Last visit was: 18 May 2026, 19:55 It is currently 18 May 2026, 19:55
Home
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
avatar
Ivan91
avatar
Joined: 26 Jul 2010
Last visit: 02 Sep 2022
Posts: 293
Own Kudos:
167
Given Kudos: 41
Location: European union
Posts: 293
Kudos: 167
Poor academic semester... 09 May 2012, 14:28
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hey guys,
I am not sure whether this is the right place to ask this, if not, please correct me.
I would like to know your opinion regarding a poor performance during a single semester.
My spring 2012 semester just ended and I got 3.20 GPA for that semester. My GPA always varied between 3.60 and 3.75 , which I guess is the average for top business school. Due to this semester results, my CGPA fell to slightly below 3.60. I still have 2 more semesters to go and I am not worried, however, how do you think schools will view this ?
I know GPA is not the most important factor and much more important is what I do after graduation but still, this semester I got a B- which is my worst grade in college and I am worried.
User avatar
HaasEWMBA2015
User avatar
Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Last visit: 10 Jun 2015
Posts: 113
Own Kudos:
27
Given Kudos: 5
Concentration: General Management, Technology
Schools: Haas EWMBA '15 (M)
Schools: Haas EWMBA '15 (M)
Posts: 113
Kudos: 27
Poor academic semester... 09 May 2012, 14:36
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
The average GPA at the top schools is around 3.5. As long as you're at or around this number, you'll be fine. A 3.2 for one semester will not impact your chances.
avatar
Ivan91
avatar
Joined: 26 Jul 2010
Last visit: 02 Sep 2022
Posts: 293
Own Kudos:
167
Given Kudos: 41
Location: European union
Posts: 293
Kudos: 167
Poor academic semester... 09 May 2012, 14:51
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I was involved in a lot of activities this semester, including student conferences abroad, SG and stuff. And the worst thing was getting ill the weekend before the finals week :)
avatar
novanative
avatar
Joined: 16 Aug 2011
Last visit: 14 Apr 2013
Posts: 378
Own Kudos:
55
Given Kudos: 50
Status:schools I listed were for the evening programs, not FT
Location: United States (VA)
Schools: McDonough '14 (WL) Smith (A)
GMAT 1: 640 Q43 V34
GMAT 2: 660 Q43 V38
GPA: 3.1
WE:Research (Other)
Schools: McDonough '14 (WL) Smith (A)
GMAT 2: 660 Q43 V38
Posts: 378
Kudos: 55
Poor academic semester... 09 May 2012, 15:11
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
A 3.2 is something I don't think you necessarily need to explain unless you started getting C's
avatar
Ivan91
avatar
Joined: 26 Jul 2010
Last visit: 02 Sep 2022
Posts: 293
Own Kudos:
167
Given Kudos: 41
Location: European union
Posts: 293
Kudos: 167
Poor academic semester... 09 May 2012, 16:49
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Nope, the lowest I got this semester was B- :)
User avatar
cheetarah1980
User avatar
Joined: 24 Aug 2010
Last visit: 06 Jan 2020
Posts: 1,332
Own Kudos:
450
Given Kudos: 74
Status:Current Student
Location: United States
Schools: Kellogg '14 (A) Booth '14 (M) Wharton '14 (A) Stanford '14 (D)
GMAT 1: 710 Q48 V40
WE:Sales (Consumer Packaged Goods)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: Kellogg '14 (A) Booth '14 (M) Wharton '14 (A) Stanford '14 (D)
GMAT 1: 710 Q48 V40
Posts: 1,332
Kudos: 450
Poor academic semester... 09 May 2012, 20:24
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Ivan91
Hey guys,
I am not sure whether this is the right place to ask this, if not, please correct me.
I would like to know your opinion regarding a poor performance during a single semester.
My spring 2012 semester just ended and I got 3.20 GPA for that semester. My GPA always varied between 3.60 and 3.75 , which I guess is the average for top business school. Due to this semester results, my CGPA fell to slightly below 3.60. I still have 2 more semesters to go and I am not worried, however, how do you think schools will view this ?
I know GPA is not the most important factor and much more important is what I do after graduation but still, this semester I got a B- which is my worst grade in college and I am worried.
Show more

