Has anyone with a GPA of 2 or less ever been let into a masters program?

[BigToque]

My GPA is just above 2.0 and I am very interested in the possibility of trying to get into the masters program in psychology.

I deserve the GPA I have simply because I have not put in the work required to get a higher grade. It is not indicitive of what I can get. I know that I'm really smart, and every time I have ever put a lot of effort into school, I end up with A's.

At the moment though, obviously nobody at the university could possibly know this. Is it possible to get in, or have I totally closed all future doors to a more advanced education?

 

[Looney]

LOLOLOL

 

[acemcmac]

I think you're SOL buddy. I'm probably SOL with a 2.9

 

[BigB10293]

I sure hope not.

 

[Looney]

With a GPA of 2.0, did you even complete an honors BA? Or just a 3 or 4yr General? You also need a thesis paper, and i doubt they'll even let you into the program with a 2.0

 

[dullard]

I don't know what the lowest GPA is, or if any schools have set minimums. For you, I think you need to try to ace the tests that your desired school requires. And you need to talk to some professors in person at that school. You need to convince at least one professor to take you under his/her wing. If you can do that, the professor should be able to get you in. If you don't do that, I think you'll have a very difficult time getting in (if it is possible at all).

GPA is NOT a measurement of knowledge or ability. GPA is a measurement of how hard working you are. Employers want a hard working employee, thus they often want someone with relatively good GPA. Same goes with professors and their graduate students. So you'll have an uphill battle to convince a professor to take you on as his/her student. It can be done though.

Also, you might consider taking another semester of classes and actually working hard. Do this even if you don't need any of those classes. A semester of mostly A's will pull up your GPA and will be a good way to convince the professor that you can work hard.

 

[isekii]

Take the GRE and get a great score.
That may help

 

[toekramp]

most likely you'll have to go prove yourself in the professional field before they'll let you back in. think about applying in like 4 or 5 years.

 

[StrangerGuy]

You can get in if you got the cash to buy some "favours" in the school.

 

[miri]

I have a friend that got into grad school with a GPA a little over 2.5

 

[Tu13erhead]

.

 

[geecee]

All depends if you're trying to get into a top program or a no-name school. If you really wanted a Masters degree, you could get one. You just might not be happy with the place that will take you. There's lots of questionable places that will accept you and give you a degree, assuming you have the money to pay them. I'm assuming that's not the type of place you want to go to though.

 

[oddyager]

Originally posted by: Tu13erhead

Originally posted by: dullard
GPA is NOT a measurement of knowledge or ability. GPA is a measurement of how hard working you are.

I'm not so sure about that. I work my ass off for a 2.5 GPA, though I know people that don't do a damn thing and get a 3.5.

So frustrating...

GPA is a measurement of "you vs. the curriculum". How you go about winning this match-up depends how well prepared you are whether you are inherently smart, or you work hard to become smart or smarter.

 

[BigToque]

If it means anything, the GPA of my psychology classes is just under 3 (what they require) even though my total for the degree is just over 2.

It looks like my way in is through the Pre-Masters program if I do well on the GRE

 

[JDrake]

thats like me

 

[Vich]

lol, didnt you understand a gpa of 2.0 is terrible? How did they even let u get a degree with that?

 

[Queasy]

My suggestion - get in about 3-5 years of real world work and ace the GRE. Then you may have a shot.

 

[Cooler]

2.0 is the minuium to get BAor BS at my school.

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: Cooler
2.0 is the minuium to get BAor BS at my school.

that's the minimum at most if not all US colleges and univ.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Oh yeah. I had a .012 GPA from high school. Had a 2.1 after my first 2 years of college. Now I'm at 3.65 and still rising. I had very good responses on my grad school searches. Of course, it helps to score nearly perfect on every standardized test offered. *shrug* It should still be doable, but you might have to stay in an undergrad program to boost your gpa some.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: Tu13erhead

Originally posted by: dullard
GPA is NOT a measurement of knowledge or ability. GPA is a measurement of how hard working you are.

I'm not so sure about that. I work my ass off for a 2.5 GPA, though I know people that don't do a damn thing and get a 3.5.

So frustrating...

I feel your pain, but he's right. Many many exceptionally intelligent and knowledgable people receive terrible grades, because they're socially inept and unable to accept authority (or unwilling to do the grunt work).

It also matters what classes you take...a 3.5 is easier to get at community college taking PE and intro survey courses than it would be taking upper division physics, math and engineering at MIT.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: oddyager

Originally posted by: Tu13erhead

Originally posted by: dullard
GPA is NOT a measurement of knowledge or ability. GPA is a measurement of how hard working you are.

I'm not so sure about that. I work my ass off for a 2.5 GPA, though I know people that don't do a damn thing and get a 3.5.

So frustrating...

GPA is a measurement of "you vs. the curriculum". How you go about winning this match-up depends how well prepared you are whether you are inherently smart, or you work hard to become smart or smarter.

Only if you define curriculum as including the social processes, attitudes and hoop jumping. GPA isn't like a test score, it doesn't rate what you know or are capable of. It rates how well you work within a system.

 

[Papagayo]

I remember my brother-n-law got an engineering degree from Northwestern.. barely passed..

But he got accepted to Vanderbilt Business for his masters..

He had to take a test.. the acceptance was based on the test and not the previous grades..

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: BigToque
My GPA is just above 2.0 and I am very interested in the possibility of trying to get into the masters program in psychology.

I deserve the GPA I have simply because I have not put in the work required to get a higher grade. It is not indicitive of what I can get. I know that I'm really smart, and every time I have ever put a lot of effort into school, I end up with A's.

At the moment though, obviously nobody at the university could possibly know this. Is it possible to get in, or have I totally closed all future doors to a more advanced education?

You have to go back to undergraduate school to raise your grade and get a new degree. The new degree must be harder and you need to show a vast improvement to go to any reputable school for a masters.

 

[chuckywang]

I got a 3.81 in undergrad majoring in ECE and got into a top 5 master's program (UIUC). However, a few top 30 ECE programs rejected me. Oh well, UIUC was my first choice anyways since it was close to home. This probably doesn't really help you since it's ECE, not Psychology.