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Because Harvard awards degrees based on a GPA cut-off that ensures only 50% of the graduating class get Latin honors. So if you were a Harvard student who want
by objclxt 13y ago
Because Harvard awards degrees based on a GPA cut-off that ensures only 50% of the graduating class get Latin honors.
So if you were a Harvard student who wanted to get Latin honors (...of which there are more than a few) it's in your best interests to take the easiest general-education (core) courses to ensure you have more breathing space for studies in your major.
I Head TA'd a core curriculum class at Harvard, and you would be amazed at the number of seniors who e-mailed me once grades came out begging to be bumped up as it meant their GPA would be pushed over the honors cut-off.
This was one reason why the Harvard cheating scandal last year was so widespread: the course fulfilled a core requirement, and it had a reputation for being very easy, hence hundreds of people took it.
- gcb0 13y agoalso, answering the grandparent post and expanding on the parent answer... the fact that person is in Harvard already proves he/she understands how to play with grade averages to begin with. gpa is not always directly proportional to hard work.
- judk 13y agoThe cut off is actually closer to 75%. Source: I have one and I was not top 50% (which BTW is A- at Harvard!)
- judk 13y agoCorrection: it is 50%. I didn't learn my actual rank, I learned my rank among law school applicants, who I now see are a higher GPA cohort. http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k79903&pageid=icb.page418749#a_icb_pagecontent879565_4 http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k79903&pageid=i... Cor: