Starting over with low GPA

[CG317]

Here's my problem:

Seven years ago, I left school after what should have been my final semester without graduating. I had undiagnosed depression and ADD and had gone from a smart girl who skated by on good test grades to someone with a 2.2 GPA in her Anthro major at a large state school. I worked for seven years, got a lot of good experience under my belt, and came back to school. I was finished with my major when I left, but I figured out in the wandering work years that I want to do a masters (MS or MSPH) in Epidemiology. I have more focus and a clear end goal now, which I didn't have then. I just finished a summer semester with As (chemistry and calculus) and I'm taking a full course load in the fall. My current plan is to complete a major in Biology and apply for programs starting in Fall of 2019.

My question is: am I fooling myself? Even if I maintain a 4.0 for the next two years, I will not be able to raise my GPA above 3.0. I have not taken the GRE yet, but my practice tests consistentlyl place me in the high 160s on both quantitative and verbal. I know I can write a good statement and get good professional and academic recs. I am kicking myself for what I did when I was younger and I'm having to work my ass off to try to fix it.

If you do think I have a chance, do you know which programs would be more forgiving? I would love to apply to Pitt, Emory or Tulane, but I worry that that's laughable.

[_kita]

You are not kidding yourself. Public Health is one of the few fields where practical experience is favored as highly, or outshines, academics. The low GPA/high GRE combination is fairly common, but you do need to focus on schools without a GPA cut off.  The GPA/GRE combination is simply to get your application from the "big pile" of all applicants into the "little pile" where they examine your entire package more thoroughly. Your expected GREs already show academic prowess, and that's great. If you can get your last GPA up - even better! However, do not apply to a school with a "minimum GPA" higher than your GPA scores. Go for schools that look at the holistic package.

The key for your will be your letters of recommendation and your personal statement. They should be strength-based and not defensively written. Here's some overall advice for your letters and statement:

Letters of Recommendation:

Choose your recommenders based on your full application. They should add something to your application that is not easily seen elsewhere. For instance, when I applied, my quantitative score was ridiculously weak (141), but I also tutored statistics. So I asked my recommender to highlight my tutoring skills and ability to manage/administer a research database. Their recommendation highlighted a strength without me needing to "defend" myself later on.

Personal Statement:

Your letter should be written to demonstrate your personal growth and why you are passionate about Epidemiology. Discuss your personal journey, and how your experiences have made you who you are. You should only discuss your GPA as it pertains to your growth. For instance, did your depression/ADD inspire your choices? Did it connect you to resources that you never would have seen otherwise. Additionally, you should "show" not "tell" your strengths through anecdotes, reflections, etc.

Oftentimes, people try to defend weak spots, but that comes off whiny and immature to an admissions committee. However, it is appealing to see someone learn about themselves, their strengths and passions, and growing into a new sense of maturity. Also, expect to write several drafts to get to the 'real' personal statement. You do not need a chronology, but writing one may help you identify some of the skills and characteristics that matter most. I know several people that wrote at least 3 full, very different, drafts before choosing their final statement.

 

Other general tips:

When I began my admissions process, I wrote out al of the skills and characteristics I wanted to highlight. A short list might be: "self-driven, motivated, analytical, empirical skills, empathic..." you get the idea. I then arranged my application based on who would be able to demonstrate what the best. My recommenders were chose based on which skills they could highlight, and I focused on showing, not telling, all the other skills I was interested in.