<p>Well, you already said that your school was one of the best in your state. Your grades doesn’t exactly sound like you’re failing either. A 3.5 in your first semester isn’t going to kill your chances at well, anything.</p>
<p>Really? Maybe you should be less concerned about your 4.0 and more concerned about the fact that you’re asking for sympathy on a message board. Or that your life goal is a 4.0 in college. You really need to take a step back and examine your priorities.</p>
<p>You are in the first semester of your first year,right?Sounds to me as though you are taking yourself too seriously here.Think,what have you learnt about broken dreams,and unachieved goals?That sometimes what you expect isn’t what you get?One philosopher, once said,the measure of maturity is embracing to your best,what you know is substandard,but ultimately is yours.The philosopher’s name is me.I have been through lots of experiences like that,even though I’m really young. Have fun.</p>
<p>Getting a 4.0 is definitely not impossible (I had one my first year, and I think I still do so far), but it’s very difficult unless you’re just naturally gifted. Don’t worry about it–grad schools won’t reject you because you don’t have one. Very few people do. So, do the best you can do, and that’s really all that you can, really. Don’t be so hard on yourself.</p>
<p>Getting into a good grad program takes a lot more than good grades.</p>
<p>Get to know your professors. Excel in your field of study. Become active within the dept. of your major. These are steps needed in order to create a path towards getting research opportunities in a year or so. </p>
<p>Try to keep your GPA in the 3.5 and above range. While a 4.0 may be your dream, it is not necessary for future success.</p>
<p>Don’t spend every waking moment of your college studies locked up in your room (or sitting in the library) with your head in the books. Make time for fun. Socialize with a variety of people. </p>
<p>If you go through life striving for perfection, you will most likely lead a very lonely and unsatisfied existence.</p>
<p>Find joy and satisfaction in knowing that you’ve done your best.</p>
<p>goodness gracious. You need a serious reality check. where have you been getting your perspective on things?</p>
<p>anyways, to make you feel better, a friend of mine once said “there’s always ROTC.” No seriously, you not in hot water whatsoever. The only potential problem for you right now is the possibility of critisizing yourself so much that it affects your grades afterward. That’s what happened to me when my parents told me I’ll never succeed and I’ll never get into a good college - it kind of came true.</p>
<p>It makes me sad that you think in order to be “smart” you need a 4.0 in college. What kind of insane standards have been forced on you all your life? A 4.0 is EXTREMELY difficult to get and plenty of smart people don’t do that well. I’m personally of the mindset that what you learn in college, both in and out of the classroom, is far more important than your grades.</p>
<p>Oatmeal is tasty and cocaine is a “heck” of a drug–these two nuggets are all you’ll ever need to know in life. For realz, though (assuming you’re not a ■■■■■…if you are a ■■■■■ then you’ve already won the battle), realize that you aren’t perfect–just do the best that you can and eventually everything will fall into place. (On a side note, before he ate his first cookie, Cookie Monster was known as ‘Sid.’ I guess you really are what you eat).</p>