Low uGPA, no GRE required

[ealarcon]

Hello, 

Probably this questions has been asked before but i would like fresh opinions. UCSD has recently (as in Fall 18 is their first class) released an MS program that caught my attention very much as it would allow me to go into management positions in my career. I graduated Winter 2015 in Biochem/Chem and have been working full time in the biotech industry since Summer 2014. I graduated from UCSD with a 2.9 gpa and their cutoff is 3.0. The only thing is that i was a transfer student so all my quarters were loaded with upper division science courses, math and physics. If they were to use my community college coursework i would have more than a 3.0. Do they check that or they just go based on graduation GPA at a 4 year college? I have also taken extension courses at UCSD for a certificate program and i foolishly forgot to drop one course so i received an F in 2016. I'm thinking that F might kill my application if they even take a look at it. I did get 2 A+ in 2 other courses. 

Also this program does not require GRE but I believe if i take it and do well on it it might help my chances. It requires 3 yrs of working experience, and 3 req letters. The program accepts roughly 26 students a yr. 

I guess my question is, should i even attempt to apply. I don't want to ask for 3 recommendation letters, take the GRE, get all excited, and then not even be considered. Have people here with less than a 3.0 GPA been accepted to a competitive program? Do you think i should give it a shot?