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Grad school + low gpa

Discussion in 'General Support and Advice' started by FuelsMySong, Mar 7, 2017.

  1. FuelsMySong

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    I am thinking of getting a master's in either social work, counselling, or counselling psychology. However, my gpa is not that stellar. i used to have a 3.67 gpa in my first year but after getting some grades in the C range, my gpa dropped down to 2.83 in my third year. I am currently in my fourth year of my BA in psychology. three main reasons i want a graduate degree is 1)i'm afraid a BA with little experience won't get me a job 2)i'm thinking of going into counselling which requires a master's 3)most grad schools have practicum programs and i want the experience (my undergrad had a co-op program which is kind of like a practicum but that was different because you have to apply for jobs and i couldn't get any jobs). I have seen some jobs that require only bachelor's degrees like case manager, community support worker, and program worker. So those are some of my options in lieu of grad school. Some of the jobs require a driver's license which I don't have but am definitely willing to get. anyway, i am about 2 semesters away from graduating and at this rate, i will probably graduate with a 2.83 or perhaps even lower because I just can't seem to get my grades up. in my resume, i have that I worked as a writer/researcher for a disability rights blog from my university and that i volunteer with children. I'm not too sure if i have anybody willing to be my reference. so that's pretty much the whole picture. is there any chance I can get into grad school? Should I even waste my time applying to grad school or should I just apply to jobs requiring only a bachelor's and hope for the best?
     
  2. YeahpIdk

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    A few things come to mind:

    1. Don't just give up on your gpa and accept that you're not doing that well. I'm not quite sure--though the only thing I'd ever go back to grad school for would be to get my masters in psych, original major is literature--, but I feel strongly that almost anything STEM is pretty grade heavy. As in, I believe people, jobs and whatnot, will wonder these things. I'm not sure, though. If I was a patient of someone who I knew had your gpa, I would think twice. Not that patients will know, but it does speak to your dedication to the field. You have two semesters left? Lift those grades up!

    2. Even if no one in a place of work ever saw your grades, graduate schools certainly will. They go off of more than your gpa, but having a B- / C average will no doubt be a turn off to most schools and make it hard for you to get in.

    3. Don't go to graduate school JUST because you don't think you'll be able to get a job with your current degree. I was once given advice to take at least a year to work after my bachelors before going back for a masters. Sometimes you change your mind. Sometimes you fall into a job where you don't need it quite yet. Sometimes you find something more specific to your field you'd like to specialize in. Graduate school is a huge investment of time and money.

    4. Get that gpa up! You can do it!
     
  3. Aspen

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    Graduate school is an extremely competitive arena and applying is not cheap. If you know a few programs that you're interested in, check their websites. They might have GPA cut-offs posted or information about the average scores of students they've accepted. Keep in mind that schools won't just see your GPA—they will also see your transcripts. If the classes you're struggling in are for your major, that's not a good sign. Talk to the professors in the classes you're struggling in. What can you do to improve the rest of the semester? Can you get a tutor?

    Check to see if they require GRE scores. If they do, this is going to be another major expense (the test itself is currently $205 and then you only get a set number of schools that you can submit to for free—five, I think). If you study hard, though, and ace the test it could improve your chances somewhat.

    Talk to your advisor or an academic counselor. They should be able to give you a good picture of what you'd need to get into grad school and where you stand. Also talk to the people who would serve as your references and ask what they genuinely think about your chances. You're going to need three letters of recommendation for applications.

    There's nothing wrong with taking a gap year to get more experience. I will say, as someone with a bachelor's degree in psych, it's not easy to find a job in the field without a graduate degree. You might have better luck with social work, though. Ask your advisor what you can do to better prepare yourself for graduate school. Use this year the best you possibly can. You may discover that you don't actually want to go to graduate school.

    One last thing to consider: If you're struggling now, do you feel that you would do well in graduate school?
     
  4. smurf

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    Like everyone said above, GPA is important for grad applications, but they are also looking at the whole picture.

    So, in your case, your GPA is pretty much set. You need to focus in other areas of your life ASAP.

    Have you worked at a lab with a professor during your college career? If not, this is something that should be your main priority. Get into a lab, learn how to do research, and start creating a relationship with the professor in charge of the lab.

    You need good references in order to out weight your GPA. Get good at networking with professors. Read books about it, blogs about it, and get going. You need to reach out to professors for advice (hopefully professors that you did well with) and start creating a relationship so in 2 semesters you can ask them for a reference.


    At one point, someone will ask you why your grades are so low. This reply won't cut it. You need to be able to be self-aware enough to understand what is affecting you. Is it stress? A learning disability? Mental Health issues? Lack of motivation or lack of discipline?

    What happened? How will you make sure it doesn't happen again? What have you learned from this experience?

    As anxiety ridden as it seems to ask those questions, if you don't have answers then people are going to think that you will perform the same in grad school than you did in undergraduate.

    Also, focus on acing your GED. Acing the GED is all about discipline and studying hard. A good grade can show people that if you put your mind to it you can get it done.

    I have a BS in Psych. Its not an easy bachelors to get a job with unless you know exactly what you want to do with it. You need to network and get yourself out there. Its not easy, but its possible.
     
  5. FuelsMySong

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    I have mental health issues which allowed me to register with the centre for students with disabilities. However, I'm not sure whether my low grades are due to my illness, due to classes getting harder, or just plain old laziness

    ---------- Post added 7th Mar 2017 at 12:45 PM ----------

    I've also heard of people getting into grad school with a 2.7 gpa and it gave me a little bit of hope but I'm not sure if those are isolated cases? If anyone is in grad school, how did you get in?

    ---------- Post added 7th Mar 2017 at 12:45 PM ----------

    I've also heard of people getting into grad school with a 2.7 gpa and it gave me a little bit of hope but I'm not sure if those are isolated cases? If anyone is in grad school, how did you get in?
     
  6. YeahpIdk

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    It could be all of those things combined. It's good that you registered with the disability program there. That usually allows for extra time on tests and bigger projects, right? If you can, I'd think about seeing a therapist or counselor who specializes in learning/school difficulties. They may be able to teach you skills to override whatever your mental health issue may be halting/making an obstacle for you.

    If you can't do that, or don't want to go that far just yet, I would make a schedule that centers around what you need to do daily. Make school your priority and do what you can to push through obstacles: fatigue, disinterest, anxiety, depression. Find something to help you focus, like even just getting a particular spot to study, or putting a stress ball on the table, or setting a timer for how much time you need to spend studying on what.

    In psych, I think a 2.7 gpa will be really hard to get into grad school with. Even with the noted disability. Schools don't want to bring in people who aren't going to get good grades. It makes them look bad if they allow a C average and push out people who maybe won't get good jobs. It's all very political.

    I agree, very much so, with posters above who have said to go and talk with your professors and see how to improve your grades. It's only march. You may have the ability to do something to lift this semester up still. Make relationships with professors. Also, really think about how you will fair in grad school. The work only gets harder. The load only gets bigger. The expectations are much higher. Your gpa now isn't a train wreck, but it's getting there. Do what you can to get it up. Even to a 3.0.
     
    #6 YeahpIdk, Mar 7, 2017
    Last edited: Mar 7, 2017