I graduated college barely with a 3.02 and that's only because I did a field school where you basically had to breathe and not get TOO drunk every night to get 12 units of A. (Otherwise I'd have ended up with a 2.8)
I am just a bit lost, because looking at my grades, they aren't all that bad. I would have what I would call a pretty good spread, mostly B's, and a smattering of A's and 1 or 2 C's. I wasn't dumb, and I was definitely capable of getting A's, but I simply wasn't disciplined or organized enough to juggle all of the stresses of college at that stage in my life, in addition to the fact, that I thought B's were okay, and it would be fine to stop there.
The thing is, they condition us in K-12 to think that C's are acceptable/average, B's are considered good, and A's are just exceptional.
However, it seems that if you have under a 3.5 GPA (meaning mostly A's) that you just won't find a good job or get accepted into grad school.
Ironically, I didn't end up getting straight A's until after I had graduated after I read the book "How to be a Straight A Student" (aptly named) by Cal Newport, however my undergraduate grades still haunt me (applications for research internships, etc.), and I find it hard for people to believe me when I tell them that I am a different student now.
This has been on my mind a lot the last few days. It worries me a lot that my grades are so "average". I mean, the only math classes I've taken toward my degree are Calc I (AP credit), Calc II (god help me), and Statistics (got an A).
So all the other classes I've taken are gen eds (mostly As, smattering of Bs, one C+).
After this semester my GPA is definitely going down and it's sitting at a 3.5 right now.
After I transfer it'll get reset though, so I can then focus on math and hopefully graduate with a 3.7+.
I don't know. I don't think I realized how important grades are when getting hired. I figured once I had certification that was it. Maybe they'd look at my GPA. But nothing like this.
This has been on my mind a lot the last few days. It worries me a lot that my grades are so "average". I mean, the only math classes I've taken toward my degree are Calc I (AP credit), Calc II (god help me), and Statistics (got an A).
So all the other classes I've taken are gen eds (mostly As, smattering of Bs, one C+).
After this semester my GPA is definitely going down and it's sitting at a 3.5 right now.
After I transfer it'll get reset though, so I can then focus on math and hopefully graduate with a 3.7+.
I don't know. I don't think I realized how important grades are when getting hired. I figured once I had certification that was it. Maybe they'd look at my GPA. But nothing like this.
Stress stress stress.
Don't stress too much, but also don't get too complacent with your grades once you transfer. From what I've heard, is that most places disregard your first two years, and only focus on your last two years at the place you transferred to. When I transferred, the stress was great, and I got way more Bs and Cs, and my grades went down.
I would DEFINITELY recommend, at this point in your student career to read that book I mentioned. "How to Become a Straight A Student" http://calnewport.com/books/howtobecome.html
It sounds like a cheesy quick-fix how-to book, but it really has some effective strategies, and is research based. It is definitely not easy, but if you arm yourself with these strategies, and dedicate effort to practicing them, not only will you be organized enough to make straight A's every quarter, but you'll also have free time to enjoy yourself and enjoy college life!
I went from student who did nothing but attending classes (sometimes) and making B's, to a student who works three jobs, networks like crazy, president of clubs, scholarship winning, community service participating, intern teaching, straight-A student who also has a life. DO IT.
I have never had a single boss look at my transcript! No one has ever asked me about my GPA. I don't know if that the norm or not, but I wouldn't stress too much about it.
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"Confusion is always the most honest response." - Marty Indik
I feel like it missed all the important points, and some of the best strategies are not even mentioned in that summary. In addition, the book gives you specific tips on implementing those strategies, that the summary misses out on.
The book is cheap and you can get it on Kindle, and I really wished someone had given that book to me when I was in college.
Hope you don't mind a bit of a hijack to the post. I have a question for Mike about transferring AP substitution for Calc 1. Do you feel that not repeating Calc 1 in college may have set you back in terms of your performance in Calc 2. I wonder sometimes being AP classes in HS vary so much even though they are supposed to be the same, if it may have had something to do with not getting an A in Calc 2.
We didn't have AP in our HS years ago. We had Calc, but that meant we had to re-take Calc 1 at the university. It was a breeze and I remember that some things just made more sense the 2nd time around even though I had a solid A in HS and probably would have had AP credits had the Calc course been AP.
Yes, a B is now academic suicide due to grade inflation at all levels. A B at many schools is now the old C. In some it is even a D. I know a fair number of kids at college now and many say, most of the classes are a joke. They have a few tough ones, but from their explanations of the courses, they are nothing like university used to be.
Hope you don't mind a bit of a hijack to the post. I have a question for Mike about transferring AP substitution for Calc 1. Do you feel that not repeating Calc 1 in college may have set you back in terms of your performance in Calc 2. I wonder sometimes being AP classes in HS vary so much even though they are supposed to be the same, if it may have had something to do with not getting an A in Calc 2.
We didn't have AP in our HS years ago. We had Calc, but that meant we had to re-take Calc 1 at the university. It was a breeze and I remember that some things just made more sense the 2nd time around even though I had a solid A in HS and probably would have had AP credits had the Calc course been AP.
Just wondering your thoughts....
I would love to know as well--I'm transferring AP Calc AB credit next year.
