Hello. I am currently a freshman studying engineering at Northwestern University in Evanston. I was just concerned about the deflated grades at Northwestern and would like to hear the opinions of others on this topic. Most of my classes are curved to a 3.0 GPA which means that to get an A or A- in most classes you need to score roughly a standard deviation above the class mean (Top 20-30% of class). I am smart and have done fairly well first quarter (3.6 GPA) but still find this very difficult as the vast majority of other students at this school are intelligent too and work very hard as well. Also I feel the extra studying to keep up hinders my social life a bit. I’m not sure whether or not I am going to grad school or straight to the workforce after college but I often feel that it is unfair and just generally sucks that I may be smarter and work harder than students at schools with inflated grades but this will not be reflected in my resume. Will potential employers recognize that NU has deflated grades? I would appreciate responses from anybody, but especially NU students or graduates, and double-especially NU engineers. Thank you.
p.s. in case you doubt Northwestern grade deflation it even mentions it when you look up Northwestern University on Urban Dictionary
Grad schools do take into account the grade deflation at NU, esp. the engineering school. S is a senior (Engg).
While engineering is challenging at NU, I think you should stick with it. You’ve already proven you can attain high grades in a difficult program, and yes, I do feel your employment prospects should be good if you keep it up. Those who respect NU for engineering should know something about the rigor and grades. The quarter system does not help the overall pressure cooker atmosphere, either.
Not all schools / departments at NU for undergrad are known for grade deflation, btw.
I would caution against quoting the Urban Dictionary as a legitimate source of information.
What really sucks about McCormick is that you need a 3.75 to make Dean’s List - and the other NU schools is like a 3.5! BUT… Like earlier posters pointed out - If you can get into NU - you can get the grades out of it - if that’s what you want. My D and S started out like you at McCormick - and made Dean’s List later on. And BOTH do/did lots of stuff outside of class / school with Club Sports and travelling. Good Luck!
^that’s not true
It’s a 3.75 for Weinberg, as well.
Top grad schools (in the US) definitely understand the grading policies of different colleges. I just read a post by a UIUC CS prof (one of the top CS schools) who noted that while everyone gets an A at Harvard, pulling a 3.0 at Mudd is tough (and they adjust accordingly; Mudd is one of the top producers of PhD candidates per capita in the country despite–or maybe because of–their massive grade deflation).
As for industry, I’ve literally never had anyone ask me for my GPA in a job interview. Most people just assume that someone who graduated from NU (especially Tech) is smart.
You may be hurt for those jobs that have a high GPA requirement, but those are relatively rare; in general, you’ll get out what you put in.
Website for Weinberg indicates 3.7
Dean’s List: If you take at least three graded courses during a quarter and earn a GPA of 3.7 or better, then you will be on the “Dean’s List,” and a written commendation from the dean will be sent to your parents.
link:http://www.weinberg.northwestern.edu/handbook/policies-forms/academic-honors.html
I will admit that I feel better about it than the 3.5 that I was told! Regardless, it’s not easy to do! 