The sub-3.0 GPAs ACCEPTANCE thread

[asdfx3]

I had a low UG GPA (2.8) and did a masters where I still didn't do great (3.0). Unlike a lot of people my UG grades didn't show an upward trend or sudden drop after a big personal event, instead it was pretty consistently getting B's and a few C's. I did research for four years, accumulating a few papers as coauthor (one as first author but after the decisions were made) and several conference posters. I was very quickly rejected by a few schools which made me question whether I'd ever get into a PhD program and if I should re-evaluate what I want to do with my life. In the end I was accepted by three very strong programs in my field and actually had the luxury of turning down interview invites.

 

My advice would be:

#1 Be sure you want to do research. The best way to be sure is to do it for a few years. All of my interviewers were impressed with my background and stressed how it showed I could handle doing academic research and know what it entails, which is a big question mark for applicants that have little or no experience.

 

#2 Spread your applications far and wide. I got a lot of rejections to go along with my acceptances and all of them without interviews. You don't know how strongly a school will weigh GPA vs experience and even though it's easy to tell yourself that experience is all that matters, your GPA is always a factor. Some schools also have official/unofficial GPA cutoffs that will make it very difficult to get in (that's what happened at my current institution which I don't mind so much now that I got into better programs).The toughest hurdle for a low-GPA high-experience candidate is the first one, the one that get's you to the interview step. In person you can wow the professors with your knowledge and enthusiasm and come off as the perfect future mentee.

[Sryahmay]

Hi all I could really use some advice. I was recently unofficially accepted into a doctoral program from the wait list. Long story short my undergrad gpa wasn't stellar (2.8, less than the needed 3.0) so the school needs to get approval from graduate division before I can be officially accepted--I have a masters degree and my masters gpa is great (3.8). I've been told by the head of the admission committee that it is pretty much just a formality and shes never seen grad division not approve anyone but its still a process they have to go through. I had this same problem when I was accepted into my masters program and got the acceptance from graduate division with no problem, I think I'm so drained from this process and am terrified something will go wrong.

Should I be concerned that I might not be officially accepted?

Having been on the wait lists I'd also like to let go of my spot at other programs because should all go well with this school I'll definitely be attending but I'm hesitant to let those go until I get this official acceptance. One school has given me an extension but this grad. division process could take a month.  Has anyone gone through or heard of a similar process? Any advice is much appreciated.

 

also sorry for cross posting--just needed some advice!

[MarieCRL]

Hi all I could really use some advice. I was recently unofficially accepted into a doctoral program from the wait list. Long story short my undergrad gpa wasn't stellar (2.8, less than the needed 3.0) so the school needs to get approval from graduate division before I can be officially accepted--I have a masters degree and my masters gpa is great (3.8). I've been told by the head of the admission committee that it is pretty much just a formality and shes never seen grad division not approve anyone but its still a process they have to go through. I had this same problem when I was accepted into my masters program and got the acceptance from graduate division with no problem, I think I'm so drained from this process and am terrified something will go wrong.

Should I be concerned that I might not be officially accepted?

Having been on the wait lists I'd also like to let go of my spot at other programs because should all go well with this school I'll definitely be attending but I'm hesitant to let those go until I get this official acceptance. One school has given me an extension but this grad. division process could take a month.  Has anyone gone through or heard of a similar process? Any advice is much appreciated.

 

also sorry for cross posting--just needed some advice!

 

I understand your concerns as someone who also has a 2.8 undergraduate GPA. I was worried about the same thing. Since graduating, I have taken courses as part of a post-bacc program, but I was not sure if the school would count those as part of my undergraduate cumulative GPA (some schools don't). I received my official acceptance a week after the department recommendation with no problem.

 

The most important thing to remember is that the department would not have recommended you for admission if they did not believe the graduate school would accept you. And considering you were accepted from the waitlist, that statement matters even more. If there was even a small chance you would be rejected by the graduate division, they probably wouldn't have made the offer.

 

While the graduate school has the ability to reject a recommendation, it does not happen very often. As the head of the admissions committee told you, you will most likely be admitted.

 

In about a week, I would recommend calling the graduate division and inquiring about the status of your official acceptance. That would help put your mind at ease.

 

Take a deep breath and relax. Be excited that you got into a doctoral program!

