no one wants to hear about first year, including grad schools

I’m thinking of returning to U of T now that my three-year suspension has ended, but as I did so poorly before, I’m trying to figure out how far I’ll be able to progress in the future! I’m a second year student (8 credits) with a 1.22 cumulative GPA, and while I believe I can bring it up, I fiddled around with this calculator (http://gpacalculator.net/how-to-raise-gpa/) and it seems that even if I were to average a 4.0 from now on (positive thinking!), it would be difficult to raise my CGPA just to 3.0 (and that’s the best case scenario).

How important is your CGPA (at least your early CGPA) down the road? Does U of T’s grad school typically look at your entire academic history, or are the last two years their main focus? I’m thinking ahead and wondering if I might want to go to U of T’s cinema studies grad programme for an M.A., but the page (http://sites.utoronto.ca/cinema/MAprogram.html) says “Minimum” *B+* standing, demonstrated by an average grade in the final year, or over senior courses”. Does this mean B+/3.33ish as an annual GPA or as a CGPA? And even if I do meet the minimum requirements, will they take one look at my terrible early academic history and run away screaming???

———————————————

hey there,

it’s not often i get to give out good news on this website, you know. some say it’s turned me into a bitter, hateful old witch, but i think it’s spawned my own special brand of offbeat charm.

regardless, it’s times like this, when i actually get to give good news, that i particularly cherish. they’re little gems of hope in a river of let-downs and disappointments.

that quote you pulled means that cinema studies will only be looking at your ‘senior courses’ i.e. mainly 400-level courses to make admissions decisions for the M.A. program. for most people, that translates strictly to your final year (and maybe parts of your third year). which is great news! finally!

yes, after a 3-year suspension, it must be daunting to get back up on your feet and once more tackle the beast that is academia. however, if you can muster a really exceptional average for your last year, then you’ve got a real chance for that master’s program. i doubt they will look at your first two years, but even if they do, they will be encouraged by the massive improvement that you’ve made.

so don’t worry about your first year. it will not be the death knell of your grad school application. as long as you work hard and strive to do better in your senior years, that’s all you need.

remember to take advantage of the writing centre and your TAs’/profs’ office hours to make the very best of your courses. your registrar’s office is also always available for any bumps in the road.

in sum: YOU CAN DO THIS! JUST DO IT! I BELIEVE IN YOU! ANY OTHER CLICHED (BUT GENUINE AND HEARTFELT) ENCOURAGEMENT YOU CAN THINK OF!

cheers,

aska

P.S. GPA scales work slightly differently from university to university, so if you’re going to be using a GPA calculator, you may as well use the one actually created by uoft itself.