Undergrad GPA from top university

[chemistryfoodie]

I was recently admitted into MIT for undergrad. I know GPA is not the only factor, but do you all know around what GPA I would need to earn at MIT (I hear that there is grade deflation) to get into a biology or biochemistry Ph.D. program at a school like Stanford, Harvard, Yale or Berkeley? I am still deciding whether I should do my undergrad there or at a university with a lesser known reputation because the ultimate goal is to go to a good grad school.

[BabyScientist]

Getting into graduate school isn't all about GPA. I'd say that a GPA of 3.5+ would be enough for those schools, but what matters more is research experience, publications, presentations, etc. MIT will offer you great opportunities to research - the lesser known school might too, though (can't say without knowing which one).

[siliconchins]

I was accepted to MIT grad with a GPA of ~3.5, although I will probably say it was one of the less important parts of my application. 

[ballwera]

Way to early on in the process to be worried about something like this. Choose undergrad based upon where you think you will be given the most opportunities to succeed in general. In addition, I'd go where you will have the least debt load possible following undergrad. If you do end up choosing an undergrad w/o a large amount of research, make sure to apply for REU/SURF for summer research opportunities. 

[Neuro15]

Research is generally more important than GPA anyways, so long that your GPA is of reasonable strength. The experiences at MIT will likely outweigh the possible grade deflation. But really, don’t worry about the PhD yet. You’ve got tons of time and your interests and career plans might change anyways. I see so many undergrad freshman stressing about the “next step” without enjoying their current step.

An MIT degree will help open doors for you even if you don’t pursue grad school, I would go there. 

Edited March 31, 2018 by Neuro15

[eevee]

Also please keep in mind the fact that undergrad and grad "prestige" are completely different ball parks. I worry when people decide that they want to apply to certain grad schools simply because of 'name brand.' You may be surprised by research fit and general environment when you're applying, and those should be the most important factors in your grad school search. Furthermore (although of course take 'rankings' with a similar grain of salt'), certain programs that aren't considered as 'prestigious' for undergrad may actually be ranked higher than ungergrad-prestigious schools for bio grad programs (one example: UC Davis's biology PhD program ranks higher than UPenn and Dartmouth). 

That disclaimer being said, though, GPA really barely matters as long as it's above a certain threshold (I'd aim for a 3.5). Research experience, connections, possible publications and conference attendance, your letters of recommendation, and your statement of purpose will all matter MUCH more for grad school admission. I do think staying at MIT is worth it for undergrad simply because your professors will have more connections in the field and may be able to open doors for you and help you find good research experiences and mentorship.