Can anyone get a 4.0 GPA?

[JuicePack]

This obvious isn't a yes or no question. A friend and I were talking about this for a while the other day and I think it's kind of interesting to think about. Do you guys think that anyone can get a 4.0 GPA (or 4.3, whatever the scale) if they study hard enough? I don't think 4.0 is possible for many people. Some people just don't retain information well enough no matter how hard they study. What do you guys think? And by "anyone" I obviously mean a university student.

How much is hard work and how much is natural 'smarts'?

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[meowkat444]

this is similar to a recent thread--I think it's possible through hard work for pretty much anyone *if* they have been set up with requisite skills from high school. if they come in behind, then sometimes it is such a stretch that it becomes damn near impossible. and given that there are lots of broken public schools, i think that frequently, no, it is not possible. and the impossible cases are definitely not evenly split between races and socioeconomic classes.

this also excludes someone with a neurological problem preventing memory function or something, although i'm sure there are lots of people with such problems with 4.0's 🙂 just may not be attainable for some.

 

[DreamyKid]

a lot of factors come in when considering this. Its definitely possible. One of the major factors is where do you go to college. Although some community college classes are hard, I'd say if you go to a cc its easier to get a 4.0 as opposed to other universities.

Also, it depends on the classes you take. In my opinion, some upper div lit classes are very hard to get A's in. I don't know how other universities are, but I think many require writing classes. In my class, there was no A's. None. And its university requirement to grade super tough in this class.

Personally, besides writing classes, I havn't had a class where its too hard to get an A if you have time or the willingness to study

 

[TheRealMD]

A couple of factors to think about:

1) When you register for classes? (get best classes first)
2) What upperclassmen do you know? (know which classes to get first)
3) Are you social? (study groups make things easier)
4) Do you know when to study?
5) Have you planned out your degree plan to take as few hard classes per semester (some can, others can't)
6) Ever talked to a professor before? They hold office hours for a reason.

Now honestly, there are some things outside of your control. Physics might come easy to some (and you will hate those people) but others might ace bio. But in that list I just wrote, only #1 is truly out of your control, #2 & #3 go together, and the rest you CAN do.

But no, not everyone can make a 4.0 even if they had twice as much time to take a class. But, I'd say that most people can get a competitive GPA (3.6+) if they were to do some of the things I listed more often.

 

[vincikai]

i have 4.0 in biochem as junior 😴

I am just an average lazy student always pick the easier way out. :]
i think if you can just play your cards right with a lil luck anyone can get a 4.0.

 

[nima123]

This obvious isn't a yes or no question. A friend and I were talking about this for a while the other day and I think it's kind of interesting to think about. Do you guys think that anyone can get a 4.0 GPA (or 4.3, whatever the scale) if they study hard enough? I don't think 4.0 is possible for many people. Some people just don't retain information well enough no matter how hard they study. What do you guys think? And by "anyone" I obviously mean a university student.

How much is hard work and how much is natural 'smarts'?

If you need a 4.0 after four years, you need to be BOTH smart and hard-working. I know one preson in my class who got it so it's possible but very hard.

To be honest, though, you probably don't need a 4.0, a 3.9+ would do it for any school I know of. You need a little bit of luck too to get a 4.0 because sometimes you just screw up on an exam and that's it: you're 4.0 is now an old dream.

Just work real hard, take easy electives if you can and cross fingers.

Good luck!

 

[scgroat]

Even more important is the grading scale. It is flatout difficult to maintain a 4.0 if it requires a 95 average, which is the case at some schools. On the other hand, it's a heck of a lot easier if there are no pluses or minuses. It's tough either way because the chances are that everyone will come across some teacher that is either extremely difficult, rigid, pompous, etc. This happened to me in my postbac when I encountered the most evil of all biochemistry professors.

 

[boodthedog]

Sometimes its impossible to get an A. For instance, I took a music class for non-music majors where for the first time ever the professor said that to get an A, you had to be of the skill level to perform with him. To get a B, you had to come to class. Everyone got a B that came, but no one was even close to an A, nor should have been if they were in that class. The semester before everyone got an A, the teacher then changed his mind. If you don't hit such classes, then hard work and reasonable intelligence can achieve a 4.0, but it's never a given.

