<p>I recently graduated from one of the top LACs with a degree in Physics. I didn't really do that well in terms of GPA. I graduated with a 2.3 as my major GPA. I really enjoyed some of the more practical classes that I took during my college career. However, I didn't really do well in most theoretical classes. I like building things and watch them come to life in front of me. I was going to go do engineering but the school offered me more money so I decided to go for Physics at undergrad and then aerospace or mechanical engineering at graduate school.</p>
<p>Since I didn't really do that well in my undergrads, what do you guys think my next step should be? This may sound arrogant but I know I could have handled the undergraduate coursework very well if I were really interested.</p>
<p>I was thinking of taking the GRE and the physics and math GREs to offset my not so shiny GPA. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>What’s your overall GPA? If your major GPA is 2.3, you’re going to have a really difficult time getting admitted to any graduate program.Even excellent GREs aren’t going to offset that level of mediocrity - they’re going to instead raise the inference that you have lots of ability but no interest in actual performance. That combination is not conducive to being admitted to graduate school.</p>
<p>If you like actually building/doing things, you should find a job/internship, start working in the field for a couple years… and then with that record of professional experience, you will have a much more solid foundation from which to apply to graduate programs.</p>
<p>Also, graduate school involves a ton of theory. If you weren’t happy with that in undergraduate work, you’re going to be even less happy going for a master’s or Ph.D.</p>
<p>My overall GPA is similar - 2.4. I am considering Mechanical or Aerospace engineering for graduate school. As of now, I have no interest in getting a PhD.</p>
<p>I am not sure how much difference it would make but I was part of the top/selective scholars program based on leadership at my college. I also did a bit of substantial research at Arecibo among other things.</p>
<p>Honestly, you have a very high probability of just wasting your money should you apply now. 3.0 is the minimum for most graduate schools, and even lower-tier programs usually want at the very least a 2.5. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but applying with a 2.4 and no real-world experience post-baccalaureate is an easy app for gradcoms to toss in the first cut.</p>
<p>What would you say in your SOP as to why you performed so poorly, and how would you convince them that you could do far better as a graduate student?</p>
<p>I don’t really understand your responses. How does a minimum of 3.0 relate in terms of what kind of school you went to? 3.0 at a State school is not the same as 3.0 at an Ivy. I am sure the grad school understand that.</p>
<p>I plan on highlighting the fact that I did well in research and 3/4 of my higher level physics classes and then go from there.</p>
<p>Keep in mind you’re competing for a small set of spots versus students that went to schools similar to your own PLUS a good GPA. Keep in mind a 3.0 is a minimum, and generally most successful applicants will have considerably higher (in my PhD program I think I’m one of the lowest with around a 3.6, even though their “minimum” is a 3.0).</p>
<p>Experiences might be different when applying for a MS program since those you generally have to pay your own way.</p>
<p>That’s not really true - some “top” schools (including Ivies) are well-known for grade inflation. But a 2.4 is mediocre no matter what school you attended.</p>
<p>You need to look at Web sites for programs you’re interested in attending, and figure out what their minimum standards for admission are. As I said, many graduate schools have a hard floor of 3.0 or 2.5, below which it is difficult or impossible to be admitted without special dispensation. You’ll need to find schools where no such policy exists… likely to be directional state Us and the like.</p>
<p>Your other option would be to enroll as a non-degree student, take a couple classes and use your performances in those courses to prove your ability as a graduate student.</p>
<p>There’s a Doctoral student I’ve made friends with here who had a similar situation. She was admitted to her Masters program on a provisional basis and then excelled to be able to maintain enrollment and now here she is.</p>
<p>I can share my experience with applying to grad school this year. I graduated from UCLA with a 3.18 GPA. Going into the application process, I honestly felt that I was going to get rejected by most top tier schools and MAYBE get into a few state schools. The only reason I felt semi confident was because of the years of experience I have in my field of study. I started teaching when I was 21 at a private school and then became a mental health and wellness specialist for a non-profit for two years. It took me a while to feel that I had the necessary skills/knowledge to show the admission community that I was worth taking a shot at. As of now, I have been accepted into NYU’s Guidance and Counseling (Mental Health and Wellness) Masters program and have been waitlisted for a similar program at Harvard. I am still waiting to hear back from Columbia’s Teachers College. Unless Columbia says “YES!!”, then I will be enrolling at NYU. </p>
