<p>I will be graduating from SUNY Empire State College with a B.A. in Linguistics in May 2009 and have begun to consider grad school for linguistics, but am worried about some bad grades from a different major at previous schools. I hope to have around a 3.7 GPA (calculated from 45 credits taken at this school only) and score around 1430 on the GRE. Since I transferred in most of my core requirements from other schools, and those are not calculated into the GPA, this 3.7 figure is also by default very much my "major GPA". I have always had a strong interest and talent for languages, and a love for thinking and writing, which is why I was drawn to linguistics, and why I am now drawn to graduate study, though I am not yet sure what exactly I want to focus on once there.</p>
<p>I spent 4½ years total at two other schools (namely SUNY Binghamton and Manhattan College) having trouble figuring out a suitable major, and made the mistake of majoring in business at MC, which was not for me at all. Since then I have come to realize that my interests and abilities are more on the "academia" side of things. My GPA during these years was steadily around 2.8, not including my final semester in business where I failed 4 of 5 classes, which brought my MC GPA to something horrible like 2.3. It was after this that I transferred to ESC and changed my major to linguistics.</p>
<p>How might grad schools calculate and consider my GPA, taking into account my change of major? Will an academic department care so much about courses in business, considering how irrelevant it is to my field, or will they likely see it as a sign of not being able to operate under pressure? That is, are they generally understanding about this kind of thing, especially when your relevant coursework and other qualifications are fine? I know that the "Personal Statement" is the place to explain this, but I am worried that my application be in the fireplace before it is ever read. If anyone has some idea of how these things generally work, I would greatly appreciate it!</p>
<p>Also, let me know if I have not made all the details clear...my whole story is kind of complicated!</p>
<p>The administrators in the offices of the Graduate Schools to which you send your application will look at all of your transcripts. It is even possible that some schools will average all of your GPAs to see whether you meet the minimum 3.0 (or whatever) for consideration for admission. If you meet whatever their minimum standard is, however they calculate it, then your application will be sent on to the departments to which you are applying. </p>
<p>In other words, at some institutions your application might pass muster at the level of administrative review, and at others it might not. Moreover, some Graduate Schools will pass on to the departments applications that do not meet the minimum requirements. On these applications, they might "suggest denial." Departments do not have to follow administrative suggestions, but they almost always do.</p>
<p>Anyway, admissions (and assistantships) are then determined by the departments. Departments that consider your application will see huge improvements in your record over time, particularly once you clearly found your metier. This is good, and will be noted.</p>
<p>Therefore, I would advise you to be VERY BRIEF (and clever) in the way in which you explain your escalating GPA. Focus on the changes brought about in your intellectual development (and maturity, etc.) once you discovered your passion for research in the field of linguistics. You should devote the vast majority of your SOP addressing your current studies, linguistic theorists of interest to you, and your intended subfield of interest.</p>
<p>I face a similar situation as the OP, but I actually plan on applying to Grad school after I receive my second BS (which would be in Spring of 09).
Would the same rules of engagement apply? I heard that most admission Comms focus on evaluating the last two years of coursework, regardless of the institution the applicant was matriculated at. </p>
<p>This is the strategy I am banking on anyways. I graduated with a 2.7 in 2004 with a BA in Public Policy. I then decided to go for a second Bachelors in Technical Communications in 2007, and I am slated to graduate in the Spring of 2009. My current GPA is 3.6.</p>
<p>Some schools have a powerful graduate school and weak departments (in the sense of power in admissions, not the quality sense). Some have powerful departments and a weak grad school. I'd suggest that you focus on the latter.</p>
<p>I have known people to even get in to schools that had a minimum GPA requirement with less than that supposed minimum, because the department saw that they were great applicants. But that requires the department to have a lot of influence - enough to prevent the graduate school from just throwing the application out.</p>
<p>You may also be admitted based on your GPA from the last two years, yet you could be a provisional admit based on your overall GPA. IN some schools this could prevent you from having a RA/TA/etc until after a certain amount of time to prove yourself. Not as punishment, but to give you a chance to get into the work and really show what you are capable of without the other requirements bogging you down. This may be to help you overall, but may result in less money/tuition remission and more loans initially.</p>
<p>Provisional Admit?
Why should I be overshadowed by a bad GPA borne out of genuine circumstances that occurred five years ago? </p>
<p>I took on a second BS to prove to myself that I was mature enough to surpass academically. In addition to working full time at a high stress job involving lots of travel, my course load per semester tallies 12 credits or more. I am not trying to market myself but I would find it hard to stomach getting the cold shoulder over the GPA I received five years ago under incredible personal and emotional stress. </p>
<p>Are admin committees this cold and insensitive? Since when was meritocracy relegated to numbers and letters? I was under the impression that admission to a grad program involves more than high numbers- but alot of people on this board seem to think otherwise.</p>
<p>In some fields, and at some universities, GPA from the last two years is calculated for use in admissions. Each department is different. Do your research before you apply.</p>
<p>sheelo81, in your case, the more recent degree will carry more weight in graduate admissions. However, it is NOT the case that "most admission Comms focus on evaluating the last two years of coursework, regardless of the institution [at which] the applicant matriculated." This is true in some fields, at some universities, but is by no means a norm across fields or in every department.</p>
<p>Professor X,
How should I quantify "more weight"? Would my previous low GPA still carry significant weight? </p>
<p>The concern I am raising is as to whether I am still at a significant disadvantage to a freshly minted undergrad with a high GPA and strong test scores.</p>
<p>Sheelo, I think this would be very program-specific. If the answer determines whether or not you would apply to a department, overcome your shyness and ask the DGS. Otherwise just apply and see what happens ;)</p>