Who here has gotten a C+ or lower in undergrad?

Question

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only person in the world who got a C+ in a class. It was the very last grade I received in my very last semester in college: a C+ in Korean history. I was working 25 hours a week during that semester, but quite frankly that class just wasn't a priority for me.

For those of you who got a C+ (or lower) in undergrad, what is your overall GPA? Are you going to explain it in an addendum in your applications? I ended up with a 3.5 in college, which makes that C+ look all the weirder. I hesitate to draw too much attention to it, since it's just a C+ (I landed a 3.1 that semester anyway).

cheetarah1980 · Answer

One C+ (in a non quant subject) and you still came out with a 3.5 GPA. I'm trying really hard to see the issue here.

You are not the only person who has ever gotten a C+. I assure you that there are people on this forum who were estatic to get a C+ in certain classes. With all of the profiles around here that are between a 2.5-3.0, obviously you're not the only one who got a C+ in college. Plus it was ONE grade. I don't mean to be snarky but this thread just comes off really bad. It's like a person with $1 million crying, "woe is me," because he doesn't have $2 million. There are people on this forum who have MUCH bigger GPA worries to sort through than a single C+.

losttraveler · Answer

How's this? I got a D my first semester and a C+ my second... although I had pretty much 4.0 after that and graduated with a 3.9+

scbguy · Answer

I got 2 D+ in marketing and one more class

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MDF · Answer

I don't think a C+ in Korean history will hurt you. BSchool isn't like law school where you might need a pristine academic track record to get in to a top school. Plus, there are many elements of the bschool application that can be used to offset a low GPA or bad semester.

I had an atrocious freshman year (even a few Fs), but ended up getting mostly As from that point on. However, I did have extenuating circumstances that first year which I'm explaining in the optional essays.

losttraveler · Answer

MDF... same .. use that optional essay... nothing is unexplainable... we're people.. remember?

Jerz · Answer

Got a C+ in Calculus II in my first semester at college. That semester was a wake-up call in a lot of ways and I graduated with a 3.59. I didn't use the optional essay to talk about it in my applications, since I thought my work experience, grades in other quant classes and GMAT more than addressed any potential concerns about my quant ability.

westsidah408 · Answer

The only relevant course in which I got C or below was in a math course. I failed it (attributed to not attending class etc.), but I turned it around when I retook it and got a B+. My first two years were basically a B-average without studying much, but I pulled my GPA up to 3.29 cumulative in the final two years with most semesters getting 3.8+ GPAs. I think that turnaround is a good story for the essays.

Overall, unless the candidate has consistently received C+ and below in quantitative courses and has a less than 650 GMAT, there shouldn't be any problems.

Overall, unless the candidate has consistently received C+ and below in quantitative courses and has a less than 650 GMAT, there shouldn't be any problems.

highhopes · Answer

I got two Cs. I'm still bitter about both of them. But, I didn't feel the need to explain either one. For reference, one was a graduate level math class, the other was a class in my major (chemical engineering)...god i hated that class.

jko · Answer

I got a D in elementary spanish 101 my second semester senior year.

I will be addressing it in the optional essays, because there IS a very legitimate reason, but if I don't provide an explanation I'm afraid the AdCom will attribute it to me just not giving a **** since I was graduating.

(I ended up having to schedule two classes for the exact same time, exact same days, in order to fill my last two requirements. Spanish is obviously very attendance and participation dependent, so I was hit pretty hard on the grade despite scoring very highly on all the tests and homeworks)

eskimoroll · Answer

I got a C+ in Business Law and ended up a 3.67 GPA. It's not a big deal. Korean history sounds like a cool class. I think I would have enjoyed taking that.

spivey181 · Answer

I got a C in Spanish in my very first college semester. I am not planning to address it in my optional essay since I finished with a 3.6 GPA, and it was a course outside my major.

hello212, I think we're in about the same situation, so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

refurb · Answer

I FAILED a class in my 1st year. I think I also got a "D" in a class, along with a number of Cs.

RF

USCTrojan2006 · Answer

C- in a GE class and C+ in a Intro Stats class during my first year. Ended up with over a 3.5 at graduation.

I'm not even going to explain them, because the upward trend in grades, I feel, make up for that horrible first year of mine.

backliteyes · Answer

I got a C in an advanced accounting class. It really is an outlier, there's no other Cs (or lower) on my transcript. The professor's teaching style just did not work for me, for some reason. It wasn't his fault, as I had classmates that really liked the way he taught. It wasn't really my fault either, I just much preferred the professor I'd had for the intro accounting class and believe I would have done better if she'd taught the advanced one as well. It happens.

I ended up with a 3.72 GPA overall.

I ended up with a 3.72 GPA overall.

jeprince112 · Answer

I worry about this as well. Curious if i shoukd retake course at extension school to prove i can get a better grade, then explain the circumstances in optional essay... Is the time and effort worth it?

Posted from my mobile device

Posted from my mobile device

manvsmba · Answer

The C+ is  irrelevant  to your application, first because it was in Korean History as opposed to a quant/business class, second because your overall GPA is over 3.5 and third because your GMAT is over 750. I had a C-, C+ and C all in the same semester during undergrad and was able to explain it in the optional essay (basically I slept through undergrad). Focus on writing killer essays and you will be fine. I know it's hard not to obsess over every potential red flag, but if this is the worst thing on your record, you have nothing to worry about.

a1choi · Answer

so i have a question about lowish grades in english/writing GE classes. I have a 3.5 overall, 4.0 major, but i got fairly low grades in writing, C/C-'s and one D (retook to get a B-). I am on the fence but am wavering to not discuss this in the optional essay since my overall grades were on an upward trend over the 4 years, as well as the fact that I achieved A's in my honors essay class. also, to compound things, my gmat verbal score is <80%. I'm not sure if bringing attention to these items will just be worse for my apps.

Who here has gotten a C+ or lower in undergrad?

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