Programs How Honest Are Students About Their Major GPA?

[JSBeckton]

Whats your major GPA...Be honest!

Just to kinda get an idea how the average user is doing. I know that there are a LOT of variables like major,school,level but just for fun let's see.

And please be honest, what point would there be to "inflate your grade"? No one will know what you choose.

Use your major gpa for junior and above, perhaps overall gpa for freshman and sophmores and final gpa for graduates.

 

[mattmns]

You forgot to cover the 4.0+ area

 

[JSBeckton]

4.0 is the max at my school, not at yours?

 

[Ki Man]

show offs

 

[Math Is Hard]

34 DD ...

 

[mathwonk]

i don't know what my gpa was, but it makes a difference how it is accumulated.

as a freshman i got (in math) a B- then a D- in spivak type calc, and as a soph, probably a C- and a D in regular several vbls calc and groups and rings, then flunked out.

upon return, i started going to class, and got an A, B+, in diff eq and fields and galois theory and linear algebra, ratcheted up to elite honors level classes (Loomis - Sternberg advanced calc and manifolds), got a B+, A-, then finally an A and a B in two graduate courses (measure theory, spectral theory of compact hermitian operators, and banach algebras). this got me into grad school because the better grades came at the end, including those in grad courses. I also knew a little singular homology theory, and had read a bit in hurewicz - wallman on abstract dimension theory.

Over one summer I read some background in Widders Advanced Calculus I had missed in the Spivak course, and the next summer I read Kelley's General Topology, and worked most of the problems.

it is conceivable to have a 4.0 in a low level undergrad curriculum in the US, without knowing anything about some of those topics, so GPA isn't really that revealing, except perhaps of a good work ethic.

 

[George Jones]

34 DD ...

I don't get it.

What interpretation of gpa has this as an answer?

 

[JSBeckton]

i don't know what my gpa was, but it makes a difference how it is accumulated.

as a freshman i got (in math) a B- then a D- in spivak type calc, and as a soph, probably a C- and a D in regular several vbls calc and groups and rings, then flunked out.

upon return, i started going to class, and got an A, B+, in diff eq and fields and galois theory and linear algebra, ratcheted up to elite honors level classes (Loomis - Sternberg advanced calc and manifolds), got a B+, A-, then finally an A and a B in two graduate courses (measure theory, spectral theory of compact hermitian operators, and banach algebras). this got me into grad school because the better grades came at the end, including those in grad courses. I also knew a little singular homology theory, and had read a bit in hurewicz - wallman on abstract dimension theory.

Over one summer I read some background in Widders Advanced Calculus I had missed in the Spivak course, and the next summer I read Kelley's General Topology, and worked most of the problems.

it is conceivable to have a 4.0 in a low level undergrad curriculum in the US, without knowing anything about some of those topics, so GPA isn't really that revealing, except perhaps of a good work ethic.

WOW read the disclaimer, just anwser the question man. You seem to remember everything BUT your GPA.

 

[mathwonk]

i never was given a "major gpa" to my knowledge and i never even wondered what it was, but if you know how to calculate them i think i have given you enough data to compute it. i have also given you enough to interpret its importance. the only use i make of my transcript is to try to encourage people who are doing poorly gpa-wise.

feel free to disregard any/all of it, but you don't seem to be geting too many answers so i thought i'd try to help out.

 

[Hurkyl]

I don't get it.

What interpretation of gpa has this as an answer?

The one where you use halter top as a substitute for GPA.

(Of course, I wouldn't condone such a thing)

 

[JSBeckton]

i never was given a "major gpa" to my knowledge and i never even wondered what it was, but if you know how to calculate them i think i have given you enough data to compute it. i have also given you enough to interpret its importance. the only use i make of my transcript is to try to encourage people who are doing poorly gpa-wise.

feel free to disregard any/all of it, but you don't seem to be geting too many answers so i thought i'd try to help out.

I was never given a major GPA, I did the math. I have no time to makes sense of your rambelings. Not looking for anwsers, just votes on the poll, and 16 votes in just a few hours is pretty good I think.

Perhaps this whole poll was just a bet between me and a friend to determine how long it would take Mathwonk to point out the problems with the poll even though there was clearly a disclaimer and point out how you failed out of school only to return to become an educational revolutionary.

You forgot to point out the shortcommings of the American school system though?

 

[Math Is Hard]

I was never given a major GPA, I did the math.

