<p>So I'm a freshman at University of California, Santa Barbara (its college of engineering is #20 in the nation). I'm an engineering major, and I just finished my first quarter. </p>
<p>I worked my butt off (although only when I procrastinated - pulled 3 all nighters to study for finals. but only during the week of finals lol) and expected a 3.4ish GPA. However, turns out I overestimated my Chem Lab and Writing grades and received a 3.02 GPA. Here's what I got:</p>
<p>Math - A
Computer Science - B
Chemistry 1 - C+
Chemistry Lab - C+ [Bombed final, expected a B or B+]</p>
<h2>Engineering Writing - B [expected A, turns out 20% of the class was participation...]</h2>
<p>17 units - 3.02 GPA</p>
<p>Is this bad for an engineering major? I currently go to UC Santa Barbara and am looking to go to UC Berkeley for grad school. Please advise me on my current situation and how to go from here :(</p>
<p>PS: What's overall GPA and major GPA? I was told nothing about this during orientation / campus tour. </p>
<p>Yes, a B average means your life is officially over.</p>
<p>Nah, it’s not that bad. But some of the things you said are troublesome. And you should probably be shooting for a higher GPA is grad school/Berkeley is the end goal.</p>
<p>"[expected A, turns out 20% of the class was participation…]"
Syllabus. Read it, know it. It’ll tell you when participation matters, it’ll tell you that participation/attendance is 20% of your grade, etc. But the things that determine your grade should never be a surprise.</p>
<p>"(although only when I procrastinated - pulled 3 all nighters to study for finals. but only during the week of finals lol)"
All nighters during finals week are a really, really bad idea. Especially for engineering. If you’re tired, you’re not thinking. At some point, it becomes better to just put the books away, go to bed, and be awake during your tests. But you should really try to study before finals week as well… it’ll stick better.</p>
<p>“What’s overall GPA and major GPA?”
Exactly what it sounds like. Overall GPA is determined by all your coursework. Major GPA is based on your major classes, like math and engineering.</p>
<p>I think that’s a great GPA for a first semester at college. A lot of students would give anything for those grades. failure622 has some good tips for you, too. Take fall semester as a good learning experience so that you can convert what went ‘well’ into future success and take the weaknesses as signs for where to get stronger in study skills/ habits, etcetera. Don’t beat yourself for that GPA. I’m telling you: for a first semester at college, it’s nothing to feel bad about.</p>
<p>No, you’re not doomed. If you want to go to Berkeley for grad school though, you better get it together. You’ll be competing with a lot of very qualified candidates.</p>
<p>It sounds like you’ve learned a couple lessons though. As mentioned above, read the syllabus!! I’ve seen quite a few posts recently from people who didn’t know about the participation grades and such. This information is in the syllabus. Professors have to tell you on what you are being graded at the start of the semester. The syllabus is the contract between you and them. </p>
<p>Pulling 3 all nighters to study for finals is a bad decision. All nighters are a bad decisions in general, especially during finals. You cannot absorb that much information in that short of a time. All you’re doing is trying to cram more information in without giving your brain time to absorb the last bit of information. It ultimately results in little more than being incredibly tired the next day. I’ve pulled a couple all nighters in my college career, but usually because I had a paper due the next day or something like that.</p>
<p>Don’t worry! You’re anything but doomed. I agree that it’s a decent first semester GPA. Also, I’d just like to add that you should take it easy on yourself and not worry too much about grad school. I know it’s easy to get caught up in “omg-i-gotta-get-As-for-grad-school,” but if you just take it one semester and one day at a time, you’ll find that it’ll help alleviate a lot of stress. If you work well and hard for the moment, the following moments will become a hard-earned future. </p>
<p>Good luck with your next term! And Happy Holidays!</p>