A little background first: I am a sophomore in mechanical engineering at a state university in the USA, about to start my spring semester. I wasn’t entirely sure until the middle of last semester, but now I’m 100% sure that I want to try to get a PhD at a top university. However, I’m concerned about my grades. I know that I can get a 4.0 for probably every semester from here on out because I have fewer classes per semester, and now that I am certain of my aspirations, I will devote myself fully to getting a high GPA, doing research, etc. However, even if I do maintain a 4.0 for every remaining semester, my GPA can only get to a ~3.85. This is because I really messed up last spring and ended up with a 3.20, which includes a C in chemistry. Otherwise, however, I’ve gotten 3.72 and 3.73 in my other two semesters.
The reason for the 3.20 was really just time management and prioritizing, this I am absolutely sure of. It is also somewhat true of the 3.7 semesters, but the main reason for that semester specifically was that I had a very intensive project going on at the same time that completely drained me of my study time. This in mind, I was also beginning research with a professor for whom I am still working, marking a full year of undergraduate research, including the summer.
I realize my track record isn’t great, but assuming I do get the straight 4.0s while doing research in the same lab, and with just my one other extra-curricular (leading a student government committee) for the rest of the four years, along with some very good recommendation letters, might I stand a chance at getting into a top graduate school?
And perhaps the more pressing question is, with my currently 3.60 GPA, do I stand a chance at a summer REU program?
If not, is there something else that I can still do about it?
That’s quite an assumption; getting a 4.0 always isn’t something that you can take for granted easily. The best you can do is just study pretty much endlessly. Yeah, I think you may have a chance at research, but it probably wont be in a top program or lab. You may want to wait another semester or two so that you can go in somewhere stronger. Good luck.
Actually, 3.7 is pretty good as an engineering undergrad. STEM majors tend to have GPA’s significantly below that of liberal arts. You should look at the average GPA at the universities you are targeting. For example, the average undergrad GPA at Michigan (a top ME program) for admitted graduate students is 3.7. You will also need excellent research references and a high GRE score.
You could also repeat the chemistry class to erase the ‘C’
As a poster said above, assuming a 4.0, especially in engineering, is unwise, so just make sure that your overall is above a 3.75. In reality, your GPA and GRE are the least important parts of your apps, but you don’t want them to negatively stand out. Quite frankly, at top schools, not even a 4.0 will actually stand out. It’s all about research and rec letters. As a person experienced with REUs, I think that you’re in a good position to get into a competitive REU granted that your personal statement is great. I know people in my Harvard internship that had 3.5s, so not having a 4.0 won’t rule you out. However, take into account that a lot of summer research internship programs are very minority oriented, so you might be at a disadvantage if you’re out of this group or go to a school with plenty of research resources. For a PhD program, it is best if all your 3 recommenders are people that know how you work in a research lab setting rather than a professor. So, with that said, try to have three PIs to vouche for you
As others have said, if you are consistent in the rest of your coursework (4.0 or not), and you have significant research experience and strong letters of reference, then you can certainly get into a good PhD program. You also should apply for an REU this summer and again next summer if you don’t get one this year. Generally, the summer before your Senior year is the best for an REU because the programs use the REUs as a recruiting tool for their graduate program.
However, as you decide where to apply for graduate school, remember that the “top” schools in general terms are not necessarily the best programs for your PhD. You need to consider programs which are academically strong, which have the kind of research that you are interested in and which fit you the best. You can have a great career after your PhD even if the program is not one of those high profile ones. Your research advisor will be equally or more influential.
I wouldn’t waste time with this. It will look a lot better to take higher level courses and do well with them later rather than to waste your time taking general chemistry again.
I don’t agree with this advice either. A 3.75 GPA is good enough that it won’t be disqualifying for essentially any graduate program, and you can still certainly still get into a lot of great programs with lower GPAs (e.g. I got into a “top 10” engineering PhD program with a 3.4 undergraduate GPA).
This right here is solid advice. It’s really a pretty qualitative process when it comes to graduate school admissions.