So you computed something that doesn't even exist at your school??

 

[Gokul43201]

JSB, I just had a bet with my friend that I could register 10 different usernames and vote 10 times in this thread, just to skew the results...all in under 15 minutes. I won!

 

[what]

Actually I'd like to point out something that is quite wrong with your poll. It doesn't include the entire band from 0-4.0 for gpa scores. Where would a score of 2.35 or 3.89 fall? I assume that you meant( as an example I’ll use your second choice) that 2.0-2.3 should actually be 2.0-2.4 meaning including 2.0 and up to 2.4 but not including 2.4 then the next value should be 2.4-2.7 etc.

 

[mattmns]

4.0 is the max at my school, not at yours?

We have an A+ that is worth 4.33

 

[JSBeckton]

JSB, I just had a bet with my friend that I could register 10 different usernames and vote 10 times in this thread, just to skew the results...all in under 15 minutes. I won!

There's 15 minutes that you'll never get back.

 

[JSBeckton]

So you computed something that doesn't even exist at your school??

You should too if you ever plan to go on an interview, they don't give a crap what you got in history or philosophy.

I have been on several interviews where my overall GPA was on my resume but they asked for my major GPA.

 

[JSBeckton]

Actually I'd like to point out something that is quite wrong with your poll. It doesn't include the entire band from 0-4.0 for gpa scores. Where would a score of 2.35 or 3.89 fall? I assume that you meant( as an example I’ll use your second choice) that 2.0-2.3 should actually be 2.0-2.4 meaning including 2.0 and up to 2.4 but not including 2.4 then the next value should be 2.4-2.7 etc.

What you said would be incorrect. If you wanted to be technical, you could say
2.0-2.39
2.4-2.69

but what you said
2.0-2.4
2.4-2.7

is worse because if you have a 2.40 you can't round to anyone category.

When you get to high school they will talk about something called "rounding"

Any GPA can be "rounded" to the nearest 10th and fit in only one category on that scale.

 

[what]

What you said would be incorrect. If you wanted to be technical, you could say
2.0-2.39
2.4-2.69

but what you said
2.0-2.4
2.4-2.7

is worse because if you have a 2.40 you can't round to anyone category.

When you get to high school they will talk about something called "rounding"

Any GPA can be "rounded" to the nearest 10th and fit in only one category on that scale.

Well when you learn to read correctly I'll respond more courteously to your reply.

including 2.0 and up to 2.4 but not including 2.4

Did you read that, ok re-read it; let sink in it's ok if it takes a while. Let me put it in mathematical notation, which might make it clearer (well to anyone who is mathematically inclined, and for some reason I doubt you are such a person, maybe they didn’t teach math at your high school, but I'll try anyway).

From my end it would look something like this:
choice 1: [0,2)
choice 2: [2,2.4)
choice 3: [2.4,2.7)
.
.
.
last choice: [3.9,4]

 

[JSBeckton]

Well when you learn to read correctly I'll respond more courteously to your reply.



Did you read that, ok re-read it; let sink in it's ok if it takes a while. Let me put it in mathematical notation, which might make it clearer (well to anyone who is mathematically inclined, and for some reason I doubt you are such a person, maybe they didn’t teach math at your high school, but I'll try anyway).

From my end it would look something like this:
choice 1: [0,2)
choice 2: [2,2.4)
choice 3: [2.4,2.7)
.
.
.
last choice: [3.9,4]

Sure you could go through all of that......OR YOU CAN JUST ROUND!

Everyone else seems to have cracked the case just fine. There is nothing wrong with the poll little guy.

 

[imastud]

34 DD ...

i think the poll was asking for gpa, not bra size

 

[HalfManHalfAmazing]

this poll is dumb for so many reasons.

 

[cristo]

i think the poll was asking for gpa, not bra size

I think it was probably a joke!

 

[theCandyman]

I supposed I shouldn't have replied, I feel really dumb now. Everyone else is in the 3.0 range.

 

[theperthvan]

What is GPA?

Is this in the US system?

 

[Math Is Hard]

I supposed I shouldn't have replied, I feel really dumb now. Everyone else is in the 3.0 range.

It's crapola, honey - at least as far as my experience. I've been in the workforce for 20 years and no one has ever asked me for a GPA of any sort, even though I've worked mainly in technical professions. What they really cared about was my experience: Could I show them examples of what I have done, could I give references, etc. In the beginning, I just decided what I wanted to do and started doing it. I found a company I liked and volunteered as an intern with no pay for two weeks. They kept me on (with a small salary) and eventually recommended me to an expanding company for a higher position.

