<p>My scholarship does not entail a probationary semester. I am confident in my abilities in math and physics, but I am not so confident in my study skills. I think I will hold off on the math class (it is at 7:30 AM anyways) and take it another semester. I will get some easier GEs out of the way and build a strong GPA from the start.</p>
<p>@dogbreath, it sounds like you know what you have to do. As others have said, a 3.6 cumulative GPA is setting the bar pretty high, but the fact that you have a full tuition scholarship warrants this requirement. Not taking a 7:30am that you will likely skip (unless you are an early bird/have a god-like resilience to wake up/not skip class) is a good start. Also, starting with a higher GPA right off the bat is crucial - as you said, do some of the easier gen eds first as you get used to the study habits needed for college (if you have any humanities/liberal arts gen ed requirements, take those your first year). If you have a 3.9 or 4.0 first semester with easier classes, that gives you leeway to “slack” to a 3.2 or 3.3 the following semester with harder classes and still not mess up your scholarship. Also, you said this is assessed at the end of each academic year, so if you do end up “messing up” a little first semester (read, getting a 3.2-3.5), you can still salvage it by doing almost perfect 2nd semester. Remember, a lot of academically successful high school students trip up a little bit freshman year because they get caught up partying/hanging out with friends/too absorbed in extracurriculars. You can definitely have a social life and still maintain a 3.6 in physics, but you have to have strict discipline and learn your limits early. </p>
<p>Also, don’t think of it as being “forced” to get a 3.6. You ideally want a 3.6 or higher anyways; keeping your scholarship is just one incentive among many to academically succeed at that level. Contrary to what you may have heard, GPA still matters in college, and 3.6+ GPAs will likely get you better internship/entry level job opportunities, and into top-notch grad schools (although it is of course just one factor).</p>
<p>It’s as b@r!um has said. Besides it’s not like nyou go to cooper union and you need a 3.6. And from other threads it seems as if you want to go to med school. So you’ll need that GPA anyway. If you want a higher gpa major in something thats easier to you, however this isnt to say that stem is somehow more difficult - the college you go to doesnt believe that apparently and no college believes that. And it’s actually easier to get into grad school gpa wise in comparison to the humanities, where you need a 3.9 to be competetive. Just saying that the grass isnt greener ihn the humanities or anywhere else, just worry about you.</p>