Courses Taking extra course to raise GPA

  • Thread starter Thread starter moretti
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Course Gpa
AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers around the decision of a mechanical engineering student with a GPA of 3.98 considering taking an additional course to raise it to 3.99, primarily to enhance their graduate school application and class rank. Many participants argue that the marginal GPA increase is insignificant and unlikely to impact admissions to top graduate programs, suggesting that time and effort would be better spent on research, GRE preparation, or other meaningful experiences. The consensus leans towards the idea that graduate committees prioritize research experience and overall application strength over minor GPA differences. Concerns are raised about the potential risks of taking an extra course, such as the possibility of a lower grade affecting the GPA negatively. The student expresses a genuine interest in the advanced applied mathematics course but is cautioned that an easy course might not impress admissions committees. Ultimately, the discussion emphasizes the importance of focusing on substantial achievements rather than minor GPA adjustments, especially in a competitive academic landscape.
moretti
Messages
13
Reaction score
0
My GPA is 3.98 and I can raise it to 3.985 which is translatable to a 3.99 by taking an extra course. Is it a stupid idea to take it say for a better grad school application? (The benefit is it will raise my class rank)

I'm a mechanical engineering student looking to apply to a top5 graduate program. If you think I should take an extra course, what do you think will most useful, a core elective, a humanities course or a math course in terms of preparing me better for graduate studies? I'm more inclined towards advanced applied mathematics since it seems most useful for grad school.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
That's ridiculous. No.
 
Care to expand a little more?
 
moretti said:
Care to expand a little more?

Does it not sound ridiculous to you? There's no difference between a 3.98 and 3.99 GPA. When you apply to graduate school, do you think admission committees are going to care that you raised your GPA a very insignificant amount by taking unrelated courses? Take an extra course if it interests you. Don't take it to raise an already good GPA. You could be focusing on something useful such as research.
 
A little yes but here's the thing: The applied maths course in question interests me but It would be a lot of trouble to add it to the courses I'm already taking unless I had the GPA incentive. I did say however it would help me improve my class rank.

I can always say I wanted to use the extra applied math background I have for my research in grad school.
 
It can hurt you also if things don't workout as planned. I wouldn't take the risk.
 
Would it help if the course is an Easy-A course? It also doesn't hurt that I really am interested in it and that I feel it will aid me during my graduate studies?
 
moretti said:
Would it help if the course is an Easy-A course?
Many, many GPAs have fallen based on this assumption.
 
Ok ignore for a moment the risk factor for my GPA falling: What's your counterargument for taking this advanced applied math course?
 
  • #10
moretti said:
The applied maths course in question interests me but It would be a lot of trouble to add it to the courses I'm already taking unless I had the GPA incentive.

This is why I would say no...
 
  • #11
Ok you still don't support the idea that I should still try to take it to increase my class rank? Isn't that an important aspect when applying to a top5 grad school.(putting aside the research experience factor)
 
  • #12
I just say this because your plan could back-fire and actually hurt your GPA due to difficulties of adding the class to your schedule (or the class turning out to not be an easy A). I would also weigh in how you could use this time for other aspects pertaining to grad school application... like studying for the GRE, getting research, etc. If you don't have something better to do with your time, by all means take the course. You can always drop it after the first few weeks if it looks like a bad idea.
 
  • #13
Not really. Class rank and a small increase in GPA is to subjective to matter. You are best taking the safe route. Take your high GPA and run.
 
  • #14
How do graduate committees know about class rank? I don't even know what my class rank was. I certainly didn't put it on applications.
 
  • #15
If you're going to keep asking the same question until you get the answer you want to hear, why bother asking it in the first place?

A 0.01 difference in GPA is highly unlikely to affect your candidacy for a position in graduate school - even in a "top 5" program. In my experience (although I'm probably not involved in a "top 5" program by your definition), GPA difference begins to stratify students somewhere around the 0.1-0.2 level. As others have said, it's better to use that time towards other factors that will make a difference such as gaining research experience, getting involved with a competative engineering project, tutoring/marking, or simply learning more about the sub-field you want to get into for graduate school.
 
  • #16
Yes MIT for instance requires you to mention your class rank and surprisingly with my high GPA my class rank is 5/33. There's even 3 4.0s. I only want to make it a 3.99 for this reason.

Then I can always say that I have always loved applied mathematics and took an extra course to develop mathematical skills that could be applied to my graduate degree.

It's not that I have nothing better to do. I genuinely have an interest and think this could have positive consequences for me despite the apparent ridiculousness of the opening post. I would be willing to take the effort to insert it with my other courses but from all your responses it seems that I don't need to take it for the purposes of improving my graduate application as the extra math won't really make as big of a difference as GRE, research etc. Although the funny thing is how people overrate the importance of GPAs, class ranks and so on and so forth.
 
