Can Option Classes Affect Your Chances of Getting into Grad School?

[derekmohammed]

Hi,

I am currently majoring in physics, this is not the problem! The problem is my option classes. I am finding that my option classes are bringing down my GPA, ie English, Sociology, ect. (Honestly what the hell is the point of studying poetry? )It just seems that no matter how hard I try in those classes the mark I ALWAYS (I mean in every single one of those classes) is a "B"!

Now my question is when applying for grad school will the admissions office take into consideration my option Grades even when my "core" courses are all "A" and A+'s?

Also what are some option classes that have worked for people who have some experience in my "shoes"? ie (what courses are "easier"...)

Thanks

Derek Mohammed

 

[JasonRox]

Hi,

I am currently majoring in physics, this is not the problem! The problem is my option classes. I am finding that my option classes are bringing down my GPA, ie English, Sociology, ect. (Honestly what the hell is the point of studying poetry? )It just seems that no matter how hard I try in those classes the mark I ALWAYS (I mean in every single one of those classes) is a "B"!

Now my question is when applying for grad school will the admissions office take into consideration my option Grades even when my "core" courses are all "A" and A+'s?

Also what are some option classes that have worked for people who have some experience in my "shoes"? ie (what courses are "easier"...)

Thanks

Derek Mohammed

From what I heard, getting into graduate school for physics isn't that competitive. I'm sure if your core courses are ""B's", you would still get in. Under the exception that you do well at your interview, and have some background, like maybe writing a paper or two.

Note: You can have a "B" in your Physics class and still write a paper for a journal. All it means is that you are focusing on the area of study you want to do, and that you simply working along with the class without trying to ace everything.

 

[Moonbear]

B's aren't bad at all in your non-major classes. What are you complaining about? That's why they make you take those classes, so you are forced to learn about other things out there in the world and improve upon your weaknesses.

Anyway, when applying to grad school, they will look separately at your major and non-major classes. Though, writing skills remain important, so they will likely take a look at grades in any writing classes too. A consistent B-average in your non-major classes shouldn't hurt you at all. If you were consistently running into Cs, Ds and Fs, then you'd have to start worrying about pulling up your scores (and no, one C in there somewhere won't kill you either).

I'm always puzzled by this attitude about the non-major classes. When I was in college, we loved our non-major classes; those were the ones we thought were a super easy chance to coast through a class without needing to put in the hard work that the science classes require. If you can, take any literature courses you have to take as summer classes, then you can relax in the sun and read books and get credit for it! It may just take a change of attitude in approaching those classes to get you to enjoy them more so you perform better in them.

 

[derekmohammed]

I Find that I have to try a lot harder in humanities courses then in a science course. The thing about science (remember I am majoring in math and physics) is you can know a minimum and get maximum marks for understanding how they relate to everything else. But in the humanities you have to know everything to the T. This I find to be a major problem.