<p>I have recently graduated from a UC campus. I am hoping to take a year off to teach English abroad, and then apply for graduate schools in the following year.</p>
<p>My problem right now is my GPA. I double majored in International Relations and a foreign language. If you don't consider my language courses, my GPA probably hovers at around a 3.3. Unfortunately, with my language courses, I am looking at a 2.5. Haha, a bit ironic, considering language was my major....</p>
<p>Now my question for you folks is, would there be any way for me to be accepted into a grad program? I know I can do well on the GRE, as I have a history of scoring well on standardized tests. But other than that, I do not have much going on for me.</p>
<p>Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks for your time and I look forward to your responses!</p>
<p>What PhD programs do you plan to apply to? If they’re in IR, then there’s a good chance that they will calculate your GPA based on only relevant courses in IR; this is what many PhD programs do. With a 3.3, I’d say you could get into a decent (perhaps not tippy-top) PhD program. (This is assuming that you’re fine in the other areas of the application, like research experience and such.)</p>
<p>Check to see what the GPA calculation policies of you prospective PhD programs are.</p>
<p>You’re going to need to get your GPA up. But look around at schools and see if any have a lower GPA requirement. I think usually schools consider your overall GPA, not just your major GPA. Ask someone at an admissions office somewhere if you want to be certain.</p>
<p>I’m just looking to do some history somewhere haha. So it seems a good GRE score will do nothing for a GPA that low huh?</p>
<p>I have 0 research experience… speaking of which, can you guys tell me a little something about this? I’m guessing most people do this during their undergrad years at the school they are attending? Are there opportunities for graduates to do research as well?</p>
<p>Contrary to what people say on CC, students do gain access to graduate school, particularly master’s programs, without research. However, you are facing different issues, namely your GPA and low foreign language grades for someone who wants to go into IR.</p>
<p>You won’t get into a top school with that GPA, but you may get into a master’s program much lower on the rung. You might want to do your year abroad, come home, take a few courses and get As, and then write a SOP that details how your priorities have changed while abroad.</p>
<p>Edited: My goodness – the typos (now fixed) are hilarious without that second cup of coffee.</p>
<p>asian boi what’s your problem? Did I say he can get in Ohio State?–No. Please don’t bring down Asian people reputation by posting stupid content like that.</p>
<p>to OP: like Mom said master programs are much easier to get in than phd programs, and research experience is def. not a requirement, but all the history people I know are in PhD students, what’s your plan?</p>
<p>wow asian boi, do you mean OSU is a bad school? if that’s what you think, I have to say you are very ignorant and don’t know anything about college, pretty sad actually. (as other people already pointed this out in the other thread)</p>
<p>Wow, this turned into a flame fest about OSU… lol.</p>
<p>So getting into a masters program is easier than a PhD program? Does that apply to people with GPA’s like mine?? I would eventually like to teach at a college level(a bit ambitious at this point I know). If I were to destroy the GRE and have a ridiculous SOP(miracles happen, right? ;o), do you think I would have any chance of getting into a decent masters program? Or am I better off saving the application money and trying 2nd tier schools?</p>
<p>yes MA/MS are** much easier** getting into than PhD programs.</p>
<p>there are many reasons for this, a simple way to look at this is the financial situation: for master’s school makes money *from *you, for PhD school spends money *on *you.</p>
<p>if you are really seriously about getting into academia at a good institute, I think your best bet is to fund yourself for a master’s degree at a decent school (and do not screw up your grades this time, find a few potential professors early on and keep good relationships with them for LoRs), then apply to a good PhD program from there, keep in mind with a masters degree in hand, you have higher chance to PhD admission too. Of course everything has up and downs, the downside of this route is you spending extra 2-/+ years in school</p>