Does Major GPA include math courses?

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matonski
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Does Major GPA include math courses?

Post by matonski » Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:26 am

My school doesn't do a separate Major GPA calculation and many schools ask for it. I don't know which math courses I should include.

blackcat007
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Re: Does Major GPA include math courses?

Post by blackcat007 » Mon Nov 16, 2009 7:30 am

matonski wrote:My school doesn't do a separate Major GPA calculation and many schools ask for it. I don't know which math courses I should include.
Even mine.. but major GPA field is optional. you can explain that in your SOP..

Mataka
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Re: Does Major GPA include math courses?

Post by Mataka » Mon Nov 16, 2009 8:59 am

Don't waste space explaining that in your SOP ... just do the calculation yourself or right the same thing as overall GPA, they don't care that much unless there is a huge difference between the two.

nathan12343
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Re: Does Major GPA include math courses?

Post by nathan12343 » Mon Nov 16, 2009 12:11 pm

Major GPA does not include math courses, unless you are a math major.

matonski
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Re: Does Major GPA include math courses?

Post by matonski » Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:27 pm

Okay thanks. I was curious mainly because some math courses are required for the major (Calc 1-3, Linear Algebra). So I first included those, but then I started wondering about classes that are obviously also useful for physics (ODEs PDEs etc). Also, I received an A in all those classes. :P

ezhiskaz
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Re: Does Major GPA include math courses?

Post by ezhiskaz » Fri Nov 11, 2011 3:54 am

Will law schools differentiate between a cumulative GPA and a major GPA?
I took a lot of physical science and math courses my first two years as a lost and confused biochemistry major only to realize that it wasn't my calling. I then switched to political science at the end of my 2nd year in undergrad. My GPA in the political science department is 3.8 but with all the science courses I've taken, my GPA is a low 3.3.

asdfuogh
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Re: Does Major GPA include math courses?

Post by asdfuogh » Sun Nov 13, 2011 11:23 pm

Oh, crap. Does the major GPA include the first year courses? The applications never really say, so I just calculate the scores of all my classes that were "Physics###" but do they actually mean upper division major GPA?

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midwestphysics
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Re: Does Major GPA include math courses?

Post by midwestphysics » Sun Nov 13, 2011 11:47 pm

asdfuogh wrote:Oh, crap. Does the major GPA include the first year courses? The applications never really say, so I just calculate the scores of all my classes that were "Physics###" but do they actually mean upper division major GPA?
If they ask for major GPA it means any classes required to fulfill your major requirements. If they say the last 60 credits they mean the last 60, and if the physics department asks you for upper division GPA, which they usually recalculate themselves to make sure, then they are asking for all the physics classes that are on the Junior-Senior level.
I had asked this a long time ago to one of my professors and he told me this, I even had to include all my chemistry credits because they are technically required by my major. The last 60 though which was asked by some includes anything you took over that span. Give them exactly what they ask for, don't assume anything.

asdfuogh
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Re: Does Major GPA include math courses?

Post by asdfuogh » Sun Nov 13, 2011 11:57 pm

Oh, so I include the lower division pre-reqs like math, and chem too?

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midwestphysics
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Re: Does Major GPA include math courses?

Post by midwestphysics » Mon Nov 14, 2011 2:00 am

asdfuogh wrote:Oh, so I include the lower division pre-reqs like math, and chem too?
If it's listed as required to complete your major, not complete your degree, then yes. It all depends on what your school requires to complete the degree, they're just looking to cut through the fluff of all the distribution gen eds. They couldn't care less about how you did in a film studies class, but if chem is required to fulfill your major they do, and they definitely care about your math classes.



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