[Sryahmay]

Thanks AshMarie for the kind words I am trying my best to relax and remember that they want me in the program. I think I'm just so anxious and am hoping it doesn't take a whole month to get the official acceptance! I thought about inquiring to grad. divis but wasn't sure if that would be helpful at all and thought it would be annoying. 

[MarieCRL]

 I thought about inquiring to grad. divis but wasn't sure if that would be helpful at all and thought it would be annoying. 

 

It doesn't really hurt to annoy them at this point! You've already been admitted by the department. The graduate school just gives the official word. As long as you don't call 10 times, I can't see why it would be a problem. They may not be able to provide you with an answer, but it's worth a try if you're worried.

[Sryahmay]

Yea true, I'll give them a call next week and see if I can get an update at all thanks for the advice! 

It doesn't really hurt to annoy them at this point! You've already been admitted by the department. The graduate school just gives the official word. As long as you don't call 10 times, I can't see why it would be a problem. They may not be able to provide you with an answer, but it's worth a try if you're worried.

[BPStudent]

I graduated from a top 20 US university with a very dismal barely 2.0 GPA.  I spent the next 6 years working a little but still screwing around in life before I finally stepped it up and applied to a low ranking MA program.  I switched from MA into MS after performing well and finished up a masters thesis in biochemistry.  I finished my MS in biology with a 3.74 GPA, and I managed to publish one first author paper into a decent journal.  I also had great LORs from my PI and others in the school.  My GRE scores are a bit above average (Q 65% V 77%, Writing 92%) but nothing stellar (in retrospect, I shouldn't have been lazy and should have retaken the test).  I applied to a number of upper and mid level schools in the area and in surrounding areas and managed to secure interviews from all of the mid level programs I applied to.  I was granted acceptance to 3 out 4 of the programs that invited me for an interview and will be starting next semester at a mid ranked (about 90-100 depending on what you look at) program with a promising PI.

 

So while it may sound a bit easy, I have to note that while I was doing my masters, I pulled about 80 work weeks, spending hours upon hours in the lab doing research and reading and absorbing every scrap of information about my field that I could.  I did the best I could to get to know my department and get a good name at the university.  If anyone else is in the same boat that I am/was in, keep hope.  As the old saying goes, if there is a will there is a way.  Just make sure you grow up (like I did) and stop messing about and get serious about your field.

 

Good luck to everyone!  If someone with my awful background could work hard to turn things around, I know you can too!

Edited April 25, 2013 by BPStudent

[SensLu]

below a 2.7 GPA undergrad, won the NSF fellow and accepted to my top choice program.  There is hope you guys LOL  Also I have below 50% rankings on all sections of the GRE.  Such is life, I barely studied.

 

I was rejected by a lot of professors.  One professor even questioned my intelligence despite the fact that I had way more research and presentation experience than most coming out of undergrad, then after explaining my situation, he never emailed me back! I told my teachers and they all labeled him a jerk and told me some professors are full of themselves...so I felt better. Lol I went with the 1 professor that agreed to take me on one there was funding despite my low GPA and before I even applied for the GRFP.  Plus it was my first choice school.

 

One thing I recommend is if you are like me and you see your GPA decreasing fast during your undergrad then get as much experience in a lab, volunteer if you have to, do a few technician and summer jobs.  Stick with doing jobs at universities so you can Build up your connections that matter the most.  Remember you're trying to get into grad school, so it's just smarter to keep working with professors or university owned organizations.

[keunil2]

hey guys,

 

I'm an international student and I'm sophomore now,

 

Just want to check that is there possibility to get admission with gpa lower than 3.0 for me still?

 

I mean, most of school I checked set minimum gpa as 3.0, so how is that possible to get admission?

 

Is there still hope for me?

 

I'm going to work in the lab starting this fall, hope that could help me.

 

As an international student, it's quite difficult to get an internship or any other opportunities lol

[LastGradStanding]

below a 2.7 GPA undergrad, won the NSF fellow and accepted to my top choice program.  There is hope you guys LOL  Also I have below 50% rankings on all sections of the GRE.  Such is life, I barely studied.

 

I was rejected by a lot of professors.  One professor even questioned my intelligence despite the fact that I had way more research and presentation experience than most coming out of undergrad, then after explaining my situation, he never emailed me back! I told my teachers and they all labeled him a jerk and told me some professors are full of themselves...so I felt better. Lol I went with the 1 professor that agreed to take me on one there was funding despite my low GPA and before I even applied for the GRFP.  Plus it was my first choice school.

