Master GPA vs undergraduate GPA

[OldGrad2012]

Hi all,

Please give me input on this questions. Does the adcom emphasize more on GPA from an undergraduate or a graduate GPA? My graduate master GPA is higher 3.46 compared to a low 2.92 undergraduate GPA. So does the adcom take the average GPA of the two or do they only concerned with the undergraduate GPA? Any input will be appreciated.

[ktel]

I would assume they would emphasize the Master's, as that is likely your more relevant and more difficult degree (assuming you're applying to a related PhD program). Taking an average of the two doesn't make sense at all to me.

[Eigen]

They won't average them, they're for two different degrees. That said:

1) You might have some issues due to the sub-3.0 undergraduate GPA. Some schools have hard and fast minimum GPA requirements, and posts in the past have shown that it can even over-ride a higher graduate GPA- I recall one person that was denied admission with a 2.9x undergraduate GPA even though she had a 4.0 from her masters program. This is usually at the school level, not the adcom level, however.

2) Your two GPAs are actually fairly equivalent when you put them into perspective. At least in my field, a sub-3.5 graduate GPA would be about equivalent to a sub-3.0 undergraduate GPA. Graduate courses are higher, but the GPA requirements for continued enrollment are also usually higher- in the US, it's reasonably common for B's to be the lowest passing grade for a course, and 3.0 GPAs as minimum requirements, making a "B" average in grad school equivalent to a "C" average as an undergrad, or a "B+" average as a grad student roughly equivalent to a "B" average as an undergraduate.

Just a few thoughts on your situation. You don't mention your field, which makes anything more specific difficult.

[OldGrad2012]

thanks Eigen

My field was microbiology as an undergraduate with 2.92 GPA from UC Davis.

My Master field was in Biomedical Science with 3.46 GPA so would the adcom weighed the graduate GPA more heavily?

They won't average them, they're for two different degrees. That said:

1) You might have some issues due to the sub-3.0 undergraduate GPA. Some schools have hard and fast minimum GPA requirements, and posts in the past have shown that it can even over-ride a higher graduate GPA- I recall one person that was denied admission with a 2.9x undergraduate GPA even though she had a 4.0 from her masters program. This is usually at the school level, not the adcom level, however.

2) Your two GPAs are actually fairly equivalent when you put them into perspective. At least in my field, a sub-3.5 graduate GPA would be about equivalent to a sub-3.0 undergraduate GPA. Graduate courses are higher, but the GPA requirements for continued enrollment are also usually higher- in the US, it's reasonably common for B's to be the lowest passing grade for a course, and 3.0 GPAs as minimum requirements, making a "B" average in grad school equivalent to a "C" average as an undergrad, or a "B+" average as a grad student roughly equivalent to a "B" average as an undergraduate.

Just a few thoughts on your situation. You don't mention your field, which makes anything more specific difficult.

[Eigen]

I think in general that the graduate GPA will be more heavily counted by the adcom- but there is a definite possibility that you will run into "minimum undergraduate GPA" problems. I'd contact programs before you apply and ask if there's a cutoff GPA, just so you don't waste time and effort applying somewhere that can't accept you.

For BMS (from my experience) your undergraduate and graduate GPAs are roughly equivalent relative to the program. Others may be able to post different experiences.