Is it true you can take more classes after graduation to raise your GPA?

Question

I remember reading about somebody that was applying to grad school and was asking how to increase undergrad gpa. The journalist said they could take more classes (probably at that same school). I was thinking I could take some continuing education courses to increase my undergrad GPA before I apply to grad school. Is anyone familiar with this? I'm fairly certain this can be done because I remember reading about it. But I was wondering if anyone else had heard about this or knew of any accounts. Thanks.

The second guy said your undergraduate GPA is fixed, but you can increase your overall GPA. It sounds like that would be your new cumulative GPA. So your most current cumulate GPA would increase, but your technically "undergraduate" GPA would remain the same. You could probably list the new cumulative GPA. I don't see why it should matter if you took more classes and held off graduation or took them after. All that matters is what the GPA is. If I wanted to I could have just not graduated and taken tons of classes for GPA only and them graduated. The order doesn't seem to matter to me.

Answer 1

yes this is true. you can usually take classes at a community college. you can even take ap courses there.

if grades are worrying you about getting into college.dont let them, grades just mean that, that is the amount of studying and memorization you can do. its best to find a college at your level.

not going straight into college while everyone else has might not look so good. colleges start to ask questions.

its better to be a big fish in a small pond. then a small fish in a big pond.

Answer 2

Once you graduate, you are stuck with your undergraduate GPA forever. In other words, even if you go back and take more classes, your GPA stated on your transcript will not change. However, you can still improve your overall GPA in a few ways.

Some schools let you come back and let you take more classes and even earn a second Bachelor’s degree but this option is not available at most competitive schools since their seats are very limited.

Taking lower division classes at a JC probably will not help you in applying to graduate schools because once someone transfers from a JC to a 4-year university, those grades are not incorporated into the overall GPA. However, I have seen a few schools, usually less competitive ones, use the JC grades to calculate the minimum GPA requirement.

You can also take classes as an extension student or enroll as an unclassified status if the school allows it. Also some graduate programs admit students on conditional basis with the requirement that you maintain a certain GPA. This kind of admission is especially common if you are switching fields or on borderline for admission.

I have even seen some programs that only use the grades from specific courses or your major GPA only.

Bottom line is that different graduate programs have their own way of calculating the undergraduate GPA and the only way to be sure is to ask the admissions office and your department of interest.