<p>My S is an East Asian Languages & Civilizations concentrator at UChicago. While it is true that grades are not typically high (departmental honors requires a GPA of 3.0 plus a thesis), it is also true that their graduates get their pick of top graduate programs. Graduate schools realize what the grading system is at U of C for the program. Two languages are required for the concentration, but are not typically taken concurrently.</p>
<p>slipper1234: "The point though, is why got to Chicago which has a great GRADUATE program in east asian studies, get SLAMMED on your GPA and look worse for grad school when you can go to a place like Brown, get a better GPA, have more time to pad your resume with cool activities and research, and then get into a better grad school."</p>
<p>I am pretty damn sure that most top grad programs know that Chicago has massive grade deflation and will know how to interpret a Chicago GPA vs a Harvard GPA. Also, you can get a BA/MA in 5 years at Chicago in certain programs. If East Asian studies is one of them, the OP can go to Chicago, major in East Asian studies, take the best econ courses in the country, and have a masters in East Asian studies from one of the top grad schools in the country.</p>
<p>I just don't think this is true. All the top schools are weighted almost equally, and if you look at the percentage of Chicago students at the top 5 grad schools its much lower than its peers. There is a reason why most of the Ivies have up to 5 times more representation at the top graduate schools. Same goes for JHU and the few other "deflatory" schools. Recruiters and grad schools don't give students at these schools extra boosts for lower average gpas.</p>
<p>Why would top students go to grade deflation schools like Chicago if it kills their chances at getting into top grad schools? Why pay so much to go to a college if you wont get your money's worth in the long run? I doubt that grad schools will take a Chicago GPA on face value. They will see the name of the school on the transcript and know that the student is strong. ECs are also important in grad school admissions and I do not doubt that strong ECs will be easier to get at Brown than Chicago because to focus so much on ECs at Chicago would kill your GPA.</p>
<p>Also,dont MIT and Caltech have a fair amount of grade deflation and very hard curves. Should students go to Ivys instead to get higher GPAs by giving up the best engineering education?</p>
<p>Frankie38:</p>
<p>I will just post my stats that I have previously posted in a "what are my chances post". Mind you that while the SAT scores will change, I doubt past the 2100 mark if that. However, I know for CERTAIN that the SAT II's will get much better 700+s in both. Anyways here goes</p>
<p>Asian Male, California
3.8 UW GPA, 4.0 ish Weighted GPA
SAT 1: 1950
SAT II's : 690 World History, 590 Math (yeah I'm definitely gonna try to raise this)
1 Very Good Letter of Recommendation
1 Potentially Very good/ Good Letter
Very Good Essay Writer( I've got this down)</p>
<p>EC's
Vice President of Japan Club
Have taken Japanese since 6th grade in Saturday School Classes, High School, and College Classes
Part Time Job
Internship at father's law office (does the attorney being my father ruin the appeal?)
Varsity Swimming 3 Years
Varsity Wrestling 3 Years (Captain)
75+ Hours? (have not accurately counted) Community Service
Piano Lessons since 1st Grade
Guitar since 6th</p>
<p>Seeing as how Pomona isnt an option I was thinking of applying to Claremont Mckenna so that I could still take Pomona classes. Would that work if I wanted to major in East Asian studies (courses only available at Pomona)?</p>
<p>Other than that was thinking of a couple of UC"s (LA, B, SD, D, SC) as well as USC and Boston University+ NYU. Seemingly random choices I know but wondering, regardless of whether I can get in or not, if at those schools I would be able to initiate an East Asian Studies/MBA path that has been suggested. THanks</p>
<p>Ventaker, you nailed it on the head. It doesn't make sense AT ALL, but it happens. Its a fact that a school like chicago doesn't get compensated for its deflation. </p>
<p>It is a CLEAR advantage to go to the Ivies exactly for this reason. Look at grad school enrollment at the top law or med schools (which are very GPA focused). The grade deflatory schools lose out bigtime to easier top schools like Brown, Stanford, Duke, Dartmouth, and Harvard when it comes to placement. Look at it this way. Stanford has an average SAT of say 1480 (guessing) and Chicago has a avg SAT of 1410. Now the Stanford guy gets a easier 3.8 which gives him time for great ECs, whereas the Chicago guy is studying all the time and still gets a 3.6 while working much harder. But when it comes time to take the LSAT, the Stanford student (just an assumption) will get a 172 and the Chicago guy who got the 1410 (but worked his butt off in college) will get a 169. </p>
<p>Who is getting into Columbia law? Its just this simple. Change it a little, a 3.7 from Brown and a 170 with great ECs or a 3.5 from Chicago with a 169 and average ECs. The Brown guy wins every time, and according to schools this makes sense since they assess a correlation with test scores and GPAs.</p>
<p>There is a reason why there are only 3 JHU students at Harvard law and only 13 frm chicago, but 50 from Brown. No amount of rationalizing and fudging can lessen the raw gap between these numbers.</p>
<p>Kenzen -- Yes, you can go to CMC and still be able to take Asian language classes through Pomona with no trouble at all. Bear in mind that you will be subject to CMC's GEs...econ, philosophy, civics, and so forth.</p>
<p>Yes, I understand that I can TAKE Asian Language classes. But would I be able to MAJOR (once I get done with the GE), in a Major that, because of those languages being offered at Pomona, would most likely also be at Pomona?
To make a short question short- If I'm at CMC, can I major in something offered at Pomona?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>S was provided a list that showed that about 90% of UChicago undergrads in his department had gotten into their first choice grad program and almost all were the top programs in their field. As for grad school admissions (which I know something about), to some extent one is looking for field related EC's, but most important is scholarship, research experience, and recommendations (probably most important). </p>
<p>(Even at med schools they take into account the UChicago grading policy. A friend who is a central figure in admissions in a top 5 med school said a 3.5 from Chicago would put a student in the top group and a 3.2 would still get them considered. I mentioned this to an east coast relative also involved in med school admissions and he confirmed it. He said when they see a UChicago applicant, the first comment is usually, here is another of the "brave ones." I asked him what that meant. He said it referred to a student who was unafraid of intellectual challenge, and did not choose a less rigorous school simply to get into med school. I think it is instructive to note that according to a pre-med UChicago publication, that students with only a 3.3 GPA have a 75% acceptance rate into med school on their first try.)</p>
<p>But Idad, all the top schools get a similar boost. Thinking a Chicago GPA is weighted heavier than any Ivy is flat wrong.</p>
<p>At Cornell, asian studies are apparently very popular and there's a certified business program.</p>
<p>Yes, you can cross-major between Claremont schools. It's very common. Sorry for misunderstanding.</p>
<p>Oh no problem. Thanks actually. A wrong reply is better than none right?</p>
<p>If anyone would be as kind as to look at my stats posted earlier and tell me if I even have a shot at CMC that'd be just great...</p>
<p>ATM trying to find school that I can pursue that field of study AS well as able to get into.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>I would add Columbia University and Vassar to the list for NY colleges. Consider Georgetown to cover the Wash DC and law and govt service area.</p>