mvigno2

My name is Michael and I am currently 26 years of age. I have had quite a tough academic career (and life, for that matter, but that's personal/complicated). Here are the details I am willing to divulge: I have struggled with moderately severe Dyslexia and ADD all my life, never officially got diagnosed until this year because I didn't want to "label" myself in high school/college or "take time away from those who actually need extra attention (this was stupid, because it ended up shooting me in the foot, as I could have received various accommodations on exams). Originally, I attended Western Illinois University until transferring to The University of Illinois at Chicago in 2009 where I obtained a B.A. in Psychology in 2011 with an overall GPA of 2.2. I managed to get a couple good semesters worth of research experience in the Physiological Psychology Lab (I straddled Philosophy and Neuroscience toward my 5th and final year). Since 2011, I have done no internships nor volunteering, although, I have worked several jobs (it was hard for me to stay interested and focused, so I kept being "let go"): server for T.G.I. Fridays, desk-attendant for Loyola University Chicago, operator for an over-the-phone marketing research firm, two different law offices, etc. This month I will coordinate with former-professors to get 2 (maybe 3) letters of recommendation. I am planning to take the GRE this month as well. After taking a Kaplan Prep Course, I am likely to get something in the 50th or 60th percentile (150 - 155ish range). My goal in taking the GRE is to show that my below-average GPA does not represent my full potential. Unfortunately, my prospective GRE scores don't look too much better in comparison... Finally, I can see myself writing a killer Personal Statement (where I will have the chance to exemplify my creativity and resiliency; hence the obstacles I have overcome during my lifetime) and doing very well during the interview. I have always prided myself in my speaking ability and people-skills. I hope to get into a Social-Psychology PhD program somewhere in the U.S. and study "group decision-making". I'm not particularly picky where I want to enroll. I'm mostly struggling to find places that are likely to accept me with the above mentioned (shoddy) credentials. Right now I'm looking at The University of South Florida as a base-line, is that a good place to start? General questions: how does one find grad programs that accept relatively low GPAs? Is there a website that hosts separate statistics from that of undergraduate and graduate acceptance rates? Also, how does one research a university's alumni success and job outlook? Is Social-Psychology a lucrative field to go into? Will admissions boards laugh at me upon seeing my application? Am I absolutely nuts to think I can do this? Should I just cut my losses and join the Peace Corp? Please help, Michael