How do people get 4.0's?

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Hopeful101 said:
I've always been curious... what do comm majors do with their degree?
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My only comm major friend works in marketing for a brewery = unlimited free beer = comm majors are good friends to have!
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blueshockey said:
In my opinion I don't see why you would worry about something like that. Constantly comparing yourself to other people isn't going to do wonders for your self-conscious :cool: That being said, it IS extremely hard to do, and the people that are able to do it are very hard workers and more likely good test takers that don't need much time in advance to prepare for difficult tests. Don't worry about it bro :thumbup:
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I agree with the test taking part. But there is the hard work and organization aspect to it as well. I would have a 4.0 easily if it was about tests. The only classes I haven't gotten As in we're classes that had homework that counted, mainly because I forget assignments. I know the material and know it well enough to get an A on every test, it's just classes that have weekly homework that I forget... Amazing how forgetting a few assignments can take you to an A- or B rather quickly.
 
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DahlkeA said:
I agree with the test taking part. But there is the hard work and organization aspect to it as well. I would have a 4.0 easily if it was about tests. The only classes I haven't gotten As in we're classes that had homework that counted, mainly because I forget assignments. I know the material and know it well enough to get an A on every test, it's just classes that have weekly homework that I forget... Amazing how forgetting a few assignments can take you to an A- or B rather quickly.
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That should be the easiest part dude. What if you forget to give a patient his meds or forget to submit an insurance request? Get a planner.
 
Bangersandmash said:
That should be the easiest part dude. What if you forget to give a patient his meds or forget to submit an insurance request? Get a planner.
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Yeah there's no merit in taking pride for acing the tests but not being able to do simple things like hw.

(not saying he is)
 
One of my friends actually got above a 4.0 in a CS/EE double major at a top 5 undergrad university. Needless to say, he is absurdly smart and is at MIT now getting his PhD. For him, it was a combination of intelligence and hard work. Although I don't think he necessarily worked any harder than the many students who got lower grades than him. He just picks up stuff insanely fast.
 
Lol I'd rather compete on a bell curve with state school/UCLA kids than grade inflated school like Harvard where everyone had a 2200-2300 SAT
 
My gf had a 4.0 in UG (+/-, no A+ grading system) and she worked really hard. She's smart too, but most of it comes down to hard work and committment to every single assignment. Most of our classes required a 93%+ for an A, but some were 95%+.
 
Basically making studying as number one priority not only that but grades also. There is no magic pill even if you are smart as hell.

I have sem from <3.0 to 4.0, the courses aren't necessary different or easier. It is just I invested more. I think for most it usually is the case. But schools don't give a cent that you COULD have studied harder they just want to see the gpa.
 
I have a 4.0 and I don't study nearly as much as people think I do. I am a very quick learner and I have a pretty good memory, so that's probably why I can get away with a lot of the stuff I do. If you figure out a system that works for you, you will do well.
 
Praefectus said:
They go to law school.

Honestly, a 4.0 is overrated. Sacrifice a few tenths of a point and go have fun every once in a while. College only happens once in your life (unless you're the 53 year old sitting in a freshman class), so make the most out of it.
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You can easily have fun in college and keep a 4.0. I know I have :cool:
 
Bangersandmash said:
You can easily have fun in college and keep a 4.0. I know I have :cool:
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majoring in communications right? what a hard life

honestly, if you want to obtain a good GPA and any decent school in the USA you will have to bust ass if you are a science or engineering major. The amount you need to study is primarily dependent on how fast you learn topics and how much dedication/work ethic you have. No matter how intelligent you are, you aren't born knowing the Needleman Wunch algorithm or how glutamate derivatives work.
 
Hemorrage said:
majoring in communications right? what a hard life

honestly, if you want to obtain a good GPA and any decent school in the USA you will have to bust ass if you are a science or engineering major. The amount you need to study is primarily dependent on how fast you learn topics and how much dedication/work ethic you have. No matter how intelligent you are, you aren't born knowing the Needleman Wunch algorithm or how glutamate derivatives work.
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Classics/Biomedical sciences double major actually. I do pick up things fairly quickly, but I also manage my time well. While people spend hours on this forum and facebook, I get my work done during the week so I can have fun at the weekend. If you'd like some study tips, let me know and I can help you out, because it seems you're all about "busting ass."
 
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Bangersandmash said:
Classics/Biomedical sciences double major actually. I do pick up things fairly quickly, but I also manage my time well. While people spend hours on this forum and facebook, I get my work done during the week so I can have fun at the weekend. If you'd like some study tips, let me know and I can help you out, because it seems you're all about "busting ass."
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Academics aren't the only thing that are required for medical school. Research takes up a whole lot of time as does volunteering.
 
Hemorrage said:
Academics aren't the only thing that are required for medical school. Research takes up a whole lot of time as does volunteering.
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Well, forgive me if I don't e-mail you my CV, but I have been researching since the second semester of my freshman year in addition to many hours of volunteering and shadowing I have done.

