Another Low GPA high GRE thread.

[TheBumChikiBum]

I have a GPA of 2.7/4. My GRE score is 321 (166Q, 155V, 3.5AWA). Aiming for MS in Envt Engg. Most of the universities have 3/4 as their minimum GPA. Even though I have a better GRE Quant than what they require and a solid SOP. I think I have lost. Should I even bother applying to these colleges which state 3 as min. reqd. GPA.  I am starting to lose hope. Is there anyone out there with less than 3 GPA who made it to a good university which had 3 GPA compulsory?

Since it's MS course (and they kinda focus more on quant), I hope my quant score somehow saves me. Will be applying ten colleges in top 25(USNEWS).

[TheBumChikiBum]

Tagging some seniors for help.

 

@TakeruK

@EMPOWERgreRichC

@fuzzylogician

[fuzzylogician]

I really don't know what to tell you. I am in a completely different field and don't know which schools you're applying to. Even if I were in your field and had a list of all the schools you're applying to, I still wouldn't know. This is one time where you really need to ask the schools. One way to do that would be to reach out to potential advisors and get their interest, then mention your GPA. If you get someone's support, they can often fight for you to waive stated cutoffs. Another way to go about it is to call the department and ask if the cutoff is really strict or if exceptions are made (and if so, under what circumstances). You can call and not tell them your name, so there is no risk of saying anything wrong or turning them off. 

[HYHY02]

Fuzzylogician is right, sounds like you need a yes or no answer at this point (can one with a GPA below the stated minimum still be accepted), and the only way you'll find that answer is by directly asking the programs themselves which you are interested in applying to.

[TheBumChikiBum]

Thanks a lot, sirs. Appreciate the help. I think I am going to call them. Let's see their take on it.

@fuzzylogician & @HYHY02 

 

Btw... Is there any particular thread here where I specifically find people of a particular field, say environmental engineering.

[TakeruK]

Sorry for the slow reply--I've been away this weekend! I would second fuzzy's advice to contact the departments and talk to them. It's hard for us to guess what schools will think! 

For field-specific forums, Environmental Engineering might fit into our Engineering subforum, or Earth Sciences. At my school, your program would be administered by my department (an earth science department), but this would really depend on what kind of environmental engineering you mean. (And of course, each school will divide its departments differently too).

[GREMasterEMPOWERRichC]

Hi TheBumChikiBum,

Is the 2.7 your Overall GPA or is it the GPA in the subjects that are relevant to your Grad Degree Program? If your GPA was 'brought down' by some non-relevant classes (or some other definable reasons), then you might be able to sell your overall profile a bit better.

GRE Masters aren't born, they're made,

Rich

[TheBumChikiBum]

@EMPOWERgreRichC It was the overall GPA. My GPA in my final year was 3

[GREMasterEMPOWERRichC]

TheBumChikiBum,

As I mentioned, you might be able to 'spin' your GPA to make it look a bit better; to do so, you have to take ONLY the classes that are relevant to your Grad Degree Program and recalculate your GPA using JUST those grades. IF you can show that you're strong in the subjects that 'matter' to the Degree Program, then you might be able to improve how your GPA comes across in your applications.

GRE Masters aren't born, they're made,

Rich