CognitiveAesthetics

I appreciate all the feedback and will incorporate them into my plans. I would like to clarify that if I cannot get into a Philosophy program, I am still interested in applying to any other program that allows for a comprehensive study of theoretical issues relating to politics, social justice and ethics (various English programs allow for this). Again, this is why I am still considering simply applying across the spectrum, within different departments and programs at different universities (European, included). I see that there are conversations here about the ruthlessness of academia, especially when it comes to getting tenure-track positions. I have no illusions about that. I understand fully that academia is incredibly exclusive and becoming more so as many PhDs from the most well-regarded programs are finding difficulty securing secure positions. Some posters on here suggest that I should give up on graduate school all together. While I think this sort of crass, dismissive bluntness is important to hear, I don't think that's something I'm ready to do just yet. I think it's better to try, however dismal my chances are, than to give up. As I've stated previously, I'm really enjoying teaching at the community college. Not only have I been doing it for a year now, but I was just signed to continue to teach for the Fall semester. I was offered to teach a course in History for the summer, but declined due to pressing issues related to my day-job - the one that actually pays the bills. But more to the point, I think it's very difficult to convince me that graduate school isn't for me, when I occupy most of my free time communicating with various academics and thinking about academic-related issues. Again, my main point I'm trying to make is that this is something I enjoy. It's not about the money (though realistically, of course that's nice), nor is it about the prestige. Rather, it's about doing something that I enjoy, and that I think is beneficial. Alas, if all options fail, and I get rejected from every single program, then I will happily reside in continuing my full-time corporate job and teach part time, whenever possible. But try and apply, I will. Of course, I will provide updates once I hear back. But this won't be for another year or so anyways.

I don't know if that's possible given the time it's been since I graduated. It seems like it would just be against protocol to allow students to go back and re-take classes. What's actually keeping me from breaking the 3.0 mark is an incomplete that turned into an 'I-F' after I failed to actually produce the paper. I can go back and write the paper though it's over three years late at this point and even if the professor were to accept it, I doubt the university would accept his petition to change the grade.

I tend to agree with Establishment - I think the low GRE scores are preferable to a low undergraduate GPA. I think applying and hoping for the best is our best bet.

Thanks for your reply. I'm actually planning on starting the GREs this summer. I've just ordered some test-prep material and am awaiting their arrival. Aside from that, I think at this point, I'm going to do the following: - Prep myself for the GRE so that when I take it, I can get a strong score. - Continue to prep myself in terms of ability to focus and work for long periods of time - Once I have a GRE score, apply to terminal MA programs in Philosophy - Work on some writing samples using essays I wrote in undergrad. I did well on these essays but would like to improve them further by making them more rigorous. I have a few professors who I'm still pretty close to that will review them once I'm finished. If I do well in these programs, I will continue to seek a PhD in either Political Philosophy or Rhetoric/English. Rhetoric and English departments can be nice in that they allow for an examination into topics I'm interested in. But that said, I would like to gain the methodology that analytic Philosophy provides. So that's my plan as of now. I appreciate everyone's input. I'll keep you guys updated regarding everything.

Ambient music - or sometimes no music at all if I need to focus. Splendid black metal puts me in the mood though usually during my pre-reading state.

Thanks for the advice. I take it that I'm going to have to demonstrate competency with regards to working at a steady pace and maintaining that pace without faltering. And that's exactly why I didn't apply to graduate school right away. I knew I needed time get my act together. And thus far, it's been going pretty well for me. I still don’t think I’m where I need to be quite yet but I hope to be within another year or so. In the meantime, I want to know if even studying for the GREs would be a waste of time at this point. Interestingly enough though - and this is what's partially throwing me off - is that some of my professors (even one who gave me a C- in a Theory of Knowledge class) still suggest I apply to graduate school. One of them even told me he'd talk to a friend of his in a Rhetoric department at a pretty well-known research university and put me in touch whenever I'm actually ready to apply (this is the one who gave me a C-). Granted, that's not a Philosophy program but nonetheless, he's aware of my situation and has seen the worst of me, so to speak. I have another professor who's in the History program and has been on the admissions committee for the University for some time now. He's pretty well-known in the department and I've taken four classes with him. Though he doesn't have a PhD in Philosophy he did get an M.Phil from Cambridge in their awesome History and Philosophy of Science program. Again, he's also very adamant that I apply to graduate school - and says that though my grades aren't anything to brag about, the LORs and the writing sample are going to be of great importance. He suggested that I apply to an MA program after taking some time off and try to do as best as I can in that program. He's also interested in writing an LOR for me. I've known him for about four years now and we've been keeping in touch since I first took a class with him (ironically, it was his history class that got me into Philosophy). The last class I took with him was a graduate-level class which I sat in on (I wasn't officially registered for this class - but he invited me to sit in on it). What these professors – and a few other tenured professors I haven't mentioned – seem to tell me is that my post-college experience demonstrates that I have a passion to teach. And that that’s an attribute that graduate schools would appreciate. If it’s not possible for a person with my criteria to get into a graduate program in Philosophy, are my shots at another PhD program equally miniscule? I suspect they’re not that different in terms of emphasizing undergraduate GPA and thus, my predicament would still be every bit as relevant. Thanks!

Greetings everyone, I’m looking for some advice about graduate school options for someone with a low GPA. I know there’s a thread on this website dedicated exclusively to low-GPAs who got into PhD programs with funding – however, I found that many of those programs are science and technology related fields – in which many applications have had sub-3.0 threads. I’ve noticed this is not so much the case with Philosophy and other Humanities-related fields in which GPAs tend to be above the 3.5 mark. So I don’t know how much that thread would be relevant to my particular predicament. I got my undergraduate education from GWU in DC. After a few years, I ended up majoring in Philosophy because I enjoyed the concepts. After four years at GW, I graduated with a 2.91 GPA. This was not due to my inability to grasp the concepts being taught – on the contrary, I thoroughly understood the concepts but found it difficult to retain a steady pace of work. This resulted in many missed classes, last-minute essay writing, and a few incompletes (which remained incompletes – hence the low GPA). I’d say that my immaturity in college really hurt my potential. Whereas I understood the concepts being taught, and enjoyed learning more about concepts, my inability to retain a steady pattern of work ethics, and down-right conscious refusal to write in a clear prose due to enjoying style more than rigor have hurt me tremendously. I’m now working on not repeating the same mistakes I did in college. Since graduating, I’ve taken a job teaching an introductory course on Philosophy at the community college I transferred to GW from. I have found that I really enjoy teaching. I’ve also learned a lot teaching and this has compounded my vested interest in continuing to learn. However, I know that I can’t teach many classes if I don’t have an MA or a PhD. My question is, what should someone with a low GPA do in order to increase their chances at a well-known graduate program? My professors have suggested that I apply to a terminal MA program and do well there. Others have suggested that I apply to English programs since my interests lay more in Political and Social Philosophy and Aesthetics. That way I can actually still write about issues pertaining to social justice, politics and ethics. At this point, I know that I want to eventually get a PhD and work in academia. It’s a passion I’ve had for a long time now and don’t see it wavering even after having graduated. I plan on continuing to teach my class for one more year before applying to a terminal MA program. Aside from that, I don’t know if I have a shot. I’d greatly appreciate any advice with regards to what I must do in order to have a better chance at admissions to a program. Thank you all for your time and advice! Best Regards,