Is it possible to get into good graduate school when you have low GPA

[slinetz]

I am thinking to go back school. I had only like 2.4 GPA back in college year. are there any ways I can get in to decent graduate school with such low GPA? (for example : how high GRE score i should get to compensate low GPA, or any other alternative methods?)

update:
My major: computer science
school: University of California, Davis

GPA might be higher if adding up none major GPA (2.8 over all GPA)
After graduating from school, I worked as an engineer. I would like to go to graduate school to study some other majors, so I can change my career field.

 

[Landroval]

You'd have to have great recs and explain the situation in your cover letter. You might try to take a class or to as an unclassified and do very well in them to show potential and get a rec that way. For many schools, a great GRE score is not a dealbreaker and certainly won't counteract a history of poor grades.

 

[Aimster]

2.4GPA... ouch

What is your major?

 

[jagec]

short answer? No.

 

[Baked]

No. You need a minimum of 2.5 in most state Us and probably a 3 in Us. Give up now, you suck at life.

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: Baked
No. You need a minimum of 2.5 in most state Us and probably a 3 in Us. Give up now, you suck at life.

He's still better than the 80% of the country that never graduated.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

What was your major, where did you do your undergrad, and where do you want to go to grad school?

Disregard the no comments. I'm living proof that a mediocre gpa can get you into a solid grad program.

 

[Landroval]

You can definitely get into grad school, it will just take a lot more work to convince them you are not a slacker. And you won't have a chance at the top-tier schools.

 

[Baked]

Originally posted by: Gigantopithecus
What was your major, where did you do your undergrad, and where do you want to go to grad school?

Disregard the no comments. I'm living proof that a mediocre gpa can get you into a solid grad program.

You might want to define the term solid to the OP so he doesn't get his hopes up too high and thinks he can get into MIT.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

I would recommend busting your ass to get the highest GRE score possible. If applicable, take a subject GRE and do well on that as well. A composite GRE score of 1400+ will definitely get you noticed.
If you went to an undergrad institution that is well-known as being superior in your field, that is also very helpful. How are your letters of recommendation? Do you have any, or was grad school not even on the radar when you finished up?
Your cover letter on your app should explicitly address your low GPA. You will need to do an honest job of explaining why your grades were not impressive. Academic immaturity? Lack of direction? Compromising serious issues in private life?
What have you done since you graduated? Have you been using your undergrad degree to a large extent, or doing something totally unrelated to the field? Hopefully it's the former, if so, discuss how much you've learned on the job. That can be extremely helpful.
Good luck.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

Originally posted by: Baked

Originally posted by: Gigantopithecus
What was your major, where did you do your undergrad, and where do you want to go to grad school?

Disregard the no comments. I'm living proof that a mediocre gpa can get you into a solid grad program.

You might want to define the term solid to the OP so he doesn't get his hopes up too high and thinks he can get into MIT.

Solid meaning the program will give you a sufficiently useful degree to get you to whatever step you want to take next, be it employment or continuing in academia.

 

[Colt45]

Put an X in the visible minority box.

 

[SilentZero]

Depends on the school. The program that I am in now for computer science requires a 3.2 GPA, and when I was checking grad schools before applying that was pretty much the standard for the schools I looked at.

 

[vegetation]

Most large state schools have graduate admissions departments that screen your application before its even forwarded to the college or division that you are trying to get into. At these schools it may be impossible to get in because of university policies that require a minimum gpa. GREs, letters of rec, cover letters, volunteer work, etc, wont help because your application never makes it to the right place. So you either go back to school as a post-bachelors unclassified student, and make as many As you can on various undergrad classes, or stick with a less known, smaller, school that doesn't screen applications the same way.

 

[Lovepig]

Sure it is!! Is your Dad rich?

 

[Conky]

Why would you wanna keep going to school when you only give half an effort?

I had to quit school because I ran out of money with a 3.8 gpa. :thumbsdown:

 

[fbrdphreak]

What about getting into an MBA program with a ~3 GPA?

 

[cerebusPu]

great...i had a crappy GPA and just applied to gradschool. Ive been working for 3 years and now i want to get a masters. the only thing i have going is a list of publications (17). I also got some good recs.

Doing the waiting game!

 

[pmoa]

i graduated with a 2.9 and I knew a prof in the masters program that I played softball with and he just said what do i have to do to keep you here another year and gave me a grad assistanceship and paid for my grad school. I took loans out to pay rent a sn what not but still i dont know what i got on my GRE's I graduated with a 3.6 in grad school. and now I am looking for more classes at Hopkins...so just keep looking and show your potential...at least you have a degree and you know what you can do. just keep at it.