 

[lilnoelle]

I'm really surprised that everyone is saying "yes". You guys really must know a select group of people. I know this isn't necessarily a popular view, but I say definitely not. I knew individuals in college who were struggling to pass entry level courses in college- and not because they were partiers or lazy, but because they just couldn't grasp the concepts. I was very good friends with a couple of pre-meds in my class who struggled very hard just to get C's in their premed prerequisites.
Now I'm not saying that an individuals talents or value depend on their ability to perform well in college. I think we all have talents that make us valuable to society. For instance, even though I had no problem performing well in premed courses, I'm a terrible writer, not very creative, and have a hard time understanding math. We all have our talents. (And we all have our weaknesses.

 

[Nasrudin]

It's doable by almost anyone. But to not slip once requires being 1 step ahead of all your classes mainly by picking your fights carefully.

I'd be more impressed with a near 4.0 at a hard school with other activities being carried out concurrently.

 

[geogil]

Though I would like to believe the declaration of independence that "all men are created equally", I don't think this applies in the allocation of intelligence. I can recall in physics a person who studied his butt off, went to every single office hour, worked every problem multiple times, but still just didn't get it. This wasn't calc based physics either, just your run of the mill physics 200. When I was tutoring him, he just couldn't get his mind to think about these problems in the right way. I think that there are some people, who, for whatever reason, are unable to learn certain things, regardless of work ethic and time investment. Consequently, if you can't learn something, it becomes pretty dang hard to ace an exam.

 

[MyStiKxFury]

Hard work goes a long way and even if your a genius you won't get a 4.0 without some work. However, hardwork is not the only factor. There just are some things that require innate ability to obtain. Like say I want to play in the NBA, I can go practice on the courts from sun up to sundown every day for my entire life and still not make it.

And plus sometimes you might have that ***hole of a teacher that just doesn't know how to teach and gives out insanely hards tests.

 

[Swiperfox]

Depends. Take any group of people, raise them in the right conditions from birth, and they could all achieve a 4.0 in my opinion. However, since this is unlikely, then the answer would be not everyone is capable.

 

[scgroat]

not true, but ideal

 

[searun]

A more important question: can any college girl be Paris Hilton, who is about as attractive and sexy as the squirrel who just ran across my lawn, get a free "Double DUII and Get Out of Jail Free Card?"

 

[Nasrudin]

A more important question: can any college girl be Paris Hilton, who is about as attractive and sexy as the squirrel who just ran across my lawn, get a free "Double DUII and Get Out of Jail Free Card?"

no kidding. she looks like one of those strange looking overly bread dogs that rich people like.

 

[gary5]

Genetics. No, "anyone" cannot get a 4.0 GPA. Some people don't have the aptitude, the discipline, the memory, the stability, etc, etc.

 

[midn]

I've kept a 4.0 all throughout college and I can tell you that it depends on a few things: luck, discipline, and efficiency. Now, this is coming from a public university (a top 20 though, mind you) where there will be a greater amount of people earning A's in a class just due to the sheer numbers in class sizes. Back in high school, I thought it was impossible to make all A's but that was my folly. If you set your standards to getting nothing but an A in a class, it becomes a reality if you put in the appropriate effort.

I say efficiency because some people do not know how to study well. During the week of a test, people will invest all their time in one class to catch back up with the material they have been behind with causing them to fall behind in other classes. This happens to me late in the semester, but I try my best to offset it by keeping up with my material as best as possible before the first round of tests hit.

A 4.0 is hardly different from a 3.9 though. If you're going to make a B in a class, and there isn't anything you can do about it, let it go. I don't think med schools specially categorize 4.0's, but rather just see it as 0.1 point above 3.9. It's nothing special.

 

[The Doctor]

Even more predisposing than genetics would be the disparities in elementary and secondary education. People come into college with varying degrees of proficiency in basic mathematics, reading, and writing. For example, if you never learned to how to perform basic algebraic operations, then differentiation and integration would be, with exceptions, nearly impossible to master.
I see this with my own little brother who didn't have the same educational opportunities when he was younger. No matter how much time I invest tutoring him in alegra II, he never seems to fully retain the concept of a logarithm or exponent.

