Applying for a PHD but would like to prepare early

[GradSchoolProblems]

Hello, I am new here and hope you all can help me.

 

I want to apply for a PHD in Health Policy and Management with a focus on Economics, but before I get to the problem, let me explain the situation.

 

I went to transfer to Cornell University  as a sophomore and majored in Biology.  I graduated with an overall GPA less than 3.0 unfortunately.  But my policy analysis courses showed was the courses that clearly showed where my passion was.  I excelled in my policy analysis courses with at least a 3.5.  But there is a clear boost/increase in my GPA after my sophomore year (but I did struggle a little bit on my science courses).

 

Right now, I am currently a graduate student in a MPH - Health Policy Program and I am excelling in my courses with a 3.9 GPA.  After taking more courses and doing research in Health Policy, I love it and I want to pursue a PHD.  Along with that, I am also trying to take on as much opportunities as I can to help show that I am genuinely passionate about this subject area.

 

However, one of the PHD programs I want to apply to requires an undergraduate GPA of 3.0.  I contacted the admission officer of the PHD program in their health policy department and they said I should mentioned in my personal statement what the situation was.

 

And so I was wondering in my personal statement, why my undergraduate GPA was less than 3.0.  The reason for this is because I grew up from a disadvantaged background.  My parents were Vietnamese refugees (they never got educated), I grew up in a pretty big family and I was below the federal poverty line, I grew up in an area where the opportunities were very limited and if there was any opportunities, I never had the resources to grab that opportunities because I worked all the time to help support my family, and I went to a public school system that did not prepare at all for college.

 

So when I came to college (I was so blessed to get accepted a great school like Cornell), it really shoved me down on the ground in terms of academics.  I didn't know how to study, I didn't know how to search for the resources that Cornell offered (I was able to land a couple of research positions, but they were science related and not policy related), and I just had such a difficult time adjusted because I never was around people who were so well off.  I struggle financially when paying for rent, I struggle keeping up with my classmates, I struggle in my intro courses because my high school never prepared me what I should know.  All the professors said that you should of known this from high school and it was review, but for me, it was such a struggle trying to pretty much learn a whole new material.  And it was just difficult for me.  But once I was able to get the flow growing, I learned how to study, my GPA started to rise, I would say rapidly, going from a C student to a B to close to an A- student.

 

So my thing is, will my disadvantage background be a good reason for my low GPA?  I don't want to say its an excuse or a reason, but my disadvantage background will always haunt me and I want to show them that I will do whatever it takes to overcome it.

 

I would appreciate all honest responses!

 

Thanks 

[uromastyx]

So my thing is, will my disadvantage background be a good reason for my low GPA?  I don't want to say its an excuse or a reason, but my disadvantage background will always haunt me and I want to show them that I will do whatever it takes to overcome it.

NO. All you need to say is that you it took you a bit to develop academically (which your current work shows). Plus, this should be a tiny 'paragraph' in you SOP. It should be mentioned, but the SOP should illustrate past/present matters as they relate to your application and illuminate your potential for PhD work, not focus on problematic matters of the past.

IF a school requires a diversity statement or personal statement, then you can address overcoming hardships. Again, be careful here to not create a sob story. These are very tricky to write.

So, no, I wouldn't get into the disadvantages. I had a 3.16 undergrad GPA, with a brutal first two years. I addressed it in my SOP and emphasized that it was a thing of the past. I too did a master's with a solid GPA, like you, and therefore, it was self-apparent. It wasn't, "I promise I'll do better." It was "Look, I've done better. My trajectory has changed."

That strong graduate GPA will really allow adcomms to look past the undergrad.

Best of luck.

Edited February 16, 2013 by uromastyx

[GradSchoolProblems]

Should I keep in touch/contact each PHD admission director of the program I am?    Would that be wise or should I just mentioned it that I am applying and I want to mention this to you guys and explain my situation. 

[uromastyx]

I don't fully understand your question.

Definitely contact the graduate directors and POIs about your interest in the program and/or working with them. I would NOT, however, bring up the low undergrad GPA during your correspondences. Save that for the SOP. Again, don't waste too much space on it. Your impressive performance in grad school will shine through.

[margarets]

I think you can deal with this with a single line in your SoP.  Something like "During my first two years at Cornell, I struggled to find my way, then..." or however you would say it.  Acknowledge it lightly, then move on to your solid track record since.