<p>My son, a chem major at a selective LAC, is discouraged with his grades this past (freshman) year. </p>
<p>He had AP Chem and BC Calc in HS. </p>
<p>First semester:
Org Chem A- Env Chem A Multiv Calc B- Humanities A-</p>
<p>Second Semester
Inorg Chem B Org Synthesis B+ Synthesis lab Pass (P/F) Humanities Pass (P/F) Humanities writing A-</p>
<p>To me, the grades look ok. He had a new onset chronic illness this spring which made him feel very tired.</p>
<p>He loves chemistry and is very good in the lab. He is doing research this summer with a professor. What GPA do you need to get into a very good grad school with funding?</p>
<p>GPA is only one part of admittance, other things like research, letters, personal statement, are worth as much if not more. 3.5 and up is definitely competitive, and it isn’t unheard of to get into good schools with lower.</p>
<p>Thanks. </p>
<p>His take was that he might as well throw in the towel with Bs.</p>
<p>Even when the situation looks dire, NEVER throw in the towel. He should have faith in himself because that’s the only way he is going to get through tough times. Of course, this also involves being very proactive, seeking people out, asking for help, etc. </p>
<p>GPA is only one part to getting into grad school, and besides, there’s a lot more school left to go through. Just take the lessons from the previous classes and apply them to future classes to get even better grades. This would have the added benefit of showing people he can learn from mistakes and do better.</p>
<p>More important than GPA though is what his professors have to say and his research experience. It’s really key to have strong relationships with at least 3 professors and do a lot of research.</p>