 

One thing I recommend is if you are like me and you see your GPA decreasing fast during your undergrad then get as much experience in a lab, volunteer if you have to, do a few technician and summer jobs.  Stick with doing jobs at universities so you can Build up your connections that matter the most.  Remember you're trying to get into grad school, so it's just smarter to keep working with professors or university owned organizations.

Unfortunately I went to school where GPA determined access to labs and research, which is why I'm still stuck.

[Student88]

Is it possible to do better in graduate school in terms of GPA than in undergrad?

[PoliSwede]

Is it possible to do better in graduate school in terms of GPA than in undergrad?

Forget possible. I'd say that it's more likely.

 

But GPA isn't that relevant in grad school. You only need to be good enough! 

[ChocoLatte]

I graduated with a 2.75ish overall (4.0 scale), but I believe I had a 3.85 in my major at the time I sent out applications?  So I'm sure that played into it.

Most of the PhD programs I applied to admitted me...but there was no funding!  (University of Cincinnati would allow me to go, but the cost of attendance woulda been $38,000 + living expenses, which I can't afford--cant even borrow that much in a year!  University of Florida said I qualified for the program, but they don't admit if you they can't fund you...I was first in the queue if someone turned an offer down.  No one did, so I didn't get in...)

 

HOWEVER, I stood out enough to the UFL graduate program coordinator that they forwarded me an email about an open M.A. position at USF, which came with an assistantship.  I went through the informal application process and was selected!  So now I'm headed there with a tuition waiver and a job...I still have to borrow because I don't want to live somewhere unsafe, but the loans are nothing compared to actually getting this opportunity.

 

In my case, I assume I had very strong recommendation letters (the writers knew me well, I wrote a research proposal for one of their classes, and an independent study with another one of them--got all As in their courses, as well), a decent statement of purpose, and my CV has one published work on it.  (From my minor in environmental science, so I also had research experience.)  My verbal and quantitative GRE scores met the requirements (151 quant, 153 verb) but weren't outstanding...but my writing/argument score was a 5.5 (94th percentile).

 

The GPA isn't everything, but the rest of the application needs SOMETHING in there!  I also suggest looking for programs that you fit well into...the USF one has a professor with nearly the EXACT same research interests as me, and my independent study had me read a lot of related literature.

[ronwill06]

Hey Guys,

 

      I recently just graduated this May with my BA in History. My cumulative GPA was a 3.38 and bad grades while I was a journalism major bought my GPA down. My senior year though I got a 3.7 and 3.8, respectively, and Dean's List twice. My junior year at my degree granting I got a 2.8 GPA (Journalism semester) and a 3.2 GPA thereafter. Before going to my degree granting university I received a cumulative GPA of 3.41 at a community college where I was a journalism major. I am also a part of Phi Alpha Theta (History Honors Society). What are my chances of getting into a Doctoral program?

 

[reformedlearner]

I'm trying to gauge what level of PhD is attainable (if any?) for someone in my non-traditional situation. Some background:

Academics/Research

• I'm looking into a PhD in Molecular Bio/Genomics. Depending on the school, the name varies.
• I hold a BSc in Molecular Bio & Bioinfo from RPI. My GPA was very poor (2.05 in-school, higher if you account for transferred courses)
• I'm currently in a Master's program part time. It is the Biotechnology - Bioengineering and Nanotechnology degree from Harvard's extension school. I currently have a 3.763 GPA.
• 2 courses (one this summer, one this fall) and a thesis remain before I recieve the degree
• RPI research: ~8 months. Nothing special but rounds out my resume.
• Harvard reasearch: currently involved in a project as an RA. I should be first (or maybe second) author on the eventual publication.

Industry/Work Exp.

• During undergrad I was an RA at a now-defunct small biotech for about 3 months
• Right out of undergrad I was an RA at a big genomic sequencing center where most everyone is affiliated somehow with the surrounding colleges. I spent a little more than 2 years there.
• Acknowledged (not an author) on a PLoS paper.
• I am currently employee #19 (as an RA) at a very exciting startup that has been featured in Nature. I expect to be involved in a few patents and papers because of this over the next few years.

If/when I exit then I'd like to return and get a PhD....................

