<p>Simply put..while in undergrad I started out as an engineer major and wasted a lot of time there. My GPA suffered while I was in engineering to the point I got all the way down to academic probation. I tried everything to make it and I couldn't get past the math requirements. When I tried to transfer the other departments in my school (including INSS) said I had to have a certain GPA to switch. Hence, I'm stuck taking engineering courses. I eventually managed to bring my GPA up enough to switch to INSS and will be graduating this spring (it's official).</p>
<p>My problem is...no matter what grades I make it won't help my GPA at this point. I just got my fall final grades and I have 5 A's and 1 C. A 3.66 gpa for the semester but it only moved my GPA from a 2.45 to a 2.58? Apparently this is because of all the classes I attempted/took while in Engineering (Quality Points/ GPA Credit Hours). The sad thing is...the GE requirements for Engineering were almost entirely different for those of INSS, so I had to take a lot of extra courses when I switched (a lot of business courses, marketing and finance courses) this added fuel to the fire. What hurts more is I haven't had lower than a 3.6 (per semester) since I left engineering.</p>
<p>I am so upset..If I could have switched majors a long time ago I would be in a better position. </p>
<p>My question is...do I have any chance of getting into graduate school? What path should I take? My GPA apparently can only get as high as a 2.6 and thats if I make straight A's next semester. I'm so defeated right now, I have done exceptionally well since I left Engineering and now it's as if I can't advance after I graduate.</p>
<p>I appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t feel too dejected. I’m not familiar with what graduate admission committees look for but if I were to guess I would think that their main concern would be how well you did in the courses relevant to your graduate degree. You could briefly explain in your statement of purpose what your situation was and say that your grades during your early college career is not indicative of your potential. I suggest concentrating on the GRE or GMAT or whatever the equivalent graduate test is that corresponds to the field you want to pursue in graduate school. Maybe you could gain some work experience before applying to grad school and get a good letter or recommendation from your boss. What’s INSS by the way?</p>
<p>One thing that may be a problem is that many grad schools require a minimum of 3.0 GPA to apply. I heard many schools allow you to with a lower GPA under the agreement that you’d be classified as a “non-degree seeking student” which means that you wouldn’t technically be pursuing a degree. If you do well in those courses you can switch to normal status. I’m not to familiar with the procedure myself but that’s what I heard anyway.</p>
<p>So your story about a bad fitting major should be borne out by the grade differences on your transcripts pre and post major change. A committee will hear that story and understand it as mitigating circumstances. By itself that won’t get you into graduate school however (it may not keep you out either).</p>
<p>I would be focused on trying to get all A’s in the last semester you can. What was the C in this semester? That will also warrant some explanation. To be consistent with the “major” story, you cannot afford a low grade in your new, better fitting major.</p>
<p>Since you are still in school, go visit the graduate program director for the field you are interested in. Even if you don’t plan to apply to your own school’s program see out that person for advice. Ask what they would want to see or how they would interpret your specific situation. Take a copy of your transcript and ask for their guidance. This is the closest surrogate you might get to the admissions committees that eventually might see an application from you.</p>
<p>My opinion( I just finished the entire process from application to admission).</p>
<p>Most schools look at the last 60 hours of coursework. This means that if you moved to whatever major you are doing now from engineering and have scored really well, they are more likely to consider that gpa than your cumulative gpa. </p>
<p>this is of course assuming you are not applying for a masters in engineering.</p>
<p>@timjohn Yes. Most graduate schools do require a 3.0 that’s the part that kills me. I wish they wouldn’t consider classes you took while under another major. Its one thing to consider the grades but another to use the classes itself as a weight for your overall GPA. INSS stands for information science and systems.</p>
<p>@straightadmit If they consider my major GPA It would be a 4.0. Im afraid they will toss me at first glance. Coming from engineering to information systems was almost a breeze. The C was in my new GE requirement called international business. I had to add on 5 business courses when I switched. I take the blame for the C as I didn’t prioritize my classes right. I was more focused on my major courses as you can only take them once a year. It doesn’t help that my professor only gave us one test throughout the semester…otherwise im sure I could have made it up. I took six classes total so I’m happy with the effort. I tested out of an INSS course as well…perhaps this could help?</p>
<p>@vader88 I hope so. Honestly I didn’t even want to go to school physically. I was interested in a distance learning program at one school. They offer online courses for an INSS masters. Even the GRE isn’t required. But they clearly say a 3.0 GPA. They said they would consider a 2.7 under special circumstances…but I won’t even make it that far.</p>
<p>You could also state in your personal statement something like, “While my overall GPA is a 2.58, my major GPA is a 3.6.”</p>
<p>BTW, have you talked to any of the professors/advisers in the current school you are going to, about the admissions process – preferably someone who knows who you are? They might be able to give you more specific advise than we can.</p>
<p>@hesdjjim thanks for replying! I spoke with the upper level professors but not about admissions to graduate school. I only spoke to them about recommendation letters and they both said they would be happy to write letters for me. One of them did mention taking it to the next level. I will probably talk to her during the break. </p>
<p>Question…do you think its worth shelling out the money for the GRE and application fee to apply? Or do most of you agree to just take courses and hopefully get into a program that way? I feel like if I can’t be sure I will get a fair or complete evaluation I’m just wasting money I don’t have :(</p>
<p>Oh and how about emailing my prospective school and the department explaining the situation?</p>
<p>Email and contact is a great idea. The only way you will ever know for sure what schools you can get considered at is to ask them. Show them the history and get their advice. If they encourage you to apply, go for it. No amount of outside consultation here, with your own faculty, or with the grad admissions people on your campus will be as good as picking up the phone or visiting the schools you would like to be considered at.</p>
<p>Don’t give up. Finding the school that will work with you is an important first grad level project on your path to grad school. Do the research and contact them.</p>
<p>@straightadmit thanks for replying again. I think I will contact them. I’ll probably work on a letter and email it to the chairperson/director tomorrow. I did find another good school here that states they will provide conditional admission if you have a 2.5. They also said they take your GPA from your last 60 credits so I may not even have to worry about that. I wish I could just send them my last 60 credits as opposed to my whole transcript :P. Deadline is May 1st so I can’t wait till next semester to get it to a 2.6. I am taking two courses during the Winter so hopefully that may help some. </p>
<p>I also emailed one of my professors about this issue. He was very adamant about me going to grad school. He teaches graduate courses so maybe he can shed some light as well. I feel a lot better about the situation so thank you.</p>
<p>I appreciate all the feedback and if anyone has anymore advice that hasn’t been discussed please feel free to share.</p>
<p>Some schools look for a GPA of above 3.0 in your final 30 semester hours (45 Quarter) prior to graduation. The idea being that your trend is going in the right direction. I believe LSU’s Grad school used that criteria.</p>
<p>Do you decide if you are in or not AFTER you finish last semester? Because I thought we get official grades after exams, so one would not know if he is accepted to graduate school until like May?</p>
<p>@XaviFM Yup. It makes sense since most of your hardcore major courses are completed then. That would help great in my favor. I haven’t received any bad grades since I switched. Even that C I was talking about…winded up being a B (he told me my percentage after the final but I guess he must have curved or factored in attendance and participation). This is great news…</p>
<p>@scofield1990 Sorry I read that wrong. May 1 is for summer admission.</p>