<p>The craziest part from the application process was the fact that I got rejected by two low ranking grad programs (Sac State and CSULA). The reason behind all of this was because of the vast number of applications they get because they are more affordable and “low ranking”. Now, what I’m trying to say is that it is possible to get into a good program with a lower GPA. The only issue with your GPA is that it is below a 3.0. Many states schools have a lower than 3.0 standard, but the rule of thumb with most schools is that they will not advance your grad application to the appropriate program unless you meet the minimum GPA requirement. Two of my co-workers used to be on the admissions community for 3 different schools and they all said that they, for the most part, will automatically deny you admission if you don’t meet at least the GPA requirement. May I ask which school or schools you want to apply to?</p>
<p>As of now I am thinking of applying to Embry Riddle, University of Texas Arlington and Purdue. </p>
<p>Here is the thing, guys - I am here because I want to know what I can do to fix this and not because I want you guys to tell me what I already know is wrong with my profile. I was stupid and I was lazy - I messed up. </p>
<p>My plan of action is to take the GRE, Physics GRE and the Math GRE. Do well on them and then request help from the department at my school. If you have any other suggestions, feel free to leave them here. Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>GRE really won’t do much to cover for your GPA. The GRE is mostly just a competency test and isn’t weighted that heavily. Also, I don’t think engineering departments will care about GRE subject tests since hardly anyone else applying will probably have them (other than those applying in different departments at different schools).</p>
<p>The best thing you could do is get some sort of work experience to show your competency, try to take graduate classes as a non-degree student and do well in them, and try again in a few years.</p>
<p>There is no “quick-fix” easy way to get into graduate school with a 2.4 GPA. Your academic performance was below what is expected of a graduate student, and taking a standardized test isn’t going to prove much. A poor GPA coupled with high test scores will suggest to the gradcom that you’re a terminal underachiever.</p>
<p>You need to seek real-world work experience and take classes as a non-degree student, then look at applying to degree programs a year or two down the line.</p>
<p>I’m sorry these answers aren’t what you want to hear, but they’re the truth.</p>
<p>*Here is the thing, guys - I am here because I want to know what I can do to fix this and not because I want you guys to tell me what I already know is wrong with my profile. I was stupid and I was lazy - I messed up.</p>
<p>My plan of action is to take the GRE, Physics GRE and the Math GRE. Do well on them and then request help from the department at my school. If you have any other suggestions, feel free to leave them here. Thanks in advance!*</p>
<p>People are already telling you what you need to do. On a base level, at this point you are not competitive for master’s programs, perhaps with the exception of a few lower-tier programs. Taking the GRE won’t help you much, as the GRE is the least important part of your admissions package and your GPA is far more important than that. Furthermore, don’t waste your money on tests that your programs won’t look at. Find out whether they require the math or physics GRE first. I would be willing to bet that the vast majority of engineering MS programs do not require or recommend the math or physics GRE, so that shouldn’t boost your chances much.</p>
<p>What you should actually do is find a job in your field and work for a few years. Take some graduate classes as a non-degree student to prove that you can perform well at the graduate level. With some time and some As in graduate engineering classes you can try again, although I would wait at least 3 years (so 2 full years of work under your belt, and applying in your third year).</p>
<p>Here are my thoughts. If you studied physics in undergrad, and were considering doing some kind of engineering in graduate school, I’d consider beefing up the engineering resume and perhaps trying luck there (you say theoretical courses were not your cup of tea). I do not think a low GPA in theoretical courses will kill you if you’re applying to a different program.</p>
<p>That said, you need to plan on serious preparation in the things you actually want to do graduate studies in. Engineering programs seem to be more forgiving on GPA than say, a theoretical physics program might be. The flip side is that those programs may almost expect strong letters from someone you did research with. </p>
<p>If the programs actually accept the mathematics or physics GREs, then sure, you can try them (this is only if the programs are actually suggesting those as possible things you can submit - else, don’t waste your time!). Further, only submit scores if you actually do very well. Nothing is a substitute for some (demonstrated) solid success both in fundamentals required for your discipline and strong letters from people whose words are well-respected.</p>
<p>I think juillet’s last paragraph is what I would advocate, if I were to vouch for an actual plan.</p>
I’m curious as to where you are now AstroMonk. Did you end up going to gradschool/did you have a hard time finding a job? I am currently in a similar position and am curious as to how everything worked out.