Mal83

It never does seem like a big deal if you're not the one experiencing it. I'm also not sure that I, or anyone else, should allow ourselves to be taken advantage of just because we're so grateful to be employed by anyone that will take us. Everyone has their line that they shouldn't have to cross and I've reached mine. I have felt fortunate that I've had a paycheck coming in for 9 months, but I'm choosing to be done now so I really don't have to be thankful that my boss has guilt-tripped me into staying longer due to her own lack of motivation to hire someone. Like I said, 3 days in the grand scheme of things is actually not a big deal, you're right about that, but that wasn't really the origin of my frustration.

Don't let her guilt you into staying another day past what you want to work. You gave her the time; it's not your fault that she didn't get her act together with hiring. Plain and simple.

Even though this is an old topic I just love the use of subjective words like "mediocre" and "low." It makes me chuckle inside when someone shamefully admits that they got a 'mediocre' 1300. "My quant score of 720 is 'low' might retake it." "My 1250 is pathetic, surprised I got in anywhere." It's a little absurd if you think about it. I mean OK I know certain programs and areas of study rely on the GRE more than others and phD programs have a higher requirement than MAs, but when you start throwing around words like "mediocre" to describe a score that's actually really good it just makes me want to say..."seriously? are you really serious?" I hated the idea of the GRE, like admissions committees really need one more number aside from an already large application package? But once I accepted it I embraced and got very into the studying. I actually kind of liked studying for the verbal section, that's something that's useful, but for me, relearning 4 years of high school math in a matter of months was a nightmare. I still ended up with an "OK" 1120, V570 Q550 W4.5. Luckily for me my area of study isn't so concerned with the GRE which is the way it should be. But even with that score I got into a top MA program in my field...off of the waitlist that is, but still got in. I doubt that my GRE score was a deciding factor. And I don't have any problems revealing my score so that others can see that it might not matter as much as they think, depending on the field of course. I was always relieved to see a post with a declaration of acceptance despite a GRE score on the lower end of the spectrum.

Haha...that's good too, and wise, although the less rounding up we have to do the better.

I had a bad experience with a young adjunct professor in undergrad, it was more of a personal dislike for him rather than anything he did academically. Although I felt that he also didn't like me and was less forgiving with me than he was with some of my classmates who didn't seem to deserve the grades they got...of course I am admitting honestly that this is mostly my perception, I never looked at or critiqued their written assignments, but when participating in class discussions it was like..."did you seriously just say that and you're getting an A in this class?" He also clearly had his favorite which was just annoying because he would let her ramble on and on about nothing class after class, she sounded like a high school junior rather than a college junior, but somehow that earned her top points for class participation. I know that this particular classmate's work, while she tried, was mediocre because she ended up in my senior capstone class a few semesters later with a different professor who I actually liked and respected (thank god) where we all reviewed and critiqued each others' work. None of us could believe she ended up with a B on her final paper, it was deserving of a C at best...but everyone else in the class received an A...I think the professor, who was fantastic, just wasn't going to give anything less than a B to seniors on their capstone projects...

The adjunct prof was probably the worst teacher I had in a long time...he was new, he cursed a lot in class...it was an International Organizations class for crying out loud, not sure what there was to get so fired up about, but he'd go on these little rants laden with profanity....all I remember from him is..."well fuck the League of Nations..." Are you for real? He also brought up the fact that he did indeed have a girlfriend and taught at Princeton as often as he could....my only thought was who let such a jackass into a Princeton classroom to teach? I was even confused as to how anyone let him teach at my school.

Then he had the audacity to keep me and another classmate after class and inform us that we weren't participating enough and if we don't understand the material we should be seeking extra help. Uh, this isn't quantum physics here ok pal, this is an upper level course and I paid for the class so don't tell me I need to do this that or the other. If he was genuinely concerned it sure didn't seem like it, he was such a snot about it, it seemed more like he was just annoyed that we weren't overjoyed to be in his class. Then at the next class I actually offered my opinion on something and he was just like "I wouldn't say that." With the way he said it he might as well have said "don't bother next time." At that point I was done bothering, and the semester was almost over.

He gave me a C+ which was devastating at the time, and still stings a little. I didn't even think about going to talk to anyone about him, I just let it rip on his evaluation. He was a total awkward dweeb who didn't command my respect. Told him to tone it down on the cursing and we're all big kids now and don't need to be kept after class to be accused of not understanding the material. I was a quiet student at the time and my strong suit was writing papers, which we did plenty of. Not a single other professor ever bothered to tell anyone that they're not participating enough, they know that we know what we need to do and if we don't do it we deal with the grades we get and that's that. I hate a professor who tries too hard to be liked, it's just annoying. I'm not sure if I had any grounds to go to someone about him, but like I said, didn't even think about it at the time, but I'm glad that I didn't because stirring up trouble over a personal dislike wouldn't have gotten me anywhere. I did tell my adviser though the reason I dropped a stats course, the professor was moving way too fast, had no patience for anyone who wasn't keeping up and yelled at someone for sighing. He actually yelled... "DON'T sigh in my class!" He was also teaching things that were in the course descriptions for more advanced classes, not sure if anything came of it, but again it was no skin off my back and never had to see him again.

