Importance of college grades???

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hey guys, </p>

<pre><code> Right now I am a freshman at Lehigh University and have finally come to the decision that I want to transfer. I am a business major and the schools that I have decided to apply to so far are Boston U and NYU. My main concern is that my college grades will hold me back. I am taking 15 credits and expect to get mostly Bs and Cs. I actually have a 68 in geology right now!!! Should I drop it and only have 12 credits? or should I keep it and try to pull a C??? How much will my college grades hurt me in transferring? Also any other suggestions for schools would be appreciated. I am looking for a good business school in or near a city. My high school stats are SAT=1380, ranked in top 6% of 500 kids. Please give me feedback on if you think I will have a tough time transferring due to my poor college gpa. Will they take into account the difficulty and grade deflation of the school? I feel that Lehigh is very difficult. Thanks, sorry if this is so unorganized.
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2

<p>Well, here's the thing: I know that, at NYU, if you will be applying as a sophomore transfer, your high school info will be of a greater consideration than if you were to apply as a junior transfer. That is really good news for you because, for NYU, your high school record is remarkable.</p>

<p>However, they are going to consider your college grades as a major part of your application, simply because it is your most recent work. Although they realize that taking harder courses could mean lower grades, NYU wants students who will be able to do well at the school. That means that students should be able to do really well in rigorous courses because that is what NYU offers. Not doing well at one rigorous college may be an indicator that you may not do well at another. However, don't be totally discouraged. Like I said, your H.S record is beautiful.</p>

<p>If you have a legitamate (sp?) explanation for your grades (other than 'it was too hard'), then you may be saved. I know people who got into NYU as freshman with mediocre records because they had a real, legitimate reason for it.</p>

<p>My suggestion to you is that if, at this point, you can drop the course, you porbably should. It will give you more time to focus on pulling up your grades in your other courses to maybe even A's and B's. If you cannot drop the couse at this point without a "W" or "WF", then you should keep it and work EXTRA HARD to pull it up. Continue to challenge yourself in the spring semester. </p>

<p>Also, make sure you highlight your other strengths on the application. If you have an extracurricular activity that you are especially proud of, tell them that over and over and over again, via essays, activities, and short answer questions. Don't be modest - boast about your awards and honors, write an outstanding essay, and find a professor, TA, or college advisor who will write you a wonderful recommendation. Let the committee know that you are much more than just a GPA.</p>

<p>Also, you should have a solid reason for wanting to transfer. If you tell NYU that you want to transfer because Stern is a good business school in the city, that will probably not be a good enough reason to take you. Make a good case for why your personal and academic goals can better be achieved at NYU. They want to know that you've done your research - that you didn't just pick their name out of a hat because you hate Lehigh. Diversity? Better prep for the business world? What is at NYU that is not a Lehigh? Make a good case and communicate it effectively. Try to pick out just one or two good, solid reasons rather than a whole slew of them. This will allow room for your essay to be in depth and personal.Pick good reasons - this is your entire transfer essay.<strong><em>Be careful, though - just like in a job interview, you don't want to paint a very negative picture of Lehigh. They will look down on that and figure that, if you don't like NYU once you get there, you may do the same thing to them.</em></strong></p>

<p>You should also go to the NYU website and read the special requirements for the Stern School of Business. They want you to have 30 - 32 semester hours by the time you transfer (keep that in mind when dropping classes) and there are certain classes that you MUST have taken by your expected date of matriculation. </p>

<p>As for Boston, I have no clue. My suggestion to you would be the same - pull up your grades because they are the most important thing. Even go for tutoring or other academic help (if you need it). Take some leadership roles, challenge yourself. Do your research for Boston just as you would any other college - go to the website, request application materials. If it helps you, NYU has an admissions message board where you can post questions and have them responded to by an admissions counselor. </p>

<p>Hope this helps!</p>

3

<p>You should definitely pull up your grades as it would be hard for you to transfer in to NYU with B/C regardless of your high school record. Even though the school will look at your high school performance, it will not make up for a a less than stellar college performance.</p>

<p>NYU states: </p>

<p><a href="http://admissions.nyu.edu/applying_for_admission/index.php?page=the_transfer_admission_process&category=transfer%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://admissions.nyu.edu/applying_for_admission/index.php?page=the_transfer_admission_process&category=transfer&lt;/a>
*
Admissions Committee considers a variety of factors in reviewing your application including the relative strength of your college program, your performance in those courses, your high school record, standardized test scores, your personal statements and application essay, letters of recommendations submitted on your behalf, and your activities both in school and in your community. </p>

<p>Most successful transfer applicants follow a general liberal arts curriculum at their school. Typically, the successful candidate will have completed at least a year of college credit (minimum thirty semester hours) and maintained at least a "B" average overall, although the most competitive candidates usually exceed these minimum standards. If you have been in college less than a year, your high school record will be an important consideration for admission *</p>

4

<p>Hi guys,</p>

<pre><code> First I just want to tell you all how much I appreciate your time and effort. It means a lot to me to have people I don't even know go out of their way to help me. I just got back today from Boston. I went for the weekend to look at BU. It seemed to me that Boston is a very clean, safe, and fun place with lots of college kids. I was with my friend who goes there and we were walking around the city at 3 am with no worries at all. While the dorms I saw were not great, and the security policy was a pain, I don't think that those issues would be a problem for me since I would probably just get an apartment.

