Should I overload on credits next semester?

Transfer Students
1

<p>I’m a sophomore engineering major, hoping to minor in math. The most I’ve taken before was 18 credits, ending up w/ a 3.6 for that semester. My cum up to this point is a 3.59, so perhaps I could take an extra class to compensate for my low overall GPA? What do you think?</p>

<p>Should I take an extra math or CS class(hoping to minor in one of those) to bring my credit total to 20? I go to a state university, by the way.</p>

<p>thx</p>

2

<p>You need to get your GPA up, but it isn’t worth it is your course load is way too much for you to handle because your GPA is not “bad.” Will overloading on credits help your GPA more than it will detract from yourself ( in terms of social life, ECs, mental stalibity, etc)? Colleges may take into consideration that you have taken many classes, but I don’t know much it will “compensate” for. If doing this is “cost effective” according to the terms I outlined above, then you should go for it because it shows that you are very determined and admissions will recognize that maybe a 3.6 isn’t completely reflective of your academic prowess. How is the rest of your app/ where are you looking to apply? You do not have to share this, but the answer to whether you should take another course depends on this too because you may not even have to go that extra mile to get into some of the schools you are aiming for if the rest of your application is strong.</p>

3

<p>I’m looking at Carnegie Mellon and maybe Johns Hopkins, as well.</p>

<p>heres my other info (in short, the rest of my app isnt strong)</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/transfer-students/623265-updated-chance.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/transfer-students/623265-updated-chance.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>I just finished reading a book on admissions. A lot of it talked about how what they want to focus on is the one without the grades and scores. I am assuming that when they do this they want students to be pretty much on the same level, academically. Then they look for diversity and such and this is how they determine which students out of the group of qualified candidates get in.
If you’re a girl, the engineering thing can help, but a 3.6 is a bit too low for both of those schools. Hopkins has a small transfer admit rate to begin with-- from what I see ( and I could be missing something) there is nothing that would separate you from other applicants. For CMU, I would say the same. If anything, I would say you should focus on your ECs because they are quite weak ( for CMU and Hopkins). Getting your grades up a bit won’t distinguish you from the other applicants in the way that doing a unique EC will.</p>