I had a bad experience with a young adjunct professor in undergrad, it was more of a personal dislike for him rather than anything he did academically. Although I felt that he also didn't like me and was less forgiving with me than he was with some of my classmates who didn't seem to deserve the grades they got...of course I am admitting honestly that this is mostly my perception, I never looked at or critiqued their written assignments, but when participating in class discussions it was like..."did you seriously just say that and you're getting an A in this class?" He also clearly had his favorite which was just annoying because he would let her ramble on and on about nothing class after class, she sounded like a high school junior rather than a college junior, but somehow that earned her top points for class participation. I know that this particular classmate's work, while she tried, was mediocre because she ended up in my senior capstone class a few semesters later with a different professor who I actually liked and respected (thank god) where we all reviewed and critiqued each others' work. None of us could believe she ended up with a B on her final paper, it was deserving of a C at best...but everyone else in the class received an A...I think the professor, who was fantastic, just wasn't going to give anything less than a B to seniors on their capstone projects...

The adjunct prof was probably the worst teacher I had in a long time...he was new, he cursed a lot in class...it was an International Organizations class for crying out loud, not sure what there was to get so fired up about, but he'd go on these little rants laden with profanity....all I remember from him is..."well fuck the League of Nations..." Are you for real? He also brought up the fact that he did indeed have a girlfriend and taught at Princeton as often as he could....my only thought was who let such a jackass into a Princeton classroom to teach? I was even confused as to how anyone let him teach at my school.

Then he had the audacity to keep me and another classmate after class and inform us that we weren't participating enough and if we don't understand the material we should be seeking extra help. Uh, this isn't quantum physics here ok pal, this is an upper level course and I paid for the class so don't tell me I need to do this that or the other. If he was genuinely concerned it sure didn't seem like it, he was such a snot about it, it seemed more like he was just annoyed that we weren't overjoyed to be in his class. Then at the next class I actually offered my opinion on something and he was just like "I wouldn't say that." With the way he said it he might as well have said "don't bother next time." At that point I was done bothering, and the semester was almost over.

He gave me a C+ which was devastating at the time, and still stings a little. I didn't even think about going to talk to anyone about him, I just let it rip on his evaluation. He was a total awkward dweeb who didn't command my respect. Told him to tone it down on the cursing and we're all big kids now and don't need to be kept after class to be accused of not understanding the material. I was a quiet student at the time and my strong suit was writing papers, which we did plenty of. Not a single other professor ever bothered to tell anyone that they're not participating enough, they know that we know what we need to do and if we don't do it we deal with the grades we get and that's that. I hate a professor who tries too hard to be liked, it's just annoying. I'm not sure if I had any grounds to go to someone about him, but like I said, didn't even think about it at the time, but I'm glad that I didn't because stirring up trouble over a personal dislike wouldn't have gotten me anywhere. I did tell my adviser though the reason I dropped a stats course, the professor was moving way too fast, had no patience for anyone who wasn't keeping up and yelled at someone for sighing. He actually yelled... "DON'T sigh in my class!" He was also teaching things that were in the course descriptions for more advanced classes, not sure if anything came of it, but again it was no skin off my back and never had to see him again.

Even though this is an old topic I just love the use of subjective words like "mediocre" and "low." It makes me chuckle inside when someone shamefully admits that they got a 'mediocre' 1300. "My quant score of 720 is 'low' might retake it." "My 1250 is pathetic, surprised I got in anywhere." It's a little absurd if you think about it. I mean OK I know certain programs and areas of study rely on the GRE more than others and phD programs have a higher requirement than MAs, but when you start throwing around words like "mediocre" to describe a score that's actually really good it just makes me want to say..."seriously? are you really serious?" I hated the idea of the GRE, like admissions committees really need one more number aside from an already large application package? But once I accepted it I embraced and got very into the studying. I actually kind of liked studying for the verbal section, that's something that's useful, but for me, relearning 4 years of high school math in a matter of months was a nightmare. I still ended up with an "OK" 1120, V570 Q550 W4.5. Luckily for me my area of study isn't so concerned with the GRE which is the way it should be. But even with that score I got into a top MA program in my field...off of the waitlist that is, but still got in. I doubt that my GRE score was a deciding factor. And I don't have any problems revealing my score so that others can see that it might not matter as much as they think, depending on the field of course. I was always relieved to see a post with a declaration of acceptance despite a GRE score on the lower end of the spectrum.

