The sub-3.0 GPAs ACCEPTANCE thread

[BigThomason51]

Just dropping here to post!  Very low uGPA (less than 2.7), but was able to get accepted into a Masters, and now have around the 3.7ish range.  Currently applying to PhD programs in the same field as my masters.  I have slightly above average GRE scores (50-60th.)  Applied to 6 schools.  Hoping for an acceptance!  

[bposadas]

I am so glad there is a thread like this!

I had a low uGPA as well (2.8), was accepted to a Masters program (GPA 3.8) and then was admitted to a PhD program outside my field. 

Just finished my first semester with a 4.0! Haven't been able to say that since high school

Anyways, I would like to encourage anyone who has a low GPA and is considering graduate school to go for it! Your GPA does not define you!! I have a lot of issues with the way GPAs and GRE scores are used to weed out "weak" applicants. These factors matter the least when you look into what makes a successful graduate student/researcher. 

If anyone is looking for advice or reassurance, feel free to reach out!

[BigThomason51]

26 minutes ago, bposadas said:

I am so glad there is a thread like this!

I had a low uGPA as well (2.8), was accepted to a Masters program (GPA 3.8) and then was admitted to a PhD program outside my field. 

Just finished my first semester with a 4.0! Haven't been able to say that since high school

Anyways, I would like to encourage anyone who has a low GPA and is considering graduate school to go for it! Your GPA does not define you!! I have a lot of issues with the way GPAs and GRE scores are used to weed out "weak" applicants. These factors matter the least when you look into what makes a successful graduate student/researcher. 

If anyone is looking for advice or reassurance, feel free to reach out!

 

Thank you so much for posting this.   You're stats are almost identical to mine!  Glad that you found success!  

[bposadas]

@BigThomason51 we're twins!

good luck on your applications! 

[JohnSGrad95]

For people with low GPAs, I'm one of them too (2.82 GPA, senior in college), would you recommend staying in college for another year to improve one's GPA? What should be the deciding factor between graduating and trying out for a Master's program versus staying in college to try to improve one's GPA? 

[benzenesulfonylCl]

On 5/5/2016 at 8:11 AM, Denominator said:

I overcame a 2.6 uGPA.  It can be done.

accepted to two top 10 phd programs with full funding.

What university did you get into?

[benzenesulfonylCl]

On 3/16/2016 at 7:00 AM, that1asian21 said:

Just accepted an offer for a Ph.D position for biology with full funding for 5 years couple weeks ago, the school was my top choice and i never would have applied if the professor that i reached out to didn't encourage me to apply. My gpa at the time of application was 2.95 and i brought it up to 3.05 by the time they were looking at my applications, I am 100 percent sure grade was not a factor at the time so please do not freak out like i did. I'm finishing my undergrad at a mid-sized SUNY school, i think the most important factors that got me in was my research experience (3 years) and the letter of recommendations, one of which was from my research adviser since my freshman year and we'll be co-authors on a manuscript.

When i was looking at grad schools I was really paranoid because my grades sucked, my GRE's sucked (Verbal and Writing was below 50th percentile) and i barely had any luck connecting with PI's. I mostly applied to masters' programs since i thought i had a better chance to get in, then work towards my Ph.D. I applied to 2 Ph.D schools and got rejected from one, the Ph.D program that i got accepted to is literally 15 minute drive from my parent's house. It was my top choice by far. 

Seriously though, get some experience in and apply to wherever you think you'll enjoy the next 5 years of your life in every aspect. The worst thing that can happen is you wasting around 100 bucks and a rejection letter from someone you're never going to meet.

What school did you get into?

[Rin]

On 1/19/2017 at 11:12 PM, JohnSGrad95 said:

For people with low GPAs, I'm one of them too (2.82 GPA, senior in college), would you recommend staying in college for another year to improve one's GPA? What should be the deciding factor between graduating and trying out for a Master's program versus staying in college to try to improve one's GPA? 

Personally, I had just under a 2.7 when I graduated undergrad, but I think my experience in my field (museums) helped tremendously. My Statement of Purpose and my CV are what got me into the University of Oklahoma for a master's program. I was granted conditional admission and finished my first semester with a 4.0.

Most schools, once they see the work you've put into your field, understand that life is hard on some people and other factors can cause low GPAs other than not actually studying. (I was homeless for two years of my undergrad) 

I think it also helped that I got a job in my field shortly after graduating, and had completed four internships and had a bit more on my volunteer list. I think rather than staying in school an extra semester, perhaps try and volunteer or intern or work in your field (if possible, I know that's easier said than done) during that extra year and the experience is going to look good when you're applying to schools.

[skiprat]

do i have to complete a masters to fix my ug gpa? could I just take graduate courses as a non degree seeking student?

[bposadas]

On 2/5/2017 at 11:26 AM, skiprat said:

do i have to complete a masters to fix my ug gpa? could I just take graduate courses as a non degree seeking student?

If your goal is to get into a PhD program, I don't see taking just grad courses helping you reach that. Research is the cornerstone of PhD programs, so to overcome a low GPA you should pursue research and work opportunities similar to what you want to do in your PhD program. Go above and beyond in these roles to earn a stellar letter of rec, and that will help your application a lot. 

