S is at a tough school majoring in physics with minor in computer science. He is a junior. He is also a D1 athlete for xc, track running 100 miles a week. He has a 2.65 Gpa and will graduate 4 years and have 1 season of eligibility for xc. (He was red shirted as a freshman.) He thinks he may be interested in going to grad school for computer science problem but his gpa is not so great. His current school has a minimum GPA of 3.0 for the 5th year masters program. Another school we looked at had the same requirement. Any advice for athletes on pursuing graduate programs? I don’t know if a D3 school would be interested in him for his remaining xc season and could help him get in a graduate program? Or if he doesn’t run, will they consider the time and commitment of athletics for admissions to the graduate program?
Are there schools that could get your son admitted to a graduate program for his one remaining season of eligibility? If he is a good enough runner, absolutely, but probably not the major he wants. He will need to reach out now to coaches at schools with the major he wants and ask. If he is graduating this May, I don’t think he needs permission to contact other coaches, but you may want to check with the NCAA first.
I would first suggest trying to see what, if any, leverage the current coach has at his present school.
Other than that, the only way to know for sure if his running helps him get into a master program is to apply. He will have to explain why he prioritized running at the expense of his grades to an admission person, and if it wasn’t to keep a scholarship to be able to afford school, it will be a hard sell. An alternative would be to take some classes at the graduate level, as an un-matriculated student, to show his ability, and then apply formally at a later date.