Embarrassingly low GPA, I don't know what to do...

[TTUGrad2013]

After looking at this forum and seeing people talk about the competitiveness of grad school and how they don't know if they'll get in with there 3.4 and 3.78 GPAs, I've pretty much worked myself into a panic for the first time (and I'm not one to panic...ever).

I have one more semester to go (Spring '13) and AT BEST I will graduate with this as my stats:

Departmental GPA: 3.11 (I have 2 C's in major courses from junior yr, the rest are B's. I plan on all A's my spring semester)

Cumulative GPA: 2.97 (if I retake a prereq art course I'll have a 2.993---please tell me if you think its worth it for me to do this. I would take it online as a 5wk course during the spring)

Yeah, I know what most people want to say to me is, "This is sooooo low, you'll never get in. Just give up!" However, not getting in to a school is NOT an option for me. I've been to hell and back and I could have quit years ago but I didn't. Too many things fell in line for me to be here and I know this is what I'm meant to do, so there's no way I'm giving up. I've come here for real advice so please don't tell me, "There's no chance for you, you should have studied more and did better before. Or reconsider your major." The past is the past and whats done is done. I don't want to talk about why I didn't get perfect grades and I'm not here to have negativity put into my head by being told what I "should have done". I am a very positive person who believes things work out for people who want their dreams bad enough.

So, I would like real, honest, helpful advice from anyone who can tell me what the best course of action is for me to have the best chance of getting into graduate school somewhere. I'm ready and willing to fight hard.

I've already decided I will not apply to graduate school for Fall '13 being that I'm really counting on letters of recommendation to come from professors in my spring courses that I'm yet to take (who's classes I intend to ace of course). Plus, I don't have the extracurriculars to add to my application or resume yet. I intend to build up my extracurriculars during the spring semester and after I graduate as well.

I will apply to graduate school for Fall'14 that way I can really study my butt off for the GRE and do as much volunteer work, shadowing, etc as possible. I was offered to get the rest of the hours I need for an SLPA license so hopefully I will still have that offer when I graduate. I'm not banking on getting a job as an SLPA as I know their hard to come by but of course it would be great if I do and it would only strengthen my application. At the least I'll have those additional hours to add to my application/resume. If I don't get a job as an SLPA at all does anyone have an idea of what another job could be that will strengthen my app? I do have an CNA license. Would tutoring children be good?

Obviously, I'm not delusional and looking to apply to a "top school", but I also would like to not be in a "middle of nowhere, no ones ever heard of this place" type of town. Even if I had the perfect GPA, status wouldn't matter to much to me, mainly bc I don't have the money to care about status. I live in TX, and out of state definitely IS an option for me.

Just a quick background on me: I'm an 23 year old African-American female. Didn't have the best upbringing and wasn't raised in the best of neighborhoods. I've come a long way from what people told me I would be. I was inspired to enter this field by my godmother who was born and raised in Bronx, NY. She's now the Superintendent of Speech Improvement for the NYC Department of Education, over seeing 60 (thats right sixty) schools. So don't even think about telling me what is and isn't possible.

So if you were me what would you do? What would you work the most on/least on? How would you strengthen your grad school app overall to make up for the low GPA at this point?

As much advice as anyone could give would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks,

JaimeB_SLP

[sugarmilk]

Hi there,

It seems like you already have an idea of what you can do to improve your application, which is great. It is also great that you will be taking the time to prepare your application for next year.

As you know- Study, study, study for the GRE! An impressive GRE score will show that you are capable and serious about committing to academic work.

You certainly don't have to discuss it here, but you may want to address the cause of your low grades in your statement of purpose, or better yet, have a professor address it in a letter of recommendation. Is your undergrad degree in SLP/Communication Disorders? If so, you definitely need to address the grades somehow. The coursework will only get more rigorous at the graduate level and you need to show that you have changed and can do well as a grad student. Visit your professors during office hours often, become a face they know so that they will be able to write strong letters that speak to your strengths.

Find extracurricular activities that relate to the field. If you plan to work in pediatrics, any experience with children will help.

I think your application is definitely salvageable at this point, you just need to follow through with your determination. Best of luck with everything!

[sugarmilk]

PS- I would not bother re-taking an unrelated art course to boost the GPA. It would be a waste of time/money for very little gain. Focus on your SLP courses now.