..........so, what should I look at as realistic? Is there a shot at the big names (Harvard, MIT, etc)? How about smaller programs?  This is my list: 

 

harvard
northeastern
tufts
u california riverside
u maine
u mass amherst
u mass boston
u new hampshire
u toronto

Edited June 9, 2013 by reformedlearner

[MissMoneyJenny]

I posted a little while ago saying my acceptance was pending on my grades.
I didn't meet my grades, I was a little below, but I still got an unconditional acceptance.

I am convinced it was based on my statement of interest. Sometimes passion gets you everywhere. Good luck everyone else!

[emg28]

You need to be careful with conditional acceptances. Ask the school what the terms and conditions are. Sometimes a conditional admit will hinder your ability to get financial aid (loans, grant money, scholarships) or continue your studies at the school if you fall below a certain GPA or grade.

 

Ie: USC Rossier admitted me with a conditional admit. Their terms stated that a grade level of B was required for all classes the first semester. If a B was not met I would not be able to continue studies.

[MissMoneyJenny]

You need to be careful with conditional acceptances. Ask the school what the terms and conditions are. Sometimes a conditional admit will hinder your ability to get financial aid (loans, grant money, scholarships) or continue your studies at the school if you fall below a certain GPA or grade.

 

Ie: USC Rossier admitted me with a conditional admit. Their terms stated that a grade level of B was required for all classes the first semester. If a B was not met I would not be able to continue studies.

 

Yes, definitely. Thankfully they looked beyond my conditions at the school I applied to. The UK seems to be more forgiving than Canadian schools.

[tankgirl]

Can someone get in with a 2.35 GPA (1st bachelors)/3.9 GPA second bachelors? I want to apply for Public health..looking at GWU or BU. I'm super nervous though. Need to rock the GRE's.

[EngineeringGradSchool]

I finished my Mechanical Engineering from one of the UCs with 2.95 uG GPA.  Am applying those distance learning environmental engineering master programs that do not require GRE.  I don't have any research work however I have 7 years of direct working experience with some big names in the industry.  We shall see....................

[jcurtis912]

So here is my story:

 

I joined the Navy after high school and did 8 full years. The same month I got out the navy, I went to school for environmental science, and finished in 3 years. I graduated with a 2.7 gpa. I got hired immediately with the USDA, so im doing actual research and getting field experience. My boss asked me if I wanted to go to grad school, and that they will fund me. So I applied at WSU for soil science for Fall 2013. I had only two weeks to study for the GRE, so I scored a 149 on quantitative and a 153 on verbal. Not good, but not bad either. I got three stellar recommendations to go with my application from 2 researchers and 1 from a previous professor in soil science. Im sweating bullets right now.

 

What do you guys think? What are my chances?

[jcurtis912]

By the way looking at GRE website, the average for my major this year was 151 for verbal and 152 for qualitative. Again, I scored 153 and 149 respectively.

[guinevere29]

Last round of applications my wife, who had a 4.0 in undergrad (and now has finished her masters class requirements with a 4.0), didn't get in anywhere but me and my 3.5 did. Now she is getting all sorts of interviews and positive feedback and I'm freaking out about not getting in anywhere (Though I think everyone freaks out about that until they get their first official acceptance). Yay random nature of life.

I definitely was in freak-out mode since I got my first acceptance late in the game. I knew people getting acceptances in early February and mine didn't come until March. I was beginning to think my 3.97 GPA wasn't worth anything. Ended up turning out ok, but it's certainly no guarentee of a bunch of early acceptances. Application season's not over until till it's over.

[PuppyDogs]

Hello,
I current have a 2.8 cGPA and was thinking about taking a masters programs before looking for a PhD program in the microbiology field. I was wondering how some of you guys found your master programs. Any links would be helpful. Many of the programs that I have found have a 3.0 req

[Chai_latte]

Hello,

I current have a 2.8 cGPA and was thinking about taking a masters programs before looking for a PhD program in the microbiology field. I was wondering how some of you guys found your master programs. Any links would be helpful. Many of the programs that I have found have a 3.0 req

From what I've seen/heard, the overwhelming majority of Bio programs have the 3.0 cut-off (when compared to other sci/tech/engr fields).  You can still apply to the 3.0 schools and see what happens.  Some places will definitely make exceptions for applicants with killer GRE scores and great recs. 

You might also consider related degree programs like the MPH.  I don't think all of them have super-stringent GPA requirements. 

Oh, there's also http://gs.as.tufts.edu/academics/graduateprograms/biology.htm  I don't think they have a cut-off, but call and ask.