The Unofficial SMART Scholarship Forum

I came across the statistics of previously admitted applicants somewhere and it stated that the average GPA of recipients was something like 3.75 (can't recall the exact number). I have a fairly average GPA of 3.4 for all my college coursework but I have a considerably higher GPA for my major relevant coursework as well as my coursework that I've taken for the last 2.5 years. Will my low overall GPA put me at a great disadvantage or will the admission comittee be more concerned with my overall trend and the fact that the grades related to my major have been good?

My understanding is that grades are mostly like the high jump, did you make it over the threshold?

I believe they look more for extracurricular (ie. research and leadership within your specific area).

There are a lot of people with great grades that apply, the question is more about what sets you apart. I got the scholarship because I had a first author publication in an area that my lab was directly interested in pursuing.