Advice for a soon to be biology graduate

[zdbrenn]

Hello, I hope I am posting in the correct area as it is my first time posting here.

 

I am about to graduate this saturday with my Bachelors in biology. I attended a community college where I earned an Associate's in biology with a 3.57 gpa, had chemistry research experience, and club leadership experience. This earned me a full ride scholarship to the current university that I am graduating from on saturday with a B.S. in biology. Unfortunately my academic performance at the school I transfered to was not as good and I am most likely going to graduate with a 3.2- gpa. However I did work as a lab assistant where I conducted my own research in regeneration, which I have fallen in love with the subject and even presented my findings at a Sigma Xi poster session. I also worked as an AP tutor for a semester. I even have 3 professors who offered to write me letters of recomendation, each of whom I know me well. I am hoping to enter into a Master's program in developmental biology, but I fear my gpa will be my undoing. Am I overeacting to my low gpa or is this something I should be concerned about? Also I am planning on taking the Biology GRE this july and start applying in the fall or earlier. This is because I wanted a year for my fiance and I to pay off some small debts, and to save some money if we have to move. Any advice would be more than welcomed, thank you in advance!

[MoJingly]

I know people who have gotten into PhD programs with around a 3.2 (don't know about Master's). 

 

There is a LOT more to an application than a GPA.  If you have great letters of recommendation and experience, that should take you pretty far. Go for it!

[eeee1923]

For most master's programs your GPA shouldn't really be an issue. Plus it sounds like you have plenty of other positives to help you with your profile. 

[MidwesternAloha]

I got into every school to which I applied with my 3.2 GPA. I had a very average GRE score. The things that drove my applications were my publications. I worked after college in a really great lab and had 1 first author and 2 Co author pubs. I received a lot of praise for them in my interviews, despite them being in no-name journals. Long story short: a 3.2 is not bad!