Do grad school see transfer grades?

In summary, the speaker is a sophomore transferring to a larger university and hopes to pursue a graduate degree in mathematics. They have been getting good grades but made a mistake on their third calculus test, causing them to potentially receive an A- instead of an A. They are worried about the impact on their transcript for graduate school applications. The conversation also touches on the difficulty and stress of a career in science.
  • #1
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Hi all!

I am currently a sophomore transferring from a small unknown university to a large state school. I hope to go to graduate school for mathematics one day. I've been getting decent grades. I have gotten an A in everything but today I was forced into a life and death situation kinda thing and I made the wrong choice. (Exaggerating like no tomorrow of course...)

The story is I messed up big time in my calculus 2 class. For the first two tests I got a 98 and a 100 respectively but I took the third one today and oh ************. <Please fill in the stars with your imagination in a very bad way.> These three tests are 60% of the final grade with another 10% from homework and 30% from the final. I estimate that I will be getting around an 80 on the third test and knowing I will get the full 10% from homework I need to get at least a 98 on the final to get a 95 for my class grade which I believe is the cut off for an A.

Yes, yes. I know I sound like another whiner/ranter that this board sees so very often and I acknowledge that fact. I must let the world know of my dumb mistake. Anyhow...

It was all due to this one problem where I had to find if the series n/sqrt(2n^2-5) converges or diverges which was arguably the EASIEST question on the darn test. Being worth a whole 20 points and being so easy my mind just slipped. For those who might think I didn't study enough, I think I studied so much I couldn't even tell the difference between functions anymore thus leading to getting this one wrong. At first I used the integral test and that diverged. I then used the divergence theorem to show that it was divergent as well but for some strange reason as I sat there for 40 minutes(No exaggeration on this part. I was done with the rest of the test for a while already.), I decided to use the limit comparison test.(Probably because everything else was based on the limit comparison test and ratio test and the ratio test didn't work. Should have known better than to think all test questions would somehow be correlated.) I crossed out the previous work with the integral test because my mind was so jumbled up I just closed my eyes and chose one. After the test I realized the limit comparison test didn't work...

I believe I shouldn't have much trouble scoring a 98 or better on the final but I like to know my options. I am an extreme pessimist to the max.

If by Sir Issac Newton's will, I don't make the 98 and get the A-, will I be forever damned? I am transferring to a new school so my real question is, when I graduate from that university, will this black spot be seen on my transcript by the university committee of whichever grad school I will be applying to? (I gathered that anything worse than an A was detrimental to applying for grad school.)
 
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  • #2
Ok. I realized that because of this question on the test I became careless about the other questions. I know for sure there is another wrong one. There goes my A.
 
  • #3
To answer your question, most applications (all I have ever seen) ask for transcripts from every college you have attended previously. So they will see the grades.

Perhaps more importantly, if getting two problems wrong on a test causes you this much stress, you will be absolutely miserable with a career in science. In research, things don't work all the time. (Not to mention the high degree of difficulty of grad school)
 
  • #4
Thanks for the reply.

I have made my peace with it.(for now) its just so frustrating that I had the answer and decided to go with the wrong one.
 
  • #5


I understand your concern about the impact of transfer grades on your future academic pursuits. First of all, I want to assure you that one bad grade does not define your entire academic career. It is important to remember that graduate schools look at a variety of factors when considering applicants, such as research experience, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. While grades are certainly an important factor, they are not the only one.

That being said, graduate schools do typically consider transfer grades when evaluating applicants. They may look at your overall GPA, as well as any grades in specific courses that are relevant to your field of study. However, one lower grade in a single course is not likely to have a significant impact on your chances of getting into a graduate program.

Furthermore, it is important to communicate any extenuating circumstances or challenges you faced during that particular semester. If you have a valid reason for why your grade may not accurately reflect your abilities, it is worth mentioning in your application. Admissions committees understand that life happens and sometimes things are out of our control.

Ultimately, my advice would be to focus on doing your best in your remaining courses and in preparing for the graduate school application process. One lower grade will not make or break your chances, and it is important to not let it affect your overall academic performance.

Good luck in your future academic pursuits!
 

1. Can I transfer my grades from my previous graduate program to a new one?

It depends on the policies of the specific graduate program you are interested in. Some programs may accept transfer credits, while others may not. It is important to research the transfer credit policies of each program you are considering.

2. Do graduate schools look at my transfer grades when considering my application?

Some graduate schools may consider your transfer grades as part of your overall academic record, while others may only focus on your grades from your current or most recent graduate program. It is best to check with each individual program to determine their specific policies.

3. Will my transfer grades affect my chances of getting accepted into a graduate program?

It is possible that your transfer grades may have some impact on your application, but it ultimately depends on the individual graduate program's admissions criteria. It is important to have a strong overall academic record, including both transfer and current graduate grades, to increase your chances of acceptance.

4. Can I transfer credits from a non-accredited graduate program?

It is unlikely that non-accredited graduate program credits will be accepted by other graduate programs. Accreditation is an important factor in determining the quality and rigor of a program's coursework, so most graduate programs will only accept transfer credits from other accredited programs.

5. Can I transfer grades from a graduate program I started but did not finish?

Again, this will depend on the transfer credit policies of the specific graduate program you are interested in. Some programs may not accept any transfer credits if you did not complete the program, while others may accept a certain number of credits. It is best to check with each program for their specific policies.

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