Need help to prepare and apply for Grad school

[norkick13]

Hello

First of all thanks for taking time to read my post...

 

I am an international student going to StonyBrook for Neuroscience bachelors. I was recently diagnosed with Chronic depression, ADHD and partial aphasia. As of now my GPA is 2.0 but I am expecting it to get better. I am taking all summer off just giving myself some time to de-stress and flush my mental mind with more positive and strategic approach. I need someone to brief the process for applying to grad school in neuroscience. I am very passionate about studying neuroscience and DONT WANT TO GIVE UP!

 

Thanks

[Dedi]

I feel that with that kind of GPA, you need to separate yourself as much as possible away from it. I would recommend:

Improving the GPA as much as possible.

Do you have any research experience? If not, find a way to get some.

Work as a research assistant after you graduate for a few years. The adcom doesn't take GPA into account as much after you start working in the real world for years.

Do well on the GRE, when you do take it.

 

Anyone else have any other suggestions?

I had severe depression in high school and my first year of undergrad (currently in remission). I know how frustrating it can be.

Good luck on your applications, though!

[GeoDUDE!]

Why do you think you will be a good candidate for grad school, beyond people with higher GPAs? Find and answer and use it in your statement of purpose. Just because you have a reason for your low GPA doesn't mean you have a reason that you will be a good graduate student. 

 

First, shoot for thesis based masters programs. You will not get into a PhD program unless you have very good connections, publications, or just plain lucky. 

 

Look for places that do not have a minium GPA for grad students. Below a 3.0 in grad school is failing, you are severely under that in perhaps less rigorous classes. 

 

You need to be completely candid about your GPA. You need to have something you can contrast that GPA to show them academic promise. You need to prove to them that despite your GPA you learned enough information to survive in graduate school.

 

You need to expect that you will fail at getting into graduate school your first time around, and will probably have to take classes as a non degree student to raise your GPA, preferably graduate level classes.

 

You probably will have to pay for your masters, as most GA/TA/RA spots are given to the people entering the program with the best GPAs.  

 

The person  who wrote this post: http://3dpancakes.typepad.com/ernie/2005/03/re_phd_with_low.html had a 2.4 undergraduate GPA and is now a full professor a top 5 department in computer sciences. He has great advice.

 

Good luck.

[Guest |||]

There are exceptions, but that usually isn't the best strategy to bank on.  With a 2.0, you need to heavily consider whether or not you can score higher marks, and, if you can, whether or not you will seriously commit to doing so.  Maintaining the status-quo or only slightly improving your marks, will not be enough.

[Crucial BBQ]

Why do you think you will be a good candidate for grad school, beyond people with higher GPAs? Find and answer and use it in your statement of purpose. Just because you have a reason for your low GPA doesn't mean you have a reason that you will be a good graduate student. 

 

First, shoot for thesis based masters programs. You will not get into a PhD program unless you have very good connections, publications, or just plain lucky. 

 

Look for places that do not have a minium GPA for grad students. Below a 3.0 in grad school is failing, you are severely under that in perhaps less rigorous classes. 

 

You need to be completely candid about your GPA. You need to have something you can contrast that GPA to show them academic promise. You need to prove to them that despite your GPA you learned enough information to survive in graduate school.

 

You need to expect that you will fail at getting into graduate school your first time around, and will probably have to take classes as a non degree student to raise your GPA, preferably graduate level classes.

 

You probably will have to pay for your masters, as most GA/TA/RA spots are given to the people entering the program with the best GPAs.  

 

The person  who wrote this post: http://3dpancakes.typepad.com/ernie/2005/03/re_phd_with_low.html had a 2.4 undergraduate GPA and is now a full professor a top 5 department in computer sciences. He has great advice.

 

Good luck.

I applied only to programs that did not have a minimum GPA and while my own GPA was much higher than the OPs and not necessarily a problem itself the fact that I got some low grades were an issue. I mentioned in another thread that I had a rough start in undergrad.  Essentially, I maintained a C average during freshman and sophomore years.  I got Cs in intro bio, chem, physics I and calculus.  Even though I went on in my junior and senior years to earn mostly As and Bs including in physics II (A) and higher levels of math, chem, and bio, I was still denied because of those introductory Cs.  To make matters worse, I was denied to at least two programs because I did not mention why I got those grades in my SOP.  Well, I thought my academic record showed a complete turn-around and upward trend for itself so I thought it would have been redundant to mention it.  I thought wrong. 

 

Another program said they would have admitted me into their Master's program had I explained those grades (applied for the Ph.D. program) and another program that initially wait listed me said they would have taking a chance on me in their Master's program had I only scored a little bit higher in Quant (GRE).  

 

My advice to the OP is to stick with it, try to retake a course or two to boost GPA, and do not mention depression, ADHD, etc. in the SOP. 

[bsharpe269]

I have ADHD and will applying for PhD programs this fall. I hope that you are on a medicine that is working for you or are in the process of finding one. Also, medicine in itself is not enough for me... I also need workout regularly, eat well, and also take days off of my medicine where I don;t study and just give my brain a rest in order to make great grades.

 

I recommend sitting down and looking over your transcript. Which of the classes that you have taken so far are the most important to your grad school goals? If you do poorly in them then retake them. This includes those classes like organic chem that you probably would hate to retake. You need to be able to write in your SOP that you had a medical issue that has been completely resolved. How do you prove that it has been resolved? You get As in these classes the second time through and then keep an A/B average in all remaining classes. You need to understand now that you probably will not graduate on time if you want to go to grad school. Retaking some of these classes is important even if it adds another year to your undergrad studies. You may also need to do a masters for further proof that you have resolved the medical issue before applying for PhDs.

 

Ill give you a summary or my ADHD story since you may find it inspiring. I finished my first year of college with a 2.6 GPA. I did not realize that ADHD was the problem at the time but I did focus on buckling down and trying harder. I started excercising reularly and eating healthier and these things did help a lot. I retook 1 of the classes that I did the worst in and then tried to do well in my remaining classes. I graduated with a 3.275. I took a year off and addressed my ADHD. I started taking a medicine that works extremely well for me and am currently doing a masters. I have a 4.0 GPA in my MS and am the only MS student in the department who has been offered departmental stipends. I have been winning merit based scholarships and just did very well on the GRE. I have also been doing tons of research. You without a doubt can turn this around but it will take determination and you will probably need to spend some "proving youself" with more classes and research before applying, just like I am doing now. Good luck!