Should I Address My GPA In My SOP?

[ElKel87]

I've been reading that if you have a "below average" GPA you should address the reasons for that in your statement of purpose. If I have a 3.38 undergrad GPA (graduated 2009) and a 4.0 post-bacc do you think I should address my 3.3 in my SOP or just let it lie? I don't have any concrete reason for it, other than that I am a career changer and was not planning on graduate school at the time. For my current industry internships are the most important thing for getting a job so I focused my efforts there instead of into my classes.

My GRE scores are Q-151 V-161 W-5.0 so I feel like between that and my post-bacc I've shown improvement. Appreciate any input you might have!

[Jolie717]

6 hours ago, ElKel87 said:

I've been reading that if you have a "below average" GPA you should address the reasons for that in your statement of purpose. If I have a 3.38 undergrad GPA (graduated 2009) and a 4.0 post-bacc do you think I should address my 3.3 in my SOP or just let it lie? I don't have any concrete reason for it, other than that I am a career changer and was not planning on graduate school at the time. For my current industry internships are the most important thing for getting a job so I focused my efforts there instead of into my classes.

My GRE scores are Q-151 V-161 W-5.0 so I feel like between that and my post-bacc I've shown improvement. Appreciate any input you might have!

I think my answer would depend on the schools you are applying to.  If you feel there is an emphasis on cumulative GPA, then maybe mention it very briefly.  I would keep it to one sentence.  If the schools you apply to focus on the last 60 units this may not be as necessary.  Not sure - how many units typically make up a post-bacc? 

[ElKel87]

17 hours ago, Jolie717 said:

I think my answer would depend on the schools you are applying to.  If you feel there is an emphasis on cumulative GPA, then maybe mention it very briefly.  I would keep it to one sentence.  If the schools you apply to focus on the last 60 units this may not be as necessary.  Not sure - how many units typically make up a post-bacc? 

Okay. I have it as just a brief one sentence mention now, but I wasn't sure if it was worth drawing attention to at all since I don't think it's low enough that it would get me immediately cut (but I could be wrong). I'm applying to CUNY Hunter, New York Medical College, Columbia and NYU.

I've been to open houses for the first three on that list so far and they all say the GPA is just one part of the package and that the average GPA of accepted students is determined by the applicant pool each year. I wouldn't say there is an emphasis on cumulative GPA necessarily, but as far as I know none of them just focus on the last 60 units either. 

 

EDITED TO ADD: My post-bacc was 6 courses total. Most of them 3 credits each.

Edited September 19, 2016 by ElKel87

[plume]

I would mention it VERY briefly. I say this because you are applying to some competitive programs (and NY Medical has a 3.5 cutoff - I assume you have that cumulatively?) From what I have been told by advisors and at the one open house I went to, you can explain these things appropriately without making them sound like excuses - highlight how you've shown you are capable of doing well based off of you post-bacc grades. You don't want to draw too much attention to it, but they will see your GPA whether or not you mention it.

[ElKel87]

On 9/20/2016 at 1:15 PM, plume said:

I would mention it VERY briefly. I say this because you are applying to some competitive programs (and NY Medical has a 3.5 cutoff - I assume you have that cumulatively?) From what I have been told by advisors and at the one open house I went to, you can explain these things appropriately without making them sound like excuses - highlight how you've shown you are capable of doing well based off of you post-bacc grades. You don't want to draw too much attention to it, but they will see your GPA whether or not you mention it.

Got it - thank you! This is very helpful. I actually asked the department head at the NY Medical open house if it was still worth my applying despite my GPA being less than a 3.5. She said definitely and that they look to see that you've improved, which I think my 4.0 post-bacc grades and GRE scores from this year show. They seemed very encouraging to career changers, so hopefully that helps me!