I probably have no hope....but I want to try.

[katiescarlett]

I will graduate in December with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in Services for the Deaf.  I am now interested in speech pathology.  However....I have an overall GPA of 2.3, due to bad grades from about 10 years ago.  This was from several years of major medical problems.  I went back to school in August of 2012, and made a 4.0 that semester.  I have brought my GPA up, and I have a 3.4 for the past two years, almost 60 credit hours.  I am already studying for the GRE and will be taking it in September.

 

I guess my question is, should I even try applying to any schools?  Is there any hope for me with this kind of a record?  I have maintained mostly As and Bs (2 Cs) since I went back to school, while also holding down a full time job.  

 

Thank you!

 

[Chandru1]

I am also applying this year, and have a low GPA (2.9 cumulative, 3.4 without my first year as an engineering major). If your low GPA classes were in something completely unrelated, some grad schools (e.g. University of the Pacific) claim to look less at grades if GRE/later grades/personal statements are good.

Also if you need leveling courses, and you do very well in them, that looks great as well.

[kumapanda]

If you did well in your last 60 credit, then I think you'll be fine.  If you're concern about your poor gpa in the previous years, you can try to look for programs that focus mainly on the last 60 hours of credit.  I also think that if you do well on the GRE (especially on verbal and analysis writing), then you may have a good chance of getting into a program.  Experience, research, strong recommendation letters and personal essays will help too if you have any. 

[twinguy7]

check out my stats below.  I had a 2.0 in my first 5 years of school off and on.  I took a couple years off and my last 3 years of school I got 2 C's and the rest B's and A's.  Explain in a simple sentence your past grades and then highlight your GPA in the last 60, experiences, etc.   Good Luck!

[katiescarlett]

Thank you, everyone!  I feel a little better about this now.  I do have a much, much better GPA in the last 60, and will be taking 15 hours in the fall.  I will do some research on schools.  Those application deadlines are going to come up fast!

[hopefulspeechie16]

By last 60 credit hours do they mean the last 60 you completed at the time of applying or the last 60 of your undergraduate career?

[Chandru1]

^ I think it depends on the school. Some schools weight postbac units a lot more, some schools look at last 60 including postbac, and some look at everything.