A 3.2 for one semester is not even a blip on the adcom's radar. One B- does not even warrant an explanation in the optional essay. Give yourself a break. While this semester was not as good as previous ones it still wasn't bad. Considering all you had going on I'd say you still did pretty decent. Unless you're planning to apply to b-schools during undergrad by the time you're ready to apply this won't even matter to you.
avatar
xzeppelin
avatar
Joined: 05 Jul 2011
Last visit: 16 Oct 2012
Posts: 75
Own Kudos:
18
Given Kudos: 4
Status:Celebrating!
Location: China
Concentration: Statistics, Finance
Schools: Chicago (Booth) - Class of 2014
GMAT 1: 760 Q50 V42
WE:Research (Consulting)
Schools: Chicago (Booth) - Class of 2014
GMAT 1: 760 Q50 V42
Posts: 75
Kudos: 18
Poor academic semester... 09 May 2012, 20:30
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I had a similar thing happen to me my final semester of school. For some reason, I decided to take 3 electives plus doing my bachelor's thesis all at the same time. There were some interesting classes I'd always wanted to take and it was my last chance. I ended up with my only C, a B-, and even the dreaded W in one class that I just couldn't even muster the time to go to the mid-term for. But I got an A on the thesis, and I think that was really all that mattered. As long as it's clear you weren't taking the semester off to go to Cancun and do blow for six weeks, i.e. you said that you were busy with all kinds of conferences and stuff, it literally will never even become an issue.
avatar
Ivan91
avatar
Joined: 26 Jul 2010
Last visit: 02 Sep 2022
Posts: 293
Own Kudos:
167
Given Kudos: 41
Location: European union
Posts: 293
Kudos: 167
Poor academic semester... 10 May 2012, 04:07
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
btw guys, I would like to ask you something else. In my school, people usually take 5 classes per semester. However, I have estimated that I need only 3 classes in my last semester to graduate. My question is, does it look bad to only take 3 classes in the last semester, considering I took 5 ones in all the other semesters. Should I take 2 more electives, or it doesnt matter at all ?
User avatar
cheetarah1980
User avatar
Joined: 24 Aug 2010
Last visit: 06 Jan 2020
Posts: 1,332
Own Kudos:
450
Given Kudos: 74
Status:Current Student
Location: United States
Schools: Kellogg '14 (A) Booth '14 (M) Wharton '14 (A) Stanford '14 (D)
GMAT 1: 710 Q48 V40
WE:Sales (Consumer Packaged Goods)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: Kellogg '14 (A) Booth '14 (M) Wharton '14 (A) Stanford '14 (D)
GMAT 1: 710 Q48 V40
Posts: 1,332
Kudos: 450
Poor academic semester... 10 May 2012, 06:04
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Ivan91
btw guys, I would like to ask you something else. In my school, people usually take 5 classes per semester. However, I have estimated that I need only 3 classes in my last semester to graduate. My question is, does it look bad to only take 3 classes in the last semester, considering I took 5 ones in all the other semesters. Should I take 2 more electives, or it doesnt matter at all ?
Show more

Doesn't matter. As long as you get the credits to graduate, admissions committees aren't going to care that you didn't take a full load of classes your final semester.

I know you are considering b-school, but you're still a few years away from applying. Make the moves you want to make in life right now without concern for what an admissions committee 3-5 years from now will think of them. If you pursue what you're passionate about you will have success. Don't live your life according to an application you'll fill out in the future.
avatar
novanative
avatar
Joined: 16 Aug 2011
Last visit: 14 Apr 2013
Posts: 378
Own Kudos:
55
Given Kudos: 50
Status:schools I listed were for the evening programs, not FT
Location: United States (VA)
Schools: McDonough '14 (WL) Smith (A)
GMAT 1: 640 Q43 V34
GMAT 2: 660 Q43 V38
GPA: 3.1
WE:Research (Other)
Schools: McDonough '14 (WL) Smith (A)
GMAT 2: 660 Q43 V38
Posts: 378
Kudos: 55
Poor academic semester... 10 May 2012, 06:46
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Ivan91
btw guys, I would like to ask you something else. In my school, people usually take 5 classes per semester. However, I have estimated that I need only 3 classes in my last semester to graduate. My question is, does it look bad to only take 3 classes in the last semester, considering I took 5 ones in all the other semesters. Should I take 2 more electives, or it doesnt matter at all ?
Show more

