Grades and their consequences. Should I explain myself in my essay?

[f1simplified]

Hey everyone,

 

Yeah, you can probably see that I'm kinda of worried right now. So I'm currently doing my masters at an OK school and plan on applying for a PhD in some of the top 10 schools after this. My research work has been pretty good and I have a few publications so far. (Nothing exemplary, but reasonably satisfactory, I believe). I've been trying to keep my grades up since my grades during undergrad (which was a different field) were extremely low. 

 

So, of the 7 subjects that I've taken this year, my grades are the following. A, A, A, A-, A, A-, B+

 

Yes, that B+ at the end is bumming me out. I've heard stories of how top schools simply do not consider your applications unless you're a straight A student or at least have a GPA of 3.9. I'm wondering if I should try and explain the B+ in my application essay. The thing is, the only reason I got the B+ is because while I needed an aggregate % of 86 to get the A-, my score was 85. The professor is quite rigid about his grading and refused to relax it for me. So I'm stuck here. 

 

Should I not apply to top schools anymore? Should I attempt to explain my grade in my essay? Is there really anything that I can do about this? Or is this not really much of an issue at all and am I simply being paranoid for no reason?

 

 

[bsharpe269]

Those grades are aboslutely fine. Youre fit and research experience are going to matter alot more than a B+ vs A- in one class.

[Guest Gnome Chomsky]

Sad that the top schools are made of students (and faculty) obsessed with grades. Maybe that's why all the great ones drop out. 

[TakeruK]

I don't know where you get the information that you must have straight As to get into grad school. I am at a top program right now and I got grades worse than B+ in some very important classes in my major. Some of them were even the ones directly related to my undergrad and proposed graduate research. Your entire application as a whole is important, not just getting top grades.

[victorydance]

^ I've never understood it either, it seems to be a significant myth in the application process; along with GRE scores.

 

GPA and GRE scores are used as benchmarks or hoops to jump through. Everything else is what is going to get you admitted. 

[reinhard]

I don't think you are supposed to explain this, you should ask your LOR to explain it for you. If you do it, it's just going to sound like you are making excuses.

[TakeruK]

No, definitely do not explain it or ask anyone to explain it. Very few people have perfect grades and it's normal for an A student to have a few B's.

[rising_star]

A B+ is nothing to explain! Just go ahead and apply to the schools you're interested in. One B+ in a course is not going to be the difference between getting in and getting rejected.

[Queen of Kale]

I actually think if you take up precious essay space explaining away a B+ it's going to be a red flag that you don't understand that in grad school original research almost always trumps grades.  Also it might make you look a smidge crazy on a personal level.  Not saying I don't have crazy thoughts like these but I hide them from the world and would never put them into print, especially in application materials.  Save these thoughts for the fridays you share beers with your equally crazy grad school buddies.  

[LMac]

Agreeing with previous posters that a B+ is nothing to worry about. I spent a fair amount of real estate in my SOP explained my grades, and I had a 3.08. I am currently attending a top 10 school in my field. Take a deep breath and spend time in your SOP explaining why you're pursuing a PhD and why X school is the best fit for you, and you for them. Good luck!