I like the idea of contacting admissions before applying...or before getting too attached to a program and explaining your situation, not about the illness issue but that you've experienced hardships in your undergrad career and therefore came in at just under a 3.0 GPA, however...and this is a huge however, you now have a 4.0 in your master's program, will the undergrad GPA automatically disqualify you? Something to that effect. If they tell you your entire app will be discarded because of that one bad number then you know what...let 'em go and move on. You'll find one where your stats will be valued. Some programs have SOP topics like "describe overcoming a hardship or challenge in your life..." I mean I haven't looked into phD applications but I've seen that type of essay requirement for some schools. You really have the great advantage of time on your side, you're starting this early enough where you can research, seek advice here, and more importantly from admissions committees themselves.

Personally I just can't see how a low undergrad GPA would matter after a 4.0 graduate one, not everyone sails through undergrad, but you've bounced back in a huge way. I think you have a lot of options, what program you want has to be up to you and that's a good thing. Plus, if you're willing to shell out the application fee at least for a one or two schools that might seem beyond your reach, you just might get in because admission depends on the entire package not just the numbers as well as how you stack up against the rest of the applicant pool. How many other applicants in the pile will boast a 4.0 graduate GPA? Not sure, but that makes you competitive I'm sure. Plus if you can manage solid GRE scores that's even better.

I just got done responding to another "low GPA thread" and like yours, it mentions George Washington University. I actually have to admit that I get some kind of satisfaction out of responding to these because I'm living proof that despite slightly lower than average stats it is very possible to get into a dream school...GWU. I was waitlisted back in March and finally a week ago I got my acceptance email. I was so shocked, at that point in the game I had written it off and was satisfied with going to George Mason, it's a decent school for sure and some of it's programs are more competitive than others, but it's not quite as selective as GW...which is fine, I was very happy to receive an acceptance. I was rejected by American U and waitlisted at GW...but I had at least one school that wanted me. Sure I wasn't a top pick in the first round at GW, but enough people declined and I was ranked high enough to get one of those spots. I took it without hesitation as soon as it was offered. My undergrad GPA is a 3.35 while GW's average is 3.5. My GRE scores are V570, Q550, W4.5, the V and Q scores are lower than their average, but the W score fits right in. I was a little worried but I was sure I had a chance because I have 2 years of Peace Corps experience and a high level of foreign language proficiency, my BA (international studies) is a perfect foundation for graduate study in an International Development program. So my course of study and international experience combined along with not so bad numbers have created a good enough package to get me into this phenomenal program. It's all about the whole application. I was passionate and confident in my SOP, I worked on it for at least a month and had it proofread by others. I also was able to express exactly what direction I want to take in ID so they know that with me they're getting someone who knows what they want to do and won't waste anytime getting to it. Plus my recommendations came from professors who gave me A's in their classes so I had done top notch work with them. I had a third letter from my PC manager who really came up with a beautiful recommendation. There are also some success stories from applicants here with very low undergrad GPAs and getting accepted right off the bat so really it's about the package you present to the admissions committees.

I had a bad experience with a young adjunct professor in undergrad, it was more of a personal dislike for him rather than anything he did academically. Although I felt that he also didn't like me and was less forgiving with me than he was with some of my classmates who didn't seem to deserve the grades they got...of course I am admitting honestly that this is mostly my perception, I never looked at or critiqued their written assignments, but when participating in class discussions it was like..."did you seriously just say that and you're getting an A in this class?" He also clearly had his favorite which was just annoying because he would let her ramble on and on about nothing class after class, she sounded like a high school junior rather than a college junior, but somehow that earned her top points for class participation. I know that this particular classmate's work, while she tried, was mediocre because she ended up in my senior capstone class a few semesters later with a different professor who I actually liked and respected (thank god) where we all reviewed and critiqued each others' work. None of us could believe she ended up with a B on her final paper, it was deserving of a C at best...but everyone else in the class received an A...I think the professor, who was fantastic, just wasn't going to give anything less than a B to seniors on their capstone projects...

The adjunct prof was probably the worst teacher I had in a long time...he was new, he cursed a lot in class...it was an International Organizations class for crying out loud, not sure what there was to get so fired up about, but he'd go on these little rants laden with profanity....all I remember from him is..."well fuck the League of Nations..." Are you for real? He also brought up the fact that he did indeed have a girlfriend and taught at Princeton as often as he could....my only thought was who let such a jackass into a Princeton classroom to teach? I was even confused as to how anyone let him teach at my school.

Then he had the audacity to keep me and another classmate after class and inform us that we weren't participating enough and if we don't understand the material we should be seeking extra help. Uh, this isn't quantum physics here ok pal, this is an upper level course and I paid for the class so don't tell me I need to do this that or the other. If he was genuinely concerned it sure didn't seem like it, he was such a snot about it, it seemed more like he was just annoyed that we weren't overjoyed to be in his class. Then at the next class I actually offered my opinion on something and he was just like "I wouldn't say that." With the way he said it he might as well have said "don't bother next time." At that point I was done bothering, and the semester was almost over.

