Help! Low GPA in EE... The path to grad school

[RCube123]

Hello, I am new to this forum and I need some advice. I just graduated from college with a GPA of 2.8 studying Electrical Engineering. I have one class left this fall and depending how I do, my GPA will go either up or down, probably not by very much. I also started off in Community College for my first two years and I remember my GPA being a little above a 3.0 before I transferred. How do graduate schools factor in grades from Community College courses? What about a course that I withdrew from and got a W?

I remember having to repeat a couple courses due to poor performance. I think my problem in UGrad was time management and work prioritization and I felt I could've done a lot better, it's something I have to work on. During my last two UGrad years, I've developed a specific interest in EE and would like to continue studying that concentration in grad school. However, I don't have any research experience and I haven't taken the GRE yet. I will take it at the end of next month and I will try to do my best on it, especially the Q section. I plan to take it a couple times before applying to grad schools. One nice thing is that I got a couple professors who said they would be willing to write me LORs.

I've read that going to graduate school with such a GPA isn't impossible, I would have to work really hard in other areas to help offset the poor GPA. Based on what I've read, I heard it's a good idea to build an alternate transcript by taking graduate courses and trying to do well in them. Geographically, I live closest to UC Berkeley and Stanford, but I don't know if they'll let me take a couple classes per quarter/semester to build an alternate transcript. I'm hoping that by taking a couple courses I can find a POI that would let me do some research in his/her lab. Not saying that I'll get into Berkeley or Stanford, but if I could get some research experience, I could put that down on my SOP when applying for other schools as well.

I would also like to work in industry mainly to gain experience and pay off college loans. I'm currently job hunting right now and if I start working I don't know if my employer will let me take time off or work part-time to take a course or two. Ideally, I would like to find a research lab I could work at, maybe they would be a little more flexible to me taking a couple courses. How long should I spend building an alternate transcript? How do I get into a research lab even though I'm out of school? I know grad schools usually prefer that applicants have research experience, but will industry work experience count as well?

I plan on applying to a Masters program first, then depending on how I do with coursework and research, continue on with a PhD. My long term goal is to eventually get a PhD in EE and go into R&D afterwards. I'm planning to start a Masters program in about 2 or 3 years and I'm hoping within that time, I could build up a strong application profile. Is that a reasonable time to start grad school given my academic situation?

[ISEngineer]

Berkeley offers concurrent enrollment classes through Berkeley extension. Everyone can enroll and you attend the same classes as all Berkeley students and get the same grading. It's even cheaper than the normal course fees for Berkeley students so that might be a very good option. Berkeley grad classes are very easy on grading in comparison to their undergrad classes, so you should def consider grad classes (200 and above in the course list) if you wanna boost your gpa.

If you start taking classes you might also get involved in research projects. Cal is a research powerhouse, so there a plenty of possibilities. A 3.0 GPA is a bit on the lower site so far but as your ultimate goal is a phd there a chances to still get into a top program. Professors value research experience in their field more than anything else, so this is what you should focus on. Work experience might help for a business phd but is not required for most other PhDs. If I were you I would take some Berkeley extension claseses in the field you want to do your phd to show your academic excellence and get involved in as much research as possible. After two years of research you should be a very strong candidate. Don't waste your money on a masters if your goal is a phd.

[victor.s.andrei]

Don't waste your money on a masters if your goal is a phd.

Disagree. Quite a few schools will award credit for coursework earned in a master's degree, and doing a master's thesis provides valuable research experience, especially if the master's thesis results in one or more publications.

[victor.s.andrei]

Hello, I am new to this forum and I need some advice. I just graduated from college with a GPA of 2.8 studying Electrical Engineering. I have one class left this fall and depending how I do, my GPA will go either up or down, probably not by very much.

So basically, not stellar, but not terrible. I got a 2.7 as an undergraduate in Computer Science.

As for your remaining class, do well. Your GPA won't go up by much but it can sink due to a bad grade.

I also started off in Community College for my first two years and I remember my GPA being a little above a 3.0 before I transferred. How do graduate schools factor in grades from Community College courses? What about a course that I withdrew from and got a W?

Like any other college class. Whether it's completed at a community college is irrelevant, though some schools will informally weight GPAs based on the quality and reputation of the school where they were earned.

During my last two UGrad years, I've developed a specific interest in EE and would like to continue studying that concentration in grad school. However, I don't have any research experience and I haven't taken the GRE yet. I will take it at the end of next month and I will try to do my best on it, especially the Q section. I plan to take it a couple times before applying to grad schools. One nice thing is that I got a couple professors who said they would be willing to write me LORs.

EE is a huge field. What part of EE are you interested in? Your lack of research experience will hurt you badly if you apply for a Ph.D. program.

As for the GRE, take it once, and do well.

I've read that going to graduate school with such a GPA isn't impossible, I would have to work really hard in other areas to help offset the poor GPA. Based on what I've read, I heard it's a good idea to build an alternate transcript by taking graduate courses and trying to do well in them. Geographically, I live closest to UC Berkeley and Stanford, but I don't know if they'll let me take a couple classes per quarter/semester to build an alternate transcript. I'm hoping that by taking a couple courses I can find a POI that would let me do some research in his/her lab. Not saying that I'll get into Berkeley or Stanford, but if I could get some research experience, I could put that down on my SOP when applying for other schools as well.

It's not impossible, but your GPA will rule out a lot of schools...for now. Building an alternate transcript as a non-degree graduate student is probably the best place to start, but you shouldn't just focus at schools like Berkeley or Stanford. If you are in the Bay Area, there are plenty of great schools, including SJSU, and the entire UC system has tons of relevant online classes you can take. Also, getting relevant work experience is highly valued by professors, especially if you pick up skills and knowledge that you apply in research. The Bay Area has a great tech job market right now, so go get a job, if you haven't done so already. Plus, many employers offer tuition assistance that you can use to pay for that alternate transcript you want to build.

I would also like to work in industry mainly to gain experience and pay off college loans. I'm currently job hunting right now and if I start working I don't know if my employer will let me take time off or work part-time to take a course or two.

I would bet that a lot of employers will be flexible, but you have to ask nicely. Also, remember that graduate courses, especially at lower-ranked schools, tend to be offered in the evenings, so you probably could get away with working full-time.

Ideally, I would like to find a research lab I could work at, maybe they would be a little more flexible to me taking a couple courses.

This is the most valuable type of relevant work experience.

How long should I spend building an alternate transcript? How do I get into a research lab even though I'm out of school? I know grad schools usually prefer that applicants have research experience, but will industry work experience count as well?

Industry work experience counts, as long as it's relevant. Also, read the academic regulations for the schools where you build the alternate transcript. You may only be able to transfer up to a certain number of credits into a degree program at a later date. Keep this restriction in mind.

I plan on applying to a Masters program first, then depending on how I do with coursework and research, continue on with a PhD. My long term goal is to eventually get a PhD in EE and go into R&D afterwards. I'm planning to start a Masters program in about 2 or 3 years and I'm hoping within that time, I could build up a strong application profile. Is that a reasonable time to start grad school given my academic situation?

Yes. That is a reasonable time frame and a reasonable track.

I started work in June 2010 and took two years to build up relevant work experience in industry, get a good GRE score, write up my goal statement, gather letters of recommendation, and complete twelve credits of non-degree coursework at the school where I applied...and that ultimately accepted me for the Fall 2012 semester. (I convinced them to let me take a few more credits as a graduate student this summer.)

Good luck, and feel free to PM me with any questions you may have.