But really, I'd say both of us are missing out on something posting on SDN on a Friday night.
 
Bangersandmash said:
Well, forgive me if I don't e-mail you my CV, but I have been researching since the second semester of my freshman year in addition to many hours of volunteering and shadowing I have done.

But really, I'd say both of us are missing out on something posting on SDN on a Friday night.
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I'm not criticizing your academic abilities. I'm sure like any SDN pre-med you have research, volunteering and academics under your belt. I just don't believe half the BS people put on this thread about having time to go out and party. After doing 10+ hours of research, spending time preparing for exams, doing weekly homework sets and working out, i really doubt any human being has time/energy to "party"
 
Hemorrage said:
I'm not criticizing your academic abilities. I'm sure like any SDN pre-med you have research, volunteering and academics under your belt. I just don't believe half the BS people put on this thread about having time to go out and party. After doing 10+ hours of research, spending time preparing for exams, doing weekly homework sets and working out, i really doubt any human being has time/energy to "party"
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MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY.

But really, you're kind of right. I can't go out and party every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but I definitely have fun at least once a week.
 
Bangersandmash said:
MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY.

But really, you're kind of right. I can't go out and party every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but I definitely have fun at least once a week.
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I do think your assessment is correct. However, I do think there is a point to be made. My dad was the salutatorian in his class at Caltech in the 70's (before grade inflation even existed, he graduated with a 4.1 with a Mech E degree). He pretty much studied most of his waking hours. I recall that when I went to college at a similarly ranked university, he told me not to "replicate how he approached it". Namely, it wasn't worth sacrificing social life and personal development for picture perfect grades. This is in hindsight, after years of recovering from an experience from which all he learned was how to grind out academic work and nothing else. As a result, my advice is to learn how to work efficiently enough to produce results and learn the material, but also allow enough time to expand your personal development. I also think I neglected this aspect in college (for different reasons), and regret it as well.
 
How did he get a 4.1?

I've seen a few friends go through some personal development in college. Some have had a little too much personal development.
 
Bangersandmash said:
How did he get a 4.1?

I've seen a few friends go through some personal development in college. Some have had a little too much personal development.
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He just studied a lot. His life there was pretty much wake up, go to class, and do work. People will get varying results with that kind of schedule but for him studying pretty much all the time outside of class got him straight A's. He didn't need to do all nighters or anything cramming related because he studied periodically every day. That being said, he told me there is more to college than getting straight A's. While he still wanted me to do well, he thought there was value in doing other things in college as well (such as dating, making friends, pursuing hobbies, etc.).
 
They pray to God and work hard or go to an easy school.


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cuculici1 said:
He just studied a lot. His life there was pretty much wake up, go to class, and do work. People will get varying results with that kind of schedule but for him studying pretty much all the time outside of class got him straight A's. He didn't need to do all nighters or anything cramming related because he studied periodically every day. That being said, he told me there is more to college than getting straight A's. While he still wanted me to do well, he thought there was value in doing other things in college as well (such as dating, making friends, pursuing hobbies, etc.).
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I mean, how is a 4.1 in college possible without grade inflation/some sort of grade weighting? This is the first I've heard of it.
 
Hemorrage said:
I'm not criticizing your academic abilities. I'm sure like any SDN pre-med you have research, volunteering and academics under your belt. I just don't believe half the BS people put on this thread about having time to go out and party. After doing 10+ hours of research, spending time preparing for exams, doing weekly homework sets and working out, i really doubt any human being has time/energy to "party"
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There's a simple solution to all of this: stop researching, volunteering, and doing other stupid extracurricular activities. Change the status quo.
 
Real world: A **** ton of hard work, long hours, and minimal social life. GPA result: 4.0.
SDN world: 10min notes glance before exams, non-stop active social life filled with rampant sex and booze. GPA result: 4.0
 
Another thing I forgot to bring up is that my dad would also frequently read textbooks and other supplementary material that was not assigned by the professor. According to him, it helped him gain extra proficiency and prepared him for the "apply what you learned to a question you've never seen before" type of exams that are common at Caltech.
 
NickNaylor said:
Because if you aren't going to Harvard, Yale, etc., then your education is just inferior. ;) People feel the need to justify their poor performance. I didn't go to a top undergrad by ANY means, but getting an A in most courses required very hard work and genuine mastery of the material (at least in the sciences). That fact is true no matter what university you attend. I suppose you might argue that expectations might be higher at HYP-like schools, but that doesn't cheapen the work required to get an A at a "lesser" university.
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Sorry for the late response, but I'm glad you agree with me. The bare minimum is definitely there. It can only get harder from then on forward. (definitely true for the sciences...not sure if fully applicable for other fields)
 
It's all about time management, getting the right amount of sleep, and pushing yourself to work really hard. Sometimes, it will also depend on your prof you have and even moreso on the environment. Is the school filled with super competitive students, like a top tier school? Is it a grade inflated school?

