Aerospace: Where would you recommend?

[GradHooting]

So, I've had about two years sprinkled with sleepless nights over this. I'm tired of asking "what are my chances" and getting rejected from everywhere I apply. I need to ask myself: What school would be best for me?

If I get admitted in Fall '13, I'll have a full year of experience as an intern at NASA, a summer internship at Northrop Grumman, a year of research experience in a physics lab at U of Colorado (papers still being worked on, they haven't been submitted yet, that part's out of my control), teaching experience as a tutor and lab assistant for a year, and a few smaller things.

I currently live in the bay area, and I love it here. I'd love to continue living around here, but I fear that there might be a lack of schools with good aerospace programs that would keep me competitive to employers and to investors (in the distant future, what a vain thing, a grad school name can be... I'm speaking from experience with small business owners on this aspect, many investors seem to be blind to alma maters that aren't dazzling in their namesake)

GRE: 800/630/5.5

GPA: 3.57 (maintaining a 4.0 taking graduate math and physics courses at a different university)

I've been mulling over what the schools didn't like in my application, and I think, despite everything else, it's boiling down to GPA. Over and over, it's something that I cannot go back and time and change, it seems. Not only that, but, after the first year of undergrad, I withdrew mid-semester on my second semester, due to a death of a family member and the ensuing chaos that resulted from it. So, my transcripts are from numerous schools, littered with a less than stellar GPA, and a semester of W's. I am, in no way, shape, or form, fitting into any sort of nice package that seems appealing to graduate schools. On top of that, with my crazy transcripts, I'm paranoid that I'm setting off a myriad of trip wires in their auto-filtration systems. I just don't know what to do from here, but I feel that I'm just tainted, and should just be happy that I managed to get out of undergraduate school unscathed, and just find a job somewhere. I'd really *love* to continue to a great grad school, but I cannot go back in time and fix things, and it's blowing my mind trying to figure out how I can explain all the weirdness. In this economy, with grad programs filled to the brim with students who struggle to find employment, and have few slots available, I get the feeling that they're being risk-averse, and there are more than enough students out there who are a nice, clean, low risk package to accept.

I suppose I'm just worried. Everyone who's worked with me thinks I'd be a fine candidate for grad school, even at a top program, but those are just words. The evidence is showing me otherwise.

Any thoughts?

Edited August 2, 2012 by GradHooting

[GradHooting]

Bump. Any ideas? I've laid it all out, I'm hoping someone can have some perspective.

[GradHooting]

Another bump. I'm thinking that going to three different universities and two community colleges is going to scare off most admissions committees. I would love to somehow wrap this up in a way that sounds more appealing. Not everyone has the best family and living situations that permits a contiguous 100% student time at one university.

I mean, could it also have been a completely bland statement of purpose? It's hard to stand out, these days.

[GradHooting]

I'm going to post this in another thread. It's been two months with nary a reply, and time's running out.