Applied linguistics/TESOL MA, low GPA?

[stephenk23]

I'm interested in obtaining a Master's degree in TESOL or Applied Linguistics, but my cumulative GPA is abysmal. I have a BA in English. Due to my horrible first two years, my cumulative GPA is 2.8. I did significantly better at the end of my degree, so I do have an upward trend. In addition, I also have experience related to ESL that might help. I taught English for six months in a private language school in Cuernavaca, Mexico and again for 9 months as a language assistant for the French Ministry of Education in the Academie de Grenoble. I have the CELTA certificate issued by Cambridge University for coursework I undertook at University College London after leaving France. I'm a native speaker of American English and I'm fluent in French and Spanish.

 

Am I still sunk by my GPA? Should I continue working in ESL to garner more experience to offset it?

[hoviariel]

Your GPA is fixed but a lot of people overcome it by having awesome GREs, LORs, SOPs, etc. 

[wardword]

I had a rough couple semesters with an upward trend too. Did you ever have a 4.0 semester later on? I used my first 4.0 semester to show how something had 'clicked' and sparked my new academic career. It only took one line in my SOP and I think it worked pretty well.

[sarab]

My minor was in applied linguistics at Georgia State. The professors are usually good at working with students with their different needs, so maybe that'd be a good place for you to look into.

 

http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwesl/ma_applied_linguistics.html

[lx_peep]

My undergrad cumulative GPA was pretty bad as well... All thanks to three and a half years in a highly competitive engineering program before getting much better grades in linguistics for a BA. I was encouraged to get a master's before considering a PhD and ended up at Northeastern Illinois. They have a great linguistics program (you definitely get the background plus all the profs work in applied subfields) and a big TESL program as well. You might want to check them out and send the professors an email with questions. They also accept new students at each term, so you have some flexibility with application timing.