Weird GPA/Test Score Situation - Do I Include my GPA?
I'm a rising sophomore at a target school with a pretty shitty GPA - just a 2.8 after freshman year. Right now I'm applying to intern positions for the summer of 2017.
Here's are the caveats - why I think my poor GPA may be overlooked.
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I'm currently on a very quantitative Math/Physics/CS track at a school that's fairly prestigious, but also known for having difficult STEM programs and massive grade deflation (MIT, Cornell, UChicago, Caltech, Duke). I'm planning on double majoring in Math and Physics with a minor or a concentration in CS. I'm hoping the heavy emphasis on hard science will mitigate the effects of a shitty GPA. (Stupidly, I took very few easy classes my first two semesters, fulfilling none of my breadth requirements. Instead I've been taking advanced classes related to my 3 possible major tracks.)
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My test scores in high school, however irrelevant they might be at this stage of college, were all stellar. I scored a perfect 2400 on the SAT, perfect 800's on the Math II and Physics sections, and got perfect scores (5's) on all the AP tests I took - roughly 11-12 of them, mostly quantitative - Calc AB, BC, Physics B and C (E&M + Mechanics), English Literature and Language, etc. I'm sort of reluctant to put these scores on because I'm no longer a freshman, but I feel like my poor GPA necessitates this.
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I somehow landed a fairly prestigious internship this summer in Chicago at a reasonably reputable Asset Management firm ($15+ billion AUM, but reasonably small employees-wise). I'm currently working there.
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I was diagnosed with ADHD early this summer by a neurologist. Ever since I've been on medication, my productivity has skyrocketed. I feel vastly smarter all the time, which I hope translates to a very real possibility of greatly improving on the GPA next year.
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All my extracurriculars are finance based. I'm in fairly high positions in 2-3 reputable finance/hedge fund/business clubs at school. Reputable meaning they have low acceptance rates and have sent many alumni to prestigious firms (Goldman, McKinsey, JPM, etc.).
On the downsides, I'm Korean, so I'm getting used to being fucked by affirmative action. Also, my major GPA isn't any better than my cumulative, so I'm kinda out of options there.
So should I include my GPA/Test Scores while applying for summer 2017 internships? Obviously I'm gonna raise my GPA next semester, but I want to know what to do in the meantime so I can apply for internships right now. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
High school test scores don't really relate that well to your university GPA - from an outsider point of view (let's assume I don't look at courses, just GPA and scores) you look like one who partied too much during freshman year.
First you should define more broadly those internships you are going to be applying for. Are they going to be quant-related jobs? Grads working on that field, who might interview you, probably know the grade deflation and the differences between a maths/CS/physics courses and say marketing management course (course load wise). Some might even be alumni of your school.
If it's IB you want to aim for then a better GPA is much needed. Do your best (should always do this!) during the sophomore year and try to score good grades. See if you can take some finance/econ courses or study on your own - intro level corporate finance and economics are very easy to learn by yourself.
So think about what is the field that interest you the most, do some research on the recruiting processes on that particular field and then once you know what's needed, set up goals and achieve them :)
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