I talked to an admissions person before the info session. We talked for a while about the transfer process. She mentioned that the average transfer gpa was a 3.6 for last year's applicants. She understood that I was in a tough situation but she did not really give me any real answers or advice. She suggested possibly going back home next semester to go to a comm. college in order to raise my gpa. My fear of this option is that I go home to community college, apply to schools and don't get in. This would leave me stuck at a community college after leaving a well respected university all for nothing. Not to mention all the crap I would have to take from my friends about going back to comm. college. I really do not feel that it is worth leaving Lehigh to take a chance on rasing my gpa to apply to other schools.

I really did like the city of Boston. I keep hearing about the incredible amount of grade deflation there, and how students have to work very hard just to earn B's which should probably be A's. This scares me. But I feel that I would really enjoy living in an apartment in Boston, as opposed to being stuck in a dorm here for ANOTHER WHOLE YEAR, as they just made a rule saying that all sophomores must live on campus from now on.

I had no intention of going in for so long so I will try to sum it up here. I liked Boston, BU had some positives and some negatives, and I don't really want to stay here or go back home. I am going to D.C. soon to look at GWU and will try to keeo an open mind, regardless of some things that I have read. I have kind of given up on the thought of NYU because I do not think I am currently taking the courses that they say I should be, the competition is incredibly strong, and their course requirements as well as work is genereal are very intense. Thank you everyone for all your help.
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5

<p>Keep your head up, it is only your first semester. One of my good friends got into NYU as a senior in HS, but now is struggling to post above a 3.0 his first semester at a 2nd tier school. People need time to adjust, and I'm sure if you keep at it and pull up the grades, it would still be worth your time to apply. Besides, you'll need somewhere around 30 credits to apply, so that gives you plenty of time.</p>

<p>Best of luck =)</p>

6

<p>I'm a BU student, though not a SMG (School of Management) person. Speaking of grade deflation, we do hate it...sometimes it's the dean that will cut the grade down, and sometimes you will be "lucky" like me, have some really tough graders. I went to high school at both a public school and a prep school. I found teachers at many prep schools grade tougher than most public school (I was studying at a Blue-Ribbon public high in SoCal, as a foreigner, i suppose it's a sign of quality education?)...however, many teachers at BU make my teachers at the prep school look like easy graders. Here, we all know, the "grade deflation" is pretty much a school policy...</p>

<p>Lectures here at BU are really no fun experience...most good professors only stick to upper level classes, and the curve scale sucks most of the time. Plus the grade deflation, my friends and I here feel we're pathetic....while those kids across the river are benefiting from the grade inflation, do they really only deserve A's?</p>

<p>Back to SMG...people at SMG seems busy and happy to me. They pretty much have the best facility on campus...it's like going to a different school when I go to SMG, since their stuff is way nicer and newer than our Arts & Sciences facilities...according to many SMG students, they say BU prepares them for the real world by putting them into the real world while at college. However, it's only my personal observation.</p>

<p>Boston is a fun town, after all...this is so far my favorite American city...</p>

<p>good luck, gibson</p>

7

<p>Yeah that grade deflation is really scaring me. I have just started looking into Northeastern, which I probably should have taken a look at while I was up there. Do you guys think that since they are less competitive, that it would be easier for me to get in as a transfer? Also, does anyone know how rigorous the curriculum is? I would think that it would be much easier to get good grades than it would be at BU and here at Lehigh. Thanks</p>

8

<p>As for Northeastern, though maybe less competitive, I still heard they have a strong career-oriented program. Most people there have to go there for five years...I don't really know exactly how does that work out, and really have no clue of their Business Program. Still, good luck.</p>

<p>PS: There are A's, and work is doable here at BU...but I guess it is just tougher than many other places, and it also depends on the professor and the class...if you don't mind working hard, BU wouldn't be that bad.</p>