[GandalfTheGrey]

JaimeB:

It sounds like you have a good plan in place. In terms of work for the upcoming year while you are applying, tutoring is definitely great but so is any job that shows responsibility and initiative. I think that the more hours you can be committed to things, the better - so if you can handle a full-time job, plus tutoring and volunteering on the side, that will show an ability to manage your time and follow through on lots of commitments, and could help make up for your GPA.

I think you are wise not to post the details of your personal life/the stories behind your grades on the internet, but it is important that schools receiving your application know why your grades are lower than those of most successful applicants AND what you have done and will do to correct that. For example, don't just say "My junior year grades were low because I watched the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy every single day", but instead say something like "My junior year grades were low because I watched the LotR trilogy every day, but I realized this was causing problems so my senior spring, I made a rule that I could only watch television or movies on Saturdays and I got much better grades, and I will continue to manage my time better in grad school". You may have the option to attach a statement separate from your personal statement to explain your grades, in which case that will leave you free to focus your personal statement on other aspects of your life. I hope you will feel comfortable sharing your academic difficulties with at least one of your recommenders, so they can back you up by discussing it in their letters, as well. And since you're asking spring professors for letters and plan to get better grades in the spring, I'm sure those recommenders will also be able to discuss how much you've improved.

Another suggestion I have is to take one or two SLP-related courses over the summer or next fall (online or in person) if it is at all possible. That will give you a chance to show yet again what you are capable of in the classroom.

Second what the person above said about getting the highest GRE score you can. and retaking an art class seems silly - focus on classes in your major.

Good luck with everything!

[AsiahASLP2B]

JaimeB_SLP

 

I am in the same position as you, I currently have a overall 2.9 and a 3.1 in the program.

I'm not in the place to give you too much advice but just letting you know that what I am doing is applying to school that look at the gpa of your last 60 hours classes. I was also told if you decide to wait 6 months to a year to get into a program make sure you are involved/ volunteering or working in the field or something related to it. It shows that you are dedicated to the profession.

Hop that helps and shows that you are not alone!

[Astrid Coleslaw]

It is not the end of the road! Good for you for not giving up. You may have to jump through some extra hoops and it might take longer but I think you can get there. 

 

I wasn't sure from your post if your undergrad is in Comm Disorders or not. If it isn't, don't worry at all, do you your pre-reqs wherever, ace every class (or close to it!)  and apply to grad schools from there. (Look at my stats they are similar!) 

 

If you are a Comm Disorders major and those are your stats it will be harder but not impossible. See if you can get work as a SLPA for sure - you might have to move for that. Kill the GRE. Maybe take some related SLP classes online (USU, SJSU) to beef up your GPA and show you CAN be successful in preSLP courses so schools are sure you can succeed academically.

 

Keep us posted! 

[katieliz456]

I think we all realize that a 3.0 is not typically considered a "competitive" GPA, but I think you definitely have a chance, and I think you're smart for choosing to wait to apply! I think your best bet might be doing several "little" things to boost your application, like:

- Taking some classes after graduation, either toward a post-bacc certificate or just related classes at your local college (Child Development, Special Ed, ASL/Deaf Studies, Linguistics, Psychology, etc.)

-From your brief bio, it seems like you might be someone who'd be good with relating to "culturally diverse" populations-- if you speak a 2nd language, perhaps try to take more classes in that and even see if you can get a certification. The culturally/linguistically diverse aspect seems to be VERY in-demand right now, so I'd take advantage of that if it interests you at all  

-Try to get involved in research/volunteer work/paid employment in your particular area of interest. Ask profs if you can come in 5 hr/week to transcribe language samples, code data, etc. Even if it isn't necessarily "hands on", it will show your commitment and work ethic  

-Because you seem open to moving, look to your godmother for resources. Maybe she can get you an aide position for the school district's summer program, or maybe she knows more recent SLP grads who still have connections! 

Stay positive, and goood luck!

[Tuck]

Lots of good advice here already, but I wanted to add that you should talk to your advisor about the possibility of re-taking the two major classes you made Cs in. If they were CSD classes, that could be really helpful.

 

Different schools treat re-takes differently. They may average the grades, or they may replace it, which would be even better.

 

See if you can get your 25 clinical observation hours in as well.

 

Visit your professors to ask them these same questions. They may have some good ideas on local places you could work or volunteer that would look really good on your CV.

 

One more thing... this is a long shot, but depending on the circumstances that caused your bad grade in the art class, would it be possible to arrange to have your grade recorded as a W, Incomplete, medical withdrawal, etc.? That might be something to look into your school's policies on.

[Umami]

Apply to Nova. I got in with the same grades. You'll just need to re-take the SPEECH courses you earned below a B in!

