will not hurt you a bit. You would still have a 3.8. Stick with the class, one B in a non-req class with 16 credits is much better than all As in 13.</p>
<p>Do you intend to apply to schools for the fall 07 semester? If so, the difference between one having 13 and 16 credits is negligible. Either way, your high school stats will be weighed heavily. If you haven't dropped any other classes and received W's on your transcript yet, do what you want.</p>
<p>Keep it. My friend told me he had a 4.0, but only took 2 classes. I wasn't impressed.</p>
<p>If he said he had a 3.8 but took 5-6 classes, I'd be wooed. Keep the class. But if you decide to drop it, be sure you don't get a "w." That looks bad on transcript.</p>
<p>^^^ Yes, I definitley agree with that. </p>
<p>A guy in class (fellow app to McCombs) asked about my GPA and I told him I had a 3.9; he tried to impress/outdo me by saying he had a 4.0. There was only one large difference - he's only taken 30 credits in the basic classes while I've taken 60, many being the math/acct/etc. that he's yet to face. ;) Courseload matters.</p>
<p>speaking of this, im pretty sure i just did really bad on my first test in calc 4 this semester. i need to take the class for the physics major, and im taking 21 credits now, so would it be smart to drop later if i know i cant recover it to at least a B+/A-, and I would still have 17 credits, or would the W look worse than a B or B-? I got an A in calc 3 last semester by the way after doing not so great on the first test, and its only 14% of the grade, so im not too worried but just as a thought.</p>
<p>I'd see how you're doing up to the drop date and then if you can't pull an A- or B+, I'd take the W. </p>
<p>What is Calc 4?</p>
<p>well its basically a differential equations class thats mixed in with some other advanced calc stuff and also some linear algebra..its not a math major class, its only for chem and physics majors basically, there are 15 people in the class and 2 of them are geophysics grad students</p>
<p>but also my academic advisor said that BC doesnt send out midterm grade reports, so how would the schools ever see this before they make their decision?</p>
<p>well i guess they wouldn't and to be honest i doubt a B- or A- is going to be the deciding factor in whether you're accepted as a transfer. but if you intend to go to grad school of some sort, every grade counts and due to your 21 credit courseload, I wouldn't opt for more courses in a semester if I were going to receive a lower grade than I could get in a class.</p>
<p>take it Pass/No Pass</p>
<p>I would drop it right now. 13 units is already enough to be full time, and your GPA will follow you forever (grad school, employment, etc). I would stick with the 4.0.</p>
<p>Like Malishka said, see if you can take it pass/no pass and if not, I would drop it!</p>
<p>i wouldnt drop a B, i would take it pass no pass if the 4.0 was that important to me. </p>
<p>Keep in mind that dropping a class now means taking additional units later. </p>
<p>a B is by no means BAD. 3.9 is just as good as 4.0</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. I've decided to take it pass/fail. In my opinion, 16 credits with 3 pass/fail and a 4.0 > 16 credits with a 3.8 > 13 credits with a 4.0.</p>
<p>It all depends on what those other classes are; where you are at school now; and where you are applying.</p>
<p>The more selective schools are not going to look at your GPA in a vacuum. It is going to be in the context of what your courseload is like - not just how many credits, but how rigorous the classes are.</p>
<p>In general, I think 16 credits at 3.8 > 14 credits at 4.0, as you say. But none of us can really comment without more info.</p>
<p>Be aware that courses taken P/F may or may not be transferable to your new school. So you have two issues to consider: (1)which GPA/courseload will help you in admissions and (2) how many credits will transfer.</p>
<p>Some schools will not accept P/F taken elsewhere. Some will if you can verify in writing that your grade would have been better than a C (or whatever their cut-off is). My S was able to get this from his prof/registrar when he transferred to Hopkins. Other schools where he applied would not have taken the P/F credits at all. That might not matter to you, or it might.</p>