MLIS (good major GPA, low overall GPA)

[annasan]

Hi!

New to the forums and to the whole gradschool application process so I'm here for some help.

I am finishing my Bachelor's degree in Sociology and Anthropology (double major) from the Philippines in October. I have a rather low overall GPA ~2.9/3.0 as I came from the sciences and found myself unmotivated to study during my first two years in university. My major GPA is quite high, though, ~3.5-3.8 (I still have some major subjects this last semester and I'm expecting A's from those).

Other things about me - I have held research assistant jobs with professors and the resulting papers have been published, worked as a teaching and student assistant, I have attended an international sociological conference, as well as national ones, as an undergrad as a paper presenter (of my own research work), and I will be starting a job with an archiving project and will be training in cataloging art collections once I finish my studies in October.

I am looking to do my Master's in Library and Information Science, with a concentration on archival work. Advice on what I need to improve on/work on and what GRE score range I should be targeting will be greatly appreciated. I would also like to know my chances of getting into schools such as UCLA or Michigan. Are they worth a shot or should I apply to lower ranked schools?

[Louiselab]

I'm an mls person now, and from the people I've talked to about post-school employment, the school you attended is not important. they care about job experience.

[annasan]

Thanks for the reply!

[tkm256]

UCLA and Michigan, as I recall (I'm only applying for an MLIS at the former, and only because I grew up in the area and would be considered in-state--LA is not a pretty or affordable place), require a 3.0 GPA minimum to be considered for admission. If you have a 3.0, you could squeak by. If it's a 2.9, though, you're in a tough spot...I don't know of many schools in the US that don't ask for a min. above that.