No good LoR candidates...

[gocougs]

I have a problem: I don't have any professors I know well enough to ask for letters of recommendation. As background, I'm a 5th year Biochemistry and Genetics/Cell Biology double major, with a low (2.8) science GPA. I rowed for 4 years and had ADD that was undiagnosed until this last year - my grades this semester, although not official, are more in the B+/A- range, so hopefully I'm not just an awful student and can try and explain my very subpar GPA.

I also have no undergraduate research experience (had no room in my schedule with crew), although I have worked as a lab tech in both academic and industrial settings. Right now, I work in an agricultural research science/wheat genetics facility, but as a timeslip and not doing any science. There is some potential for me to move to the lab once winter sets in, but that is hypothetical at this point.

I just took the GRE and received the following preliminary scores: V 750-800 Q 740-800. I test well and have a passion for molecular biology, but other parts of my application are extremely underwhelming. Now, I never used my professor's office hours because I never felt I needed to (although my GPA says otherwise!) and I have never done serious research, so I don't have any professors or PIs I can ask for any sort of meaningful LoR. For reference, I'm applying to M.S. programs at relatively non-competitive (Cal State) schools, with an eventual goal of a Ph.D. and working in biotech.

[ktel]

I hate to discourage you, but the combination of no research experience, low GPA and no strong letters of reference do not bode well for you. You can change 2 out of 3 of those things, but that might mean having to take a year off to upgrade your profile before applying to grad school. Not that it wouldn't hurt to try to apply. If you've worked as a lab tech could you not get references out of that?

[habanero]

If I were you, I'd take a year off to work on getting some letters and a higher GPA. You sound like your aptitude is quite high but you just got caught up in life (like so many of us do)! I would take one or two graduate-level courses and volunteer for a lab at a close school.

However, you could always apply to a few schools this year and see how you do. Your GRE scores are high enough that some mid-level schools might be willing to overlook other parts of your application. After you complete your masters, you'll have enough references for your PhD.