Question about your undergrad transcript & grad school admissions?

Question

I will have about 58 credits (16 courses) worth of 400/500 level courses on my undergraduate trascript when I graduate. These are considered "upper division classes" and the 500 level courses are courses open to both undergrads and grad students. The lowest grade I've gotten in a 400/500 level course was a B. Do you think grad school's will like that I've taken so many upper-division classes, some of which were graduate classes, or does that not really matter?

Answer 1

Yes, the graduate admissions committee in the department to which you are applying will love to see your transcript.

Of course it will be the courses in your particular area of study that will matter most. (In other words, if you're applying to PhD programs in Art History, your 400/500 courses in Economics won't matter much in terms of admissions.)

Do draw attention to these courses in your personal statement as well, in case some committee members overlook the dual undergrad/grad nature of these courses. And if in that (hypothetical) Economics course, you wrote a term paper on (hypothetically) the economics of art investment, do mention that as well.

The fact that your GPA remained quite high while taking these courses speaks directly to your ability to do graduate-level research. You need not say this directly, just mention the (relevant) papers you wrote in these classes.

I wish you every success!

Answer 2

Your record is actually strengthened by the fact that you have taken so many 400/500 level courses.

Do not fear - there will be plenty of courses left for you to take in graduate school. You will be able to delve into deeper courses earlier based on the fact that you already have such a good foundation.

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