Questions about pre-reqs and gpa.

[katiescarlett]

Hello,

I am a non-traditional student with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor Services for the Deaf. I am fairly fluent in American Sign language. I am about to start the 2nd bachelor's program at USU in August, to get my pre-requisites out of the way. My problem is that my overall GPA is only 2.41. In 2007, I left school with a plummeting grade point average due to having seizures (I have epilepsy) and another issue that resulted in a series of surgeries. My seizures are controlled now, and I have not had any for many years, and the surgeries cured the other condition. I am now very healthy and have no problems medically at all (I still have epilepsy, but my medication controls it and there are no issues from it any longer). I returned to school in 2012, changed my major to English, and finished that semester with a 4.0. I graduated in December of 2014, with a GPA in my major of 3.48, which was maintained while I worked full-time (sometimes 100 hours in two weeks while attending school 12 hours a week) and was able to be active in events on campus. I also was able to present a paper at a conference in the fall of 2013.

I say all of this because I am a good student now, despite my overall GPA. I simply had too many credit hours under my belt to be able to raise my GPA easily. I plan on only applying to schools that focus on the last 60 credit hours. My question is should I apply this fall while simultaneously taking the classes I need for prereqs, or should I wait until next fall when I have completed the degree in Communication Disorders? If I am able to maintain a 4.0 in this program, combined with my major GPA from my first degree (to account for the last 60 credit hours) would I even have a chance of getting in anywhere? I don't want to wait until next year if I don't have too (I just turned 37 on Sunday), but if it increases my chances of getting accepted anywhere, it would be worth it. I am taking the GRE in August.

 

[SouthernDrawl]

I wouldn't go through the application process until I had, at minimum, a 2.5 cumulative and a 3.0 last 60. It is exorbitantly expensive, especially if you're hedging your bets with many applications. Sit down with an Excel spreadsheet and figure out what you need to get there. My guess is, you'll need many of the prereqs before applying to make the math come out, keeping in mind that you have to wait until a term is over for a couple of weeks before you can factor them into your GPA on CSDCAS (otherwise, they're just in process). Then make Magoosh your best friend. Good luck!

[Crimson Wife]

If you're proficient in ASL and interested in working with deaf kids, contact Gallaudet and see what they advise. They prioritize demonstrated interest in Deaf culture over having tippy-top grades and GRE scores.

[katiescarlett]

These are great responses! Thank you! I had not even considered Gallaudet. I would love to work with the deaf. I see that you are doing the same degree through USU. Do you like it?

[MangoSmoothie]

YES if you can maintain a 4.0, you definitely have a shot at getting in somewhere! We can't tell you where or what exactly will do it, but don't discount yourself. Search this forum for threads on those accepted with a low-GPA, last-60, etc. (@twinguy7 will have posted a lot on the topic). I have friends who had undergrad GPAs of below 3.0 for various reasons (some medical, some because they just partied that hard), who all turned it around in post-baccs and second bachelor's, and they all got in to programs. You have very compelling reasons as to why your grades were what they were, and you've shown progress, and many adcoms don't discount that. Plus, you have what 22-year-olds applying don't, and that's a lot of life experience, especially with your ASL. I had a 3.25 undergrad GPA (due to lack of focus), and 4.0 in my post-bacc when I returned to school three years later, and I got in to a variety of programs. The experience I had in those three years also bolstered my application. 

Definitely do your very best on the GRE. 150 in both sections is about the average in our field, but frankly, I don't think it's hard to get a much better score than that. The GRE is important when you're making up for a low GPA, even if it doesn't offset it. I would say you want a minimum 155 in each section, but I would shoot for at least 160 to really show you can do it. I know that my GRE scores definitely help to offset my cumulative GPA, which was very low for the field.155 is very attainable, especially if you put your mind to it and have started studying now. You can't control your past GPA, but you can control your GRE score somewhat, and at this point, you want to control every part of your application that you can to make it as good as possible. 

Keep in mind quality is better than quantity when you apply to schools. Don't just apply to a ton of schools because you think it will help your chances. It won't. Not unless you are writing really personalized essays for each program, and your references don't hate you for making them fill out 10 different forms (as not all schools use CSDCAS). Schools know when you're not very invested in their program, and unless you're a perfect applicant (and even then) it's an easy way to hurt your application. It is worth your while to contact schools to see if they will even look at your application as well, because some schools as a rule won't look at anyone with below a 3.0 or 2.5 cumulative GPA, and this is often a requirement of the grad school, not the department itself. This is information you definitely need to obtain! Take the time to really research the places you apply to, reach out and explain your situation if you can. And in your essays, you absolutely must say why you want to go to that program, what attracts you to that program, and/or what you can bring to that program. Too often people overlook this super crucial aspect (especially those with lower GPAs), but every adcom I've talked to has said they absolutely look for this component.

Personally, I think you will be a much more competitive applicant once you finish the whole series of CSD courses, because your overall GPA will be higher, and you will have more relevant references. The thresholds SouthernDrawl gave are not bad ones to meet before applying either. Do you have excellent references now? What is your last-60 though? What will it be if you get a 4.0 in the fall? What will your cumulative be with a 4.0 in the fall? I ask because I do think it's worth applying to some schools this year that have a deadline of mid-January or later, so that your fall semester grades will be included. If you can afford all the fees associated with applying to a few well selected schools, I think it's worth it, although based only on numbers, I suspect your chances will be much better next year. Even if you don't get in though, you may be able to contact the departments to see what you can improve for the next round. It's a big emotional, financial, and time investment to apply this year, but if you're willing to go through it, I would try for a few schools this year because you never know what will happen. If you do end up getting rejected, it could give you a bit of a bonus if you apply to the same schools next year, because you can point out your even higher GPA. 

Does USU give you an advisor at all or someone you can contact with these questions? Or maybe you can just ask a professor who teaches one of the classes you're taking. My advisors and professors were very frank with me about my situation and what schools I should be looking at, and I found their input to be useful when I decided when and where to apply. It's a tricky question, and the answers might be hard to hear, but good luck regardless! Whether it's this year or next or the year after though, I believe you can definitely get in somewhere! Programs are taking more and more non-traditional students and students with varied backgrounds, so don't let your past own you! Own it! 

[Crimson Wife]

5 hours ago, katiescarlett said:

These are great responses! Thank you! I had not even considered Gallaudet. I would love to work with the deaf. I see that you are doing the same degree through USU. Do you like it?

I'm finishing up my 4th semester now and have 3 more since I'm going PT and also doing the Deafblindness Intervention certificate (that is 2 courses beyond the 2nd bachelor's). USU offers a number of elective courses related to working with the deaf and if you're looking to boost your GPA, you may want to consider taking some of them. COMD 4780 "Socio-Cultural Aspects of Deafness" would probably be an easy A for you and one that would help you if you decide to apply to Gallaudet.

[thespeechblog.com]

Do you already have a GRE score? Because you´ll want to consider time for prepping in your schedule and also time to take the exam at least twice. 

Also, do you already have some pre-reqs completed from your first degree? If so, you might be able to apply to more 3-year programs. 

Consider including something in your personal statement that tells "the other half" of the the story that your GPA can´t tell on its own. Maybe consult with an admissions counselor about that. Try visiting your alma mater´s admissions office, old profs/advisors, career center, or even ask for an appointment with the dean of the grad school or admissions.