Hi all, I'm facing a somewhat unfortunate situation as I approach applying for a MA. I wonder if any of you can give me any guidance.
My cumulative undergraduate GPA is miserable all as a result of a terrible first two years at university (3.3). In my 3rd and 4th year of study my GPA was much higher (3.8), so there is a very obvious upward trend in my grades. Still, my overall GPA, to put it mildly, sucks.
That said, I have a very competitive GRE score, three highly personalized and strong letters of recommendation each from well known faculty members, two international internships in the field I want to go in to, a research assistant position, and publications in a couple undergraduate political science journals.
My research interests revolve primarily around post-conflict studies and transitional justice, especially in the East African context. I'm passionate about this stuff and would give an arm and a leg to get into a competitive program where I can really pursue this. I am extremely concerned about my very lousy GPA, though. I have this terrible feeling that I may have burned some bridges a long time ago and that I need to come to terms with that and start thinking about other paths.
Any thoughts on the viability of a top or upper-middle tier program in a situation like this? Have any of you faced this situation before? What strategies have you used to emphasize your qualifications when your GPA was lacking?
Thanks so much everyone!