<p>A program that my D is interested in applying to says that it requires “a minimum GPA of 3.70 in all course work.” My initial reading was that this means that the cumulative GPA must be 3.70, but D asked whether it might mean that the grade in each course must be a 3.70.</p>
<p>What do you all think? It seems that an honors program could be clear about something like this . . . or maybe it is clear and I am just dense.</p>
<p>That is oddly worded. I would think that they are requiring a minimum cum GPA of 3.70, but I can understand your concern. However, would they really care if a person didn’t have a 3.7 average in PE?</p>
<p>Call tomorrow and ask. I bet it’s a cum 3.70</p>
<p>Cumulative gpa, not 3.7 minimum in each class.</p>
<p>Of course it is cumulative, you don’t express the grade for each course as a GPA.</p>
<p>Anyway, suppose A minus is 3.67. then that would be like saying every grade must be A. Doesn’t make sense.</p>
<p>Some programs specify a GPA in the student’s major, rather than or in addition to overall GPA.</p>
<p>I think this is the distinction they were trying to make here. They want a 3.7 overall GPA. They’re not specifying a GPA in the student’s major.</p>
<p>A student with some grades below a 3.7 (A minus) would be eligible to apply, as long as that student’s overall cumulative GPA meets the requirement.</p>
<p>GPA stands for “grade point average.” Average, or mean, is computed by adding the grades in each class and dividing by the number of classes.
If this is not the case, the wording is incorrect.</p>
<p>I’m with Marian on this one…cumulative GPA in all coursework, not cumulative GPA in major coursework. That’s how I read it.</p>
<p>I essentially agree with the other posters, but you should (obviously!) check with the program. Where I work, two different departments use similar language about their grade requirements, and one means cumulative grade average in the major while the other means that no course with a grade lower than X will be counted.</p>