Transfer Student GPA drop

[byaaaaaaah23]

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Hi everyone! I'm a rising junior, applying next year, with a transfer question.

My cGPA is a 3.795, sGPA is a 3.805 but the difference between my first two years is pretty large. As a freshman I earned a 3.97 but then transferred to a higher ranked school. My sophomore year GPA is 3.56. Will this look bad? I'm easing off on the credit hours this coming year (took a pretty high load one semester last year) and have hopefully adjusted to more rigorous grading.

Have not taken the MCAT yet. Thanks for your opinions!

 

[Catalystik]

What will look bad is if it doesn't go back up after a reasonable period of adjustment. What was the GPA of each semester sophomore year?

 

[Morsetlis]

You have the future to worry about rather than whether the past looks bad or not.

 

[byaaaaaaah23]

1st semester freshman: 4.0 (16 hours)
2nd semester freshman: 3.95 (17 hours)

1st semester sophomore: 3.71 (3.5 credits)
2nd semester sophomore: 3.46 (5.5 credits)

 

[Catalystik]

I don't think you can blame the grade drop on transferring. Overloading on credit hours is a legitimate reason, so long as you show you learned from the experience by not having it happen again.

 

[byaaaaaaah23]

I don't think you can blame the grade drop on transferring.

Not even if there's a significant difference between the two schools? First one was considerably easier (state school) than the second (Ivy League).

 

[Morsetlis]

1st semester freshman: 4.0 (16 hours)
2nd semester freshman: 3.95 (17 hours)

1st semester sophomore: 3.71 (3.5 credits)
2nd semester sophomore: 3.46 (5.5 credits)

That's not a significant grade drop. You can make it up in junior and early senior years and summer classes.

 

[Catalystik]

Not even if there's a significant difference between the two schools? First one was considerably easier (state school) than the second (Ivy League).

The first semester at the new school sophomore year was not a significant GPA drop, though IMO the second semester was. Overall, though, your cGPA is still quite competitive, and I'm sure it will improve further in the time left before application.

The bright side is that you now have good fodder for a Secondary essay in how you learned to pace yourself better after learning your limitations.

 

[byaaaaaaah23]

The first semester at the new school sophomore year was not a significant GPA drop, though IMO the second semester was. Overall, though, your cGPA is still quite competitive, and I'm sure it will improve further in the time left before application.

The bright side is that you now have good fodder for a Secondary essay in how you learned to pace yourself better after learning your limitations.

Thanks so much catalystik and morsetlis! I'm hoping my cGPA will make up for what turned out to be a pretty intense semester haha. My plan is not to take more than ~4 credits of coursework in the future. Thanks again!