Admissions in Religion Masters Program with very low gpa

[Saad91]

So, here is some basic info about me. I've completed my undergrad majoring in Pol Sci with a very dismal GPA of 2.76 from one of the best universities in Pakistan, although it doesn't stand anywhere in international rankings. My GRE scores are V159 Q163 A4.0 and I plan to give another attempt next month to improve my Verbal score. Currently, I am working as a Research Assistant with one of the professors at my university on a project related to a contemporary religious movement in Pakistan. I've also completed a 12,000 word thesis during my undergrad which is also related to a transnational Islamic movement.

 

Firstly, I want to know whether I stand any chance at all to get into any kind of religious studies program with such low GPA, given that it was mainly due to my own negligence and no outside factors were involved which could explain it?  Secondly, if I do stand any chance, I'd probably have to find a second or third tier ranking schools. Can anyone of you suggest any such schools? My main research interests are around Islamic studies, Inter faith dialogue, religion and conflict and religion and modernity. 

 

I'd be really grateful for any help in this regard!

[MsBOOM]

Hi Saad,

 

First question I have to ask is how long it's been since you graduated. Did you just recently graduate, or has it been a few years? I guess I ask because it seems like you can manage to put some "space" between how you were as an undergrad and how you are now. This is where your SOP to the schools you are applying for becomes important - you really, really have to make the case that you are a better student and researcher than your undergraduate grades reflect. I would suggest attempting to do the best you absolutely can on the GRE in order to better reflect this fact. I would also suggest that you really play up your lived-experiences as a Pakistani Muslim and the field-work that you have done (e.g. working as a research assistant, other work you may have done in interfaith dialogue, Islamic Studies, the thesis, etc.). Because of the low GPA, you will have to make sure that you absolutely excel in the SOP, letters of recommendation, and GRE scores.

 

Also, are you looking into Masters or PhD programs? I think with Masters, you will have a way better chance of being accepted.

 

As for schools, I would even venture and say that it wouldn't hurt to add Harvard Divinity School to the list. As for second-tier/third-tier schools, the only one that really comes to mind is Temple University. When I was studying at George Mason University as an undergrad, a Masters for Islamic Studies was in the works, but I'm not sure if it was instituted or not. Many MA students there were able to do an independent studies MA there, in which Islamic Studies was the concentration. I'll look into it and email my former adviser who teaches there and get back to you. Mason is a school that I consider a "diamond in the rough" - it is a great place to study religion and conflict, as some PhD students are doing. However, due to the fact that it is second-tier, it isn't taken seriously.

 

***EDIT: Well, well, well, would you look at that... go George Mason!: http://islamicstudiescenter.gmu.edu/***
 

Edited October 22, 2013 by MsSarahBOOM

[sacklunch]

As Sarah mentioned, it really depends on if you're applying for a masters or PhD. I would suggest applying for a range of masters programs. That will give you a chance to show a high(er) GPA when you apply for doctoral work. Even for the MA SOP, focus on your unique background, language fluency (which will be well above the average student here in your proposed field, I'm sure), and your specific research experience. This will help your chances of acceptance at the big name MA programs substantially. As Sarah said, you should apply to some of the bigger div schools, like HDS. I remember there was a fella on here a couple years ago with around a 2.5 UG GPA that got into HDS (MTS), though applying for an MDiv degree is also not a bad idea (more acceptances, more courses). Also, your GRE scores for an international applicant are actually pretty good (masters). You may consider retaking for the hell of it, but I wouldn't be too concerned at this point (again, for masters).

 

cheers

Edited October 22, 2013 by furtivemode

[MsBOOM]

As Sarah mentioned, it really depends on if you're applying for a masters or PhD. I would suggest applying for a range of masters programs. That will give you a chance to show a high(er) GPA when you apply for doctoral work. Even for the MA SOP, focus on your unique background, language fluency (which will be well above the average student here in your proposed field, I'm sure), and your specific research experience. This will help your chances of acceptance at the big name MA programs substantially. As Sarah said, you should apply to some of the bigger div schools, like HDS. I remember there was a fella on here a couple years ago with around a 2.5 UG GPA that got into HDS (MTS), though applying for an MDiv degree is also not a bad idea (more acceptances, more courses). Also, your GRE scores for an international applicant are actually pretty good (masters). You may consider retaking for the hell of it, but I wouldn't be too concerned at this point (again, for masters).

