School Psychology: Where is the appropriate place in an application to "justify" a low cumulative?

[grad29]

I'm applying for 8 school psychology programs. Although these programs are a lot less competitive than other psychology programs, I worry that my stats aren't good enough. I've been out of school for 4 years. In that time, I've gained very good life experiences. I've become a veteran (served in Afghanistan) and spent a ton of time working with the special needs and trouble youth populations in group homes and halfway houses (autism, schizophrenia, brain trauma, Huntington's, Prader Willi Syndrome, etc...) At the time I was in school, I didn't really plan on ever coming back. Well 4 years later and a lot of long work weeks at a low wage, I've realized going back to school makes the most sense. 

 

I'm a psychology major and aviation management minor. My last 2 years in school I did "decent", finishing with about a 3.26. My first few years I was a commercial aviation student and almost dropped out, however, and earned quite a few poor grades. It lowered my cumulative quite a bit. When I transferred from that school into another program they didn't transfer over my cumulative so I started "fresh" and ended up graduating "with honors" from the school I transferred into. I know a cumulative GPA includes all 4 years. A lot of the programs I'm applying to say "minimum GPA of 3.0". Some schools say "minimum GPA for last 30 credits", some make no note of this, etc...I'm applying to them all. Pretty much every school psychology program in the Midwest. My 4 year cumulative was just below a 3.0 (2.97 I believe). I know my major GPA was a 3.73 (for the last 2 years). My transcripts looks a bit odd - I have 4 semesters in a row (the last few semesters) of earning just about straight A's - with one B and one D+, and then my grades before then have a lot of C's, D's, and F's. 

 

In February of this year is when I decided to go back to school for school psychology. I ended up applying for a program that had a few remaining slots open. They said they would review my application for the fall of 2015 late. They had 3 vacancies open and reopened the application process. I was not admitted to this school, despite the fact they had only a 2.75 gpa requirement. They said they had "several applicants and were only able to accept 3". I know during a regular term they have about 40 people applying for about 14 slots, so I'm guessing they had around 5-6 applicants at the most applying for those 3 vacancies. At the time, I hadn't taken the GRE though, all I had was a letter of intent mentioning my experience and my transcripts. I worry that if that program didn't accept me the others won't - who seem to have a little higher standards. 

 

I recently took the GRE and scored a 157V/155Q/5AW. That's on the high end of the programs I'm applying to. For instance, one of the programs I'm applying to provides the following:

 

 

                       Overall GPA       Last 2 Years        GPA Psychology         

Mean                      3.48                     3.59                    3.58

Range                 2.59-3.85            2.96-3.95               2.8-4.0

 

 

                    Verbal                Quantitative                    Total Mean 

 

 Mean        152                       149                                   301

 

Range     145-159               139-159                           289-317

 

 

As you can see, my GRE is in the upper end of that range. I plan on taking the psychology subject GRE in order to help show the admissions committee that I do have a good understanding of psychology, despite having some bad grades in those courses. I plan on taking it in November and am confident I can get in the 80th+ percentile. They said:

• The GRE subject test for Psychology is not required of any applicant. However, the GRE subject test for Psychology is strongly recommended for the following applicants:
  • If your GPA for the last two years is lower than 3.25
  • If you have graduated without majoring in psychology

 

Although, this is perhaps one of the easier of the 8 programs I'm applying to. The others didn't list an admissions profile that I could compare to, so this was the only one available.

 

My main question is, where is it the most appropriate to attempt to justify my GPA? Would I do that in the letter of intent or include a separate statement which talks about that? Or do I just not say anything about it and hope I get in? The program mentioned above requests a letter of intent, a writing sample, a resume, and 3 letters of reference. 

Edited July 31, 2015 by westy3789

[_kita]

Can you tie in your scores into your narrative about how you grew as a person? How your experiences molded your perception and view of school psychology and your career?

 

If you cannot, it looks like just that "accept me despite...." But if you can figure out a way to discuss your professional and personal growth (using your scores as an example of that growth), you may be better off.

[grad29]

Can you tie in your scores into your narrative about how you grew as a person? How your experiences molded your perception and view of school psychology and your career?

 

If you cannot, it looks like just that "accept me despite...." But if you can figure out a way to discuss your professional and personal growth (using your scores as an example of that growth), you may be better off.

 

And this would be done in the letter of intent? 

[iphi]

I really think you'll be fine. You can address it briefly in the Statement of Purpose and can expand on it in interviews if need be.

 

Out of curiosity, where are you applying? Also, you don't say PhD or EdS.

Edited July 31, 2015 by iphi

[grad29]

I really think you'll be fine. You can address it briefly in the Statement of Purpose and can expand on it in interviews if need be.

 

Out of curiosity, where are you applying? Also, you don't say PhD or EdS.

 

Oh - I'm applying to EdS. I really don't see a need to apply for the PhD program unless I wanted to eventually teach, which I'm not interested in doing. There is loan forgiveness for the Federal Perkins Loans for individuals working in special education (after 5 years of employment I believe), so either way it'll be funded. I'm applying to Minot State, Eau Claire, Stout, La Crosse, Moorhead, Milwaukee, Whitewater, and Northern Iowa. That's every school psychology program in the midwest that offers the EdS. Well almost - the other two are the University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin - River Falls. The former being extremely competitive (so I'm not going to waste my time) and the later being the program I was rejected from. 

 

I hope I'll be fine. I am getting really sick of doing 70 hour weeks in group homes. I don't think I'd be able to last another year doing it. I know School Psychology isn't the easiest of occupations either, but it's definitely going to be a step up from direct care - making $13/hour with no benefits, wiping butts, mopping floors, cooking, that sort of thing - I was really upset not being accepted into the program I applied late to. That's why I'm applying to 8 programs AND 2 social work programs (Saint Thomas and Saint Cloud State) as back ups. 

Edited July 31, 2015 by westy3789

[grad29]

I really think you'll be fine. You can address it briefly in the Statement of Purpose and can expand on it in interviews if need be.

 

Out of curiosity, where are you applying? Also, you don't say PhD or EdS.

 

Which program are you attending if you don't mind me asking? Madison? Milwaukee? Mankato? U of Minnesota? Also what encouraged you to go the PhD route vs the EdS?

Edited July 31, 2015 by westy3789

[iphi]

Oh - I'm applying to EdS. I really don't see a need to apply for the PhD program unless I wanted to eventually teach, which I'm not interested in doing. There is loan forgiveness for the Federal Perkins Loans for individuals working in special education (after 5 years of employment I believe), so either way it'll be funded. I'm applying to Minot State, Eau Claire, Stout, La Crosse, Moorhead, Milwaukee, Whitewater, and Northern Iowa. That's every school psychology program in the midwest that offers the EdS. Well almost - the other two are the University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin - River Falls. The former being extremely competitive (so I'm not going to waste my time) and the later being the program I was rejected from.

 

I'm at one of those, although I don't feel like announcing exactly which one to the internet. If you want to talk more, PM me.