<p>is it really that big of a problem?</p>
<p>i want to get into med school which means im gonna need a high GPA, is BU going to make that difficult for me with the grade deflation if it actually exists?</p>
<p>BU doesn't have grade deflation and there are many threads about it. The phrase is catchy and hangs on like the name "rape stairs" for the steps to Beacon behind ENG though the reference is over 30 years old and is meaningless.</p>
<p>BU has somewhat lower average grades than schools which have inflated grades at a very high rate. Grad schools do adjustments, which include comparisons to the average at a school. BTW, if you go through various schools' info, you find a number that are accused of grade deflation. My feeling is that it's not merely a code for "not a gut school" but is also intended to convey some sense of disapproval; I've noticed that some "prestige" schools which have also restrained grade inflation don't get tarred with the brush. </p>
<p>The worst inflators, btw, are apparently the Ivies. A law professor went through Yale's stats and calculated from the GPA required for certain honors that, assuming a normal distribution, the mean GPA must be 3.62. Brown's mean is about the same. Show up, get an A.</p>
<p>BU's grades were inflating at a very high rate and the school took steps to slow that. Some departments grade harder than others, which is true at every school.</p>
<p>The bottom line is that BU is an incredibly difficult school.</p>
<p>This topoic gets way too much attention. When you apply to top grad schools or med school its not going to make a difference if you have a 3.7 in a normally graded school vs 3.9 in an inflated grade school. These law/med/grad schools rely a lot on their admission tests like the LSAT and all the grad schools and med/law schools know the difference between an A at Harvard and an A at BU. My son has kept a 3.7, plans to attend Law School, and although he worked hard I don't think that at a grade inflated school he would have more than a smidgeion higher GPA. You will work hard at BU but if its a huge deeal just go on ratemyprofessor. com and ask other students so you can avoid the tough grading teachers. There are some in every college as well as profs that are more reasonable.</p>
<p>Also, departments that grade hard tend to grade hard at every school - and the grad programs in those areas know which schools do what.</p>
<p>The stats show that among all BU med-school applicants, about 70% of these applicants who have gpa above 3.4 get into a medical school (provided that you have a good MCAT score). Although BU have a tough grading system, suprisingly, it will help you when you apply for med school and grad schools (the reasons for that are stated in above posts). I personally wouldn't worry about the so-called "grade-deflation" problems. Yes, people in BU do talk a lot about this (even among professors!), but if you work hard to get around a 3.6-3.7 you should be in good shape after you graduate.</p>
<p>Its not that BU necessarily deflates, its that they truly believe their education is far superior to any other college. Truth or not, they grade much tougher accordingly.</p>
<p>I think that's a little over-stated. The last real President was a standards driver and many classes are set up so you have to hit x, y and z to get certain marks. The current President comes from MIT, which also grades relatively hard. </p>
<p>BU is going through big changes.</p>