He gave me a C+ which was devastating at the time, and still stings a little. I didn't even think about going to talk to anyone about him, I just let it rip on his evaluation. He was a total awkward dweeb who didn't command my respect. Told him to tone it down on the cursing and we're all big kids now and don't need to be kept after class to be accused of not understanding the material. I was a quiet student at the time and my strong suit was writing papers, which we did plenty of. Not a single other professor ever bothered to tell anyone that they're not participating enough, they know that we know what we need to do and if we don't do it we deal with the grades we get and that's that. I hate a professor who tries too hard to be liked, it's just annoying. I'm not sure if I had any grounds to go to someone about him, but like I said, didn't even think about it at the time, but I'm glad that I didn't because stirring up trouble over a personal dislike wouldn't have gotten me anywhere. I did tell my adviser though the reason I dropped a stats course, the professor was moving way too fast, had no patience for anyone who wasn't keeping up and yelled at someone for sighing. He actually yelled... "DON'T sigh in my class!" He was also teaching things that were in the course descriptions for more advanced classes, not sure if anything came of it, but again it was no skin off my back and never had to see him again.

I find it interesting that aside from this, all of the things described in this article are pretty obvious. We all know that grammar/spelling errors in a statement of purpose would be bad, as well as including stuff that falls in the TMI category. It's almost like a game of "What Doesn't Belong?". Why is so much emphasis placed on the disclosure of a mental illness? Hopefully I'm making sense here.

So does this have something to do with the fact that this study focused on psychology graduate admissions? I suppose I could see the connection there (i.e. you don't want a "mentally unstable" person studying psychology). What would you call that? It's almost like a conflict of interest or a contradiction. I'm not saying I agree with it, I'm just saying that I can sort of see where it comes from.

As for the mental health stigma being a problem in general, I think it still is. But as UnlikelyGrad said, it is getting better as old attitudes begin to fade away and mental health issues become more widely accepted. I personally have no experience with being rejected or feeling judged by an admissions committee, but I also did not disclose information about my personal history with depression and anxiety in my statement of purpose. There are people who know about my issues including my adviser and the associate director. This didn't come out until after I was admitted. But it wasn't like I was consciously omitting the information from my statement of purpose, I just felt it wasn't an appropriate place to discuss it. Really, it didn't even occur to me to discuss it there. It just isn't relevant information (but I suppose I could see why someone wishing to study psychology might feel it is relevant). Anyway, at no time did I feel judged by anyone. If anything, it seems like they were genuinely concerned and wanted to help me that much more. This is especially true of my adviser, they want me to succeed.

I had a bad experience with a young adjunct professor in undergrad, it was more of a personal dislike for him rather than anything he did academically. Although I felt that he also didn't like me and was less forgiving with me than he was with some of my classmates who didn't seem to deserve the grades they got...of course I am admitting honestly that this is mostly my perception, I never looked at or critiqued their written assignments, but when participating in class discussions it was like..."did you seriously just say that and you're getting an A in this class?" He also clearly had his favorite which was just annoying because he would let her ramble on and on about nothing class after class, she sounded like a high school junior rather than a college junior, but somehow that earned her top points for class participation. I know that this particular classmate's work, while she tried, was mediocre because she ended up in my senior capstone class a few semesters later with a different professor who I actually liked and respected (thank god) where we all reviewed and critiqued each others' work. None of us could believe she ended up with a B on her final paper, it was deserving of a C at best...but everyone else in the class received an A...I think the professor, who was fantastic, just wasn't going to give anything less than a B to seniors on their capstone projects...

The adjunct prof was probably the worst teacher I had in a long time...he was new, he cursed a lot in class...it was an International Organizations class for crying out loud, not sure what there was to get so fired up about, but he'd go on these little rants laden with profanity....all I remember from him is..."well fuck the League of Nations..." Are you for real? He also brought up the fact that he did indeed have a girlfriend and taught at Princeton as often as he could....my only thought was who let such a jackass into a Princeton classroom to teach? I was even confused as to how anyone let him teach at my school.

Then he had the audacity to keep me and another classmate after class and inform us that we weren't participating enough and if we don't understand the material we should be seeking extra help. Uh, this isn't quantum physics here ok pal, this is an upper level course and I paid for the class so don't tell me I need to do this that or the other. If he was genuinely concerned it sure didn't seem like it, he was such a snot about it, it seemed more like he was just annoyed that we weren't overjoyed to be in his class. Then at the next class I actually offered my opinion on something and he was just like "I wouldn't say that." With the way he said it he might as well have said "don't bother next time." At that point I was done bothering, and the semester was almost over.