 

[DoctorMario]

I kept a 4.00 with two degrees (Biochem and Business) and over 170 hours. Here's my advice: 1. Plan out what you are going to take from semester to semester. I had to average about 17-18 credits a semester and stay every summer, so it's important to have a plan so you don't overload. 2. Stay on track. A little studying every day is better than cramming at the last minute. Procrastination is nice, but you have a sense of accomplishment if you finish something early. Plus, your free time is your own if you have nothing to do. 3. Good time management. You either study, or you have fun, never both at the same time. No studying with the TV on and minimal studying with friends. Plan out what you need to do every day and then stick to the plan. This way you save time, and when you finish you can do whatever you want. This allowed me to have a normal college life. It's all about time management.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

My GPAs...

• Pre-Post Baccalaureate = 3.1 (B.S. Chemistry, 5-Year Plan)
• Post Baccalaureate = 4.0 (46 Credits, Upper-Division Science)
• Post-Medical School Acceptance Post Baccalaureate = 3.95 (59 Credits, Upper-Division Science), slipped and got a B in Biochemistry II 🙁
• Final Total Undergraduate GPA + Post-Bacc = 3.41

It all depends on how much time and effort you put into organizing and studying for your classes.

 

[DreamyKid]

if u want statics btw, only one person from my school graduated with a 4.0 last year...

 

[dabiophyz]

I don't know a single person with higher than a 3.8 at my school. It just doesn't happen. Even then, only the humanities kids get it that high.

 

[scgroat]

Same here, one 4.0 my senior year...among numerous geniously smart and motivated people. I agree that it cannot be done at certain places...unless you are the top .01% of the population, which even on SDN is not abundant.

 

[The Madden Bus]

Genetics. No, "anyone" cannot get a 4.0 GPA. Some people don't have the aptitude, the discipline, the memory, the stability, etc, etc.

Wow, I'm such a pre-med that when I saw you say Genetics I thought you meant the course was a reason that no one could get a 4.0, not someone's genetic pre-disposition. I need a vacation.

 

[SunshineNYC]

My college roomate and good friend almost had a 4.0 in a top 20 undergrad school... the only thing holding her back was a B+ in psychology. Had she taken something other than general psych, she would have had a 4.0 for sure. She was an engineer and took the most advanced math courses the school offered, and she TAed for one of the advanced math courses. She then went on to acheive a 4.0 at her engineering masters program at a TOP engineering school. The best part is that she totally went out and partied all the time, going to live shows, taking trips to follow bands, and she slept a good amount too. She definitely studied and worked VERY hard, and is totally a genius too, but she is not a nerd at all, which is great.

Anyway, I don't know if you meant undergrad only, or also a master's program, but it's not impossible, but close to it I guess.

 

[Auron]

4.0 for a semester, or many semesters? Certainly doable.

4.0 cumulative at graduation? Tough and generally unlikely, but doable. People have done it. My little sister just finished middle school with a 4.0 without a sweat, and she's a whole year younger then everyone in her class. I'm a proud brother 🙂

 

[armybound]

If it was attainable for everyone, you'd see more magna cum laudes at your graduation.

Obviously most people either don't possess the dedication/hard work or intelligence to get it done, or there are other factors out of your control (curving, professor choice)

I agree with Auron though, I think anyone can get a semester's 4.0

 

[uhohspaghettio]

it is possible if you go to Cal State or something and study ur butt off there

 

[mtlove]

This is dependent on the school. A 3.8 is rare at my school, and I have never heard of a person getting a 3.9-4.0. My school's physics department often goes a year or longer without giving an A or A-, and the faculty are quite proud of this. I also had general education requirements where no As where given.

Some schools are the complete opposite, and they have very inflated grades (ivys for example) and many more 4.0s.

It just really depends on the school's policies regarding grade inflation.

