UC Irvine grad with so-so GPA trying to repair and get grad-school ready. HELP!

[arctictide]

Hi everyone. I'm new here. I appreciate any assistance you may have. 

 

Back story:

 

• CC Transfer Student. Non-traditional student. 30. Orphan. Took awhile to get to college and on my way.  Did it, though.
• Transferred to UCI with 3.7 GPA from Irvine Valley College.
• Double Majored in Criminology, Law & Society / Psychology and Social Behavior with an Educational Studies minor.
• Did research with a joint UCI / Harvard project; the only undergrad to do it. 
• Graduated UCI with a 3.081 (had a terrible first year there, long story, doesn't matter but I got my GPA from a 1.5 to a 3.0 in under two years).
• I am preparing to apply to more graduate schools; I am worried my UCI GPA is not good enough.
• I haven't taken the GRE yet. I'm incredibly math phobic but am trying to overcome it. Some of the programs I plan to apply to do not require the GRE but I am still anxious. Do you think I should take it even if my math is pathetically rudimentary?
• In January, I was rejected from one program - the CSU Long Beach Marriage and Family Therapy program. I rushed my application, not surprised I didn't get in but it did set some serious fear in me. Knocked me off my horse, so to speak.
• I am currently going to a different community college than the one I transferred from because I have a 2.9 GPA there from random classes I took in 2006. Since all the Masters programs I am looking at ask for transcripts, I'm taking classes to get the GPA up as high as I can as well as applying for academic renewal for a class I got a C in. I am going to take classes there in the fall while I wait for a chosen graduate program to begin accepting applications, too.
• Looking at graduate programs in Social Work, Public Administration, Counseling, and Psychology.

I guess my biggest concern is the UCI 3.0 and the fear that graduate schools aren't going to look at the community college classes that I'm taking subsequent to my UCI graduation. I'm trying to figure out what I can do to be competitive in spite of my 3.0. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Thank you all for your time and assistance.

[KAMALAGRAD]

Hi everyone. I'm new here. I appreciate any assistance you may have. 

 

Back story:

 

• CC Transfer Student. Non-traditional student. 30. Orphan. Took awhile to get to college and on my way.  Did it, though.
• Transferred to UCI with 3.7 GPA from Irvine Valley College.
• Double Majored in Criminology, Law & Society / Psychology and Social Behavior with an Educational Studies minor.
• Did research with a joint UCI / Harvard project; the only undergrad to do it. 
• Graduated UCI with a 3.081 (had a terrible first year there, long story, doesn't matter but I got my GPA from a 1.5 to a 3.0 in under two years).
• I am preparing to apply to more graduate schools; I am worried my UCI GPA is not good enough.
• I haven't taken the GRE yet. I'm incredibly math phobic but am trying to overcome it. Some of the programs I plan to apply to do not require the GRE but I am still anxious. Do you think I should take it even if my math is pathetically rudimentary?
• In January, I was rejected from one program - the CSU Long Beach Marriage and Family Therapy program. I rushed my application, not surprised I didn't get in but it did set some serious fear in me. Knocked me off my horse, so to speak.
• I am currently going to a different community college than the one I transferred from because I have a 2.9 GPA there from random classes I took in 2006. Since all the Masters programs I am looking at ask for transcripts, I'm taking classes to get the GPA up as high as I can as well as applying for academic renewal for a class I got a C in. I am going to take classes there in the fall while I wait for a chosen graduate program to begin accepting applications, too.
• Looking at graduate programs in Social Work, Public Administration, Counseling, and Psychology.

I guess my biggest concern is the UCI 3.0 and the fear that graduate schools aren't going to look at the community college classes that I'm taking subsequent to my UCI graduation. I'm trying to figure out what I can do to be competitive in spite of my 3.0. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Thank you all for your time and assistance.

 

It is kind of funny because I haven't been on this forum in ages and then the first post I see on here is from a fellow UCI grad! My GPA for UCI wasn't that great either (3.247) and I ended up getting into an Ivy League grad school (Columbia University). Although it was in a pretty different field from yours.

 

In my experience having some outside work and achievement in your field can really help. Also, how were your letters of recommendation? Those can be pretty significant as well. Also, I think it's important that things detracting from your GPA are pretty far in the past. In your essay I'd recommend pointing that out briefly as well as what challenges made your grades less than desirable early on.

 

Also, one thing that might help in gettting some more replies here are listing some of the schools you are interested in, in your post. Best of luck to you