I’m a senior right now and will be applying to graduate programs after this semester. I goofed around at the beginning of my college education and will be applying with about a 3.39 cumulative. I took the GRE with only a few days of studying and got 156V/164Q/4.0AW and plan on taking it again in December to try and improve my score. My current semester is quite intensive with 18 credits of Engineering classes and I’m still at a solid 4.0 for the term and believe I will finish this term with straight A’s.
My top school would be the University of Michigan (applying for robotics masters) though I don’t know if that’s unrealistic with my GPA. Another thing to note is that I graduated high school and started college 3 years early so that may help me stand out?
Thanks
@amadeusexcited - Welcome to the forum! Yes, your overall GPA is a bit low but it sounds like you have done very well in your last two years or so. That will make a difference. Are you applying only to Michigan or are you looking at other programs as well? Do you have any research experience? Are you prepared to self-fund the Masters degree?
It is very hard for anyone to give you a probability of being admitted but my guess is that you would certainly be considered for the Masters program if you have strong letters of reference which point out your improvement after the first few semesters and note your age when you started college. I would not recommend you putting too much emphasis on the age thing in your own statements. Instead you want to focus on why you want to be in their program and how you have prepared yourself in your college career for doing this particular graduate program.
If you are set on Michigan, and not applying anywhere else, then make sure you are also looking for a job. You can certainly enter a Masters program after working for a few years and it might even be a plus for your application.
Hi! Yes, for now I’m only applying to Michigan. I don’t have research experience but I do have good faculty member relationships and I’m taking graduate course(s) next semester so hopefully that will help. And yes I am self-funded.
Thank you for the advice.
The lack of research will hurt. Your GPA isn’t low enough to be disqualifying by any means, but without research to make up for it, you’re facing an uphill battle for sure. References from professors who have supervised you in their lab are the strongest variety.
It will help that you are applying for an MS rather than a PhD, though.
Taking and doing well in graduate courses will be a plus.