 

[SunshineNYC]

Before I said that it is possible, but I don't think that just anyone can get a 4.0. I definitely think that for some people, it is impossible... clearly because some people lack the dedication, but also, I think many... most... lack the innate intelligence and versatility required to do A work in so many different subjects. There are SO many people who are the most dedicated individuals, but they just are not smart enough to understand any subject you throw at them to its depth and to produce A-quality work in the form of papers, tests, presentations and hands-on projects, no matter how hard they try... and it might just be that they are not that smart at math, or English, or any one subject. It takes an exceptionally smart individual, a fairly well-rounded individual (in terms of subjects they are comfortable in), and a very dedicated and self-disciplined person. Basically, it's a rare person, and that's why it happens so rarely.

 

[prmdbeach17]

Wow, I'm such a pre-med that when I saw you say Genetics I thought you meant the course was a reason that no one could get a 4.0, not someone's genetic pre-disposition. I need a vacation.

Haha, me too...Anyway the only reason I wouldn't have a 4.0 is organic chem🙁 and +/- grading. I will never totally "get" organic but could probably get an A in any bio class. I don't think just anyone could get a 4.0 because for some people, certain classes just don't come easily to them no matter how hard they work.

 

[midn]

I kept a 4.00 with two degrees (Biochem and Business) and over 170 hours. Here's my advice: 1. Plan out what you are going to take from semester to semester. I had to average about 17-18 credits a semester and stay every summer, so it's important to have a plan so you don't overload. 2. Stay on track. A little studying every day is better than cramming at the last minute. Procrastination is nice, but you have a sense of accomplishment if you finish something early. Plus, your free time is your own if you have nothing to do. 3. Good time management. You either study, or you have fun, never both at the same time. No studying with the TV on and minimal studying with friends. Plan out what you need to do every day and then stick to the plan. This way you save time, and when you finish you can do whatever you want. This allowed me to have a normal college life. It's all about time management.

👍

 

[vectorman]

I have a 4.0 (so much for modesty😳) but I can assure u it wasn't w walk in the park. It takes both natural smarts and hard work to get there. It is not impossible.

 

[CTtarheel]

I think it takes a combination of hard work, intelligence, and most importantly LUCK! All it takes is one bad day, one messed up project to screw up an A.

 

[scgroat]

Man, this thread is still alive and kicking. Speaking of nerds, I'm making posts on a Friday night when I could be working on my 4.0 for next fall

 

[paranoid_eyes]

it is possible, but i think luck and planning play the biggest parts

 

[modernistic]

It is possible, but unless you're willing to work for it and sacrifice a bit of your social time. Yes, that's right. Spending a few hours a day and the rest of it slacking probably won't do it for you unless you're taking bird courses. I guess it all really depends on your program and work ethic. Really smart people don't always get 4.0s because they are already quite confident and so don't bother studying.

I actually don't really see the point of having a 4.0 since there really isn't that much of a difference between a 3.8, 3.9 to a 4.0. Does anyone agree?

 

[maestro1625]

sure getting a 4.0 is impressive, but really, getting a 4.0 is like being a finalist in the national spelling bee. Your parents will be proud of you, but it has a rather weak indication of actual life and professional success.

 

[TheRealMD]

It is possible, but unless you're willing to work for it and sacrifice a bit of your social time. Yes, that's right. Spending a few hours a day and the rest of it slacking probably won't do it for you unless you're taking bird courses. I guess it all really depends on your program and work ethic. Really smart people don't always get 4.0s because they are already quite confident and so don't bother studying.

I actually don't really see the point of having a 4.0 since there really isn't that much of a difference between a 3.8, 3.9 to a 4.0. Does anyone agree?

I agree. As soon as you get past the 3.75-3.8 range, we're talking people who've probably made a total of 3-4 Bs in their entire undergraduate career out of 30+ classes they've taken. It's almost the same as saying a 4.0 student is better than a 3.99 student just because of the 0.01 difference.

Due to the discrepencies of grading systems, I would hope at that point they start looking at other attributes than nitpicking. I always thought that I'd be happy with my 3.75 and still retain a social life for a bit than a 4.0 and be alone. No point of busting my ass for grades if I have to wait 15+ years to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

 

[gatrandy]

It is possible - I almost did it (one B argh!) in Chemical Engineering / Chemistry. It requires high efficiency studying, a lot of luck, and a copy of a previous test or two, so you don't bomb the first exam in a class like everyone else (not knowing what to expect).

