How to save my butt after horrible 2.1GPA first year?
Hey guys,
I attend University of Pennsylvania's School of Arts and Sciences as undecided. I had taken on way too many activities my first year: joining a business frat(which took away so much time from me especially during pledging), got involved with 3 clubs--all of which I managed to get leadership positions for this upcoming semester, and also had a 20 hour work study and budgeted too little time to study--and finally resulted in my horrible grades. Additionally, I had fallen ill (with bronchitis and chronic migraines) during both my fall and spring finals and had to take my exams while taking several different medications. I did manage to get several A's but most of those were the classes that didn't have finals during those weeks. I couldn't take make-ups finals for those classes because they didn't offer make-ups. Anyways, I know that regardless, my 2.1 GPA is inexcusable. I am hoping to boost it a little through taking summer sessions but even if I got all A's, by the beginning of sophomore year I would only still have 2.37. I'm hoping that perhaps by working harder and taking more classes I can raise my GPA to at least 3.0GPA at the end of my sophomore year. However, with my low GPA, I can't qualify to transfer to Wharton or dual-degree and pursue legal studies/real estate/finance.
With my low GPA, I'm worried that internship offers would be outside my reach for the summer after my sophomore year. Should I then simply take another summer session following sophomore year to further boost my GPA? Also, please advise me on the best major/majors to pursue now that Wharton is no longer an option for me.
While I'm honestly not the best at Economics, it seems the only major comparative to Wharton degree within the college and put me on the path towards banking/consulting. However, I'm also considering a major in Environmental Studies(which I'm highly interested in although I'm skeptical of its employment prospects), Mechanical Engineering(again, I'm interested in renewable energy and would like to understand the technical aspects), and International Relations. Minor-wise, within the college I can do actuarial science(though I'm not particularly math-oriented), legal studies(high interest) and real estate(high interest).
Overall, I would like to better position myself for a ibanking/consulting internship following junior year but I know that my priority now is to raise my GPA and determine the best academic path/paths to follow now. To be honest, I am most passionate about sustainability(and renewable energy, agriculture, etc) but I'm not sure how I could translate my passion into a career. With consulting/ibanking being so popular here, I thought that I could better position myself for my niche interest while also be able to pay the bills.
I really appreciate you guys taking the time to read and consider my request for counsel. I have really been struggling to determine what options I have and what path to take given the massive roadblock that is my GPA( for which I blame myself) and don't really have anyone I can turn to.
Wow... this seems like a really tough situation. If you can major in something more difficult while pulling straight As then I would do that since your GPA will never be over the 3.5 required for banking. Engineering would look a lot better than CAS economics, and I would highly suggest doing that. Don't do some bullshit like international relations or legal studies, that would be the nail in the coffin in terms of candidacy since a 3.0 with those concentrations will make you extremely uncompetitive. Honestly, engineering is your best bet, because even a 3.0 is very respected whereas a 3.0 would be laughed at for economics/environmental science. The actuarial science minor seems pointless, either major in it (if you're interested) or just pick an engineering subject with an environmental science minor if you're really interested in it. Good luck
You should see about retaking some of your first year classes over the summer, with a low GPA like that only a couple As can really push it up. Don't try to retake every single thing and over load yourself, but over the next few semesters see about retaking one class per semester that you messed up on in addition to your other classes. It's only your freshman year and it's not as big a hole as you think it is.
By the way, I'd love to hear more about the rigorous business fraternity pledging experience.
i feel like with your gpa you are going to get killed on traditional ocr.
u need to start doing something that will allow u to reach out to ppl and network.
Obviously work hard from here on out to pull that up. But if you are truly interested in IB, you're going to have network your ass off, and mainly look at non-elite boutiques for now, which don't have as many 3.8+ target school applicants, making it easier to spin your story a bit, and impress them, without having to compete against a very strong applicant pool.
Thanks everyone for your feedbacks! I really appreciate the time and effort you spent in offering me your advice.
Right now I am considering a double major with Mechanical Engineering + Economics with minor in Sustainability and Management(Wharton), or Mechanical Engineering and Environmental Science and minor in Legal Studies or Environmental Studies and Economics and minor in Legal Studies and Mechanical Engineering. Which would look more favorable for me if I were to pursue a path in consulting/financial services (VC, Ibanking, Hedge Fund, Private Equity)/Real Estate?
