Relatively low GPA, little experience. (how to go about applying to grad school).

[chemman_20]

A little about myself. I earned a Bachelor's Degree in forensic chemistry in May of 2020. Due to the pandemic, business restrictions, etc. I have been unable to find work since graduation. I graduated with a 3.2 chemistry gpa, a 2.8 gpa overall. There are a few reasons why my GPA was low: freshman year I started off as a biology major and I didn't perform well in one of my classes mainly because I was came to realize I was disinterested in bio, so I changed my major to chemistry because I wanted to get into chemistry. Sophomore year, a very close family member fell ill and passed away unexpectedly, so I ended up missing a lot of lectures and failed my first semester of organic chemistry (which i retook over the summer and only earned OK grades in because it was an accelerated program). My grades started to pick up during my junior and senior years (had grades ranging from B- to A in all courses except biochemistry (a level 300 course) which I earned a C in). I did not have the opportunity to intern during my junior and senior years because internships in forensics are highly competitive and they do not accept many students. Instead I took on an independent study where I wrote a graduate level research proposal and received an A on it from my faculty supervisor. I believe I can get solid letters of recommendation from my faculty advisor and some of my other chemistry professors. 

I want to advance my education and earn a Master's Degree in either Forensic Science, Chemistry, or Forensic Toxicology. I want to ensure that I make myself an ideal candidate for admission at the schools I am choosing. My dream school is the University of Florida which has a Master's in Forensic Toxicology program, but they are a fairly selective school and my gpa makes me worry about my chances of getting into UF, especially without having a lot of experience outside of my undergraduate career due to the pandemic. They require at least a 3.0 gpa or higher for admittance, but I read somewhere that most of the accepted grad students on average have a 3.6 gpa from their undergraduate studies. I am looking for advice on what I could do to improve my chances of getting in. I do plan on taking the Chemistry GRE and the GRE general test (although they are not required for admission to UF along with letters of recommendation). Should I wait until I have work experience? Should I take grad school level courses before applying to UF? Any advice is helpful because I am really passionate about continuing my education and want to excel in the field of chemistry. 

 

[eigenvec]

My undergrad GPA wasn't stellar by any means- I had a 3.1. I didn't even take either GRE exam. However, I had 3 years of serious research under my belt. I completed an REU at the school I'll be attending in the fall, did a research project my junior year, and went to China for an internship my sophomore year. I knew what group I wanted to join in graduate school, and during my REU I made it a point to work with that PI in particular, and he ended up writing my rec letter. All of this is to say contact the lab you are interested in. Reach out and see if they even have available space and if you can do any kind of research with them. Your dedication to research is what will get you into grad school because all the grades and perfect exam scores don't mean much if you don't have lab experience and rec letters that show you're committed.