[lalalaah]

Glad I found this post. I was super worried about my low GPA since my undergrad GPA is 2.73 and graduate is 3.7.

I failed a lot of papers in my first year so even though I got Bachelor's degree with second class first division honours and masters with first class honours, cumulative GPA is still below 3.0....(its 2.9)

Do you guys think I can still get into the top universities in public health field..? I haven't even started studying for GRE but already stressed out because of my undergrad GPA.

Edited February 8, 2017 by lalalaah

[Minty_Tiger]

>3.0 checking in!

I have 5 years of experience, solid letters of rec, and a decent GRE score, but I was really concerned that my GPA would disqualify me. 

Not the case! Just got accepted to one of the more prestigious schools I applied to. 

[Minty_Tiger]

Whoops...definitely meant <3.0. 

On a semi-unrelated note, is there a way to edit past posts?

[Alimatou]

Hello Everyone! I've been reading this thread to calm my nerves over the past few weeks since submitting graduate applications. I have a long story. For now I'll sum it up as: sub 3.0 UGPA in unrelated field + 5 years of experience in related field (Education) including 1 year of Peace Corps service in West Africa in the Education Sector +Hard Work on SOP & Strong recommenders/LsOR. My preferred programs do not require GREs and so I chose not to submit them as my qual and essay were high but my quant (10 years math free) was that of an actual potato. My top choice is NYU. I've read a lot of posts in this forum but have yet to hear from someone who is an RPCV. I'm wondering how my PC experience could bolster my application. The closest I saw was a veteran, saying that he was accepted to a handful of top ranked schools/programs just based off of his SOP and ability to communicate or write. I feel as if I'm going on a wing and a prayer here, but I hope soon to add to this beautiful thread with an "I WAS ACCEPTED!" post   it's all so inspiring, exhausting and nerve wracking 

Edited February 10, 2017 by Alimatou

[bhr]

On 2/5/2017 at 11:26 AM, skiprat said:

do i have to complete a masters to fix my ug gpa? could I just take graduate courses as a non degree seeking student?

The reason many people suggest completing a masters is that is lets you build relationships with faculty, burnish your research experience, and show an ability to follow through.

More importantly though, many MA/MS programs are funded through research or teaching assistantships, so while you are committing more time than if you just took a few independent classes, you will be paying a lot less. In addition, some programs will accept MA/MS work toward your PhD course requirements, allowing you to finish faster or take a wider variety of courses.

[skiprat]

12 hours ago, bhr said:

The reason many people suggest completing a masters is that is lets you build relationships with faculty, burnish your research experience, and show an ability to follow through.

More importantly though, many MA/MS programs are funded through research or teaching assistantships, so while you are committing more time than if you just took a few independent classes, you will be paying a lot less. In addition, some programs will accept MA/MS work toward your PhD course requirements, allowing you to finish faster or take a wider variety of courses.

well to do a masters full time I'd have to leave my job, which involves industry research. I just wonder if a masters full time at not well known school is worth having over work experience (research related) at a well known company + graduate coursework at not well known school.

[Chai_latte]

3 hours ago, skiprat said:

well to do a masters full time I'd have to leave my job, which involves industry research. I just wonder if a masters full time at not well known school is worth having over work experience (research related) at a well known company + graduate coursework at not well known school.

Stick with the well-known company.  I saw your post in another thread.  Your # of publications/presentations is quite good.  Great recs from a great company that you've worked at for 4 yrs. will be better than great recs from an unknown school.  Most people should get the masters.  I really don't think you have to.

[Crucial BBQ]

On 1/20/2017 at 2:12 AM, JohnSGrad95 said:

For people with low GPAs, I'm one of them too (2.82 GPA, senior in college), would you recommend staying in college for another year to improve one's GPA? What should be the deciding factor between graduating and trying out for a Master's program versus staying in college to try to improve one's GPA? 

A few years ago I would have told you "yes".  Now, I would advise against it with two exceptions:

1.  The extra year was done with more rigorous courses than you had previously taken and/or for your major.  I would stick to courses heavy with the analytics only.

2.  You were to retake a few of those courses that contributed to low GPA.  

Other than retaking courses, the more credits you have attempted and accumulated, the slower your GPA will raise--even with straight As--however depending on the number of courses/credits attempted next semester, and assuming straight As, you can likely make it over the 3.0 hump.  Be warned, though; you run the risk of damaging your GPA even more or at the least not seeing a net gain.  

At this point, your objective should be to prove that you are capable of deep analytical thought, not to boost your GPA.   In order to accomplish this objective is to first honestly identify what caused those low grades.  The second, to overcome.  Thirdly, to prove this be taking some tougher courses.  

[Crucial BBQ]

On 2/10/2017 at 6:54 PM, skiprat said:

well to do a masters full time I'd have to leave my job, which involves industry research. I just wonder if a masters full time at not well known school is worth having over work experience (research related) at a well known company + graduate coursework at not well known school.

Could you potentially do the MS part time?  