[Dutt0058]

If you are not applying for this fall I would recommend getting an SLP job for the school year if you can. I don't know the rules for Texas...but I am from Minnesota and in Minnesota you are able to hold a full-time Speech pathology position with a temporary license....not just an SLPA. When I did not get into grad school...I started applying around Minnesota and got interviews right away for the positions and got hired within a week. Every job I interviewed for..I got. If they need someone..they will hire you even though you have a Bachelors. By law they have to hire a Masters degree first but if they can't find someone they are able to hire with a bachelors and a temporary license. So if leaving the state isn't an issue for you...maybe you could go somewhere that is in high demand for speech teacher. Many cooperatives and small towns where people wouldn't think to live is where they need people. I work for two schools in cities that have populations about 300 people each. My cooperative has a very hard time finding speech teachers due to the fact that you are living kind of in the middle of nowhere so all the small towns around here have speech teachers with only bachelors and normally the teachers leave after a year..when they go to grad school. Because of this reason..they are very comfortable hiring people with bachelors degrees because they know what we can and can't do because they have been forced to have employees with bachelor's degrees instead of masters for many years. These jobs also tend to pay better due to the fact that they can't find anyone. 

[Zinny]

I re-took two communication classes that I had gotten C's in (Aurl Rehab and Stuttering I) and killed them with high A's and lot's of volunteer/ research work while I was on campus.  It was so worth it, just got an acceptance today!

[clydeyo12]

Hi jaimeb,

 

I'll probably be echoing what others have already said but I wanted to share my experience because I was/am in a similar situation. I graduated with a BA in psychology in 2007 with a slightly sub 3.0 GPA. I decided though that I was going to do everything in my power to maximize my chances to get into grad school. I started a pre-professional program in the fall, worked my butt off, and got all As. I participated in class, engaged with professors as much as possible, and ended up with great letters of recommendation. I worked for several months on my personal statements and got input from as many people as possible. I studied hard for the GREs and did reasonably well. I got an internship to pad my resume and help me get my 25 hours of observation which some schools require for admission. Finally, I applied to 10 grad schools of varying competitiveness, knowing I would probably be lucky to get in anywhere.

 

A week ago I got accepted to NYU Steinhardt. Several of my professors at my pre-professional institution have all but told me that I will be getting in there as well, and I still haven't heard from about 8 schools. So my advice is do everything you possibly can. Most importantly, show that you care! Everyone will say in their personal statement that "this is my passion", "I want to help people", and "I feel I was born to do this", but actions speak louder than words! Definitely foster relationships with professors and professionals in the field (SLPs you've shadowed, interned with, etc.). 

 

Hope that helped in some way. Best of luck!

[travelnguy]

Everyone has given you great advice. While no one is exactly in your shoes, I am pretty close. I am an older applicant. I didn't have a high GPA for my first BA degree. I knew that my low GPA would hurt my chances of getting into grad school. I applied to Utah State University's 2nd BS degree program in communication disorders. I made sure that I made all A's. It has taken me 4 semesters to finish my classes. I also spent six months studying for the GRE. It meant neglecting my wife, son and friends, on many occasions. I did quite well on it (it was worth it in hindsight). I also found a volunteer position at a hospital that would allow me to work with clients with speech disorders.

 

I was in constant contact with my professors and made sure that the chief physician new me and my work ethic at the hospital. I got five beautiful letters of recommendation out of this.

 

I used the university writing lab to help me with all of my application essays. I took the time to talk to the department head as well as whomever was in charge on the graduate committee. I found out what their areas of interest and research were and wrote me essays around those areas of interest. I had professors and former grad students read them and critique them. This feedback, I feel, made my letters really stand out.

 

Finally, I used this forum to help me decide on which schools to apply. I didn't think that I could get accepted to top programs so I used the results feature to find acceptances with GPAs and GRE scores similar to mine.

 

I have been put on one wait list and have one acceptance.

 

Be open about where you can go to school. It is only two years out of your life. As of right now, I will be going to a school in the middle of nowhere and my wife (who is a minority) will stick out. But even she says that it is only for two years.

 

Good luck and don't give up.

[HopefulFutureSLP2016]

What did you ever end up doing? I'm currently in a similar boat. I have 3 more semesters to raise my GPA! What schools did you apply to? Any acceptances or wait lists?

[JustJay]

What did you ever end up doing? I'm currently in a similar boat. I have 3 more semesters to raise my GPA! What schools did you apply to? Any acceptances or wait lists?