I mentioned bra size earlier as a joke, but what really matters here is the size of something also metaphorically anatomical. Do you have the "you-know-whats" to go and ask for what you want? That's what counts.

 

[Dr Transport]

What is GPA?

GPA is Grade Point Average and is calculated by a weighted average of your classes. Some schools break it down further into more categories but here is the jist of it.

A = 4 points
B = 3 points
C = 2 points
D = 1 point
F = 0 points

Now if you take 4 courses each worth 4 credit hours and get 2 A's, 1 B, and 1 C you have earned

4*4*2+4*3+4*2 = 32 + 12 + 8 = 56 points

Now divide this number by the total number credit hours you attempted = 16

52/16 = 3.25, so your GPA is 3.25 on a 4.0 scale.

 

[whitay]

When I applied for exchanged they asked for a my GPA, my school doesn't have such a thing. They just told me it didn't mean anything if I didn't have a GPA, just to ignore it and finish my application. So if it means nothing to sending me overseas, then it means nothing at all.

about 40days till I go on exchange :!) .

 

[fizziks]

I have a 2.45 and damn proud of it.

 

[mr_coffee]

3.73, cause last semester kicked me in the teeth.

 

[mikewashere]

My < 3.0 brothers, think about the forum's demographic... how many people with bad GPA's would seriously participate in something called "PHYSICS FORUMS." We should be damn proud of ourselves for even being here. Take that as a toast to mediocrity.

I busted my ass this semester and ended up with a 2.98 cum... If that .02 points isn't not a kick in the nuts, I don't know what is.

 

[Quaoar]

The results of this poll are sort of disturbing, it SHOULD be a bell curve. That's grade inflation for you.

 

[SticksandStones]

The results of this poll are sort of disturbing, it SHOULD be a bell curve. That's grade inflation for you.

This website isn't an unbias/random sample. If you went to a republican convention and asked for their opinion on republicans you wouldn't get a bell curve either. It should be no surprise that people who are interested enough in physics to join a website interested in physics would perform better in school than the general public.

 

[Quaoar]

This website isn't an unbias/random sample. If you went to a republican convention and asked for their opinion on republicans you wouldn't get a bell curve either. It should be no surprise that people who are interested enough in physics to join a website interested in physics would perform better in school than the general public.

True, but even among scientists the distribution is a little too skewed towards the high end. Perhaps if the poll offered a range of ten values between 3.8 and 4.0 we'd see our friend Mr. Bell...

 

[Math Is Hard]

Perhaps if the poll offered a range of ten values between 3.8 and 4.0 we'd see our friend Mr. Bell...

why, here he is now!
http://www.wtkf107.com/images/artbell.jpg

 

[Cod]

I won't lie, mine was horrible before I joined the US Air Force. I had a 1.8 GPA after 2-years. Hopefully I can find a school to accept me now that I have an AA degree and military experience.

 

[leright]

We have an A+ that is worth 4.33

that's stupid. there needs to be some sort of standard by which GPAs and grades are determined to make things fair.

 

[mr_coffee]

hat's stupid. there needs to be some sort of standard by which GPAs and grades are determined to make things fair.

I agree my GPA would be a lot higer now if A+'s where allowed, I would work my butt off but get the same A as someone who didn't come out with a 99-98% at the end of the course.

My professor told us about the issues with grade inflation and state schools vs. ivey league GPA, where in the ivey league schools your basically paying for your grade with even worse inflation in the top rank schools, is this true or is she making this up?

 

[JSBeckton]

Perhaps people still inflate their grades even though they know that no one can see who voted what. Or maybe the people with lower GPAs chose not to vote for the same reason. I started a different poll to see what people would estimate the average GPA was at their school. I have a feeling its going to be more of a bell curve.

GPA's are very important for your first job, after that its your experience that counts.

 

[mattmns]

At my school, getting 98+% does not guarantee you an A+, in fact they are quite rare. For example, I finished Vector Analysis with a 102.5% highest in the class, and did not get an A+. Also when I took Linear Algebra I was nearly perfect, finishing with about 99%, but still no A+.

The key to getting an A+ is going to your professors office hours and talking to them and showing extra effort (asking questions that were not assigned, but are of interest to you). Nearly every time I have done this I have left the class with an A+ (of course you do need a high grade in the class in addition to this).

