<p>So I just ended my sophomore year with a 3.94 GPA. It was 4.0 freshman year but has since been allotted its current spot because of some B+'s in Sign Language (I am double majoring in Psychology and Neuroscience). I have to take up to ASL (American Sign Language) 4 and am scared it's going to further hinder my GPA. I'll be starting my more intensive science courses this fall and am already steeling myself for a little more slippage, but I feel like if it slips down below a 3.9 I will feel like a failure. I know I have unrealistic expectations but I just want to prove myself and want to get into a good graduate program for neuroscience. I know GPA's aren't the end all be all of your application (I am involved with two research labs pertaining to neuroscience right now) and will hopefully contribute to a paper next year. I feel huge anxiety over these grades and I know it is, in all reality, quite moot. But I still feel tremendous stress :(</p>
<p>Get a blog. Reread it later and realize how ridiculous you sound. </p>
<p>Just do your best and get the grades you get.</p>
<p>hahahahaha</p>
<p>… I have a 3.4. Apparently I am a total **** up :P</p>
<p>Calm the **** down. Very few people graduate with a 4.0 GPA. Your GPA is really good, pretty far from being a failure.</p>
<p>■■■■■ or serious?</p>
<p>■■■■■ for sure; A person with a 3.9 GPA would be smart enough to know that worrying about a 3.9 is inane and absurd.</p>
<p>I hate slippage.</p>
<p>Just to play devil’s advocate, I think the OP’s concern is valid when related to psych PhD programs. I’m not so familiar with neuroscience PhD programs, but fully funded clinical psych PhDs are some of the most incredibly competitive programs in the country, and people in psych majors tend to have higher grades overall anyway since it’s an easier major (or can be). </p>
<p>I think if you can keep your GPA above 3.9, you should prioritize doing that. E.g., take ASL by itself over the summer instead of getting an internship or something, as you can always get one later - just take things slow so that you can keep your GPA high because that’s permanent.</p>
<p>I would think it were ridiculous if the OP was talking about a different career path, but I think in this case the concern is probably quite valid. Check out studentdoctor.net for more info.</p>
<p>Edit: Probably neuroscience has lower overall GPAs than psych. Don’t stress yourself out over keeping a 3.9, shoot for it but know that if you get a 3.7-3.8 even you are probably still competitive (check stats of accepted applicants at website posted above for more info).</p>
<p>I’m not being a ■■■■■; it may seem like that because I have only posted 1 time but I swear I’m being serious! Everyone keeps saying how competitive graduate school is and I want to make sure that I have a good shot. I have always been wracked with anxiety and overanalyze everything 
Thank you futurepmhnp for not lashing at me.</p>
<p>You’re worrying too much about it. If it’s already “slipped” to a 3.94, there’s nothing you can do to change that. All you can do is get the best grades that you can get for the rest of your undergrad. A 3.94 GPA is nothing to be ashamed of, and is not likely to make a whole lot of difference with grad school acceptance.</p>
<p>Okay, if you’re trying to get into a PhD program for psychology, then those can be uber competitive. A girl from our school got into Harvard’s PhD program for clinical psychology and she’s basically a goddess…</p>
<p>PhD programs are meant to produce great researchers, so in graduate admissions, they weight many other factors equally or higher than your GPA. For example, recommendation letters and research experience are a crucial part of graduate applications. I have heard that transcripts are viewed more holistically. They would rather have someone who challenged themselves in their field who may have had a few B’s than someone with a 4.0 who did the minimum to complete their major. This doesn’t mean that grades aren’t important, it’s just that they are viewed with more leeway than in college admissions.</p>
<p>■■■■■, or the stereotypical CC kid</p>
<p>1000000000000000000000000000000% ■■■■■. A person with a GPA this high who was that anxious/analytical would have looked up the average GPA of matriculants for the programs of interest and seen that none of them are anywhere close to 3.94.</p>
<p>I’m also freaking out because I might end up with a 3.9 after my Math summer class. 
huhu</p>
<p>As a psych major you know the value of counselling. Take advantage of the counseling services at school or find a local therapist to help you deal with the stress and/or evaluate you for perfectionism that can cripple you and possibly lower your GPA even more.</p>
<p>your gpa is great!</p>