 

Hi!  Sorry I've taken so long to follow up to your inquiry. Its been a loooong time since this original post and A LOT has changed for me. I'll try to make it short and sweet though. Due to not knowing exactly what my GPA would be by graduation, I never bothered applying for grad school during my senior year ( I even had a professor tell me I should rethink my major ). I did however graduate with a 3.03 cumulative gpa which was slightly better then the 2.97 I predicted. Still..what was best for me at the time was moving back home and taking a break to truly think about what I wanted to do going forward.

 

What's different about my case then many others that i've seen here is that communication disorders was my undergraduate program. I know many have advised to take leveling courses or getting a second bachelors degree to makeup for the gpa but that just wasn't logical for me in anyway. Quite frankly, I worked my behind off to graduate with that 3.0. and If I knew that graduating with a 3.0 in this major would be the kiss of death, I truly would have never chosen this major.

 

After graduation, I couldn't at all land a SLP-A job. I wasn't able to get those assistant hours because I would have had to stay in lubbock after graduation which was impossible for me to do and I couldn't find any opportunities in Dallas. Relocating out of state also wasn't an option for me at the time. To my surprise I ended up a substitute teacher and now, I'm an full-time assistant preschool teacher in Dallas. Last fall, I did end up applying for SLP grad programs for Fall 2015 admissions because I really wanted to give myself a chance and see if I could get in somewhere. So like many others I am awaiting my results (I've already received one rejection). Ironically enough, about 3 months ago while working on apps, I came upon the realization that I really love being in a classroom and teaching students. So although I have applied to grad school for SLP nearly 1 1/2 yrs after graduating, I've decided to go into the teaching field. I applied to a few programs and I have currently been accepted into the Indianapolis Teaching Fellows program to teach Special Education-Elementary! I begin training in June and will be in the classroom by Fall during that time I'll be working towards full teacher licensure and my Masters of Art in Education. Its not SLP, but I believe my undergrad major has served as a plus and I'm really looking forward to it all. 

 

What's important to me at this point in my life is to not take any unnecessary (and costly) risks with my future. So for now, I know I want to teach. If later on I decide I really want to pursue SLP then at that point I'll have the means to do so. Right now, I need to start my career especially with student loan repayments coming in. 

 

I don't want to sound pessimistic and what I am about to say many will disagree with but, I feel that If you think you will graduate with a 3.2 or less its best to not graduate at all (meaning: stay in school and repeat the courses you need that way you have a chance BEFORE graduating to fix your gpa) or change your major now. Not everyone can afford a second bachelors degree or to do post grad courses just for a shot at grad school. My family has never been able to pay for my schooling, living, etc so I already have a mountain of undergrad debt. So to doing anything post grad would mean more debt to just hopefully get into school which I'll have to pay for with MORE loans. That is something I just can't do at this time. But hey, if you can afford it then go for it.

 

All in all, I still admire the speech profession and I look forward to rubbing shoulders with the SLPs when I'm working as a SPED teacher. Who knows, I may even bump into a few of you! Good luck to all!

Edited March 2, 2015 by JaimeSLP

[Holly44]

Does anyone else find it disheartening/absurd that 3.1 is considered embarrassingly low? (It's not, for the record.) When did B's become death for students? In my post-bacc, we would all freak out when we got a B+ on something because we needed A's and it makes me sad that this is what school has become. 

[DeWi]

Ugh yes, its incredibly disheartening. My overall is 3.1 (in major 3.15), and though I took two years off school to regain my focus and my in major GPA since I've been back is 3.9, I'm TERRIFIED that I'll just never get in anywhere in an area of the country that I want to be in. I did get through to the supplemental round for Rush, but I don't have particularly high hopes for anything. 

Edited March 2, 2015 by cosmicmorgan

[Rose Garden]

Jaime~ Sounds like you have a plan and also a great attitude.    Best of luck to you!

[LlamaMama]

This GPA emphasis is absurd. I'm not convinced that a 4.0 student would make a better SLP than a 3.4 student. When I see a lower GPA, I sometimes wonder if there are character-building circumstances behind it. Did a student need to work two jobs while getting that degree? We're they caring for a sick or disabled relative? Were they pursuing other interests besides comm disorders? Interests that might make them a more well-rounded person?

The GPA range of accepted students at many programs according to Edfind is 3.3-4.0, so obviously some applicants with "lower" GPAs are getting in. Don't lose hope!