Doesn't matter. Take what interests you however.
avatar
DaMan12
avatar
Joined: 17 Apr 2012
Last visit: 10 May 2012
Posts: 5
Schools: Rotman '15 Schulich '15 Ross '15 Duke '15
Schools: Rotman '15 Schulich '15 Ross '15 Duke '15
Posts: 5
Kudos: 0
Poor academic semester... 10 May 2012, 08:05
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
This isn't entirely related to the OP but I was wondering if AdCom's are sympathetic to lower GPA's in terms where one took a heavy course load.

I did my undergraduate in mechanical engineering, and my school forced us to take 6 full courses in half of our academic terms (1 semester per year). Usually the breakdown was 5 science/math/engineering courses and then 1 arts course.

This led to about 35-40 hours of class/labs/tutorials in a week. Coupled with all the required HW, reading and assignments my GPA tended to drop in these terms.
avatar
novanative
avatar
Joined: 16 Aug 2011
Last visit: 14 Apr 2013
Posts: 378
Own Kudos:
55
Given Kudos: 50
Status:schools I listed were for the evening programs, not FT
Location: United States (VA)
Schools: McDonough '14 (WL) Smith (A)
GMAT 1: 640 Q43 V34
GMAT 2: 660 Q43 V38
GPA: 3.1
WE:Research (Other)
Schools: McDonough '14 (WL) Smith (A)
GMAT 2: 660 Q43 V38
Posts: 378
Kudos: 55
Poor academic semester... 10 May 2012, 08:14
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
DaMan12
This isn't entirely related to the OP but I was wondering if AdCom's are sympathetic to lower GPA's in terms where one took a heavy course load.
Show more

They are more sympathetic than a Top tier medical or law school adcom would be on lower GPA's due to heavy course loads, so yes.
avatar
hello212
avatar
Joined: 15 Jan 2010
Last visit: 11 Feb 2013
Posts: 258
Own Kudos:
100
Given Kudos: 1
Location: United States
Concentration: Finance, Strategy
Schools: Chicago (Booth) - Class of 2014
GMAT 1: 760 Q51 V44
GPA: 3.54
WE:Consulting (Consulting)
Schools: Chicago (Booth) - Class of 2014
GMAT 1: 760 Q51 V44
Posts: 258
Kudos: 100
Poor academic semester... 11 May 2012, 16:37
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
It just hit me that someone born in 1991 is now in college, and is actually far enough in to have a "worst" semester. Good lord I'm getting old.
avatar
Ivan91
avatar
Joined: 26 Jul 2010
Last visit: 02 Sep 2022
Posts: 293
Own Kudos:
167
Given Kudos: 41
Location: European union
Posts: 293
Kudos: 167
Poor academic semester... 12 May 2012, 06:39
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
hello212
It just hit me that someone born in 1991 is now in college, and is actually far enough in to have a "worst" semester. Good lord I'm getting old.
Show more

Haha, well said :) Well, I just finished my junior year in college , 6 semesters are over, I ve taken most of my in-major classes..
Time just passes so fast.
btw, just slightly off topic, students from Russia and the ex soviet countries graduate from high school at 17 and if they study for example in the UK where the undergrad degree takes 3 years to complete.. these students can graduate at 20. And I am 21 and still a senior :D
User avatar
pacostacos
User avatar
Joined: 31 Oct 2011
Last visit: 05 Jul 2012
Posts: 47
Own Kudos:
24
Given Kudos: 4
Posts: 47
Kudos: 24
Poor academic semester... 15 May 2012, 13:10
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
It's just business school. From my understanding, you can bomb your undergrad so long as you work hard on the gmat. A 3.0 and 760 gmat is top ten material lol!