9

<p>I will tell you guys my plans as of now, so let me know what you think.
I am going to leave Lehigh after this semester with 13 credits(i am actually going to go drop my 2 credit calc course right now so i don;t risk getting an F on my transcript). So I will leave after this semester with probably around a B average. I will go to a school near home called Monmouth University. This is not a very competitive school, so I am expecting to do extremely well there. I expect my gpa to jump there. I will check out schools over winter break and then send in apps sometime around the beginning of Jan/Feb? For Monmouth, I do not need letters of rec and they will not look at my college work. Their average sat is 950 and they want a 3.0 in HS(i had a 1380 and a 4.8) The app deadline for spring is Dec. 1st so i will get that done. My question is will this route work for getting into a school for fall of next year such as BU, GWU, Northeastern, and other schools on those levels? Will they look down on me for leaving Lehigh and going to Monmouth? Also, will they be able to see my grades improving soon enough for admission for Fall '06? Also, for the apps for next year, would I have to get letters of rec from profs at Lehigh or Monmouth? I am still somewhat confused as to how I will get to the schools I eventually want to go to, but I am just happy that I will no longer have to struggle for mediocre grades after this semester. All advice and guidance is much appreciated. Thanks</p>

10

<p>anyone else?</p>

11

<p>Update!</p>

<p>I have talked to Deans, counselors, and others about my decision to leave and it is now final. I have just filled out the non-return form and have sent in my application to Monmouth. Now I have the awkward task of asking professors who don't really know me for letters of rec. If I have a B average with only 13 credits here plus a W, what do you guys think my chances are of getting into BU or Northeastern for next fall? At Monmouth, my grades will be great, but I would not like to spend more time there than I have to. You guys have any other advice for getting to where I want to be as soon as possible?</p>

12

<p>Hey guys!</p>

<pre><code> It's been a while since I last posted and I have an update. I finally got my first semester Lehigh grades. Overall I have a 3.14 with 14 credits. I have an A-, B+, B, B- and a W. Maybe you guys will be able to give me a more solid assessment of schools I could get into given this new information. I also have letters of rec coming from my business prof, the dean of students, and my music prof. I will be attending Monmouth U this spring with a 14k scholarship thanks to my high school stats. I am pretty set on trying to get to Boston by next year. Northeastern and BU are really the only schools I plan on applying to at this point. Although what I have been reading about the grade deflation at BU has somewhat scared me off. Northeastern's co-op program is very appealing to me. If you guys could suggest city schools with decent business programs along with my chances of getting in as a transfer for fall of '06, now that you know my college grades, that would be awesome. If you guys have anymore questions, feel free to ask. Also, will the W kill me? Thanks a lot.
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13

<p>is 68 really that bad?</p>

14

<p>Lehigh is better than BU anyway, why look there?</p>

15

<p>Newbyreborn - what do u mean is 68 that bad? I dont understand your question. </p>

<p>ajp - I personally hated Lehigh and only went there because of prestige and on the advice of some friends. At this point I am looking for a school that I can say I like going to. I am looking for a city school with a decent business program.</p>

16

<p>Gibsion</p>

<p>I too, like silhouette, am a BU student: I am a joint economics/mathamatics major. I agree with her that grade deflation is indeed a strong issue here in campus: many students here despise the policy as it makes it extremely difficult for transfers and potential grad students; it has been a known fact that if grades were too high, the school will curve down. This, however, does not cut back from the quality of education you will get here; just don’t expect to see many (or if at all) 4.0’s around here. </p>

<p>I am encouraged that you are interested in this school. Politically speaking, while it is rather liberal leaning (I myself a conservative military man), and heard some professors make antagonistic statements (which resulted in a few scuffles with me), the outrageousness is pale in comparison to the school across the river (especially comparing its social professors). </p>

<p>If you are interested in the military, BU has a very strong ROTC program here. I believe all ROTC operations in and around Boston are based here. </p>

<p>My best advice to you is to go ahead and apply here while mildly acknowledging, but largely dismissing some of the discouraging remarks you are receiving. You may be discouraged by various posts about how high the average GPA, average SAT etc etc, as this forum is obsessed with test scores/GPA's: the fact is that this school does not have a minimum and that they are exceptions to the average. If you can display yourself as a competitive applicant via personal essay and can offer something unique then the typical "high GPA student", you have a decent chance. Keep in mind that one of the most important personal atributes that trump you GPA, Standardized test scores and your overall success in life is your attitude; without it, all else does not matter: expressing this in your personal statement while not making it sound cliche is absolutely vital.</p>

<p>I know many who said that I could not get accepted due to my grades and scores on standardized test; they were dead wrong.</p>

<p>God bless,
A Mahoot</p>

17

<p>I was refering to him exaggerating 68 in geology is really horrible!
a 68 is a C+ correct? it should be above average right?
many people i know would kill for 68 at university of toronto.</p>

18

<p>Top schools usually want to see at least a B average in college work.</p>

19

<p>BU, Northeastern, Bentley and Babson are not top schools. While they all offer respected business educations they are far from the top schools.</p>

20

<p>and a B average is a 3.0 correct?</p>