Looking over possible grad schools this afternoon, I came to the realization that I'm going to be a real borderline case when it comes to my GPA. Noting that schools are not only interested in my cumulative GPA over the full four years, but also especially interested in the GPA of my final 2 years (or rather, my final 60 credits), I decided to go back and calculate my GPA over the last two years. As a minimum GPA they're looking often for a 3.0, but some will take on a lesser GPA under probation.

Starting with fall semester 2000, I should have a GPA for the final 2 years of 2.987, but there's a mistake. When you re-take a course, your grade (and its part of your cumulative GPA) are thrown out in favor of the new grade. That little problem forced a B+ of mine to be thrown out. The thing is, I wasn't really repeating the same course, but rather a different course which coincidentally carried the same course number. The computer read this as a standard repeat and threw out the B+. While the B+ was replaced by an A, both grades should be included in the GPA. Without the B+ (which was also in a German film course - potentially very important to my application process), my cumulative GPA for the last two years drops to a 2.966 - further off the minimum yet.

Hopefully they look closer at the last two years than the last 60 credits, as that moves me all the way back to spring 2000, at the including of which would drop my cumulative GPA over the last 60 credits to 2.938. Of course, this would all be moot if I had just gotten off my ass and taken my work seriously. The worst part is that upon further examination, I see that unlike my first 60 credits, I had only 3 courses over the final 60 credits with grades below a B-, and those were Marty Roth's (D), Larry May's (C), and Tom Pope's (C). (I will decline to comment further, but those of you who had them - such as Annemarie - know what those courses were all about.) If it wasn't for those 3 courses, my GPA over the final 60 credits would total 3.164 - problem solved. Uff-da.