<p>Hello everybody, I am currently a freshman undergrad majoring in mathematics and I was wondering how much a C in a upper level math class could affect my chances of getting into a top grad school. In all my previous math classes I have gotten straight A's. I am currently taking two upper level math courses and I have an A/A- in one of them but I am pretty confident I will finish with an A. However, the other course I am taking is a different story.</p>
<p>It is course that introduces basic concepts of group theory, set theory, proof writing etc. Currently, I probably have a C+/C in the course. But I can't see myself acing the final so I imagine at best it will go up to a B- and more likely it will end up as a C. </p>
<p>Anyway, if I do end up with a C in the course, how will that affect my chances of getting into a grad school? I don't know how much it matters but I have a 3.9 GPA overall right now although that will probably take a sharp dip after this semester. Also, the highest grade in the class is currently a B-. Is there any possibility that grad schools could take this into account?</p>
<p>One class isn’t going to keep you out of graduate school. I failed an upper-division class in my field and still managed to get into a top 15 PhD program in my field, so I doubt that a C in one class with an overall 3.9 GPA is going to keep you out of yours.</p>
<ol>
<li>No, a single C won’t hurt you.</li>
<li>No, there’s absolutely no way a school would know or care that no one received an A</li>
<li>You have a long way to go, relax.</li>
</ol>
<p>Yes it matters. Not a terribly large amount, but it matters. There are many other applicants who got an A in that same course.</p>
<p>And lots of other applicants will have gotten Bs in courses that the OP got an A in. One C in freshman year is not going to matter one single bit. Heck, a goodly number of programs don’t even look at coursework completed before junior year</p>
<p>I had a 3.1 CGPA and a number of Fs and Ws on my transcript - and was accepted and funded at one of the top programs in my field anyway. Do not sweat one freshman-year grade.</p>
<p>It is better to assume the applicant pool is more competitive than you than to assume you are doing average or better than everyone else. With the former mindset, you will naturally continue to improve your profile and thus increase your chances, since you are below average. If you assume everyone else has Bs, then what’s the point of trying extra hard to get an A if no one else got one? Be aware where you stand among everyone else, but look and aim for the applicants above you, rather than below you. </p>
<p>Top schools have a large number of applicants. They can afford to be selective. But I do agree than grades in your junior and senior year have a greater weight.</p>
<p>Graduate admissions is not all about GPA because graduate school is not remotely all about classroom performance. Grades are one component of a much broader, qualitative, holistic assessment of candidates.</p>
<p>If the OP even has a few Cs and Bs on the transcript, but two years of progressively-responsible research and high-quality recommendations from professors, the latter will be deemed far more important and persuasive than a couple middling grades - much less a single C in freshman year.</p>
<p>
There is no reason to worry about or care about what anyone else is doing, given that it’s entirely out of your control.</p>