<p>I was initially a comp science major and i switched into Microbiology and Immunology after 1 year (which is what i wanted to major in in the first place). Due to overload in work, my GPA dropped but here are my stats: do i have a chance at all???!!</p>
<p>science gpa: 3.0
overall gpa: 3.2
current school: UCLA
major: MIMG (microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics)
extracurriculars: 3 month internship at great pharm company; volunteering experiences, lab work (not wet lab but dry lab work: analysis of data/bioinformatics)
GRE score: 160 verbal, 160 quantitative</p>
<p>do i even stand a chance applying for </p>
<p>-MS for Bioengineering
-or MS/Grad for Microbiology</p>
<p>any UCs? if not, anywhere else?</p>
<p>Your GRE scores are good but the GPA will be a problem. You might have to go for a masters degree first or apply to a less selective program than the UCs. Your resaerch experience looks to be a bit light too, it is possible that you will have to self-fund a Masters degree.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice xraymancs…</p>
<p>Could you suggest any grad school program that is less competitive and would consider me?</p>
<p>The best guides would be your faculty mentors who know your abilities and would end up writing your letters of recommendation. You should not take advice on this matter from this site.</p>
<p>You also should think about the kind of school you might wish to attend and then go to their web site and look up more details. Not only is it a personal decision as to what kind of school to attend but the admission process is personalized. One university might decide you are a great fit and admit you right to the Ph.D program, another, even one which is lower ranked might not.</p>
<p>A good place to start is [PhDs.org:</a> Jobs for PhDs, graduate school rankings, and career resources](<a href=“http://www.phds.org/]PhDs.org:”>http://www.phds.org/) the data is a bit old but it has a searchable database which can help you to locate programs which fit your needs. Ask yourself the following questions:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Are you interested in an urban school or not?</p></li>
<li><p>Do you want a small or large program?</p></li>
<li><p>Is there a preferred geographic location?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Then, if you already have a good idea of the general area of research you are interested in, go find some papers and see what universities they are coming from. Build your list from there and go talk to a faculty mentor.</p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>