My unsolicited opinion:
Learn while you’re in school but don’t worry too much about your marks. Granted, I don’t have a PhD so I can’t comment on those requirements but I did get a degree in both engineering and economics. Never once have I looked back and wished I put the effort in to get better marks. Times are different right now but the most important thing to do while you’re in University is make friends and have fun.
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Just to add my experience here, most of the really successful engineers I work with were the ones barely over a 3.0 in undergrad. They focused on learning vs good grades and it shows in the workforce. Most of us that busted ass for good grades either burned out on the effort or only learned for the exams.
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Thanks, your input is always welcome here!
@garagerocker13 @cyclonengineer
I love learning and am willing to work. I just dislike being graded or having to compete based on my grades
I quit cross country for the same reason- I loved practice, couldn’t stand races
I asked my Econ professors about this and they both said that less than stellar math grades do affect admissions unless you have beyond stellar recommendations and a extensive research background (ie published papers). One of them did say that I could always transfer to a more competitive program after getting into a less selective program so at least I might have an out
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I definitely understand that. I’d be a much better engineer had my professors all cared more about us learning the material than they did testing us on it. The classes where the profs did want us to learn, those are the ones we all retain and can use pretty comfortably today - Fluids and thermo come to mind there.
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I’m extremely lucky in that all my professors seem to be like that
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Sure, every factor matters. GPA is a factor in admissions to PhD programs. It is simply relatively less important compared to most of the other ones.
I understand this, but objectively, there has to be some way to measure one’s competencies. If not by test, then how? If I hire someone, I need to know up front they are capable of the job I am hiring them for. Yeah, it’s not ideal and definitely not fair, but I don’t see away around it.
I recommend a 2 part podcast from Malcolm Gladwell’s “Revisionist History” on the LSATs and Law School admissions for this. Episode is called “Puzzle Rush”. As a behavior scientist you will find it interesting.
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I think it’s fair, I just dislike how much they matter and can’t think of a better solution 
Although I’m not the brightest, I do feel that I’m more intrinsically motivated than many of my classmates
Will check this out!
In all honesty, outside of academia grades are unimportant. In fact, I know a number of managers who won’t hire straight A students because they never learn to work through issues and struggle with problems. They turn out to be crap employees.
…I aspire to be an academic…
Well, I got into an awesome graduate school with only 3.17 undergrad GPA.
You will be fine. More important is to find a professor whose research lines up more with what you want to study.
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I, too, was admitted to a graduate program of my choosing with a GPA less than 3.3. You are still being measured against your peers like you are in undergraduate with exams, but it’s much different. High-quality papers and winning grants will distinguish you in graduate school, and early signs of potential include quality undergraduate research experience, stellar letters of recommendation, and strong personal statements.
I don’t mean to make this about myself, but I feel like I know a thing or two about this because my parents didn’t even go to college (had to figure out not only undergraduate but also graduate admissions by myself), I had an awful undergraduate GPA that I felt I could not evade, I want to be an academic, and I have attended and am currently attending an institution among the caliber that interests you.
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Got into a good international grad program with about a 3.4.
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That is amazing!
That’s not to say that my peers and academic mentors didn’t help me. But like most people in academia, I struggle with imposter syndrome, and it is difficult to look back and realize what I didn’t know I didn’t know. Obviously I don’t exemplify solid know-how on the lifting side of things, or even on many other aspects of life, but I’m passionate about academia to say the least.
You’re clearly intelligent, and there are similarities between us. And those are big reasons why although reading your log saddens me, I am still compelled to occasionally comment.
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Week 11: day 2- easy day (yesterday)
Kickboxing: 10x(2min on+30sec rest)
Abs: 2x10 leg drops w/ 3sec eccentric, 1x40sec hollow hold
- pretty sore but had a lot of energy so did some cardio, felt good and quick, got HR up but not as much as expected
Week 11: day3
Push press: 4x3/side- 45lbs
Rows: 3x 7/side-45lbs
5x(10kbs-45lbs+20pushups+30alt lunges)
- felt meh- knees a bit pissed but that went away after warmup. Push press felt a lot easier than expected, especially since my shoulders weren’t feeling 100%,
- rows a lot lighter than expected,
- conditioning piece was fun- I really like the structure and might turn it into a 20min amrap at some point
- should have done some supplemental push-ups, but couldn’t be bothered- explanation below. I’ll make them up in the afternoon
So, the grades for a major assignment for my Behavioural Econ and public policy class (the one with Loewenstein) came out and I got a 7/10(C ) 
turns out I misinterpreted the prompt so my entire essay was off base. I put a LOT of work into this and asked the TAs for as much help as they could give me. I made some major edits based on the advice. 7/10 we what I expected to get before making the edits, so I’m really disappointed.
This means I’ll have to get at least a 9/10 on the next 2 to have the slightest chance of getting an A in the course. If I weren’t getting graded, I’m not upset that my essay was “rejected”, I’m upset I don’t have the opportunity to improve it such that it gets accepted AND that the score matters.
Although the class is very interesting, I had and still have no interest in public policy. I took it because it is the only undergrad class Loewenstein teaches and he strongly encouraged me to take it (I’m depending on him for a rec letter). I thought it wouldn’t be hard to do well if I put in effort, which I have and plan on continuing.
Basically, this makes me feel like I can’t do anything right in school and at the same time, my mom still won’t agree to buy me a barbell and recent workouts have been lackluster
I think this is why most of us are here.
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If I am prying too much here, just tell me so, but do you have any stress relief activities you like (not working out)? You’re pushing your body/mind beyond their limits (body especially). A preferred hobby maybe? Take some of that time spent walking and do that hobby.
Speaking from experience - you’re likely going to flame out hard at this pace.
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You’re upset because you got a 7/10 on an assignment and your mom won’t buy you a barbell?
I don’t want to be mean but … WGAF?
Count your blessings
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Yeah. I get it.
In both cases, it’s not the problem itself that bothers me so much, but the nature of the problem.
This is especially true for the barbell problem. Literally the only thing preventing me from proper training is my mom’s refusal to buy me a barbell… and it’s not because of cost. I’d completely understand if she thought it was too expensive- I honestly think this, but dad assured me cost isn’t an issue.
Compounding that is the anxiety from knowing that the longer I don’t have one, the more strength I loose AND uncertainty about the covid situation
I don’t deal well with uncertainty