Grad school and studying abroad

Graduate School
1

<p>Hi everyone- I'm a sophomore this year, but I would really like to study abroad the second semester of my junior year (Spring 2013). My university offers exchanges to other schools all over the world and the credits transfer back seamlessly, but the grades I receive will not transfer back (will not be counted into my GPA). I will most likely be going to England or Ireland. That said, how will grad schools view taking science classes that count toward my major while abroad? Does the university I'm studying at have any impact on how they see this? I've been saving up some gen eds, or"fluffy" classes as i like to call them, to take while abroad, but I would like to take a science class as well. </p>

<p>I don't have any specific grad schools in mind, but I plan on going into an Ecology/Environmental/Evolution type program. If I took a class like microbiology as opposed to an ecology class while abroad, would that be more acceptable, or should I just stick with gen eds?</p>

<p>Thanks for any advice!</p>

2

<p>The classes you take for study abroad grades are not calculated into your GPA however you will receive an official transcript from that program and you submit that transcript as well as the transcript from your undergrad school when applying to grad school. My d had no problem doing so with her grad school applications. She has also used one of the faculty members she studied with in her abroad program as a contact for LOR for job applications.</p>

3

<p>My D studied abroad her entire junior year, in 2 different countries. Plenty of the courses were in her majors, but none counted in her GPA. She has been accepted to more than one grad program.</p>

4

<p>Thanks for the responses! It’s helping ease my mind a little.</p>