  • #17
The potential loss you can get from taking the extra class out weight the potential gain. That should be reason enough.
 
  • #18
Choppy said:
If you're going to keep asking the same question until you get the answer you want to hear, why bother asking it in the first place?

Trying to be the devil's advocate here:Trying to have a holistic discussion though I see where the general consensus is leading now.
 
  • #19
moretti said:
Trying to be the devil's advocate here:Trying to have a holistic discussion though I see where the general consensus is leading now.
If you would have gave a list of reasons for wanting to take the course, or if you started with I am interested in math, is it worth it? Maybe there would be a better discussion, but the title is asking if it is worth taking that extra course to boost your GPA. And everyone knows its not.
 
  • #20
Jorriss said:
If you would have gave a list of reasons for wanting to take the course, or if you started with I am interested in math, is it worth it? Maybe there would be a better discussion, but the title is asking if it is worth taking that extra course to boost your GPA. And everyone knows its not.

Yeah you are right but for me like I mentioned the boost in GPA is a boost in my rank. And I needed to make it clear that the odds would be that I'd do well in it because of interest in math. Besides one of my profs freaked me out by saying that if you aren't a 4.0, I have no chance of getting into a top 5 eng. graduate program, which when I come to think of it now is pretty oblivious of him. Dont understand why he'd discourage me like that. Hence the obsession with getting closer towards the 3.99 especially the given competition that exists in my class (3 4.0s!)
 
  • #21
Outside of maintaining a solid GPA, what have you done to prepare for graduate school admissions? I guarantee there are more 4.0 GPA students applying to those "Top 5" programs than are being accepted overall. What have you done to differentiate yourself from the students applying with perfect GPAs?
 
  • #22
Haha, I must come across as some GPA obsessed freak:
Ok I've
--TA'ed in my preferred area of research (grading and tutoring)
--Have around 3 years of research exp with 1 co-authored publication (I'm not sure I have enough time to increase this)
--Have participated in ECAs
-- Am the secretary of a cultural organization
--have very good gre scores
--have taken a graduate course related to my area of interest

Now I am scared the class rank may overshadow this. Do you have any other suggestions to make myself 'stand out'?
---Could that possibly include using the good math experience I may take from this course?
(PROBABLY not)
 
  • #23
moretti said:
Yeah you are right but for me like I mentioned the boost in GPA is a boost in my rank. And I needed to make it clear that the odds would be that I'd do well in it because of interest in math. Besides one of my profs freaked me out by saying that if you aren't a 4.0, I have no chance of getting into a top 5 eng. graduate program, which when I come to think of it now is pretty oblivious of him. Dont understand why he'd discourage me like that. Hence the obsession with getting closer towards the 3.99 especially the given competition that exists in my class (3 4.0s!)

I think your professor probably meant that you need to have really solid credentials -- and merely used the "4.0" as an allusion that you have to be top of the chain. I don't know your professor, but it is likely that he wasn't trying to discourage you; but trying to give you a perspective. In fact, I would take it as a motivating statement to study even harder. If someone told me I can get in the top 5 universities with a 3.0, I would slack off!
 
  • #24
Yes I do hope you are right Nano-Passion because in that case telling me not to apply to a top 5 program because I don't have a 4.0 is plain wrong.
 
  • #25
moretti said:
Yes I do hope you are right Nano-Passion because in that case telling me not to apply to a top 5 program because I don't have a 4.0 is plain wrong.

Lol I just read the original post just now. He must be joking, he told you NOT to apply? Did he know your credentials by any chance?

How does your school stand up in terms of reputation in mechanical engineering? I think even if it has pretty bad standing you might have a good shot, so I don't know where he is coming from. And still, it is ludicrous to say not to apply because it doesn't hurt to try.

I don't work in HR, but if I worked in HR I might scrap the application with a 4.0 -- it looks like the college was too easy. A 3.9 looks much better than a 4.0.
 
  • #26
Nano-Passion said:
I don't work in HR, but if I worked in HR I might scrap the application with a 4.0 -- it looks like the college was too easy. A 3.9 looks much better than a 4.0.

The college was too easy, or the student was too smart? :wink:
 
  • #27
Nano-Passion said:
How does your school stand up in terms of reputation in mechanical engineering? I think even if it has pretty bad standing you might have a good shot, so I don't know where he is coming from. And still, it is ludicrous to say not to apply because it doesn't hurt to try.

Not among the best(ranking wise), I am afraid, that's the reason there's so many 4.0s. But there have been students who have made it from other engineering departments to top 5 grad schools though funnily enough all of them had 4.0s.
 
