I am currently studying Applied Mathematics at James Madison University for undergrad. I am an upcoming junior, have a cumulative GPA around 3.2 and have done one semester of research mostly concerned with data analysis (which I plan on continuing in the fall). I want to know what I need to do to get into my top choices for grad school- Penn State and Virginia Tech. I am particularly interested in a MS in Structural Engineering from PSU or a MS in Aerospace engineering at VT. I am minoring in physics and art as well and have made some connections with professors at VT, but I am worried about my lower GPA. Any advice/insight I should have going into my junior year??
Keep working on that GPA, it is on the low side but not enough to be a concern yet.
I am a little more concerned about your graduate degree choices, structural engineering and aerospace engineering are very different fields first of all. I would recommend you think some more on what kind of job/career you want in the future and whether a structural engineering, aerospace engineering, or some other field is going to get you there.
But good job on the research, I recommend you keep that up for as many semesters as you can; it will be a huge plus point on your application.