International student with sub 3.0 GPA

[EdaNazli]

Hi. I don't remember if I've wrote on here about this before, if so, my apologies. 

I'm in my last year in a Turkish university in Istanbul, majoring in Nutrition and Dietetics. Here, normally, I'm graduating with the title of "Dietitian" which is different than the US cause over there you guys have 3 types of registered practitioners coming from so different majors. Here it's mandatory to major in Nutrition and Dietetics in order to be a Dietitian and the internships are taken as coursework unlike the US in which institutions offer something called Dietetic Internship (DI) which anyone with a basic nutrition knowledge can apply basically - but with a minimum 3.0 GPA. That's where my problem starts. So I'm planning to move over there, my initial plan was to move to NJ or Pennsylvania but then I couldn't find any master's or even Dietetic Internship's that'd accept my below speakable GPA with no actual work experience. I've contacted one of my former professors who now lives in Pennsylvania and asked her about what I should do and stuff and if any of you are familiar with what's happening in my country's region, you'd know that it's pretty hard not to be scared of what might happen to my country and everyone I love in it in near future. She told me that private schools have to fill their quota regardless of what the applicant's GPA is which would make things easier. I now that the Ivy League schools' admissions wouldn't even check the rest of my papers after seeing the GPA regardless of what program I'm applying for. So I've started to check extension programs that I could afford on my own. But then there is the Trump issue that'd make it really hard for me to stay after I'm done with whatever program I've completed. I've checked UCLA, UC Berkeley, Columbia, Cornell, Rutgers and Harvard Extension schools and I'm convinced non of them would shine bright like a master's on my resumè. And I know, CV only opens the door for he first job but still. I don't wanna throw my money away.

 

So I'm pretty stuck. Idk if I should stay and live doubtful and uneasy. Or go to an extension which in my case could only be UCLA or UC Berkeley cause others' are rather expensive for non-degree/certificate programs which are nowhere near master's so might as well pick the cheap one. Any advise would be helpful cause I'm struggling hard.

 

Edit: spelling mistake

Edited December 22, 2015 by EdaNazli

[ExponentialDecay]

This is all jumbled so I'm gonna ask a few questions.

1. Are you moving because you have permanent residency/citizenship in the US? Or do you need a visa?

2. Is the 3.0 on the Turkish system, or converted to the American one?

3. Do you already have the degree? Is it a medical degree or a normal bachelors?

4. What kind of final degree/job are you planning to get?

It's not necessarily true that Ivy schools wouldn't even look at your file if they saw a sub-3.0 GPA (although it's highly likely), but it also seems that the only kind of dietician/nutrition programs these school offer are under the PhD program in Public Health, which is neither necessary nor sufficient to qualify you as a practicing dietician in the United States. It also does not seem that "anybody with a basic knowledge of nutrition" can apply for a DI - rather, you have to have completed an ACEND-accredited program in dietetics (see here) with a GPA >3.0 in that program, and have employment authorization in the US. If you do a program at an extension school, unless that program is an ACEND-accredited nutrition program, that will add nothing to your ability to work as a registered dietician in the US.

I think you need to do more research and apply, if you choose to do so, directly to nutrition BS or MS in the US (and check that they're accredited by the appropriate bodies, so that you're actually eligible to work). You could also try to apostillate and confirm your Turkish diploma and see if it can be considered an equivalent to the education needed to get a DI, but that's only a reasonable course of action if you already have work clearance in the US.

Edited December 23, 2015 by ExponentialDecay

[EdaNazli]

Sorry about not being clear.

I'm not planning to move because I have a perminent residency/citizenship in the US. I'm planning to move cause I want to and yes I will need a visa and right now the easiest visa to get is an F1. The 3.0 is on the Turkish system but it's the same with the American one. I'm at my senior year, a Bachelor's in Nutrition and Dietetics. I only have one semester remaining before I graduate on summer 2016. I have been planning to get a master's degree at first but I figured with my GPA it'll be nearly impossible to get accepted by reputable programs. And then I've started to look into graduate certificate programs that offer OPT (Optional Practical Training) which is also given under F1 visa and then can be converted to H1B with a sponsor.

About the dietetics programs, I know they have to be ASCEND accredited in order to be able to get into another ASCEND accredited DI, but the initial didactic courses, well some of them, are nowhere near what I've studied in terms of the extent of clinical nutrition and dietetics education and that's why I couldn't uderstand how they could proceed into an internship afterwards, but then again, who am I to judge while they already have an ASCEND accreditation.

I will have to get my degree evaluated by WES no matter what program I'm going to proceed with regardless of it's level of education. And I'm not necessarily planning on becoming an RD/RDN at this point with the rivalry over DI's with my GPA. So that's why I have said that I'm now stuck. I don't know if I should enroll in a graduate certificate or not.

[Pillowwww]

Hey, sorry to hear about the situation you're in, it seems like a sticky one.

I agree with what ExpontentialDecay has said in their last 2 points. You never know how the rest of your application will look to the schools you apply, and if you do really well on the GRE, then that will always help your case. 

However I am concerned for your path to moving to the US. I apologise if you already know what I am about to say, but I would hate for you to go through all the effort of applications and then fall at the last hurdle.

What I am talking about is your plan to obtain the F1 visa, and then have that converted to a H1B with a sponsor. When you apply for your F1 visa you will need have an interview at the US Embassy in Turkey. During the interview they will asses your 'intent to return to your home country' once your studies have concluded. This means, that if you do not show adequate proof, through familial connections and things like that, that you intend to return to Turkey after the completion of your studies then they will deny you your visa. 

I am no authority on this, however, I can see you being from Turkey already making it harder for you to obtain the F1 visa :(. The current situation in the region may well make the burden of proof for intent to return after completion a lot greater. America is very strict about its security and the issuing of visas, and what is going on where you are will not help.

I don't wish to dissuade you from applying though! I highly encourage you to fully research all your options for study in the US (or other places, the rest of Europe is also a great place to go study!) and wish you the best! But please keep in mind the stipulations of applying for the F1 visa.

Best of luck