He gave me a C+ which was devastating at the time, and still stings a little. I didn't even think about going to talk to anyone about him, I just let it rip on his evaluation. He was a total awkward dweeb who didn't command my respect. Told him to tone it down on the cursing and we're all big kids now and don't need to be kept after class to be accused of not understanding the material. I was a quiet student at the time and my strong suit was writing papers, which we did plenty of. Not a single other professor ever bothered to tell anyone that they're not participating enough, they know that we know what we need to do and if we don't do it we deal with the grades we get and that's that. I hate a professor who tries too hard to be liked, it's just annoying. I'm not sure if I had any grounds to go to someone about him, but like I said, didn't even think about it at the time, but I'm glad that I didn't because stirring up trouble over a personal dislike wouldn't have gotten me anywhere. I did tell my adviser though the reason I dropped a stats course, the professor was moving way too fast, had no patience for anyone who wasn't keeping up and yelled at someone for sighing. He actually yelled... "DON'T sigh in my class!" He was also teaching things that were in the course descriptions for more advanced classes, not sure if anything came of it, but again it was no skin off my back and never had to see him again.

I had a bad experience with a young adjunct professor in undergrad, it was more of a personal dislike for him rather than anything he did academically. Although I felt that he also didn't like me and was less forgiving with me than he was with some of my classmates who didn't seem to deserve the grades they got...of course I am admitting honestly that this is mostly my perception, I never looked at or critiqued their written assignments, but when participating in class discussions it was like..."did you seriously just say that and you're getting an A in this class?" He also clearly had his favorite which was just annoying because he would let her ramble on and on about nothing class after class, she sounded like a high school junior rather than a college junior, but somehow that earned her top points for class participation. I know that this particular classmate's work, while she tried, was mediocre because she ended up in my senior capstone class a few semesters later with a different professor who I actually liked and respected (thank god) where we all reviewed and critiqued each others' work. None of us could believe she ended up with a B on her final paper, it was deserving of a C at best...but everyone else in the class received an A...I think the professor, who was fantastic, just wasn't going to give anything less than a B to seniors on their capstone projects...

The adjunct prof was probably the worst teacher I had in a long time...he was new, he cursed a lot in class...it was an International Organizations class for crying out loud, not sure what there was to get so fired up about, but he'd go on these little rants laden with profanity....all I remember from him is..."well fuck the League of Nations..." Are you for real? He also brought up the fact that he did indeed have a girlfriend and taught at Princeton as often as he could....my only thought was who let such a jackass into a Princeton classroom to teach? I was even confused as to how anyone let him teach at my school.

Then he had the audacity to keep me and another classmate after class and inform us that we weren't participating enough and if we don't understand the material we should be seeking extra help. Uh, this isn't quantum physics here ok pal, this is an upper level course and I paid for the class so don't tell me I need to do this that or the other. If he was genuinely concerned it sure didn't seem like it, he was such a snot about it, it seemed more like he was just annoyed that we weren't overjoyed to be in his class. Then at the next class I actually offered my opinion on something and he was just like "I wouldn't say that." With the way he said it he might as well have said "don't bother next time." At that point I was done bothering, and the semester was almost over.

He gave me a C+ which was devastating at the time, and still stings a little. I didn't even think about going to talk to anyone about him, I just let it rip on his evaluation. He was a total awkward dweeb who didn't command my respect. Told him to tone it down on the cursing and we're all big kids now and don't need to be kept after class to be accused of not understanding the material. I was a quiet student at the time and my strong suit was writing papers, which we did plenty of. Not a single other professor ever bothered to tell anyone that they're not participating enough, they know that we know what we need to do and if we don't do it we deal with the grades we get and that's that. I hate a professor who tries too hard to be liked, it's just annoying. I'm not sure if I had any grounds to go to someone about him, but like I said, didn't even think about it at the time, but I'm glad that I didn't because stirring up trouble over a personal dislike wouldn't have gotten me anywhere. I did tell my adviser though the reason I dropped a stats course, the professor was moving way too fast, had no patience for anyone who wasn't keeping up and yelled at someone for sighing. He actually yelled... "DON'T sigh in my class!" He was also teaching things that were in the course descriptions for more advanced classes, not sure if anything came of it, but again it was no skin off my back and never had to see him again.

I'm dating someone already, but if at any point I'm single in grad school I plan to say the following thing to any alluring fellow grad students: "Now, I think I'm totally worth it, but just so you know that by being in a serious relationship with me you are committing to always choosing my career first." This statement is almost guaranteed to thoroughly douse ardor.

In this way I hope to sidestep the two body problem. That's also partly why I'm dating someone with moveable ambitions.

