Hey all! So I have been preparing to submit my applications for grad school. I am applying for a Masters in Mental Health Counseling degree. My only concern is my GPA (less than 3.0). I did struggle during my undergrad with some personal issues which impacted my GPA. However I have other areas that show to fare better for me on my applications. Areas such as having research experience, work experience in the mental health field for more than 3 years, strong letters of recommendation and a strong personal statement. I did graduate from a college that is more well known if that helps. I have heard here and there that the more prestigious of a school you graduated from, the better your odds are. Not sure if that is true or not. I just wanted to get any insight from others to see if I have a chance of getting into a program or not. I am currently looking into about 16 schools which will be narrowed down, but I intend on reaching out to the department heads to introduce myself and make myself known. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!
You do have a chance, although how big that chance is we really can’t say. But typically students with a GPA less than 3.0 are advised to do exactly what you did: get some research experience, some related experience in the field, and strong letters of recommendation. You have those things, and they can certainly mitigate a low GPA.
It also depends how much lower than a 3.0 you have. A 2.8 could potentially be overlooked more easily than a 2.2. If you have an upward trend or the grades were concentrated to a specific period of time, that can also help, as it may show that you were struggling in a specific time period. Scattered low grades, however, may cause more concern.
The type of mental health field experience you have matters, too - there’s a difference between doing ABA therapy with children or working as an aide at a psychiatric hospital and, say, working as a receptionist in a therapist’s office. All can help, though, especially depending on your duties.
I don’t know if introducing yourself to department heads at programs will help. Typically, for PhD programs, it is advised to reach out to a professor who conducts research similar to your interests. For a professional master’s program, it is usually not helpful to do this (unless you’re interested in conducting research). In your case, it may be because of your lower GPA, but it shouldn’t necessarily be the department head.