<p>So if I wanted to go to grad school for, let's say, Economics, and my GPA is like, a 3.8 overall... would schools reconsider the fact that your GPA was only that high because you aced all your GE classes that had nothing to do with your major... and slipped a bit in the classes in your major (such as math and higher division economics?)</p>
<p>Would grad schools care or compare your overall GPA vs. something like a GPA in your major? (kind of how medical schools do the science vs. overall gpa?)</p>
<p>Also another scenario, if your GPA was lower due to a few B-/C+ grades in classes your freshman year (example: chemistry, physics, computer science), that had nothing to do with your major... what would grad schools think of that?</p>
<p>From all I've read, they care a lot more about your math and economics grades than anything else. (Which, of course, makes sense.) </p>
<p>Between two applicants with 3.8 gpa, equal GRE score, equal research experience, and equal letters of recommendation: One has high grades in math and economic theory, and low grades in unrelated subjects. The other has low grades in math and economic theory, and high grades in unrelated subjects. I would think that the first is clearly preferable to the second.</p>
<p>You may be able to make up for so-so math grades by rocking the quant section of the GRE. (780+) But I would be doubtful of the competitiveness of an applicant whose lower grades are in math and econ, and whose higher grades are in completely unrelated subjects.</p>
<p>I would draw a similar conclusion regarding upper-year grades versus freshman grades.</p>