I like the idea of contacting admissions before applying...or before getting too attached to a program and explaining your situation, not about the illness issue but that you've experienced hardships in your undergrad career and therefore came in at just under a 3.0 GPA, however...and this is a huge however, you now have a 4.0 in your master's program, will the undergrad GPA automatically disqualify you? Something to that effect. If they tell you your entire app will be discarded because of that one bad number then you know what...let 'em go and move on. You'll find one where your stats will be valued. Some programs have SOP topics like "describe overcoming a hardship or challenge in your life..." I mean I haven't looked into phD applications but I've seen that type of essay requirement for some schools. You really have the great advantage of time on your side, you're starting this early enough where you can research, seek advice here, and more importantly from admissions committees themselves.

Personally I just can't see how a low undergrad GPA would matter after a 4.0 graduate one, not everyone sails through undergrad, but you've bounced back in a huge way. I think you have a lot of options, what program you want has to be up to you and that's a good thing. Plus, if you're willing to shell out the application fee at least for a one or two schools that might seem beyond your reach, you just might get in because admission depends on the entire package not just the numbers as well as how you stack up against the rest of the applicant pool. How many other applicants in the pile will boast a 4.0 graduate GPA? Not sure, but that makes you competitive I'm sure. Plus if you can manage solid GRE scores that's even better.

I just got done responding to another "low GPA thread" and like yours, it mentions George Washington University. I actually have to admit that I get some kind of satisfaction out of responding to these because I'm living proof that despite slightly lower than average stats it is very possible to get into a dream school...GWU. I was waitlisted back in March and finally a week ago I got my acceptance email. I was so shocked, at that point in the game I had written it off and was satisfied with going to George Mason, it's a decent school for sure and some of it's programs are more competitive than others, but it's not quite as selective as GW...which is fine, I was very happy to receive an acceptance. I was rejected by American U and waitlisted at GW...but I had at least one school that wanted me. Sure I wasn't a top pick in the first round at GW, but enough people declined and I was ranked high enough to get one of those spots. I took it without hesitation as soon as it was offered. My undergrad GPA is a 3.35 while GW's average is 3.5. My GRE scores are V570, Q550, W4.5, the V and Q scores are lower than their average, but the W score fits right in. I was a little worried but I was sure I had a chance because I have 2 years of Peace Corps experience and a high level of foreign language proficiency, my BA (international studies) is a perfect foundation for graduate study in an International Development program. So my course of study and international experience combined along with not so bad numbers have created a good enough package to get me into this phenomenal program. It's all about the whole application. I was passionate and confident in my SOP, I worked on it for at least a month and had it proofread by others. I also was able to express exactly what direction I want to take in ID so they know that with me they're getting someone who knows what they want to do and won't waste anytime getting to it. Plus my recommendations came from professors who gave me A's in their classes so I had done top notch work with them. I had a third letter from my PC manager who really came up with a beautiful recommendation. There are also some success stories from applicants here with very low undergrad GPAs and getting accepted right off the bat so really it's about the package you present to the admissions committees.

Let's be honest here -- in the grand scheme of life, who gives a flying fart if you got a B- or a C+ -- it doesn't mean you will fail in your grad program and be destined for Baristaville. That is like going from A to B to Z in your mindset. I'm pretty sure there is more to you than a few not so hot grades that you can offer your program. Try to focus on the positive things you have to offer. Life is not always going to be puppies, rainbows and straight A's and I am a bit worn out from reading people on these boards getting so down on themselves or writing negative things over such petty stuff such as a few less-than-stellar letter grades. This whole process is stressful and really makes you analyze yourself through the various portions of the applications, but I think you really need to stop picking yourself apart this badly because if you stay in this negative mindset, it will hinder you, once you reach graduate school.

You've certainly come to the right place...

First, in regards to your GPA, it's a tad low, but it's not that bad. You should consider taking an extra class, maybe there's something you can do online that directly relates to your program. To do well, as in getting an A, would probably do a lot for you. It would show your commitment as well as focus and ability. If you choose to not boost your application with say an extra class that you take in between now and the time you have to submit your transcripts then I would look around for a few safety schools. My GPA is around the same (3.35), but I have experience that directly relates to my field, however I relied too much on the idea that Peace Corps experience will get me into a top International Relations school, I was waitlisted by my dream school..will get a decision within 2 weeks now, but was rejected by my second choice. If I didn't have the smarts to apply to a safety school I might not be going anywhere this Fall as it thus far is the only acceptance I've gotten. I'm not counting on my dream school. It's now in retrospect that I see I should have taken another class, I had the time, I kind of regret it.

As far as the GRE goes, I can't provide too much there, I took it twice and ended up with what I consider to be a decent score, tests like that are a nightmare for me, especially the quantitative section. The GRE is weighted differently at every school and for every program...

