Hi. So I'm new to the idea of library science, which sounds bad, I know. But I feel it's like one of those situations in romantic comedies where the heroine thinks she's in love with a hunk, then bam! there's her schlubbily cute best friend, suddenly not so schlubby anymore. It was there the whole time. Okay, anyway: I'm really into library science now.
As I am late to the game, a lot of schools are out of contention for the fall. So far I have the University of Missouri and the University of Michigan. I should be able to get into Mizzou, as that's where I got my undergrad. But I'm curious about Michigan. According to their website, they admit about 85% of their applicants. That should say good things, right? Their average GPA is a little under 3.5 (so is mine, but if you take just the last 2 or 3 years, it's a 3.8), and average GRE V = 587 (I got a 600) and Q = 680 (640...embarrassing), A = 5.0 (same). So, even though my Quantitative score is a bit shameful (I consider my whole score to be shameful, but I am the WORST when it comes to taking tests early in the morning...and taking tests in general), I'm not completely out of my league. I have a B.A. in Psychology and work with people on the autism spectrum. The most rewarding part of my job has been teaching people to read, far more than the behavioral aspects of what I do. In college I was involved with the local Literacy Council, distributing books and doing classroom readings and such.
Research-wise, I am most interested in the distribution of information to marginalized populations (which matches one of the faculty at Michigan), particularly libraries' literacy programs. So I'm thinking of a specialization in Information Policy in addition to the strictly-library stuff.
I have never worked or volunteered in a library. Will this hurt me? I did a lot of research-assistant stuff in college and have plenty of experience with the collection, manipulation, and categorization of data. But no libraries. None.
I graduated in 2008 and have applied to multiple grad schools since then, to no avail. True, those were Ph.D programs with 4% acceptance rates, but I'm not super-stoked about the prospect of spending another $100 on another rejection letter. So if you think I have no chance, please tell me. Like I said, I'm new to the library science idea and don't know how much experience figures into the acceptance equation.
Thanks!