Applying to CSU's Masters ( Psychobiology)- Not what are my chances, but any advice!

[ucdguy88]

Hi Everyone,

 

So I'm finding myself now facing applying to a masters first before my Ph.D mainly due to...wait for it....GPA! It's a 2.9

 

My background in psychology is more biology oriented. I took a lot of neuroscience classes, microbiology, gen biology, etc. Also, one quarter I was very ill (they thought I had a severe disease which I do not thank god) and I got poor grades.

 

Anyway! I wanted to know if any of you had success applying to schools (particularly CSU's) and being accepted with stats like mine:

 

GPA: 2.9

GRE: Qual: 162, Quant: 160, Writing: 4.5

3 years of research experience

2 co-authorships, 1 first author

4 selected abstracts

 

 

I keep hearing that my pubs and my letters will outshine my GPA by a LOT but who knows if that's total crap to make me feel better. Any takers??

[RubyBright]

Which CSU are you talking about? Also, what was the trend in your grades (i.e. did they rise towards the end)?

[ucdguy88]

SFSU, SDSU, CSULA, CSUF, CSUSM.

 

Well They were okay at first (i transferred so all of my lower divs at a CC) and then went down, went up (had a few c's but mostly A's)

[DarwinAG]

Hi Everyone,

 

So I'm finding myself now facing applying to a masters first before my Ph.D mainly due to...wait for it....GPA! It's a 2.9

 

My background in psychology is more biology oriented. I took a lot of neuroscience classes, microbiology, gen biology, etc. Also, one quarter I was very ill (they thought I had a severe disease which I do not thank god) and I got poor grades.

 

Anyway! I wanted to know if any of you had success applying to schools (particularly CSU's) and being accepted with stats like mine:

 

GPA: 2.9

GRE: Qual: 162, Quant: 160, Writing: 4.5

3 years of research experience

2 co-authorships, 1 first author

4 selected abstracts

 

 

I keep hearing that my pubs and my letters will outshine my GPA by a LOT but who knows if that's total crap to make me feel better. Any takers??

I work with Dr. Mark Geisler, one of the only psychobiologist at SFSU. It's a tough call because from what he tells me, they tend to have strict GPA cut offs. Your GRE scores and other academic record should offset that. My advice is to actually contact the people you'd want to work with for the program and plainly ask what your chances are given your academic record. It may be uncommon for someone to get looked at with a 2.9 GPA, but I have met people who entered Ph.D. programs with lower than a 3.0 because they were amazing at everything else.

[ucdguy88]

Thanks for the feedback. My advisor accepted someone as a Ph.D student with a 2.8 so it's not out of the ballpark. I've contacted a few advisors already who have my CV but I have not brought up GPA yet. Would the psych gre help? Thanks!

[DarwinAG]

Thanks for the feedback. My advisor accepted someone as a Ph.D student with a 2.8 so it's not out of the ballpark. I've contacted a few advisors already who have my CV but I have not brought up GPA yet. Would the psych gre help? Thanks!

 

I took the Psyc GRE to off set my low GPA. In the end, I am not sure if it actually helped me at all. The only way I think it can moderately help is if you have an 800 or score in the 99th percentile.

 

I assume your GPA is on your CV then? Personally, I would bring it up. Going againts the advice of my mentors, I actually mentioned my low GPA as a weak part of my application packet. Most people dismissed it. Most people didn't care about. But I think they appreciated me being direct about it.

[EastCoasting]

You could always take the psyc GRE, and if it is not very high you don't have to attach it you your application. I was a psych major, but I only studied for the GRE for about a month, and I scored in the 98th percentile, so I imagine it is worth a try. After establishing a connection with your potential mentors and showing them your expertise in their research, and your good ideas for future projects that you would like to run during grad school, I would ask if they think you had a shot considering your GPA. I would, however, also ask your adviser their opinion. What I found during my interviews was that psychology faculty seem to love science students, so I would imagine it is worth a shot.

[ucdguy88]

My GPA is not on my CV. Also curriculum for your major varies by school. My Advisor told me pretty much to explain why my GPA took a hit and let my letters and experience do the speaking for me.  What I've gathered so far is as long as you arent at like a 2.7 you aren't completely screwed (MASTERS wise).

 

Darwin, you have a 4.0 in your last two years of school and a ton of experience, you worrying about GPA would be the last thing I would do if I was in your shoes.