<p>So I just finished my second year at University of Toronto (#1 Canada, top 10 eng. world). I transfered from engineering science to ece after first year. My first year GPAs was 2.23 and 1.02 (cgpa 1.63). My second year GPAs was 3.48 and 3.46. My cGPA through 2 years is 2.46, even though I was honours and about top 15% of my class for my last two semesters. I suspect that In my third and fourth years, I can get my sessional GPAs to 3.6++. I need a 3.54 overall in my upper two years to bring my cGPA over four years to a 3.0. I will be graduating in EE with a minor in business. </p>
<p>How do I stand in terms of getting a prestegious MBA afterwards? Currently interning at a bank (where I am writing this) and have an internship last summer as well (both in IT field). Also, I am most likely going to take a break for a year and continue working in the bank in a junior-PM position (job title Project Control Officer).</p>
<p>How bad does my first year GPA hurt me? How much does U of Toronto's EE program help me? How much does my current, and how much will my prospective work experience help me?</p>
<p>I can’t speak to how much it will hurt your ability to get an MBA, though gpa is an important factor there. But if you don’t plan to go into graduate school, if you show prospective employers your difference in gpa after your first year, and explain why you may not have done as well in your first year at a university, it wouldn’t hurt you too much. Engineering core classes come in the later half of undergraduate studies anyways, they want to see that you know those things well, not GE.</p>
<p>I cant replace those marks, they are there to stay, including a F in ECE. However, many people were very intrigued when my calc mark went from a 50 to 92 from calc II to calc III. Also, even though I failed my intro ECE course, I chose to switch into the ECE program. I went from academic probation with 54% average to honours student with over 80% over the course of the summer, albeit in a different and less prestegious program, but still rigourous nonetheless.</p>
<p>I guess what I am asking is, can my first year gpa simply be ignored because it is obviously inconsistant with my trend in years 2, 3, and 4?</p>
<p>I am not as concerned with landing employment as I am with admission to a top MBA school in the US.</p>
<p>“I guess what I am asking is, can my first year gpa simply be ignored because it is obviously inconsistant with my trend in years 2, 3, and 4?”</p>
<p>I find it highly unlikely that any graduate school would simply “ignore” the first year gpa, but that doesn’t mean they won’t take into account that it was inconsistent. In other words, it doesn’t kill your chances, but i think it will hinder them a bit.</p>
<p>Don’t ever retake a class unless you absolutely have to. I am in a bad boat, and I have to deal to the graduate school soon.
I don’t think the graduate school would appreciate an A from retaking a class just to raise your GPA. You have been exposed to the class before and so you have the advantage. Furthermore, it is a waste of time. You have the summer, and you can review a little each day. </p>
<p>This is a mark for you. Time flies, and you absolutely need to remember to work hard. Have a goal for yourself. Graduate admission would probably see first year a learning curve if you can show excellent progress in the next three years. </p>
<p>Get involve with some clubs. Go and expand your personal portfolio. If you want, write down “I shall work hard just like everyone else” on a piece of paper, and tape it on the wall right above your computer.</p>
<p>Lived in rez first year and drank a lot and didnt go to much school at all… pretty much only showed up for exams, without studying, and did really poorly.</p>
<p>Second year I kind of had to turn my life around, studied hard every day and went to all my classes, aced most of my exams. Slacked off at the end, I think I was going into all of my exams with 86++ and ended up with a 79.6 avg… Class avg was probably just too high going into the exams and the profs decided to rape everyone. Course averages for the year are c+ c+ b- b- b, c+ c+ c+ b- b-.</p>
<p>i know for NSERC and OGS applications they only look at the 2nd and 3rd year so you would be okay for grad school, not sure about MBA though, might be similar.</p>