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

[DevilsAdvocate]

Originally posted by: 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.

I thought college was a game. I would select classes I thought I could get a good grade in, given the professor's reputation. I avoided multiple choice, selected classes that were heavy on essays, and played politics.

I wound up with a 3.79 at the end.

College is a gmae, but you've got to be somewhat bright, in a number of ways, to play it properly.

 

[Metron]

Unfortunately, you're in a field (Psychology) where you can't really get ahead without a Masters... and you can't get into a Masters program with such a low GPA. I seriously doubt you'll get into any worthwhile program.

If you're dead set on that field... you could do social work as a licensed practitioner with just a BA/BS. Not great pay, but hopefully you'd be doing something you enjoy.

If you can find another field about which you're passionate, I'd suggest working much harder on your grades toward a different degree.

 

[Kenazo]

Go work at McD's for a while and try again.

 

[Vich]

Or just re-do all the core classes needed for the psychology degree, and skip the fluff classes, thus raising your GPA.


Why dont you talk to this with your academic counselor and not us on ATOT?

 

[edmundoab]

Hmm, I got a 2.38 GPA, but never dared thinking about Masters with my kind of qualification

LOL, but good luck man, I feel ya as I am in the same boat

 

[aswedc]

Lots of stupid advice here...

You can register for graduate level classes at many schools without being accepted into a program. Take some. Prove you can perform. Transfer the credits to the school of your choice. Simple!

 

[Kenazo]

Originally posted by: Vich
Or just re-do all the core classes needed for the psychology degree, and skip the fluff classes, thus raising your GPA.


Why dont you talk to this with your academic counselor and not us on ATOT?

This would probably be what I'd recommend. Redo your Intro Psych, That'll be a 6 credit hour A+ right there. Some schools average the old mark and the new one and give you a blended score on the retake though, so check that out too.

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: isekii
Take the GRE and get a great score.
That may help

Not with a 2.0

 

[DaShen]

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...

Some of that is Intelligence, some of it is studying training. People who have trained since young to memorize usually do better in school. I know complete idiots who do well in school because they know how to study. But they don't spend a lot of time comparatively studying either.

 

[Sureshot324]

Retake all the courses you got a bad grade in. Like aswedc said, after you graduate from your BA, take some graduate level courses and prove you can succeed in them. You're probably still not going to be accepted into a top grad school, but you can still get into a decent one.

 

[Jmman]

And I was worried about getting into a masters program with my 3.95 GPA with a double major in CSI and Mathematics.....

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: Sureshot324
Retake all the courses you got a bad grade in. Like aswedc said, after you graduate from your BA, take some graduate level courses and prove you can succeed in them. You're probably still not going to be accepted into a top grad school, but you can still get into a decent one.

My school won't let you retake courses unless you failed in them (University of Waterloo)

 

[Schadenfreude]

A lot of universities that I looked into have a program called "Student at Large".

I know this because I'm in the same boat as you are.

Anyhow, how that works is that you take a semester's worth of 300-level classes in the department that you're interested in - I think it really depends on the program, but usually if you have a 3.5GPA for your semester (and you get accepted), they usually override that as your GPA instead of your actual bachelor's GPA.

Of course, if you do really well at the GRE's, and I'm talking 'top 90% in the country or better' good, all that stuff does not matter - you're in like flynn, my friend.

edit: and as far as the Student at Large program goes, talk to your dept. head about it. Like I said I think it varies from program to program.

Good luck!

U. of Chicago GSaL Program
Northwestern Options (Mentions the SaL Program at the bottom of page)

 

[sjetexas]

If you're above 2, sure. But you're gonna need good work experience and a healthy GMAT score.

My sister got in and excelled in the Univserity of Washington MBA program (easily a top 40 program). She got about a 2.4 as an undergrad. She did work for about 4 years and studied her butt off for the GMAT.

She makes sick money today.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Originally posted by: sjetexas
If you're above 2, sure. But you're gonna need good work experience and a healthy GMAT score.

My sister got in and excelled in the Univserity of Washington MBA program (easily a top 40 program). She got about a 2.4 as an undergrad. She did work for about 4 years and studied her butt off for the GMAT.

She makes sick money today.

He does not need to take the GMAT if he's in a Psychology field. It's the GRE. [/anal]

 

[J Heartless Slick]

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?

Look for a non-research MS degree program at a small school.

 

[Sureshot324]

Originally posted by: Looney

Originally posted by: Sureshot324
Retake all the courses you got a bad grade in. Like aswedc said, after you graduate from your BA, take some graduate level courses and prove you can succeed in them. You're probably still not going to be accepted into a top grad school, but you can still get into a decent one.

My school won't let you retake courses unless you failed in them (University of Waterloo)

I went to Carleton University, and you could retake any course you wanted, but there was a limit to the total amount of retakes you're allowed to do over the course of your degree.

 

[JLGatsby]

Start a business, you won't need school.

 

[50]

When I was visiting GA tech the past summer, they told me the average gpa was 2.3 or 2.5 and you get dean's list with a 2.7. I guess it all depends on which college you go to.

 

[bleeb]

Originally posted by: Looney
LOLOLOL

Your best bet is to take community college classes, raise your grades, take the admission tests (MCAT, DAT, OAT, GRE, GMAT, etc)... kick some serious arse on those exams and then apply...

otherwise you're wasting your time and money.

 

[Kanalua]

become a under-represented minority.

Seriously. (Not flaming here...I'm Hawaiian-Philipino-Haole)

 

[slpaulson]

I think you need to go get a job, gain some experience for a couple years, take the GRE or whatever you need, then apply.

 

[Reckoner]

Go through the Masters program in your school.

 

[Xyclone]

Originally posted by: Looney
LOLOLOL

QFT