Svaghefi

I was at work when my cell phone rang. It was a number I didn't recognize, so I answered. The guy on the other end of the line introduced himself as being from the school, and that's where things start to get blurry. He said "I'm calling to inform you-- actually, I'm calling to CONGRATULATE you on your acceptance...." And then he told me I received the Dean's Award, and asked if I had any questions. My brain hadn't caught up with what was going on, so I told him no, thanked him, and got off the phone. I sat there for a second thinking about it, then I pumped both arms in the air (victory!) and said "I JUST GOT IN TO GRAD SCHOOL". I work at a university, and I'd told my colleagues about it, and we had four student workers in our office, so they were pretty psyched for me. I went around explaining the program and grinning like crazy. I called my husband to share the good news, TRIED to call my mother (she was out) and just basked for a little while.

Later, I told my mom and she seemed pleased... She asked to "brag" to family/friends, and then the email she sent (one of my family members responded to me {duh} and I saw the original) said: "She really WAS serious about being a minister! Yikes!" ....uh, thanks for the passive aggression support?? Oy vey. She's still not dealing well with the idea that her daughter could become a minister.

I remember it was about 9am and I was brushing my teeth. I heard a "bing" from Outlook - new email. I rushed back to my computer, toothbrush in mouth. Before the popup window completely faded, I made out part of the email address...something about grad admissions. I felt my heart pounding as I opened the email. The first thing I read: "Congratulations."

I ran to the front yard to tell my mom the good news. I ran past the landscaper, who gave me a funny look. Toothpaste was foaming around my mouth. In the excitement of it all, it never occurred to me to set the toothbrush down - or even take it out of my mouth! I approached my mom, who just so happened to be standing on the front lawn with a neighbor, talking about landscaping stuff. My mom spotted me, smiled, and said, "Nice look! What's up?" I said "I got in!" but it came out more like "uh buh gih" - like dental patient gibberish! While she said, "I'm not sure what you're saying," I swallowed and then exclaim "I GOT IN!"

And even though I looked super funky and the neighbor lady had no idea what was going on, my mom started screaming "Whoo hoo!" and jumping up and down SO enthusiastically. You would have thought she'd won the lottery. Her reaction to the good news was almost as good as being accepted in the first place. Thanks, mom!

The quick answer is not to fully read and annotate everything. Read for what you need, rather than just reading in general. For example, if you're trying to understand different methods used to study a topic, then you'll want to focus and take notes on the methods sections. If you're concerned with results, then focus on that, making sure to pay attention to any figures and tables included.
Also, stop trying to annotate everything. You're better off writing a brief (1-2 paragraphs, 300-400 word max) summary of the article and its key points in your own words, so you can easily do a search to find the relevant stuff later. No one really reads every single article carefully from first page to last page. 

Hey, guys! 
I'm an international student and my baccalaureate GPA sucks - 2.75 (I was too young and stupid). Now I hold master degree with 3.8. Do universities consider both of them? Or just undergrad? Does it make any sense to try enter PhD program? or I should forget about it? May be there are some institutions with loyal point of view on GPA? 
Thank u and sorry for bad English 

I write my story here today because I was inspired by this forum several month ago.
My undergraduate GPA 2.93/4, master GPA 3.15/4.  very nasty GPA.
One year ago, I had several sleepless night after knowing GPA 3.0 is cutoff value for PhD. But I never give up. I wrote more than 500 emailst to professors of physics department and electrical engineering department of all possible/impossible university.  I made good preparation for those give me interviews or just ask a few questions to me.  My heart to become a phycist outweigh anything in my life. I will not let low GPA stop my path to my dream, even if I am a lady at the age of 30 and a  low GPA. 
It turn out that I was encouraged to apply by lots of university, because of my great academic background( one first-author publication in APL, two second-author publication in APL and RSC).
I wrote a personal history for Professor of interest, stating my determination and my past life, like why I want to continue my academic career, even I already got a job as software engineer. I spend lots of time to prepare SOP, digging out the past present and future of my POI's research by reading lots of paper. 
Now I already got two admission, university of Georgia, fellowship + RA, North Carolina State University , RA, both are electrical engineering. (Cornell and Michigan Ann Arbor Applied Physics put me in the waiting list but reject me). UC riverside and Colorado Boulder still waiting. But I already accept NCSU.  The reality is even more beautiful than my wildest dream.
I want to give a chinese old-saying to encourage everybody here. Sub-3.0 GPA still got PhD admission is like phoenix reborn in a fire.  If you are brave enough, nothing can stop you. What you need to do, is to truly believe in yourself.
I am internationshal student, female, sub-3.0 GPA, nothing is on my advantage. But I show my POI and the committee the unparallel persistance and passion, which are greatest advantages of being real researcher.
 
 
 

2.7 GPA and got into a decent grad school. The university also had a minimum 3.0 GPA requirement, but that was overlooked because...
Reference letters from world-famous professors
Double majored
Rreasonably high GRE score
Diverse and tough course load
Active participation in student organizations
Fluency in a second language
Several years of study abroad
A year of undergraduate research
(Okay, fine. I'm a Pacific Islander too)

Anyway, I don't buy into that stereotype that low-GPAers can't get into decent grad school. If you have the academic portfolio, then you have the credentials.

EDIT: I <3 this thread.

Got my first acceptance today!!!!!!!!! Proud to report, with a lil hard work, you can get over having a 2.7 uGPA!!!!!! I went back to uni and took a semester of ug and grad courses, got an 4.0 GPA there so that was factored into my 2.7 gpa. Did lots of graduate lv research, and improved as a student. I will say if things don't go your way the 1st time around, GO BACK to school and take some non-degree grad courses. Worked for me I feel.