I'm a sophomore undergraduate biophysics + math double major at a T10. After this semester my GPA is going to be 3.79 with a strong upward trend from freshman fall to sophomore fall (I had mandatory pass/fail freshman spring). Some of my lowest grades in college have come in my math classes - a B in calculus 3 freshman fall, an A- in linear algebra freshman summer, and an A- in differential equations sophomore fall. I'm wondering, is it even worth keeping the math major at this point? I'm really interested in math for my own intellectual enjoyment + a sneaking sense that mathematical training will be really helpful in my future research career. I just don't want to sabotage my BCPM GPA, which right now is about 3.81.
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Should I drop my math major?
Started by mdphdincoming
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Agree that early training in mathematics is almost universally a good idea. But not good to sacrifice your GPA to the math major.
Higher GPA is more important than listing a double major on your transcript, because of GPA filters often applied by admissions committees.
Can you keep the classes for the knowledge but take them P/F so they don't affect your GPA?
Higher GPA is more important than listing a double major on your transcript, because of GPA filters often applied by admissions committees.
Can you keep the classes for the knowledge but take them P/F so they don't affect your GPA?
@turtle114 Thanks for letting me know. Is there a GPA floor at which I should consider dropping the math major, in your opinion?
@tr I'm a little worried about taking so many classes pass-fail, even though they aren't strictly required for medical school. I could maybe audit the classes if push came to shove. What's the lowest tolerable GPA before I was removed from consideration for most MSTPs? Obviously my goal is to do as well as I can in undergrad.
@tr I'm a little worried about taking so many classes pass-fail, even though they aren't strictly required for medical school. I could maybe audit the classes if push came to shove. What's the lowest tolerable GPA before I was removed from consideration for most MSTPs? Obviously my goal is to do as well as I can in undergrad.
I second this idea.
There's no cutoff. The higher the better, of course. My one regret from undergrad is not taking enough classes P/F. Nobody cares how many non-required classes you take P/F. It's one of the cheat codes of college that nobody told me about. I should've taken at least half dozen bio classes P/F. Any non-letter grade required class where the professor explicitly says a stringent curve will be set should be taken P/F.
Drop the math major. A second major does not add much, if anything, to your application. It can actually degrade your application if it lowers your GPA or limits the amount of time you have to do research. Research is the most important part of your application, so guard it jealously.
Over the past 5 years, the average GPA of our interviewees has been 3.89, and only 6% had a GPA below 3.75. The lowest was 3.12.
Over the past 5 years, the average GPA of our interviewees has been 3.89, and only 6% had a GPA below 3.75. The lowest was 3.12.
Is it common for universities to give the option of P/F normally? I do not think about my institutions allowed this (outside of COVID period).
I believe this is due to the COVID period. My institution is allowing us to take P/F until after the semester ends (i.e. after we see our grade for the class).
