<p>Mine was around 3.3 (from undergrad), it didn’t seem to phase any of the schools I applied to, except Michigan, oddly.</p>
<p>Well if we are talking averages, I think most of the first-rate schools would have higher GPA averages than 3.5, so in that sense, it would not be considered solid.</p>
<p>However, as 09grad and others have pointed out, other things can completely make up for them.
Having a first author Nature paper is an extremely rare occurrence for an undergrad so it would be a special case that may not apply for most.</p>
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<p>That would be entirely context dependent. If you’re entering grad school straight out of undergrad, with no work experience, no research, and you’re depending entirely on test scores and GPA, that’s one thing. On the other hand, many students have research, contacts at universities, work experience, etc. Some have master’s GPAs, and still others had difficult undergraduate degrees (you can’t really compare the GPA from a communications major and from an aerospace engineering major).</p>
<p>Im just really worried since i have so many B-s over B’s and A-'s over A’s.</p>
<p>Burdell, I agree that the discussion is useless without context.
I did not make a categorical statement though.</p>
<p>So you guys think I’ll be okay since the GPA on my transcript falls in the range of the schools I’m applying to?</p>
<p>Yeah I don’t think a 3.5 can be a make or break for any school, as people said.</p>
<p>09grad, congrats but seriously you’re far from ordinary. Two 1st author pubs one of em bein in Nature?!</p>
<p>Uh ya… unless you were borderline for all your other stats, you were just about set.</p>
<p>To address the OP: it probably won’t matter (an A- is still an A, after all), and as it’s already happened and you can’t change it, you should definitely stop worrying about it. </p>
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[QUOTE=Ookla]
I just got a B- in a microbiology lab class (not because it was hard, but b/c I didn’t do any of the useless busywork)
[/quote]
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<p>It’s not useless if it gets you an A in the class, is it? Getting a poor grade in a class because you’re busy doing research is one thing, but getting a poor grade because you didn’t want to do the “useless busywork” is pretty silly. (Of course no one can tell from the transcript.)</p>
<p>my GPA is 2.7 but my goal is Upenn. does it make sense?</p>
<p>Most likely not.</p>
<p>There are those handful of people who do get in with that kind of gpa but they are next to nonexistant.</p>
<p>In addition, these ppl with low GPAs prolly had other things going for them. In just abt all cases, with a 2.7 the adcoms prolly won’t even read your application.</p>
<p>However, with a 2.7 and maybe 2 first author pubs in reputable journals, a subject test in 90%+ range, 3+yrs of research experience, you may have a shot. </p>
<p>In conclusion, unless the rest of your application is so great it brings tears to one’s eyes, a 2.7 will just about cripple your chances.</p>
<p>Try and get that 2.7 up to 3.1+ and make sure the course you do best in are the ones relevant to your field.</p>
<p>Thanks for reply!</p>