But most importantly, you have a lot to say in a statement of purpose, a lot of great things. I can't get too particular as I'm not in the sciences, but as someone who has done it already and feels that it was one of my strong points in my app, I'd say that the SOP is not a place to simply retell in great detail your entire story. However, you have so much in the way of ambition and initiative (all of that self-taught stuff) that potentially you could have a dynamite SOP. The point of it is to not simply list your accomplishments and experiences, but to relate it to the program and how the things you've done (or a few major things) have prepared you academically, professionally, and emotionally for graduate school. Work experience can help offset a lower GPA, as can a great GRE score, so you've a lot to work with here. This is your chance to show admissions committees your ability to tie all of your experience together and convince them that you are even more prepared than most applicants to do this because of all of the self-motivated effort you put into your projects. Writing an SOP can take a long time, the more you've done, the more work it is because it's about finding the right experiences to relate to the specific program. I would choose the most relevant projects/jobs and things that you are the most proud off to talk about. You're obviously passionate about this or you wouldn't have for all of those years taught and pushed yourself to get better at it, that's something you want to convey in your SOP, that everything you have done has led you to this and each experience has only reaffirmed your passion for furthering yourself in the field. It's a lot to think about, I don't have nearly the amount of experience and it was still very hard because I obsessed over every word. But I kind of enjoyed doing, this was my time to be more than a collection of data.

I don't know what kind of emails your sending to these professors and again I'm in a different ball game with more of a professional Master's degree, but you can't get discouraged by what they're telling you, they don't have the time to say anything else if you think about it. If it's not obvious right off the bat with 3.9 GPA from MIT than what else are they going to say? They're not going to come back and ask you to describe yourself more, especially if you're not even in the application phase yet. You're better off maybe getting in touch with someone in admissions at your schools, you can tell them your numbers and also about your experiences, it's actually their job to tell you what they're looking for. Just start out with a few things you've done and ask them if they consider it to be relevant experience and if they value the initiative you've taken to do your job...

But you have options and time to do the things you need to do, so I wouldn't fret too much, although that's easier said than done...hope that helps!

Thanks for reviving this, it's so great...

International Relations programs don't want Chuck Norris because they're afraid he'll want to be President of the World and therefore eliminate the need for international relations.

Chuck Norris is probably the only grad school intern who gets coffee served to him.

Since Chuck Norris bought the government there's now a new repayment plan option on student loans: A roundhouse kick to your bill every month along with the instruction: put on Chuck Norris' tab.

After receiving an acceptance from a school Chuck Norris adds it to his waitlist...and keeps them waiting...forever.

Chuck Norris is in more phD programs than James Franco.

After Chuck Norris roundhouse kicked the computer in the next cubicle, the one he was actually taking the GRE on flashed 1600, after clenching his fist, it flashed 1700.

I like how this turned into me not ever reading or listening to the news. You're right I don't generally pay that much attention to what celebrities are doing unless I particularly respect them for some reason and I'm interested. But if I feel inundated with something that I don't care about or I find irritating then I switch channels, which I'm sure you know is an option at anytime. There's so much media out there other than NPR and NY Times, seriously not all of them are reporting extensively on Franco. For example maybe if you read The Economist instead you would have a more pleasant experience catching up on world affairs. But to each his own.

I'm fine with him carrying on multiple degrees...basically all I'm saying is that whether or not he's performing up to the standards is not my claim to make..or anyone's for that matter...unless...you're his classmate, professor, or adviser. And I'm about 98% sure that no one who posts in this thread is one of those.

As far as Columbia MAs being for sale to the highest bidder...wow, I didn't know Columbia was so easy, should have applied there, it could have been my back up just in case my top choice 3rd tier school didn't pan out, in fact every user in the forum who didn't get accepted to any schools they applied to should have considered Columbia as their last resort so at least they'd have somewhere to go this Fall, I guess Columbia's better than absolutely nothing. But in all seriousness I'd be a tad insulted by that statement if I were going there for my Master's...just sayin'.

But anyway, I think that like you, I've had enough of this particular aspect of James Franco's life.

Seriously? Who says every grad student in order to be successful has to have a 4.0 GPA? I feel like you'd use the word terrible to describe grades such as Ds or worse. You'll regret it if you withdraw in order to work at Starbucks, I'm not sure coffee will be as satisfying as a Master's degree.

There is a big difference between literary criticism and creative writing, so why did Franco get the two mixed up? If he wanted to be in a creative writing program, he should have figured that out before going to Yale literary criticism. But if he wants to be in a literary criticism program, he shouldn't also apply to a creative writing program. He's only been in the Yale program for two semesters but he already knows he doesn't want to be there?

It's not just the fault of James Franco, however. Look at all of the graduate departments that are enabling him. Yale accepted him although he was perhaps uninterested in literary criticism or not up to the standards of the department. He's leaving for some reason. University of Houston accepted him even though he flamed out of Yale's program and obviously has problems completing programs.