Also, would you advise taking one major, 1-2 minors and use the rest of the courses for Wharton courses such as finance? I think with two majors it might be slightly more difficult to have the flexibility of taking the Wharton fundamental courses which I find to be useful (like ACCT 100/101, Stat 101, FINANCE 100 etc). The only drawback is that beyond 4 Wharton courses, they will simply be electives that DON'T counts my graduation requirement. However, I think that I would benefit from having taken those classes. To me personally, it does not matter that much if I have a minor/major/degree that identifies that I have done so, but rather just having that knowledge. In the recruitment process for both internships/employment, do firms weigh what your major is as stated on your resume or what your demonstrated knowledge is during the interviews???
Thanks again for your time and consideration!
Do you really feel like you can get good grades with a double major? Economics isn't directly applicable to the fields you mentioned like real estate/finance though you should certainly take the introductory classes microeconomics and macroeconomics for general knowledge. Consulting firms actually prefer engineering majors over business/econ majors. Also I would be careful about taking the Wharton courses, they may be more difficult and competitive than you're thinking right now, since they look like weed out classes. They may not be difficult in terms of content, but they may be graded harshly, and that might seem like an overload with an engineering major. Just take accounting 100 (financial accounting), and perhaps intermediate accounting 1 & 2 and a corporate finance class either at your school or at a local college over this summer. Major in mechanical engineering and do a double minor with economics and environmental studies if possible.
OP, i am going to be brutally honest.
your chances of getting consulting/ banking is slim to none. you'd need to magically pull your gpa to 3.5+ by the start of your 2nd semester junior year, which, even if you get 4.0 every semester from now on, won't happen.
I graduated from HYP with 3.1 in Econ. I applied to all consulting/ IB jobs that came to OCR and got like 2 first round interviews. I graduated unemployed, and stayed unemployed for 6 months. I networked like crazy, got real lucky, and landed on a decent consulting shop. (non-strategy, though)
most legit consulting/ banking firms impose 3.5 gpa minimum for screening resumes. what I would recommend is you focus on getting an engineering degree, do well, and try to get a decent job outside of top finance/ consulting. after few years of good work experience, you'd be able to go for a top mba, from which you'd be back in the game for finance/ consulting.
best of luck, though
Engineering is your best option, but are you sure you can handle the coursework if you're going to be working, taking on leadership positions and doing minors at the same time? You won't be able to get a top MBA with a mediocre GPA, even if it's from engineering.
OP im sorry to say but your gpa is just way too low. Even getting it to a 3.0 wont make the cut. Kids at Wharton who hav sub 3.5s also find it extremely competitive.
I would not take engineering unless u genuinely hav an interest in one of the majors or else you would find your next 3 years of college absolutely miserable and all for the hopes of getting a banking job? Totally not worth it.
My advice is to set your standards lower. People screw up, and its good you realized now. Aim for a boutique your junior year, get your gpa up to a 3.3-3.4 and mayb you hav a shot at FT at a BB. Dont fall into depression cause u stressed out your whole sophomore and junior year trying to get into a top banking job.
Im curious to know why everyone who does bad their freshman year always has a medical condition excuse. Is it really that bad? Ive never been in your situation so really curious about this trend
try for google, I hear they don't care about GPA any more
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned transferring. That may be your best bet.
Also, you need to honestly evaluate what you think your gpa would be with a difficult engineering degree
If money's not an issue, I don't think OP should transfer. Not sure what Penn's retake policy is, but simply turning a couple Fs into As or even Bs will go a long way.
^Agreed.
I as well am suffering from my trying to be jack of all trades and taking on more than I can handle. My opinion:
Retake as many of the classes as you can.
Network/look as hard as possible for an internship for each summer that you possibly can. You need to generate applicable work experience.
Pick one major and excel at it.
Reading this I couldn't help but think you were exactly where I was a year or two ago. Despite a 2.1 your still not out of the game. However, the idea of transferring to a school that you can essentially start over at is something worth considering.
Realize your not out of the game. There are still going to be plenty of opportunities (even in consulting/ib) and be thankful you have this wakeup call now and not later in your college career where you could be totally unsalvageable.
Again, thank you everyone for taking the time to evaluate my case! I really appreciate the advice and encouragement you have given. I am aiming for an internship next summer and perhaps if it's in Philly I can squeeze in a class and hopefully with some summer classes, my GPA goes up to ~3.4-3.5 level by my junior year. In my position, I'm definitely willing to take any opportunity given to me so hopefully I would have some work experience. I am not considering transferring simply because with my low GPA, I can only transfer down, and therefore my GPA would look even worse.
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