Difference between a 3.4x and a 3.5 Forum

[carboy67]

My fall semester grades are in and it just boosted my GPA from a 3.48 and to a 3.50. Do you think this would look significantly better to an admissions committee or is it just about the same? Also, do those types of differences in GPA mean that much when its the difference between being within their 25th-75th GPA range and out. (For ex. if the 25th GPA was 3.55 and you were at a 3.54 instead of the 3.55 or 3.56). Sounds like a dumb question but I was just curious?

[whymeohgodno]

My fall semester grades are in and it just boosted my GPA from a 3.48 and to a 3.50. Do you think this would look significantly better to an admissions committee or is it just about the same? Also, do those types of differences in GPA mean that much when its the difference between being within their 25th-75th GPA range and out. (For ex. if the 25th GPA was 3.55 and you were at a 3.54 instead of the 3.55 or 3.56). Sounds like a dumb question but I was just curious?

I think it matters the most when you hit/go above their median. I don't think the 25th/75th matter as much.

[Hawkeye Pierce]

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[whymeohgodno]

I reckon it could help if the law school has a floor of, say, 3.5.

This is true. It's hard to determine soft floors many times when it isn't something obvious such as 3.0 floor for UVA etc...

Texas definitely seems to have a soft floor around 3.4-3.5 though.

[s0ph1e2007]

I reckon it could help if the law school has a floor of, say, 3.5.

I think it's unlikely that any school as a 3.5 floor
Yale accepted someone last year with a 3.38

[mst]

Also, take a look at your course load. If you got that high semester GPA taking all very hard-sounding classes, it might be something to consider. If you got it taking 5 credits and your course-load consisted of "Rainbows and bunnies 101" you're probably just better off waiting for schools to request fall grades. Instinctively, I would refrain from sending them out in most cases if the new GPA is exactly the same as the current.

[rinkrat19]

your course-load consisted of "Rainbows and bunnies 101"

Dammit, that sounds way more fun than Applied Differential Equations and Principles of Heat and Mass Transfer. I knew I was taking the wrong classes.

3.5 might make a difference if it's the cutoff for graduating with honors (instead of class rank), as it was at my UG. A little Latin looks better than nothing.