How much will a poor first semester affect my grad school chances? I'm studying Computer Science with a double major in Math at a public university. I hope to attend a private school like Vanderbilt (Nashville, USA) to pursue an MS or PhD. My GPA is still above a 3.0, however:


I have received a U (unsatisfied, incorrectly submitted work) as a final grade in a single credit course that is part of an honors college program during my first semester in college.
I also had one terrible score (D) in a 200 level maths course during the same semester.


Will these early blemishes on my transcript affect my chances of getting into graduate school?
If a student did poorly in their first semester of college, but did well afterwards, admissions committees will conclude that the student learned from what ever problems they had the first semester, and will be unlikely to perform poorly again.  However, if they can choose a student with a perfect record, they will.  On the whole, first semester grades are of little importance except at the most selective institutions.

If you explain in your application what went wrong, why it will never happen again, and how it made you a better applicant, it may strengthen your application.

(us perspective)