Not Quite Good Enough

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I am currently working toward a Bachelor’s Degree in Conservation Biology. My ultimate goal is to get a Doctorates Degree. My current GPA is a 2.76 but in order to be accepted by Graduate Schools in my field, my advisor has warned me I need a minimum of 3.0. I graduate next year. He said that, if I can’t get my grades higher, when I try to get into graduate school, I’m going to need to be able to persevere despite the rejections I will probably receive if I want to be successful.

I put my all into everything I do but always come out with grades that seem almost, but not quite, worthy of attention. Even in middle and high school, despite being able to remember much of what I learned, I wasn’t able to hold an average above the high 80’s. I feel that the problem is that the school system pushes just a little too hard for me to keep up with what is expected of someone deserving of that next step. Once I learn something, I don’t forget it easily but the learning process is slow for me.

Is there anyone else on here who feels that the general learning system does not allow them to demonstrate their full potential?

Am I the only one who’s upset that a person’s future will depend on how other people will interpret at the numbers on a sheet of paper?

My best suggestion would be for you to fill up your schedule with as many nonessential, easy classes as you can to pull your GPA up. He's right, a 3.0 is a big cutoff both for graduate schools and for jobs. You will probably be able to get into grad school if you have a high GRE and a really good recommendation letter or two, but you won't get into any of the top schools. If you graduate next year, that should be enough time to bring it up over a 3.0 if you do well. If you aren't spending 40-70 hours a week on schoolwork now, it couldn't be a better time to start! Think of it as a sacrifice now for an improvement in your life later.

Because I am a transfer student, there are several courses that I am required to take that I still haven’t done. The way that my schedule is set up, I am worried that taking an easy course on top of all the harder ones I have will simply overwhelm me and cause a drop in my grades overall.

As for your advice of working 40 to 70 hours a week, I am already doing this. I work myself as hard as I can and rarely devote less than 50 hours to my classes in any given week.

Good to hear! I only suggested that because I know many people who are working on improving their GPAs are simply not working hard enough, and only putting in like 10hrs a week. Yeah I'm not suggesting adding classes if you don't have the room, just if you do need to fill your schedule with something.

The best advice I can give is to perhaps change how you are approaching school. One thing that I do that is an immense help is to talk to your professors very frequently, go to their office hours and get them to explain everything you are having trouble with or that is confusing for you. They will typically be more than happy to do so, and it can make all the difference in the world. Some concepts that stumped me for 10+ hours at my home easily made all the sense in the world after a 2-minute conversation with a professor. The fact is that most people can do very well academically, but few truly know how. An analogy I use sometimes is that if a person can remember the stats and rankings of 30 different football teams, and 200 different players, then they can definitely memorize the molecular structures of 20 molecules and the scientific names of 15 bacterial species.

For homework assignments, of course make absolutely sure that you turn them in on time and that you do everything that is required for said assignment. Don't just try to meet the requirements either, go above and beyond them. If you have to write a report that is 10 pages minimum and 20 maximum, make sure yours is near the 20-page mark. Not just 20 pages of filler material, but of things that are highly useful to the topic at hand!

In the end you do have to consider the possibility that graduate school may not be for you though. Getting a PhD is typically going to be a fair bit more difficult than a bachelors, and if you find yourself struggling now you will probably be struggling even moreso then. Not to mention graduate programs often require students to maintain a higher GPA to stay enrolled (they'll often kick you out if you go below a 3.0). I do wish you the best, but grad school isn't for everyone.

It sounds like your work philosophy is similar to mine, although I definitely don’t ask the professors for help as often as I should.

Absolutely. It's all about test scores and "status" nowadays, unfortunately. I did very well in college, but GPA certainly is not what grad schools are looking at nowadays. They want all these other things, like doing your own research. But how do you get to do your own research if you don't have a Ph.D? I'm very cynical about what grad school (and higher education in general) is becoming. I've got the grades and the passion, and I've been rejected several times for unknown reasons. It's certainly frustrating, but if you get rejected, try not to take it personally. It doesn't mean that you don't have what it takes, that you don't have the knowledge or the passion.

Just keep trying if you really want it badly enough, and always keep studying on your own for fun and special interest indulgence. Since graduation, I've read many, many science books for fun and have learned probably more than I did in college itself. My current job doesn't use my degree, and while I get down at how I know Asperger's/NVLD is almost surely a reason I can't find a better job or a grad school acceptance, the way I deal is by escaping into my own science tutelage. I've always taught myself for fun, but now, it's a way for me to still increase my knowledge and keep learning even if my degree and knowledge aren't being utilized to their full potential.

I really dislike the GPA system, or at least the fact that 3.0 is such a popular cutoff for things. It's just so arbitrary and there's much more to a degree than the grades. Though for grad schools I can understand cause what you're doing there is directly relevant to the degree you've done before and how well you've done. But bear in mind other factors come into play, like whether you've had research experience, whether the rest of your application is sound, the strength of your references, etc so try to work on those also. You can also try the technique of taking easy courses to push your GPA (though grad schools may look at the courses you've taken but then again with a focus on relevant courses rather than hard ones).

OddDuckDash99:
Thanks for your advice. I will do extra-educational reading for fun on the side when I can. Although I don’t have a research project underway, I do have an internship (my college requires one or the other if I want to get my BA). I hope you manage to get accepted soon, too.

WrongWay:
I do know that the colleges are looking at other things, too. I am building up references and as I mentioned above, although I’m not doing a research project (although I may look into one in the future), I am doing an internship. It just seems like, if I don’t meet that 3.0 cut off, the rest of it won’t get me very far.

The whole system's stress on peoples ability to take written tests (which is ultimately what most college course grades depend on) just drives me nuts.

i disagree with the contempt with GPA system, its a useful marker, but i do hate how i have to have a resume a mile long to get anywhere nowadays. Independent research is done if you designate yourself an honors student. To my suprise some of the honor students are not really that bright. I guess a degree say at the university of iowa is not worth as much as a B.A from Harvard, a degree no matter how low sells itself really

I'm dealing with a similar situation-I need a B average to get into the postgraduate programs I'm interested in, so I've needed to reprioritise a lot of things to focus on study. Here are some ideas that I do, or other people find success with:

1. Re-reading and rewriting your notes at the end of the day after class. I need to start doing this-I know a lot of people who swear by it.

2. Have a diary where you have notes of what you need to do, and when you need to get them done by (like essays and tests). Then break them down into steps to complete. For example, "essay due 27 July" is all very well but you might not know where to start, or any of the stuff leading up to the due date. It might be easier to have write down "have an essay plan by 13 July, then email professor with questions by 16 July, etc"

3. Keep in contact with lecturers, tutors and professors, by emailing them or going to office hours. If there is something you're not sure of, talk to them about it.