There are tons of factors. Luck plays a huge role in terms of grades, too.
 
The difference between a 3.98 and a 4.0 is luck. You can be smart and hardworking and get an A- in a lab and your 4.0 is gone. It's a lot like the MCAT; once you get past a certain point, random chance is the most important factor. A 4.0 does have a wow factor but I really doubt anyone would say it's much more impressive than a 3.95 or even a 3.9.
 
Some schools do not give +/- grades which I hear can make things a bit easier from the 4.0 standpoint . . Idk from firsthand, just peer insight.
 
Pons Asinorum said:
Strong necrobump.
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250.gif
 
This seems as good as any thread to ask this question even if it is late.

In the hypothetical situation where a student attends a school with a +/- scaled grading system, and they obtain a GPA above 4.0 on this system, would that really be viewed as superior to a 4.0? I imagine it's pretty negligible regardless, but humor me please. :laugh:
 
5% of my school's (top 20) graduating class has a 3.9 or greater, thus approximately 80 students. No idea how many have an actual 4.0, but probably less than 5.
 
RedICEE said:
This seems as good as any thread to ask this question even if it is late.

In the hypothetical situation where a student attends a school with a +/- scaled grading system, and they obtain a GPA above 4.0 on this system, would that really be viewed as superior to a 4.0? I imagine it's pretty negligible regardless, but humor me please. :laugh:
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No because A+=A=4.0
 
Nissan GTR said:
No because A+=A=4.0
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At my school, an A+ is a ~4.3 and an A- is a ~3.7

My understanding from reading through this thread is that they consider the GPA a student's school assigned. Is that not correct then?
 
RedICEE said:
At my school, an A+ is a ~4.3 and an A- is a ~3.7

My understanding from reading through this thread is that they consider the GPA a student's school assigned. Is that not correct then?
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Everything greater than or equal to 4.0 will be considered a 4.0, as far as I've seen. At that point you've passed all the screens, as long as the MCAT correlates, you get full GPA points. However, any school that has a grading system that goes beyond 4.0 needs to be kicked in its figurative, pretentious nuts.
 
RedICEE said:
At my school, an A+ is a ~4.3 and an A- is a ~3.7

My understanding from reading through this thread is that they consider the GPA a student's school assigned. Is that not correct then?
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Your school may consider an A+ a 4.3 but when you plug your grades into AMCAS, an A+=4.0.
 
i know a junior with a 4.0 applying right now. he told me he spent 8-10 hrs/day every day fresh and soph year in the library. he didn't do much else during this time. also, he extensively researches classes and the professor before he takes them and only took one hard class per semester with 12 hours per sem.
 
One of my friends had a 4.0. Hard working but naturally smart and a good test taker. It's possible to do it all but most people would have to make huge sacrifices to maintain a 4.0 and it probably isn't worth it when you could have some fun and have a 3.7 or 3.8.

Survivor DO
 
RedICEE said:
At my school, an A+ is a ~4.3 and an A- is a ~3.7

My understanding from reading through this thread is that they consider the GPA a student's school assigned. Is that not correct then?
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Regardless, in AMCAS, A+ is registered as 4.0.
 
Oh, thanks for the clarification everyone. Essentially there is no difference between an A+ and an A, but there is between an A and a A-.

Well...that's unfortunate.
 
RedICEE said:
Oh, thanks for the clarification everyone. Essentially there is no difference between an A+ and an A, but there is between an A and a A-.

Well...that's unfortunate.
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Yeah I know. That's why I despise the whole +/- system. A- really kills. Oh well.
 
Pick an easy major, spread your sciences out--and you'll be fine.

My engineering friends (who all work at top companies now) would cheer and dance when they got 3.0s.
 
Honestly, getting a 4.0 is an indicator more of your work ethic than intelligence, assuming that you have pretty decent intelligence to begin with. I think most normal people are very capable of getting a 4.0. It just depends on how motivated and "neurotic" you are. However, the MCAT is more an indicator of intelligence because you can't really predict the test questions to the extent you can for your classes. People might say that the MCAT is just a measurement of your testing taking abilities, but that's pretty short-sighted. People only say that if they do bad on the MCAT.
 
princessbooty said:
Honestly, getting a 4.0 is an indicator more of your work ethic than intelligence, assuming that you have pretty decent intelligence to begin with. I think most normal people are very capable of getting a 4.0. It just depends on how motivated and "neurotic" you are. However, the MCAT is more an indicator of intelligence because you can't really predict the test questions to the extent you can for your classes. People might say that the MCAT is just a measurement of your testing taking abilities, but that's pretty short-sighted. People only say that if they do bad on the MCAT.
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I would read all those words if I could stop giggling about your handle. Strong work, princessbooty.
 
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