I will be finished a bachelor degree at Thomas Edison State College this spring. However, my GPA will be B+ due to transfer credits for courses taken years ago at brick-and-mortar schools. Should I replace those Cs with As and raise the GPA to A- and thereby delay graduation from the BA or accept the B+ and move on to the graduate degree? To raise the GPA to A- would require taking an additional 7 courses which puts completion date around the end of the summer (2006). Any thoughts or opinions?
On a 4.0 scale -- the difference between a B+ and an A- can be quite significant. In many cases, an A- is scored as a 4.0 (ie: there is no + or - on an A, just the A). When discussing a cummulative GPA over the course of a program, it's often best to refer to numerical scores instead of letter grades. The reason is that "B" is not a specific grade in GPA but a range of grades. In common practice, "B" is anything between 3.0 and 3.99 -- a very significant difference. In some cases, a B- is a <2.75 and a B+ is a >3.5 and an A- is a 3.75 -- in almost all methods of calculating GPA on a 4.0 scale, an A = 4.0 and therefor there is no place for an A+ (hmmm. not really fair) If, by B+ you mean that your GPA is over 3.50 but less than 4.0 -- and that by A- you mean it will become over a 3.75 but less than 4.0; then whether you really want Magna Cum Laude on your diploma is the main issue here, It seems to me that most reviewers (when interested in such things as GPA) will consider 3.0 - 3.49 as about equal, 3.5 - 3.74 as about equal, 3.75 - 3.99 as about equal, and 4.0 in a class by itself. If you completed a degree of 120 hours and 1/2 were "B" and 1/2 were A, your GPA would be 3.5 even. With 3/4 As and 1/4 Bs you'd have a 3.75. The real difference to those who care about such things then is 25% more classes were As in a 3.75 than in a 3.5. With 90% As and 10% Bs, you get a 3.9 - in most 4-year programs, a remarkable achievement. It's still 12 classes with a "B" though... Just a few thoughts -- really, only you can answer whether that difference in GPA is worth some more time and money.
I'm in a similar boat to you. My understanding is that you can only drop transfer courses/credits from your student record in the first year you're a TESC student. However, I assumed there was a way to replace credits if you take a class 'over again'., even after your first year as a TESC student. How does TESC determine how to replace credit? Does the course title have to match perfectly? Or is it done on a case-by-case basis? If one got a C or D in say, precalculus, would he have to take a class specifically called 'precalculus', or would College Algebra and Trig course suffice? Also, can a CLEP override a C/D? In this situation, can taking the College Algebra and Trig CLEP be okay or should we wait until the CLEP precalculus test comes out?
Re: Re: B+ vs. A- GPA I am in the first year of enrollment with Thomas Edison State College. In your case it is probably possible to simply upgrade the "bad grades" with another course or exam so long as the course or exam fits the appropriate degree requirements.
All of the credits that transferred into Charter Oak counted toward my GPA. All the ones that didn't, did not. That means that a transcript with half A's and half F's will transfer in as a 4.0 GPA there. I have to admit that was very helpful to me -- my first stab at college ended up with about twenty credits of A's in music, but also at least twelve credits of abject failure in my academic courses stemming from adolescent disinterest in them. -=Steve=-
I would move on. 7 courses is too much time and money for something which will most likely never affect you. just my .02, Brandon
The 7 courses would also be used for another degree I am already studying towards anyway (AA GS (Counterterrorism)) leading to a BA Intelligence Studies, in addition to the current BA in Natural Sciences and Mathematics (April 2006). However, maybe a MS in Computer Science plus the AA GS (Counterterrorism) would serve my future career aspirations and leave the BA Intelligence Studies for later. I have until the end of April to decide as that is when my current courses finish towards the BA in Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