What about all of the UCLA professors who enabled him by writing him letters of recommendation? I bet his famous film directors wrote him letters of rec. Yet they also didn't bother to really figure out if he was heading towards literary criticism or creative writing. They are all enabling him just like they enable famous people like Charlie Sheen.

In addition, are his GRE scores very high? Are his grades any good? I wonder if he's any good as a candidate besides having a lot of famous people writing letters of recommendation for him.

Thanks for reviving this, it's so great...

International Relations programs don't want Chuck Norris because they're afraid he'll want to be President of the World and therefore eliminate the need for international relations.

Chuck Norris is probably the only grad school intern who gets coffee served to him.

Since Chuck Norris bought the government there's now a new repayment plan option on student loans: A roundhouse kick to your bill every month along with the instruction: put on Chuck Norris' tab.

After receiving an acceptance from a school Chuck Norris adds it to his waitlist...and keeps them waiting...forever.

Chuck Norris is in more phD programs than James Franco.

After Chuck Norris roundhouse kicked the computer in the next cubicle, the one he was actually taking the GRE on flashed 1600, after clenching his fist, it flashed 1700.

Indeed..."The James Franco is Pissing Me Off" thread..

@Switch, not sure even why you posed the question in the first place considering your unwavering morality. You know the answer. Shouldn't you have already ratted out the "snarky" professor long ago? I mean with the first hint of snark you should have gone and told someone in order to completely clear yourself of responsibility and If you haven't, doesn't that mean you are enabling him? I should say so. When you do...if you do...that's when you get to stand tall on your soap box, not before.

You see this is more than reasonable because most people don't sit and watch for the mailman, they just go and retrieve their postal deliveries at their earliest convenience. But that's not the right way to do it. You have to watch them...carefully...painstakingly. When you allow them to simply to do their bidding without supervision they're rather like mischievous nymphs playing with your mail...some of it ends up in the mailbox, while some of it goes somewhere else...kind of like the sock that disappears in the drier. I only found this out because while I too was contemplating checking into Happy Acres mental hospital because the wait for "the letter" was turning into a burden far too great to bare, I came to a decision. I thought it just can't be taking this long, the mailman is up to no good. It made the most sense to me at the time. So I figured I'd sit, clandestinely, and wait for the mailman. In my neighborhood the mailboxes are all centrally located at the "clubhouse" so I got in the car, parked across the street, put on the biggest, roundest, darkest sunglasses I had and watched hunched down. The wait for my letter was driving me over the edge, so I had to put a stop to it, I had to get to the source of my misery, twas not the admissions committees, but the mailman. Yes. A few minutes, my wait is over, there it is, the white boxy truck with the red and blue stripes with the abstract eagle on it, which for me always conjured up mild feelings of patriotism and a sense of the kind of stability only America enjoys...like the people that drive these trucks make this country go 'round. But that day it was a different feeling all together. As I fixed my gaze, enhanced by binoculars, on the unsuspecting mailman I waited for him to get to my box. He was rather jolly, almost skipping, singing a happy tune if you will. My heart skipped as I saw him get close with a large white packet...it's here! I almost ran up to him to reward him with a kiss...but much to my dismay I caught him inspecting the packet, a creepy grin stretched across his face. What could he be doing? Why wasn't he looking at anyone else's mail like that? Instead of sliding the packet into my box, he began to take bites out of it. Horrified I jumped out of the car and marched across the street in an authoritative fashion. "What are you freakin' doing?" He was startled, but he still scampered off, skipping just as had before...in a nymph like manor, seemed almost delighted and certainly not phased by being caught in a most ungracious act. The remainder of his papery feast lay on the ground, in of course the only puddle for miles under the hot Arizona sun. And I'm almost certain he took just a moment to glance back in slight disappointment over his loss and whispered..."my precious." I gingerly picked it up...it was from one of my schools, I could still make out the logo despite the chunk missing, I tore the rest of it open and there it was...my dream come true. But you see, let this and the post above be a lesson to you all...the mailman is the culprit, not the admissions committees. If I didn't catch him, the mailman would have digested my acceptance letter, along with my hopes and dreams. I'd also by this point be rocking myself to sleep in a padded room, but tis not the case, now I'm happily, and more importantly, sanely preparing for grad school.

If you don't understand the key term in this hypothetical, then why are you answering my question? Sharing your ignorance is less valuable than you think.

It is sad that students are so pre-professional that when they hear of dishonesty and bullying in academia their response is to look the other way. This is why Enron and the financial crisis happened. The people who knew something was wrong did nothing.

This is why Bernard Madoff ripped off so many people, why there was a financial crisis, why there was Enron. It was "smart" to ignore the lies, duplicity, dishonesty, fraud, manipulation, bullying to keep your job. There is so much fraud and dishonesty in these professions because people like you think it's "sophisticated" to keep quiet when you see clear fraud and bullying.