Additional Classes to Raise GPA

[HarmonyMisc]

I’m hoping someone out there can help me. If I'm not posting on the right forum, someone please tell me. Without going into a long, drawn out story, I spent ten years earning my bachelors due to moving around and being young and stupid. I have a couple semesters of bad grades (from approx 5-7 years ago). The last three years I buckled down and got great grades, but because I graduated with so many credits (198 to be exact—yes, I know) those couple of semesters really dragged down my cumulative. My GPA for my last 60 credits is a 2.98, but my cumulative is only a 2.63. I’m applying to a school that is pretty competitive, which only increases my anxiety over my low overall GPA. I keep reading and hearing that when you find yourself in a situation like that, it may help to take a couple grad classes wherever you can get accepted before applying to your actual school of choice. I got accepted to the local university and was planning to take two grad classes this spring before applying to my school of choice for fall. I emailed my admissions counselor at my school of choice to ask her opinion, and she said:

“It won’t increase your undergrad GPA if you now take grad classes. I would encourage you to take undergrad classes to increase your GPA.”

Isn’t your undergrad GPA pretty much set when you graduate? She knows I already graduated with my bachelors in August. Has anyone else run into this situation? I’m desperate for any advice!

[emmm]

Some schools with lump all undergrad classes together when calculating your undergraduate GPA, but it's hard to know which schools might do this without asking each school you're looking at. Relevant undergrad classes could help if you have areas where you are lacking, but that doesn't seem to apply in your situation. Grad classes could help, but even they might not be necessary.

[HarmonyMisc]

Some schools with lump all undergrad classes together when calculating your undergraduate GPA, but it's hard to know which schools might do this without asking each school you're looking at. Relevant undergrad classes could help if you have areas where you are lacking, but that doesn't seem to apply in your situation. Grad classes could help, but even they might not be necessary.

Okay, so if I understand correctly, "lumping" undergrad classes for your GPA might help when schools say they'll look closer at your last 60 credit GPA? If that's the case, it wouldn't really matter if I took a undergrad or grad classes either way, right? I'm assuming they will start at your last class and count back 60 credits. The program I have my heart set on is the MSW at University of Southern California. Thanks for your reply!

[rkg2012]

Your final UG GPA is set by the school from which you graduated, and everything is averaged out at the end of your transcript. Taking classes at a different school later, regardless of level, will not change that. Getting great grades can, however, prove that you are up to the challenge of graduate coursework. I don't know about your field, but you will need stellar recommendations, GREs, personal statement and writing sample to make up for the low GPA. Higher grades toward the end are looked at favorably, but < 3.0 may still be considered weak...I've known several schools to have 3.0 (or higher) minimum GPAs to be eligible for admission and/or funding, so you should look into that.

[Chai_latte]

I was told that any UG coursework (pre or post-B.A.) counted towards the undergrad GPA. Assuming that's the case, you should take additional UG courses (maybe relevant, upper level electives) and take a couple of grad courses to show that you can handle upper level work. As rkg said, make sure that the other parts of your application are strong. Also, be sure to apply to a wide array of programs.

I'm pretty sure most MSW programs have high acceptance rates- so you just might have a shot.

[margarets]

This is the advice I got to my first-low-then-high gpa question.

I say, take the courses to show that, whatever your past, NOW you are a strong candidate. Most programs want your transcripts from ALL post-secondary education, so they'll see the new grades.

[HarmonyMisc]

Thank you all for your advice. I have been volunteering quite a bit, and I have scored some solid recommendations (AF Colonel, Director of the counseling center I have been volunteering at, and a previous instructor I had for several classes during my undergrad). I have always been a strong writer, and I have been taking my time writing my statement of purpose and resume (revising and then revising more). I will tell you what...if I could go back ten years and smack my own forehead-I would! Now I understand how frustrating it must be to give a young person just starting out in college advice only to have them ignore it. Arg.... I will get there. I am just going to have to work extra hard. I am up for the challenge, though! Thanks again everyone!