PhD admission for borderline students

[conqueror_of_tourist]

I graduated with a Computer Science degree from a university ranked in the QS Top 500. Currently, I'm pursuing a Master's degree at the same university.

Unfortunately, during my first three years, I became deeply passionate about competitive programming and dedicated almost all my time to it, which resulted in poor grades. By the end of those three years, my GPA was 2.2/4.

However, I decided to extend my studies for an additional year and retake all those courses. As a result, I graduated with a GPA of 3.3, but the F's and D's from the earlier years still appear on my transcript.

This makes my transcript look incredibly messy, especially for PhD applications. I now feel that I won't be able to get accepted anywhere, but I still want to be sure.

With a strong Master's GPA and research experience, is it still possible for me to apply for a PhD in Europe or the US, or should I give up on that goal?

I'd appreciate any advice from you.

Thanks!

[David12]

On 1/31/2025 at 7:36 AM, conqueror_of_tourist said:

I graduated with a Computer Science degree from a university ranked in the QS Top 500. Currently, I'm pursuing a Master's degree at the same university.

Unfortunately, during my first three years, I became deeply passionate about competitive programming and dedicated almost all my time to it, which resulted in poor grades. By the end of those three years, my GPA was 2.2/4.

However, I decided to extend my studies for an additional year and retake all those courses. As a result, I graduated with a GPA of 3.3, but the F's and D's from the earlier years still appear on my transcript.

This makes my transcript look incredibly messy, especially for PhD applications. I now feel that I won't be able to get accepted anywhere, but I still want to be sure.

With a strong Master's GPA and research experience, is it still possible for me to apply for a PhD in Europe or the US, or should I give up on that goal?

I'd appreciate any advice from you.

Thanks!

You still have a strong chance at a PhD. Admissions focus on recent performance, research, and recommendations. Highlight your research, get strong recommendation letters, and briefly explain your GPA improvement. Apply broadly—many programs value research over grades. Keep going!

[timdavid]

On 1/31/2025 at 8:36 PM, conqueror_of_tourist said:

I graduated with a Computer Science degree from a university ranked in the QS Top 500. Currently, I'm pursuing a Master's degree at the same university.

Unfortunately, during my first three years, I became deeply passionate about competitive programming and dedicated almost all my time to it, which resulted in poor grades. By the end of those three years, my GPA was 2.2/4.

However, I decided to extend my studies for an additional year and retake all those courses. As a result, I graduated with a GPA of 3.3, but the F's and D's from the earlier years still appear on my transcript.

This makes my transcript look incredibly messy, especially for PhD applications. I now feel that I won't be able to get accepted anywhere, but I still want to be sure.

With a strong Master's GPA and research experience, is it still possible for me to apply for a PhD in Europe or the US, or should I give up on that goal?

I'd appreciate any advice from you.

Thanks!

It’s great that you've improved your GPA and gained research experience. While your earlier grades might not look ideal, many PhD programs take a holistic approach, considering your overall journey, research, and motivation. A strong Master's GPA and research experience will be important factors. Don't give up—reach out to programs to get a sense of how much weight they place on earlier grades.