How is GPA calculated?

[IvyLynx]

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Okay, I know that initially this looks like a dumb question.

NCSU converts A+s (4.33) to 4.0s. Do the other schools do this too? My GPA is going to be one of my strong points on my app, and obviously the conversion is going to lower it a bit.

 

[nyanko]

NCSU converts A+s (4.33) to 4.0s. Do the other schools do this too? My GPA is going to be one of my strong points on my app, and obviously the conversion is going to lower it a bit.

I think this is for equal footing with applicants applying from schools that don't do A+'s. Actually, I've never been to a school that does A+/4.33.

 

[bunnyslippers]

Nyanko, I saw that you applied to Davis last year. Do you know how they calculate GPA? I've heard things about them only calculating your GPA for their required courses. That's a pretty scary thought!

To the OP: I don't know for sure, but I can't imagine that many schools would factor in an A+ as 4.33. I've been to tons of schools and only one of them even gave an A+, so it wouldn't really be fair. It would definitely help me a tiny bit too, but I'm not counting on it.

 

[IvyLynx]

I think this is for equal footing with applicants applying from schools that don't do A+'s. Actually, I've never been to a school that does A+/4.33.

While I don't like that, it does make sense. It would give everyone with A+s an unfair advantage. I say too bad to all of you!! (J/K)

Sigh!

 

[IvyLynx]

Nyanko, I saw that you applied to Davis last year. Do you know how they calculate GPA? I've heard things about them only calculating your GPA for their required courses. That's a pretty scary thought!

To the OP: I don't know for sure, but I can't imagine that many schools would factor in an A+ as 4.33. I've been to tons of schools and only one of them even gave an A+, so it wouldn't really be fair. It would definitely help me a tiny bit too, but I'm not counting on it.

OMG, that is a scary thought!

My GPA only drops .1 or .2, but I wanted to know for sure. Especially when OOSers at UC Davis avg. a 3.8 🙁

 

[hoodle]

I didn't have a 3.8 - more like a 3.65. But that's from a well known, competitive liberal arts school, with dramatic upwards improvement (ie almost a 4.0 in junior/senior year classes), and whole ton of research experiences.

 

[CanadianGolden]

Remember, average GPA for even the top schools is around a 3.5-3.6. 🙂 You don't have to have a 4.0 and 10,000 hours of experience to get in!

 

[VAgirl]

OMG, that is a scary thought!

My GPA only drops .1 or .2, but I wanted to know for sure. Especially when OOSers at UC Davis avg. a 3.8 🙁

I didn't have a 3.8 - more like a 3.65. But that's from a well known, competitive liberal arts school, with dramatic upwards improvement (ie almost a 4.0 in junior/senior year classes), and whole ton of research experiences.

And I got in with even less.😛 It's hard, but don't let the numbers scare you off. When I first came to this board I read a lot of posts where people presented their GPA/GREs and received ideas of how competitive they are. There is so much more to it, just put your best foot forward and let the chips fall where they may!

 

[hoodle]

And I got in with even less.😛 It's hard, but don't let the numbers scare you off. When I first came to this board I read a lot of posts where people presented their GPA/GREs and received ideas of how competitive they are. There is so much more to it, just put your best foot forward and let the chips fall where they may!

well said!

 

[bunnyslippers]

so many 2012 UCD students in one place! do any of you know how Davis calculates GPA? I've heard that they only calculate your GPA for their required courses. ahhh! 😱

I'm not OOS but I still need all the help I can get!

 

[VAgirl]

Sorry, bunnyslippers, I don't actually know. Have you checked the prospective student handbook? Or you could contact the Office of Student Affairs/Deans Office/Admissions Office. (After applying to so many schools, I'm not sure which one is the right name for the office that handles admissions at Davis. Heh.😳 I do know that they're a school of veterinary medicine, though. Had to look it up, but I've committed that one to memory now. 😛)

 

[nyanko]

Nyanko, I saw that you applied to Davis last year. Do you know how they calculate GPA? I've heard things about them only calculating your GPA for their required courses. That's a pretty scary thought!

Well in the prospective student handbook it says that 3 GPAs are taken into account in the 25%-30% that your GPA makes up in the acceptance process. Overall, required courses, and last 45 hours.

 

[stick91]

For that whole "last 45 hours" thing, what does that come down to about in terms of semesters? At my school 1 class = 1 hour regardless of if it is intro or upper division or has a lab or not, etc, so 45 hours would be more than all of undergrad...

 

[pupsforseeing]

For that whole "last 45 hours" thing, what does that come down to about in terms of semesters? At my school 1 class = 1 hour regardless of if it is intro or upper division or has a lab or not, etc, so 45 hours would be more than all of undergrad...

That's ~3 semesters of full-time coursework. At my school (and this seems to be pretty average), most non-science courses are 3 credits (3 hours of lecture) and most science courses (3 hours of lecture and one lab/week or two hours lecture and two labs/week) are 4 credits. I've had 16-17 credits each semester except this one (yay 12 credits for my last semester!), so my 45th credit fell in my third-to-last semester.

Hope that makes sense 🙂

 

[VAgirl]

For that whole "last 45 hours" thing, what does that come down to about in terms of semesters? At my school 1 class = 1 hour regardless of if it is intro or upper division or has a lab or not, etc, so 45 hours would be more than all of undergrad...

Same at mine. And it's pathetic that it took me 4 years after graduation to figure this out, but on the back of my transcript, in faint grey ink it states grading scale and a bunch of other junk. Back there it also states that 1 of their credits = 4 credit hours. So look for that kind of a conversion thing. You could also call the school, they should know how to answer.

And as long as I'm giving lessons learned from my stupidity, I'll relate this fun tale. Some schools ask for your last 45 credit hours. If you have grad coursework, you can use it for this. Some schools, though, (KSU comes to mind) specify that they want your last 45 undergraduate credit hours. In that case, still be sure to include any undergrad courses you may have taken since graduation from college (additional pre-reqs, etc.) I forgot to do this. Dumb dumb dumb, since my pre-req classes since college were much better than the GPA in my last 3 college semesters.