GPA in SOP and/or on CV?

[Mathētēs]

Have or would you place your GPA in your SOP and/or on your CV? Is there a standard convention about this? Thanks!

[Eyetea]

Let me first state that I am no professional at this but I don't think the SOP is the right place for the GPA. Unless there are specific issues about your program of study that you would like the adcom to see (and they have your GPA, transcripts anyway!). I've seen some treads on this forum where people have succesfully weaved such issues into their SOP. My question would be, why would you want to place your GPA on the SOP- is it not something transcripts or LOR's could address?

[Liesje]

IMO:

SoP definitely no, CV if you want to. As some schools request it on CV I'm just leaving it on there for all. It's not going to disrupt anyone glancing over my CV, but I don't see how it would fit into an SoP without seeming tangential or obnoxious.

[captiv8ed]

I put it in my CV. I went to three different community colleges, but I got nearly a 4.0 at each of them (and had a 4.0 at the one I attended for a full year) and I will be graduating from a school that doesn't do grades, so I thought I should show off that proof of my non-flakiness. I list each school and and then I include a second line with my gpa and dean's list.

[fancypants09]

Definitely no GPA in the SOP, unless there are some extraordinary circumstances you'd like to explain in the SOP. One school I'm applying to stated specifically that they did not want to see general justifications for poor grades in the essays.

I've heard mixed things about the CV. Some of my friends who did put it on their CVs for grad school applications did so because their grades were simply outstanding, or if they had received a particularly high grade in a relevant class. Personally, I'd say don't list it unless they're stellar. The AdComm is going to see your transcripts, and the last thing you want is someone to pass over all your accomplishments and hard work just because they get fixated on a number.