Debating transfer (gpa will be lower if i do)

[osnarf]

Hey everyone,

Originally I did terrible in undergrad (at FSU - I hadn't got serious yet. Still regretting it.), and transferred to Valencia CC, where I got an AA and had grade forgiveness applied to 3 courses (that were all F's). Now I'm at UCF, who honors the grade forgivenesses.

I would like to transfer to FSU, for several reasons - mainly the better physics program, and the magnetics lab that I would try to get involved in in some way/shape/form with u.g. research or whatever. I would also be nice to go back and finish what I started. The main issue is FSU doesn't have a grade forgiveness policy, so all 3 of those F's would count towards my GPA. Acceptance at FSU is guaranteed b/c I have an AA from a Florida CC.

So I guess what I'm asking really boils down to the difference of how grad school admissions will look at a higher gpa that has been grade-forgiven or a lower gpa that hasn't. Being realistic, they're going to see the F's either way, regardless of the GPA.


---edit---
Classes were 5,5,and 3 hours, so it's 13 extra attempted hours.

 

[holomorphic]

Hey everyone,

Originally I did terrible in undergrad (at FSU - I hadn't got serious yet. Still regretting it.), and transferred to Valencia CC, where I got an AA and had grade forgiveness applied to 3 courses (that were all F's). Now I'm at UCF, who honors the grade forgivenesses.

I would like to transfer to FSU, for several reasons - mainly the better physics program, and the magnetics lab that I would try to get involved in in some way/shape/form with u.g. research or whatever. I would also be nice to go back and finish what I started. The main issue is FSU doesn't have a grade forgiveness policy, so all 3 of those F's would count towards my GPA. Acceptance at FSU is guaranteed b/c I have an AA from a Florida CC.

So I guess what I'm asking really boils down to the difference of how grad school admissions will look at a higher gpa that has been grade-forgiven or a lower gpa that hasn't. Being realistic, they're going to see the F's either way, regardless of the GPA.

My understanding is that the specific way your school calculates your GPA doesn't matter. As you rightly mention, an admissions committee is going to see the Fs no matter what.

If you report a GPA to them of 4.0 because your current school ignores a few grades, and then they look at your transcripts and re-calculate your GPA to be a 2.0, would it have been worth it?

I don't know how good UCF is--the Florida university collection confuses me--but I agree that it would be better to be at FSU if you want to do physics.

If you do go to FSU, make sure you do a bang-up job, being proactive and keeping up your enthusiasm. Get help when you need it. That'll make a few mistakes old news.