GPA fluctuation

[pbehzad]

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i am wondering if it looks bad if your gpa fluctuates each semester? What i mean is if one semester you get 4.0, next semester 3.5, then 3.8, 3.5, etc....I mean lets say it averages out to like a 3.7-3.8, but you arent makign 3.7/3.8 every semester you making varied gpas between 3.5-4.

 

[klinzou]

As long as you don't have any bad semester (say below 3.2) and you have a good avgerage ~3.7+ then I don't see why a minor fluctuation should matter any at all.

If you do have a really bad semester, then I'd be sure to include a reason as to why your grades dropped that semester so the adcom knows that you didn't just slack, but actually had extenuating circumstances.

 

[Gleevec]

Originally posted by pbehzad
i am wondering if it looks bad if your gpa fluctuates each semester? What i mean is if one semester you get 4.0, next semester 3.5, then 3.8, 3.5, etc....I mean lets say it averages out to like a 3.7-3.8, but you arent makign 3.7/3.8 every semester you making varied gpas between 3.5-4.

As klinzou said a range of 3.5-4 is really good, especially when u end up with a GPA as high as 3.7. Also, I dont know if adcoms really look at per semester GPA that much if the overall GPA is already way above average.

 

[DrMom]

I wouldn't worry about it. Like Gleevec, I doubt that adcoms look too closely at each semester. They're usually much more concerned with the science & overall GPAs.

 

[eschauberger]

It's kind of wierd, but my semester GPAs have gone up every semester (and cumulative with it). No kidding. Started with a 2.7, then 2.9, 3.3,3.4, 3.6,3.7,3.8 and a 3.9 this last semester. My cumulative is a 3.46, so... not great, but I think the trend will help me, especially since my classes have gotten harder with the trend.
Anybod else with a story like this?
-=Eric

 

[canadagirl]

Me too, Eric.. A little more extreme, though... 3.2, 4.0, 4.0, 4.0 ... hopin' they'll ignore my first year 😉

 

[siempre595]

I don't think it's a big deal. I had a couple lower semesters mostly due to one class, they look at all of it, and it's the overall that matters.

 

[Bob Dole]

I wouldn't worry about the fluctuating GPA, that's fine compared to the downward trend. My GPA has followed an obvious downward trend and yet I've been getting interviews at pretty competitive schools, so like I said DON'T WORRY! 😀

 

[Bonds756]

Upward trends are definitely good. And pbehzad, that really isn't much variation from semester to semester. Importantly, your lowest semester is higher than the average total gpa of all applicants, so just keep up the good work. Schools look mostly at overall gpas and certain individual classes (prereqs), not at semester gpas.