 

cheers

 

 

Actually, great point. In retrospect, the GRE scores are pretty darn good for an international applicant.

[Saad91]

First of all, thank you so much Sarah and furtivemod for such detailed responses! 

 

Well, firstly, I am applying for Masters only right now. I do plan to pursue a Phd in future but I don't think I have the required credentials for it or for that matter not even the precise focus about what I want to do in my Phd exactly.

 

Scondly, I graduated this spring so I do not have a lot of post-graduation experience on hand right now. Languages can be a plus point for me as I am fluent in Urdu/Hindi and even Punjabi and plus I'm taking German classes right now. I know I somehow have to convinve the admission committee that I am serious about joining their program and I have the required competence too.

 

As far as the GRE is concerned, I know it's good but perhaps not too good. And plus, I thought I could do better on  Verbal, hence the retake next month.

 

I checked the George Mason program Sarah and the faculty there seems quite promising! In fact, a couple of them I have read quite extensively for my undergrad thesis. I'm most probably gonna apply there.

 

Lastly, I need some advice on funding. Which places are known for providing good funding? Without funding it'd be simply impossible for me to attend graduate school. Are student loans available for international students too? 

 

Once again, thanks a lot for writing such helpful replies! It really helped me regain my confidence to some extent!

[sacklunch]

There has been an ongoing thread on one of the other sections about sub 3.0 GPA acceptances. You may check that out to give you an idea how to approach your GPA in your SOP.

 

Next, funding. Unfortunately MDiv's almost always offer better funding than the 'academic' degrees. This is of course not always the case, but I think we can all agree the 'big' div schools fully fund more MDiv's than any of the others (MTS, MAR, MA, etc.). Point being, you may consider applying to some of these programs even if you're not religious/spiritual/so on. Harvard of course is one of the better places for 'non-traditional' MDiv students to study. Though I also have met some Jews and Muslims who did MDiv's at Yale. Both schools also happen to fully fund many of their students.

 

My comments get at the larger issue of 'religious studies' versus 'theology/divinity'. Be aware that many departments, especially the latter, may in fact not be very "theological" at all. On the other hand, if you apply to Duke or PTS as, say a Muslim pursuing an MDiv....well, I'm not entirely sure what would happen actually. Anyone have some insight? On the former, 'religious studies' departments, tend to be smaller and thus much more competitive (some fully fund, many do not, also). Yes, this sucks. But the money is in 'divinity' for better or worse. The point here, yet again, is you may consider applying to some of these more liberal divinity schools, many having faculty outside the 'Abrahamic faiths'. Accordingly your SOP may differ a bit than a traditional academic religious studies MA. I just wanted to bring awareness to these details so you don't get lost in all the confusing and at times conflicting language. I know whenever I venture over to some UK department websites I often get confused.

 

Anyways, I'm rambling. I hope that gives you somewhere to start and hopefully others will chime in with more specific information pertaining to your interests (as Sarah has done). 

[cadences]

Just a quick note about PTS: we do have some Islam-related courses, but not a lot (I can only think of two that are fairly regularly offered, off-hand). The MDiv program here is still very much focused on preparing Presbyterians for Christian ministry (in both ecclesial and non-ecclesial settings), and although the MDiv can be taken as an academic rather than ministerial degree, PTS' academic strengths are primarily in biblical studies and systematic theology (not that the other departments are not competent, but just saying that these two areas are the ones that really shine here). Also, even if one takes a world religions concentration here, South Asia (i.e. Hinduism) tends to receive more focus among the world religions professors. So all in all PTS might not be able to support a focused study of Islam, I'm afraid.

 

P.S. Some might suggest that studying at PTS will allow you to take courses on Islam at the University, which is true, but academic regulations limit the number of university courses a seminary student can take.