Will having a low GPA freshman year ruin my chances for top schools?

Graduate School
1

<p>I'm studying engineering and got mediocre grades freshman year. I had a 4.0 first semester and then my grades tanked because I lost all my self-control. (I did not adjust well to several things.) Hence, my overall GPA was only about a 3.5 which is low for top schools such as UC Berkeley, Cornell, Stanford, etc...</p>

<p>If I can turn it around and do extremely well the rest of the years, can that semester be overlooked?</p>

2

<p>Top grad schools look highly over your work experience if it is related to the field. SoP is also your strongest motivator. GRE’s, GPA’s are supplemental material, usually things from the academia(lecture wise) realm don’t hold as much of a candle to actual work experience or program-related experience that can apply.</p>