 

[modernistic]

It is possible - I almost did it (one B argh!) in Chemical Engineering / Chemistry. It requires high efficiency studying, a lot of luck, and a copy of a previous test or two, so you don't bomb the first exam in a class like everyone else (not knowing what to expect).

I completely agree with that. Getting past exams saved me for every single class. Even if I was really clueless the day before, as soon as I started doing past exams, things started falling into place. So far, I've been grateful to have a 4.0, but honestly, I still don't see the point in having it. People will tell me that I'm an idiot, but I sometimes feel like it will end up hurting me more than helping me. It's not an indication of your real life experience because after all, it is just a number and nobody wants to be a number now do we?

 

[smeagol]

It is possible, but unless you're willing to work for it and sacrifice a bit of your social time. Yes, that's right. Spending a few hours a day and the rest of it slacking probably won't do it for you unless you're taking bird courses. I guess it all really depends on your program and work ethic. Really smart people don't always get 4.0s because they are already quite confident and so don't bother studying.

I actually don't really see the point of having a 4.0 since there really isn't that much of a difference between a 3.8, 3.9 to a 4.0. Does anyone agree?

Yes and no.

Is there a significant qualitative difference between someone with a 3.8 and someone with a 4.0? I'd certainly say yes. To have a GPA of 4.0 you reveal no academic flaw on your record (barring standardized tests). Of course, that's not a bad thing. You may have had a particularly merciless professor whereas a different student who had received an 'A' in a similar class did not.

But If you have all 'As' and say 1 B in organic chemistry. It begs for an explanation. Did you not try as hard? Were you weak in that particular area? Or was the professor just plain evil? If one has a 4.0, what is there to ask if no weakness is revealed in grades? However, the MCAT surely takes care of that.

I'm not suggesting that students walking around with 4.0's are 'much better' than students in the 3.9 range (but 3.8 and 4.0 is a quite a gap). What you get from a 4.0 is a sense of accomplishment towards an idea of flawlessness. Whether or not that is meaningful probably depends on the person.

A more pertinent question that you pointed out is whether or not it's worth the trouble; the answer to which I believe is no.

I highly doubt ADCOMs care about the difference between a 3.9 and a 4.0. The only thing at stake is the ego of the student. I'm willing to bet that students who strive for a 4.0 already know this. If you're purposefully going after a 4.0 and you're not an academic prodigy, chances are you'll need to put forth extra work into your classes (by purposefully I mean to exclude students who achieve 4.0's without trying very hard, if it happens).

The extra work you put forth, of course, is for safety. You end up wanting to viscously murder every test to maximize your chances at an 'A.' At the end of the course, you realize that you wasted a lot of time putting in too much work. You might end up realizing that you could have gotten the same grade without trying as hard. For this reason alone it is not worth it at all. In fact, you could probably better your chances at being admitted into medical schools by investing the extra time studying into EC's. Another great idea would be just to have fun.

So I think the difference between a 3.9 and a 4.0 matters only to someone's ego and very little to ADCOMs.

 

[Dave_D]

Put me in the "No not everyone can do it" camp. I mean first off it'd help if you don't have any major weakness in any area. Barring that at least find some way to avoid a major weakness. (Alot of us are terrible at foreign languages and that can do massive damage. If you're lucky enough to realize you have the problem then you'd have to find a school that doesn't force it down your throat. Did I ever mention I'm a little bitter about that🙂 ) Then once you've gotten that out of the way the next step is figuring out which professors are the most likely to fit in with your learning style. (Yes, this makes a difference. Some profs you'll butt heads with and that always seems to shave off a few points on your GPA. Again you can't have a requirement taught by one of these professors.) Finally you can't get hurt or sick at the wrong moment. (So if you'd been keeping up the whole time and all of sudden you get sick and can't study for a final don't be surprised if your A suddenly becomes an A-.)

Oh, and I'm not counting other issues like family emergencies and such. (Like being a short notice baby sitter for nieces and nephews.)

Pretty much if anybody could do it you'd think it'd be alot more common than it is. (Well, unless you allow cheating but some how I don't think you would include that🙂)

Dave