What are my chances?

[Leira]

Hello all, I am new to the forum, and I just wanted to get some input on my chances of getting into the programs I'm interested in considering the circumstances, so here are my "stats":

 

Applying for MHA, MHA/MBA, or MBA in healthcare management 

 

Graduated from GWU B.A. in Psych

3.0 overall, 3.1 last 2 years 

 

GRE 

153 Verbal, 145 Quant, 3.5 AW (Retaking the 21st) 

 

Studied abroad in Australia, Went on medical mission to Ecuador, Volunteered teaching (HIV/AIDS prevention, remedial skills) in Tanzania. 

 

My first 2 years were pretty hard considering that at first I was a bio major, which I failed horribly at and was coming back with C's and D's in those classes, leading me to change to psychology as my major instead of my minor, but my GPA suffered horribly those first 2 years and it took a lot to reverse the effects. Will admissions take that into consideration or will they view my GPA into just one number? The last 3 semesters, my semester average ranged from a 3.2 to a 3.6 and I was doing well in all of my pubh classes (I was a pubh minor but had to drop at the end of the year b/c of the F i got in a course).

 

What I'm most worried about is that in my last semester, i had gotten a 2.26 semester average. Ill save the sob story, but I was in one of the darkest places ive ever been before, thus affecting my schoolwork. To make it even worse, I got charged with academic dishonesty for helping a friend who was also in a hard place with some questions on a take home test and failed the course (not on my record, but the F shows on my transcript, but it is recorded in the office of academic dishonesty; if anyone calls and asks, they will know about it. Do grad schools check that?) The class I got the F in was healthcare management, which is obviously in the school of public health. So essentially, I am left feeling like I'm not going to get in anywhere. How should I go about handling this while applying to grad schools? 

 

Schools I am applying to: 

Columbia (99.999% sure im not getting in, but why not. grad from the pubh school is writing one of my rec letters)

GW (went here for undergrad, but got AD in a pubh class. should I call the dean and explain the situation? what if 2 of my LOR's are from GW staff, one that actually teaches in the pubh school?) 

Ohio State

Boston U

CSU- Long Beach

NYU-Wagner (1 LOR is from healtcare manager in NYU hospital)

Penn State 

UCLA 

UCF

UMiami 

UPitt

USC 

 

Am I shooting too high considering my circumstances? Am completely screwed?

Random, but I know that schools are looking for diversity, and I happen to be African American, so does that play a factor as well? 

 

Thanks so much for your input! 

-Leira

 

[Leira]

Also, not sure if this is important or not, but my GPA for the pubh classes I took without the F is a 3.4. Not sure if admissions looks at that though. Just a thought! 

 

Thanks, 

Leira

[gradgun]

Hi Leira,

                  I am kind of in the same situation as you.  I am applying to MPP/MPA programs.  I am from Canada and have no idea how US schools view Canadian students.