Last edited:
  • #28
PhizKid said:
The college was too easy, or the student was too smart? :wink:

I expect the math or physics "nerd" would at least blunder in at least one of the humanities and get an A-. Besides, I never see students with a 4.0 from reputable universities. Not getting an A- is bad, it means all of your professors have been unusually lenient with the grading because the difference between an A- and an A isn't a big difference. That is of course, if you are in a university that gives A-, not all do.

moretti said:
Not among the best(ranking wise), I am afraid, that's the reason there's so many 4.0s. But there have been students who have made it from other engineering departments to top 5 grad schools though funnily enough all of them had 4.0s.

So then you can do it, and if your professor wasn't joking then he is a buffoon.
 
  • #29
Out of curiosity, why are you so intent on top 5? In physics, math, chemistry you pick more based on research, area, etc than just a ranking. Does ranking matter more in engineering?
 
  • #30
Jorriss said:
Out of curiosity, why are you so intent on top 5? In physics, math, chemistry you pick more based on research, area, etc than just a ranking. Does ranking matter more in engineering?

Oh no the same applies in engineering but I get a special scholarship if I make it into the top5, that's why I'm really intent on stupid little things like going from a 3.98 to a 3.99. I can't think of any other things I can do to have a better chance of setting myself apart from the rest of the applicants.
 
  • #31
moretti said:
My GPA is 3.98 and I can raise it to 3.985 which is translatable to a 3.99 by taking an extra course. Is it a stupid idea to take it say for a better grad school application? (The benefit is it will raise my class rank)

If engineering is anything like physics, it's not going to matter.

Also, as long as your GPA is decent (and it is), you are better off taking harder courses with slightly lower grades than easy courses with high grades. A B- in quantum field theory looks a *LOT* more impressive than an A+ in Consumer Math.

This all assumes it's like physics, which it may not be.
 
  • #32
moretti said:
Yes MIT for instance requires you to mention your class rank and surprisingly with my high GPA my class rank is 5/33.

Can you point a reference to that? I would be very surprised about this since MIT doesn't calculate class ranking for their own undergraduates. I have no clue what my class rank is, and one thing that the professors there tell you to not obsess about grades since they don't mean that much.
 
  • #33
moretti said:
Oh no the same applies in engineering but I get a special scholarship if I make it into the top5, that's why I'm really intent on stupid little things like going from a 3.98 to a 3.99. I can't think of any other things I can do to have a better chance of setting myself apart from the rest of the applicants.
Who gives the scholarship? And who is the official body that decides you made it into a top 5 school? Or do they just use the US news rankings? That sounds like an odd scholarship.
 
  • #34
Would it help if the course is an Easy-A course?

No it would hurt. Physics graduate schools would much prefer B's in hard courses than A's in easy courses. If the course is an Easy-A, that's a reason *NOT* to take it.

One reason I think you would be better off taking something else, is that if you are *sure* that you are going to get an A in the course, that's not the type of course that will impress people in graduate school committees. What you want is a course that is tough as hell, in which you have to work your rear end off to scrap up a B.

All this assumes physics graduate school. I've heard that graduate schools in other areas will obsess about grades.
 
  • #35
twofish-quant said:
No it would hurt. Physics graduate schools would much prefer B's in hard courses than A's in easy courses. If the course is an Easy-A, that's a reason *NOT* to take it.

One reason I think you would be better off taking something else, is that if you are *sure* that you are going to get an A in the course, that's not the type of course that will impress people in graduate school committees. What you want is a course that is tough as hell, in which you have to work your rear end off to scrap up a B.

All this assumes physics graduate school. I've heard that graduate schools in other areas will obsess about grades.
But how would a school ever know it was a Hard-B?
 
  • #36
Ans426 said:
But how would a school ever know it was a Hard-B?

I have to keep repeating that everything I'm saying applies to physics... But...

In physics, course titles and contents are standard enough so that you can figure out the relative difficult of the course from the title. If that doesn't work then you can get the names of the textbooks used. Also, there is this cool invention called the internet and google. People can type in the course name and then get to the syllabus. If it's obvious to you that it's an easy-A, it's going to be obvious to the person that comes across it via google.

The other thing is that you can get it mentioned in the letters of recommendation.

This *will* be an issue, because if you have a near perfect GPA, people *will* wonder if you got it by padding your transcript and avoiding hard classes.

One reason that this is important is even if no one else knows, you will know. In graduate school, you are going to be given a lot of rope, and the committee is going to wonder if you are able to make a rope bridge or if you end up accidentally hanging yourself with it.

The issue here is that in graduate school, people will supervise you a lot less, and so committees are looking for people that are going to challenge themselves *even if no one else knows about it*.
 
  • #37
moretti said:
I'm really intent on stupid little things like going from a 3.98 to a 3.99. I can't think of any other things I can do to have a better chance of setting myself apart from the rest of the applicants.

Maybe you can't set yourself apart.

Something about academia is that at some point you are going to find yourself "average" or "below average" and you have to get used to it.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top