<p>I've read many threads that a 3.4 GPA is bad but here's my story. I'm returning to college for the first time in more than 10 years (I'm 30 now). I had to drop out when I was 19 because of many personal issues (got married young to a horrible guy, parents got divorced, had an emotional breakdown). I did end up getting my life in order (divorced the abusive husband, got a full time job, etc.). But I felt I was missing something and wanted a fresh start on a new career. So I returned back to college (attending a local community college now with the intention to transfer to a university) this semester and took 5 classes while keeping a full time job. I end up getting a 3.4 GPA (3 As in Western Civilization, Cultural Geography, and English; 1 B in Cultural Anthropology, and 1 C in Sociology). My fiance thought I did an amazing job and admitted he had a 2.5 GPA during his first semester at college. However, I felt I would've done better if work wasn't in the way.</p>
<p>So is it bad? I'm planning to get into the Education field, in which you need a cumulative 3.0 GPA to enter the program in most universities around my area.</p>
<p>Like I said, I’m juggling school full time and work full time. I also had a hard professor in Sociology who won’t even tell her students what’s going to be on the Midterm or Final. We had to figure it out ourselves. I barely passed the Midterm but did very well on the Final. The Pysch class was very close to an A but ended with a B (in my school, if you range between an 80 and an 89, it’s a B). During the final 3 weeks of the semester, I was asked to work 12-hour days which left me very little time to study or type up essays. How I managed to get anything higher than a 3.0 is an accomplishment.</p>
<p>I too work and go to school full time. I know it sucks. But because you might be asked to work those 12 hour days, you need to study little by little as you go rather than waiting until close to the finals time. </p>
<p>Is there a way you can cut down your hours or consider going to school part time? </p>
<p>Fwiw, I make it work by doing work or studying whenever I can. I type essays on my lunch break at work, read small chapters in the down time between classes, etc. That’s how I’ve learned to balance everything. </p>
<p>No, a 3.4 is not bad, but if it’s not where you want it to be then you need to make changes.</p>
<p>The 12-hour shift was during peak season but I’ve managed to get all my term papers and essays on time and study as much as I can. In fact, the lowest I scored in anything during that period was was an 85 in my Sociology final. In fact, I scored 100 on my Geography final.</p>
<p>I decided to take only 4 classes (12 credits next semester) to ease the stress: College English 2, Western Civ 2, Foundations of Math 1 (a requirement for all Education majors), and Intro to Education.</p>
<p>The 3.4 was a major surprise for me, not only because I was away from the classroom for so long, but I had low expectations going in. I really work very hard throughout the semester, including having a tough professor in Sociology. I would’ve been pleased with a regular 3.0. But I’m not crying over missing the Dean’s List by .1. However, I felt (according to here) it’s not enough. I’m not planning to transfer to an Ivy School (even though I live 10 minutes away from one) but a good 4-year school to pursue my Education degree.</p>