Question about GPA

[AkraticAgent]

So, first of all, I realize this must be a very busy time for most of you; to that end, I apologize for bothering you all. I am going to be applying next cycle but had a question about the GPA requirements. So, I go a top 25 liberal arts school. I anticipate that by the time I submit my application next time, I would have a cumulative GPA of 3.8+ and philosophy GPA of somewhere between 3.85-3.90. I've never had a grade lower than A- on my transcript except one C in an Econ class freshmen year (which totally tanked my cumulative). I've also been taking (somewhat thoughtlessly) upper-division seminars since the first semester of my sophomore year so that's one of the reasons why I don't have a 4.0 so far. But in any case, would that GPA be good enough for most programs? I take it that there is no shortage of 4.0 applicants at the very top places so that's kind of worrying me. All in all, is a difference between, say, a 3.88 and a 4.0 in philosophy really that significant, everything else being equal?

I'm mostly looking at places with strengths in ethics and moral philosophy, such as Michigan, Princeton, UCLA, UNC etc. I know places like Chicago and UVA post their GPA/GRE averages online but I am not sure if other programs do.

Again, I realize this might not be the best time to ask a question like this but I've been watching my friends apply to grad schools over the past few days and just observing the process (polishing writing samples, essays, studying for the GRE's etc.) has been kind of nerve-wracking. And even though I am applying next cycle, I have already started to fret over parts of my application. Hence, forgive the nervous blathering.

[Olórin]

Okay, my GPA was like 3.5 and I did fine. (It was college and I didn't know what grad school was until pretty late into my junior year, although I didn't go to grad school for at least four more years after that.) Of all the factors in an application, the GPA is the least significant.

One of my refrains: people with higher quantitative factors than you will get rejected, people with lower ones will get accepted.

A lot of people think this is straight competition (and it is), but GPA isn't what gets you in or out. It's fit, always fit.

Also, if you go around telling people that you're worried your 3.8 GPA isn't good enough, you will elicit some well-deserved eye rolls.

[shoyemiademola]

Hi, I hear a lot about fit and I would really like to know what that really means to a STEM adcomm , and also how as applicants we can show our fit with the program.

 

Thanks!

[Marcus_Aurelius]

Yeah, as Olorin said, you're fine. Some adcoms care and some don't, but no one's going to raise an eyebrow at 3.8+, particularly if you've improved since freshman year. Polish your writing sample, that's what will make a difference.

[Marcus_Aurelius]

1 minute ago, shoyemiademola said:

Hi, I hear a lot about fit and I would really like to know what that really means to a STEM adcomm , and also how as applicants we can show our fit with the program.

 

Thanks!

This is the Philosophy forum.