Getting into a good ecology MS program with a 3.0 GPA?

Graduate School
1

I’m preparing to apply to Ecology graduate programs and would like to start in the Fall of 2019. I graduated in 2014 with a GPA of 3.02 from a small, but well rated liberal arts college. Luckily I think that my gpa shows a steady upward trend, and the last 4 semesters are significantly higher than 3.02. However, the minimum GPA at most schools I’m applying to is 3.0, with ‘suggested’ GPAs of 3.25 and higher.
GPA by semester:
2.98
2.82
2.16
3.15
3.30
3.44
3.80 (semester abroad so not part of 3.02 calculation, but all classes taken apply to my major)
3.54

Outside of my GPA I have some resume highlights:

  • 3 years of field work and employment on research projects
  • A published peer reviewed paper (2nd author)
  • 2 poster presentations at large conferences, symposium speaker at a large conference and multiple independent research projects.

    Additionally I am currently studying HARD for the GRE and generally do well on standardized tests. I expect strong letters of recommendation.

Given this information, do I have any hope of getting into a program at these schools? Is there a specific way I should frame my GPA in applications? I don’t have an excuse except that I got much better at studying and much more motivated in my last 2 years of school, and took fewer chemistry courses. Can I average in the gpa from my semester abroad? This would boost my gpa a point at least. I’m getting worried because even though these schools require a 3.0, many labs within the school (which you must also be accepted into) often say that they require a 3.2 or 3.3. Can I try and use my post-undergrad experience to mitigate my low gpa? Will a stellar GRE score help?

STATS:
Overall GPA: 3.0
Major GPA (BS in Biology): 3.5
GRE: Taking for the first time in September
Current job: ORISE Research Participant at a government agency

Graduate programs I want to apply to:
UC Berkeley
UC Davis
Colorado State University
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Arizona
University of Washington
Stanford
University of Virginia

2

What have your undergraduate professors told you? What experience with this can your current colleagues share with you? Does your lead author have specific advice?

I would start with them.

3

Are any of these programs funded? If they’re not funded, they probably won’t be too hard to get into except for the big names like Berkeley and Stanford.

4

@kactus - Welcome to the Forum! have you been working in the field since graduation besides ORISE? If so, then that work experience and your upward trend in GPA should help offset the overall marginal GPA. A strong GRE score will help but with the most selective programs it is always hard to get in. I am not in the field so I cannot tell you how selective each of the programs you list might be but you want to have at least on where there are not so many applicants so your portfolio will be looked over thoroughly.