Increasing my GPA by earning another AA degree?

Hello! I'm a rising junior with community college credits through dual enrollment. My GPA isn't as high as I'd like. I've heard about earning another AA degree to boost my GPA. Does this strategy work and is it worth the effort?

While earning another associate degree could potentially raise your GPA slightly, keep in mind that many colleges recalibrate your GPA based on their unique system when they receive your application. This means they may not consider all the courses you've taken in the same light.

Generally, colleges pay the most attention to the rigor and grades of courses relevant to your intended major. It's important that you demonstrate through your work that you can excel in your desired field at a college level. If you believe taking additional relevant courses at a community college can help demonstrate this, it's a sound strategy.

Do also consider the effort and time involved. An entire AA degree could take up to two years to complete, and that's a considerable amount of time considering you're a rising junior. You might consider less time-consuming ways to raise your GPA or strengthen your application.

For instance, you could concentrate on improving grades in your existing classes, retrieving any below-average grades in important classes, or pursuing related extracurricular activities to further demonstrate passion and knowledge in your desired field.

Again, there is no guaranteed way to boost your GPA, but thoughtful and targeted actions will help put you in a stronger position when applying to colleges.