Research vs boost GPA in year off

[Masterus]

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What do ya'll think? Work full time and leave the sGPA at 3.5 or take 6 classes total and boost it to a 3.6? I wish I could do both, but not many classes can fit into a full work schedule

 

[doc toothache]

You are making an assumption that the proposed course grades are a mere formality.

 

[thirstyscholar]

Research papers and grants enlarge a school's endowment...First author a paper and you feign the Golden Goose

 

[ILLchief]

what kind of research would you be doing? 3.5 is pretty good as it is. i say go for the research and get your names on some sweet papers

 

[Masterus]

I'd only be doing it for a year so it's unlikely that I would be published. So does that make any difference? It's a hard choice because I am going to take these classes eventually anyway because I want a chem major eventually. Thirsty scholar does make an extremely excellent point.

@doc toothache, I've become a much better student since my first 3 semesters which are pulling down my gpa. And my state school is much easier than my undergrad from personal experience in taking some classes already.

Also, thank y'all for replying!!

 

[omgroll]

Go with research. I had 3.6 gpa 0 research exp and recieved 5 interviews. However, I wished I had something I could talk about thats research related during the interviews. I am Canadian and I applied in Nov so if you apply early even with 3.5 you'll get tons of interviews.

 

[ILLchief]

I'd only be doing it for a year so it's unlikely that I would be published. So does that make any difference? It's a hard choice because I am going to take these classes eventually anyway because I want a chem major eventually. Thirsty scholar does make an extremely excellent point.

@doc toothache, I've become a much better student since my first 3 semesters which are pulling down my gpa. And my state school is much easier than my undergrad from personal experience in taking some classes already.

Also, thank y'all for replying!!

i was able to get published within a year! don't sell yourself short, get in there and do work

 

[beanie5]

Research. I have a lower GPA than you, average/barely above avg DAT scores, but quality research experience and got in. Not many of the prospectives I met at interviews had done research, so that may have helped set me apart as well (Can't be certain...it may just be that the ones I spoke with hadn't). Join a productive lab, and a paper in one year might be possible.