Recovering from a GPA Drop: Backup Plans for Graduate School Admission

[tjackson3]

Last semester really killed my GPA (went from a 3.7 to a 3.35). I'm deathly afraid that this screwed me over for graduate school, so I'm trying to find ideas for something I can fall back on if this doesn't work out. I'm a math major with a very heavy concentration in physics (in fact, I would have double majored if I hadn't screwed up so majorly last semester in one of my classes). What options do I have that would make me look good to grad schools either next year or the year after?

 

[Skrew]

Maybe this is a stupid idea but you could retake the course and get an A in it.

 

[Vanadium 50]

You said in other messages that you are a senior. I calculate your GPA for the first semester of your senior year is 7 x 3.35 - 6 x 3.7 = 1.25. Three D's and a C.

That looks very bad - the natural conclusion is that you cannot handle advanced undergraduate classes, much less graduate classes. Even if there were some sort of external factor, like a prolonged illness, it still demonstrates that you are unprepared for graduate school.

The best thing to do is to retake all those classes and ace them. However, before doing that, if I were you I would have a serious talk with my advisor about my prospects and potential.