If you replace "independent study" by "relevant experience", my advice in http://blog.fairsoftware.net/2009/05/13/being-a-new-cs-grad-in-this-economy-sucks/ htt

If you replace "independent study" by "relevant experience", my advice in http://blog.fairsoftware.net/2009/05/13/being-a-new-cs-grad-in-this-economy-sucks/ http://blog.fairsoftware.net/2009/05/13/being-a-new-cs-grad-... is completely identical. To paraphrase: optimize for GPA first so you are in the acceptable range (>3.5), but then, focus on optimizing the second most important criteria: project experience. I was a hiring manager once.