GPA questions

[TomHiddleston]

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1) schools publish the average GPA's of entering students. are these gpa's they got in with (i.e. first three years) or their final GPA?
2) some schools say that they weigh diff years more heavily they others, some say that they weight all equally, some don't say anything...do those schools tend to weigh some years more heavily or everything equal?

 

[1289]

2) a lot of schools might put more emphasis on the higher level science classes which you presumably are taking in your 3rd or 4th year, that's not to say that your gen chem/gen bio classes aren't as important, but you can redeem a B in gen chem a lot easier than a low grade in a high level science.

 

[Ironmandoc]

Also, the MSAR gives medians rather than means. Make a bit of difference with relatively small sample class sizes

 

[Thego2guy]

1) Those are the GPA's when the applications were sent via AMCAS. Generally those GPA's reflect the cumulative grades for Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior years. I'm not sure whether the listed GPA's on MSAR and on the school websites are the GPA's for people who matriculated, or for those who got accepted.
2) They generally view them equally all in all. They do look for improvement, and probably would put a stronger emphasis on your final year or two. Still, the whole package counts the most.

 

[TomHiddleston]

might some schools have private weighing formula that they don't inform ppl about? if so, are the gpa that they post on their websites reflecting of that?

along the same lines, for schools taht do say third year is worth X amount, 2nd yr Y amount, 1st yr Z amount (weighted avg), the gpa they publish must reflect that formula right?

so i guess the cgpa is important, but they also look at an overall trend (so it is not just about the number, even for something like gpa)?

also what if you apply after your undergrad...then what do they do :S

 

[1289]

might some schools have private weighing formula that they don't inform ppl about? if so, are the gpa that they post on their websites reflecting of that?

along the same lines, for schools taht do say third year is worth X amount, 2nd yr Y amount, 1st yr Z amount (weighted avg), the gpa they publish must reflect that formula right?

so i guess the cgpa is important, but they also look at an overall trend (so it is not just about the number, even for something like gpa)?

also what if you apply after your undergrad...then what do they do :S

um no? the gpa they publish is probably pulled right off of the applicant's amcas. quit obsessing over these minute details, and buy the msar and look at those median GPAs.