[Holly44]

Ugh yes, its incredibly disheartening. My overall is 3.1 (in major 3.15), and though I took two years off school to regain my focus and my in major GPA since I've been back is 3.9, I'm TERRIFIED that I'll just never get in anywhere in an area of the country that I want to be in. I did get through to the supplemental round for Rush, but I don't have particularly high hopes for anything. 

 

Keep your head up! You have great GRE scores, a new and improved GPA (that definitely matters), and a bunch of relevant field experience. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that everything works out! 

[DeWi]

Keep your head up! You have great GRE scores, a new and improved GPA (that definitely matters), and a bunch of relevant field experience. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that everything works out! 

 

 

This GPA emphasis is absurd. I'm not convinced that a 4.0 student would make a better SLP than a 3.4 student. When I see a lower GPA, I sometimes wonder if there are character-building circumstances behind it. Did a student need to work two jobs while getting that degree? We're they caring for a sick or disabled relative? Were they pursuing other interests besides comm disorders? Interests that might make them a more well-rounded person?

The GPA range of accepted students at many programs according to Edfind is 3.3-4.0, so obviously some applicants with "lower" GPAs are getting in. Don't lose hope!

 

 

This is why I'm so glad I found this forum; everyone is so supportive. Thanks for the good vibes guys

[JustJay]

Ugh yes, its incredibly disheartening. My overall is 3.1 (in major 3.15), and though I took two years off school to regain my focus and my in major GPA since I've been back is 3.9, I'm TERRIFIED that I'll just never get in anywhere in an area of the country that I want to be in. I did get through to the supplemental round for Rush, but I don't have particularly high hopes for anything. 

 

Please, don't be disheartened by my story, we are all different. For one, your GRE scores blow mine out the water and you also have applied to twice as many programs as I have which gives you a great shot at getting in somewhere. I'll also be sure to let you know if I do receive an acceptance after all. Secondly, a lot of what I can and cannot do revolves around whether I am able to afford it myself while others may have financial support from family (which is a blessing). Lastly, some of us are just better equipped to take rejection and keep pushing forward, while others (like me) just don't see the need to fight very long.

 

What's disheartening to me is seeing all of the children in the schools who so badly need a speech therapist and can't get the help they need because of the "shortage". Now, I see that this shortage of SLPs isn't being cause by peoples lack of desire to be in the field, its because of the universities refusal to even look at the application of a person with a 3.4 or less!  That is whats really messed up about this situation. People want to help but are told they can't because they didn't graduate cum laude. It makes no sense to me and its unfair to the people who need help. I hope it will change one day. 

[ImHis]

Hey Jaime, cosmic, I share your sentiments. I come from an unrelated major, and also took a break to assess my life. I even explored other careers (social work, clergy, OT, special ed) and was so desperate I had a complete psychoeducational assessment, just to see what else I can do. I knew SLP was what I wanted to do. It has taken me 1 year to raise my GPA due to circumstances that happened. I'm at the cusp of a 3.0 overall right now, but my CSD GPA is 4.0. I'm taking a graduate course as well and have a 4.0 in that. I'm regretting that I didn't take an extra course to bump it higher. I addressed my GPA in my SOPs. I pray to God the adcoms will show compassion and understanding. Keep the faith and hope y'all fulfill your dreams.

Edited March 3, 2015 by Articklish

[CBG321]

I agree, I honestly think schools should be REQUIRED to interview everyone they let into their graduate program.  One of the most important aspects of the job is being able to communicate effectively in a professional manner and also with whatever population you choose to go into.  Why aren't they giving us questions that relate to our future careers?  I know a lot of 4.0's that I would hate to work with based on their social skills.  As a colleague, parent, or client, why is that not important to Grad schools?  It's important to the rest of the people involved!

 

Or if you want to work in a school or private practice, are you good with children?  Are you good with the elderly?  Do you have any job experience??? (Personally I'd take someone with job experience and volunteer work over someone who has a 4.0 and stellar GREs!)

 

Just some questions I ask myself about the 4.0ers that are great academically but would make me walk out of the office unhappy and not willing to return!

[combustiblecake]

I wouldn't say it is a completely disheartening story, I would say it could be a lesson to look beyond the SLP field. Like discussed before, universities are using GPA and GREs as a factor because they don't have enough seats for 300+ applicants to fill in. This has to do with not enough funding for the field, lack of enough placements and also lack of PhD faculty. I'm considering other careers I could follow, because it doesn't make sense to me to invest thousands of dollars on a post bacc just for a shot.

It looks like teaching abroad it is for Fall 2015