Edited to add:  I ask because based on my limited understanding it seems that those who use work experience to overcome low uGPA usually put in five to ten years of work post undergrad before applying/being accepted into Ph.D. programs.  

Edited February 13, 2017 by Crucial BBQ

[Erudite]

On Monday, December 05, 2016 at 8:45 PM, Simeon said:

My name is Simeon.

I hold a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

For my undergraduate degree I finished with a third class (CGPA = 2.36/5). WES converted that to 2.79/4

In my final year, I carried out an award-winning project in low-cost robotics where a robotic arm was designed using locally sourced materials. An IEEE paper from the project can be found here. Other fields in which I have interests and have made contributions including conference papers and a poster are Strategic Foresight/Future Studies (paper at the ATPS 2012), the African Maker Movement( poster at FAB 10 2014  , paper at ICCIG 2015 ) and Climate Change.

I scored 332/340(V165,Q167,AW3.5) in GRE and 114/120 in TOEFL last year.

I was primarily interested in a multidisciplinary masters like Robotics

However it seems my poor grade has prevented me from being admitted for a research Masters.

Last year I applied to seven US schools(Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Worcester, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern and St Louis) but got no admission offer.

I am currently open to other Western countries in addition to the US.

Is there anything I can do? Do I stand any chance this year?

Wooooooaaaaahhhhhh!!! Your GRE scores are crazy! Please try considering applying to B-list schools. You're very unlikely to be considered in those schools you mentioned. Consider Texas A and M or Tennesse Tech University. You could also check Dubai's Masdar Technological Institute. I also finished from OAU by the way. All the best!

Edited February 15, 2017 by Erudite

[skiprat]

On 2/13/2017 at 0:57 PM, Crucial BBQ said:

Could you potentially do the MS part time?  

Edited to add:  I ask because based on my limited understanding it seems that those who use work experience to overcome low uGPA usually put in five to ten years of work post undergrad before applying/being accepted into Ph.D. programs.  

not sure. I'd have to leave work to do a thesis MS. I could potentially roll over my graduate credits towards a non-thesis degree. However I'm not sure what weight that is versus a thesis degree. I do full time research for work. 

[okey_dokey]

Hi everyone.

My situation sucks.  As an undergraduate, I had a few F's and was on academic probation but graduated with a 3.2 in electrical engineering from a mid level ranked uni.  Yes I had bad study habits.  Then I thought about going to graduate school in engineering so I registered as a non degree graduate student and I got a F in that single graduate class. 

That was ten years ago.

I then took time to figure out what I wanted to do in life and worked ten years as an engineer.  I concluded my study habits and grades sucked because I was not following my passion in life and because I hated engineering, I did not study and was a poor student and I paid a heavy price for it.  I became a more mature, serious, and humbled student.  I then applied for a mba (I got probationary acceptance) and graduated with a gpa of 3.7. 

Now I want to apply for a PhD in economics in a higher ranking school (no not an ivy or top 25 school) and again I am panicking.  Are they still going to dig through my past?  I am afraid they say 'you had a few Fs as an undergrad and then another as a graduate student and even though it was ten years ago - adios amigo'.  Should I mention it in my LOR or will it just bring attention to something from 10 years ago?  The LOR did not ask for an essay of 'additional information'.  I don't want to dwell in my past and make excuses, I learned from them and moved on.  I feel my poor study habits made me a better, driven student now and more appreciative of the skills I have to offer.  All my econ and stat prerequisite grades have so far been A A A A A A as were my mba grades,  I have shown academically that I am no longer the person I was 10 years ago and I hope they ignore my past transgressions, but I still worry.  

Was anyone in a similar situation?

Any advice? 

 

Edited February 19, 2017 by okey_dokey

[Roast BBQ]

Hi everyone,

 

I am currently an undergraduate with 2.81 uGPA in computer engineering at top school (top 5). Coming here as a junior transfer, many things happened and I have to battle major depression and anxiety up till now. I'm planning to work for 1 - 2 years first before going back to grad school (need time to recover from my mental illness first). I'm very interested in pursuing either MBA or similar field to my undergrad major and I'm planning to apply to Stanford, CMU, and Berkeley. Does anyone have any idea what my chances are? I know it'll be very low, but I just need some advice on how to make my application stronger. Should I take a couple grad courses at those university and (hopefully) get an A to prove that I'm capable of doing the program? 

[bhr]

On 2/19/2017 at 5:31 PM, okey_dokey said:

I learned from them and moved on.  I feel my poor study habits made me a better, driven student now and more appreciative of the skills I have to offer.  All my econ and stat prerequisite grades have so far been A A A A A A as were my mba grades,  I have shown academically that I am no longer the person I was 10 years ago and I hope they ignore my past transgressions, but I still worry.  
 

 

You are an absolute fool if you don't have a paragraph in your SoP saying just this.

[Aeryn]

I'm really happy to be able to contribute a story to this thread.

I have a 2.7 uGPA, a 3.78 masters GPA and 3 publications to my name - one as first author. My GRE was 167V/161Q/4.5AW. I've just been told I got in to my top doctorate program of choice - at Oxford!!!

Dont let your uGPA hold you back - you are all great, and you can do this.