Lower GPA, difficult course vs. high GPA, easy course

[kaister]

This is a topic that's brought up every once and a while I assume, but I wanted to get people's thoughts on this.

Is it better to take a more difficult course (where you'll actually learn something and you feel engaged in class) but risk the lower grade OR take an easy course where you'll cruise by and not gain much from. It's a sad fact of life that grad adcoms will look at your GPA and a lot of times just judge you by these numbers. In my case, it's a class outside of my major, so I would hope that it wouldn't bother adcoms that much, as long as they see my major courses are high. I just feel like it's so stupid that I have to sacrifice my money on boring "easy" classes where I'll learn nothing, just to get a higher GPA. I have to make the most of my undergrad time where I'll have this flexibility. I'm just kind of scared it may bite me in the ass someday. Granted, I'm talking about a C, which is not that bad of a grade, but once you're in the trenches of grad school applications, you start getting a little neurotic about these things.

What are your thoughts? What do you think grad adcoms think about this?

[blankslate]

I say GPA > Interest in this situation. If you want to get into a good grad school, GPA is an essential. Why not just audit the courses you're interested in but don't think you'd do as well in?

[Sigaba]

Can you take the course that interests you on a P/NP or P/F option?

[RosamundReage]

It may not be what you want to hear but your GPA is of the upmost importance if you want to get into grad school. A C is actually a pretty big deal as many schools will automatically discard applications of anyone with lower than an A- maybe B+ average. You will also be precluded from most scholarships if you average is lower than an A-.

I agree with Sigaba and blankstate to try to take the course on a pass/fail option or just audit the course. I have audited courses at both the grad and undergrad level and I find it almost more satisfying as you do not need to be stressed out by grades.

Edited March 22, 2012 by RosamundReage