<p>Just wondering how it is to maintain a good/high gpa at rice. ;)</p>
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<li><p>Is Rice usually considered to have a GPA deflation or inflation?</p></li>
<li><p>Is it plausible to maintain 3.9 GPA in Economics and Philosophy(possibly double major)? And if it is... how hard that would be? </p></li>
<li><p>I often hear Engineering is a hard major to get a good GPA. Does this apply to either econ or phil? </p></li>
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<p>Thanks!</p>
<ol>
<li>It depends on the major. For example, we took a class where everyone failed (in terms of raw score) and they heavily curved up giving a lot of A’s. Other classes, like CAAM do not curve much and go by a score set predefined at the start. A total score of 97+ is needed for an A+, so it is a little harder. Other courses like ESCI 101 (rocks for jocks) is a guaranteed A+. You are competing against the football team, so not going to class, not buying the textbook and just taking the tests will get you a good grade. </li>
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<p>I personally feel we have some amount of grade inflation. Many people disagree. I feel this way because I have not seen a single class where I could have failed/get a terrible grade. During the hurricane Ike semester, I was working for the administration for months and didn’t go to class/do any school work. If I managed a decent GPA, I don’t know what else I can do (apart from not take the finals) to actually fail. We do have less grade inflation than some of the Ivy’s (as I have heard). </p>
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<li>Yes. Very plausible and very feasible. Hard entirely depends on how much work you do, how smart you are (as in, do you grasp concepts just by being in lecture), whether you have taken some of these classes before and who your professors are.</li>
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<p>I have seen it done many times. Lots of Econ majors graduate summa cum laude (highest honors… usually a cumulative GPA of over a 4.0 as A+'s are 4.33). </p>
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<li>Engineering is challenging, yes. Less people have > 4.0 GPA’s. It is possible though and I have seen it done. That being said, the average GPA in engineering is probably lower than Econ/Philosophy.</li>
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<p>To summarize, all majors are difficult and easy. You can get a great GPA in any major at Rice. It depends on how much you work, your aptitude for the subject (like I would be a terrible phil major) and the classes themselves.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about it. You will do fine.</p>