MA GPA vs uGPA

[THS]

What do graduate programs weigh more heavily?  MA GPA or undergraduate GPA.  My grad GPA is much higher (3.95) vs my undergraduate GPA at (3.4).  I would assume that my graduate GPA wins here, but what do you all think.  I am applying to Sociology PHD programs so maybe the field you are in matters too.  Thanks for the answers to come! 

[OhSoSolipsistic]

I have a similar background - 3.9 Experimental Psych MA, and I transferred to a smaller school exactly halfway through my undergrad and got a 3.55 GPA, but my first undergrad is horrible (I think 2.6 or something). Schools know that grad GPAs are inflated - well not really inflated, but grades matter less because generally everyone is near the top and most classes are seminar, and anything less than 3.0 is usually grounds for dismissal. So anyway, the two GPAs aren't really equivalent, and most schools will recognize and look favorably at your grad, but not consider it a replacement. A lot pay more attention to only your undergrad major GPA, or the last 60 units. Others will look for other strong components and not pay much attention to GPA as long as you meet a cut-off of 3.0 or 3.3, like professional experience in your field or publications or a strong GRE or yada yada. But most of all is fit.

tl;dr: Grad GPA generally doesn't replace undergrad. 3.4 shouldn't be a detrimental factor, but it might be weighted more heavily without experience, etc.

[Ufffdaaa]

I'd say that your grad GPA is definitely more important because it shows that you can work in the discipline at a graduate level. This is more important to a program than your ability to succeed at variety of general education requirements. You've progressed beyond the undergrad level and those grades are not as representative of the student you are now.

Even if the undergrad GPA ends up being the deciding factor (not likely in my opinion), 3.4 isn't terrible. If your undergrad GPA was below 3.0, you could have an issue. Also, many programs focus on the last two years of undergrad anyway (not cumulative).