Do I have a chance to go to graduate school with a GPA that is below 3.0?

[Erica0403]

Hi, I graduated from college last year. My majors are economics and health science. My overall GPA is 2.8. I do not know if I have any chances to go to graduates school. I took a GRE test in Sep this year but I only got 299 in verbal and quantitative parts, and 3 in analytical writing. People around me most get at least a 3.0 GPA for applying for graduate school in the United States. Yes, I was an international student and moved back to my home country after I graduated. I have some friends who have the same GPA as me, but they decided to apply for graduate school in the U.K. or Australia. However, I still want to go to a graduate school in the U.S. I remember that I went to the career center and asked my advisor about how I can go to graduate school. She said I could go, but I needed to get a 320 GRE test score and tried to be a research assistant for a professor to prove that I can do research. I also heard about some master's professional studies programs. My advisor and professor suggested that I should not go there, but some of my friends think that it is a chance to go to the top 30 universities in the U.S. I feel that going to some professional studies programs can save time because it is usually short. My family thinks that my age is not competitive enough in the labor market. Yes, I am from a population-dense country, most companies or institutions have age requirements for the employee. I do not know if I should retake GRE. Now, I am a research assistant in a researching center, but some people also tell me that being a research assistant is not enough, and I should think about if I can publish a paper with my professor. That sounds too hard for me. It gives me a strike on my confidence. 

 

[Theory007]

Hello Erica. There are exceptions of course, but as far as I can tell you have a very little chance of being admitted to phd programs given what you have said about your profile. Both your GPA and your GRE will be in the (about) lowest 10% of applicants while less selective programs accept something like the highest 10% of applicants. But if you could get a near perfect score on the GRE you might actually have a chance. Keep in mind that almost all programs require an at least 3.0 to be even considered, but most admitted students have an at least 3.7 GPA or even higher.

This is your route to a phd program:

1. Find an MA program that would accept you. So will, but they will likely be outside the top-30.

2. Get a 4.0 there, impress your professors + get killer recommendations, have a paper out for publication, get a GRE in the 320+ neighborhood.

3. Then apply and get accepted to a phd program.

If you are interested in an MA program alone then the process will end a point 1.

I know it is a bit harsh and I am sorry for that, but this is an honest answer at least. Grad school is tough and hard to get into, and as far as I can tell you need to improve on several (if not all) aspects of your application. And finally, yes you absolutely have to improve your GRE score!

[Erica0403]

Thank you for your explaining. I am not going to apply to be a PhD, I just want to know if I can get addmission of any master programs.  Anyway, thank you so much!

[Theory007]

Maybe consider Colorado State for an MA?

[Erica0403]

Oh, thank you. I will search for it. I also found that I did not state that I originally was a bio major student. At the last two years of my undergraduate career, I  switched my major. Then, my GPA got improvement, but it did not help my overall GPA to be above the 3.0. 

[Theory007]

You can get into a masters program without too much trouble Erica. University of Denver too would be a good place to start.