 

[cristo]

At my school, getting 98+% does not guarantee you an A+, in fact they are quite rare. For example, I finished Vector Analysis with a 102.5% highest in the class, and did not get an A+. Also when I took Linear Algebra I was nearly perfect, finishing with about 99%, but still no A+.

The key to getting an A+ is going to your professors office hours and talking to them and showing extra effort (asking questions that were not assigned, but are of interest to you). Nearly every time I have done this I have left the class with an A+ (of course you do need a high grade in the class in addition to this).

I'm not familiar with the US education system, but how could one achieve 102.5% in a maths exam? Is this not a fundamentally flawed method of marking?

 

[mattmns]

On both of our exams we had a bonus question worth 10 or 20 extra points (the exam was worth 100pts, so you could get up to 110 or 120pts)

 

[JSBeckton]

At my school, getting 98+% does not guarantee you an A+, in fact they are quite rare. For example, I finished Vector Analysis with a 102.5% highest in the class, and did not get an A+. Also when I took Linear Algebra I was nearly perfect, finishing with about 99%, but still no A+.

The key to getting an A+ is going to your professors office hours and talking to them and showing extra effort (asking questions that were not assigned, but are of interest to you). Nearly every time I have done this I have left the class with an A+ (of course you do need a high grade in the class in addition to this).

You are lucky, In my linear algebra class the highest was an 83% overall. I can't recall anyone getting a 99+ in any college class that I have ever had.

Do you go to a CC?

 

[mattmns]

No, I attend the University of New Mexico, which is certainly not fantastic.

 

[JasonRox]

WOW read the disclaimer, just anwser the question man. You seem to remember everything BUT your GPA.

mathwonk has it all right.

I failed mathematics in high school, and now I'm a 3rd year math major on the Dean's List.

I can do bad in classes in university too. I have 2 C's, but I'm sure I understand more than the fellows with A's.

 

[JSBeckton]

mathwonk has it all right.

I failed mathematics in high school, and now I'm a 3rd year math major on the Dean's List.

I can do bad in classes in university too. I have 2 C's, but I'm sure I understand more than the fellows with A's.

Then that means that most likely you do not work as hard as the students with A's. What other reason could there be?

I work 30 hrs a week and attend full time, I have never received a C. I believe that grades are only half of the equation but it does say something about your work ethic. I know many people that are not really smart but are willing to put in the extra time to get good grades.

In my opinion, I would hire the hard worker before the genius with C's.

Sure there are exceptions, but overall the hardworker is a better investment.

 

[whitay]

Then that means that most likely you do not work as hard as the students with A's. What other reason could there be?

I work 30 hrs a week and attend full time, I have never received a C. I believe that grades are only half of the equation but it does say something about your work ethic. I know many people that are not really smart but are willing to put in the extra time to get good grades.

In my opinion, I would hire the hard worker before the genius with C's.

Sure there are exceptions, but overall the hardworker is a better investment.

But would you be innovative?

Without innovation you cannot move forward. So would the hardworker merely be a monkey in the long run?

 

[JSBeckton]

But would you be innovative?

Without innovation you cannot move forward. So would the hardworker merely be a monkey in the long run?

You are assuming that everyone with good grades is not really smart, just hard working, that's not the case. And to clarify, this is only for hiring someone with no experience, after that, who cares about grades? And its usually not the recent grad that a company depends on the be innovative.

 

[JasonRox]

You are assuming that everyone with good grades is not really smart, just hard working, that's not the case. And to clarify, this is only for hiring someone with no experience, after that, who cares about grades? And its usually not the recent grad that a company depends on the be innovative.

Keep in mind I have a 4.0 average.

I don't work at all, but just imagine if I did!

Personally, I would hire the hard worker to teach, and the genius to think.

 

[CPL.Luke]

hmm granted we are polling from a very select sample, but this poll seems to reflect more on the fact that grades are being inflated more than anything else. If you have a 3.9 or a 4.0 it means that your school is not grading you hard enough and is in fact holding you back,if you take into account that a lot of the people here come from top institutions already, then the fact that the largest subgroup in the poll had between a 3.9 and a 4.0 is very indicative that the system is broken, and isn't challenging people enough.

personally I think anything above a 3.7 ceases to be indicative of performance and shows that the institution is failing the student in that they aren't giving them enough challenge.