I messed up...

Graduate School
1

<p>I attend a well known school, very well known in my field. I have a 2.9/4 GPA so far (partly because of chronic tinnitus and issues with my family, I was always a very good student). </p>

<p>However, I'm very passionate about what I do, I have a good amount of research and volunteering experience and I'm working on a few papers. </p>

<p>Assuming, realistically, that I can drag my GPA up to a 3.2/4.0 what are my chances of getting into any one of the following graduate programs in Neuroscience:</p>

<p>Johns Hopkins, Columbia, Rockefeller, Michigan - Ann Arbor, UCSD, MIT, UCI, Stanford, Princeton, Winsconsin-Madison</p>

<p>UC Berkeley (Helen Wills) say they need a 3.0 (min.) but I'm very skeptical, I've contacted the head advisor, but she's on vacation. I know that the average acceptance into Georgetown is a 3.4. </p>

<p>Should I do another undergrad degree to boost my GPA before applying? I'm willing to do that if it would mean getting into one of these schools, because I have big plans for my life and I don't want these 2 years of failure (mostly Bs) to destroy it. I am confident that I will do very well in the GREs. </p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

2

<p>I think most colleges should start making it P/F in the first semester or even first year of college.. it takes a while for some one to settle in a new place..</p>

3

<p>Doing well on the GRE won't hurt you but I think that you should first:</p>

<ol>
<li>Concentrate more with your research</li>
<li>Bond with your professors</li>
<li>Do well on with your core classes</li>
</ol>

<p>Then concentrate on the GRE, and you'll be solid.</p>

4

<p>If you do have a 3.2 from a well-known school in your field (plus the requisite research experience and letters of recommendation), you shouldn't have a problem getting into the schools you listed. I had a 3.4 from MIT and had absolutely zero problems getting into the top programs in neuroscience.</p>

5

<p>Join contests of your field! Or have a ECs related to your field.</p>

<p>I have the same problem. My GPA is only 2.79/4, but I want to have a grad degree in economics or financial engineering, so I'm pimping my resume out with contests.</p>

<p>If your undergrad has a thesis requirement - write a solid thesis.</p>

<p>Grades aren't everything, because good grades only measure how good you are at studying. People appreciate real life application better. :D</p>

6

<p>Mollie, I can't tell you how happy that makes me to hear that you also had a 3.4 and were accepted into (Harvard? was it). I am in the same situation and hoping for the same outcome. Best of luck in neuroscience.</p>

7

<p>Go for your second degree to boost your GPA.</p>

8

<p>for MA or PhD? If it's for PhD, don't go for a second BA, just go for a MA in your field.</p>

9

<p>
[quote]
Mollie, I can't tell you how happy that makes me to hear that you also had a 3.4 and were accepted into (Harvard? was it).

[/quote]

Yup -- Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, UCLA. I was never even asked about my GPA during interviews.</p>

10

<p>In the sciences, if you are coming from a top undergrad program, once you have at least a 3.0, they care more about the rest of your app, was the conventional wisdom that I've always heard.</p>

<p>If you can afford it and if you are prepared for grad school - a lot of seniors applying to grad school are not, and would do better to wait a year or two - you might as well apply. If you don't get in, then you can work as a lab tech and/or take classes to boost your GPA, and try again in a year or two.</p>

11

<p>Hi,
I would say:
1) GRE should be really good.
2) Recommendations should be strong, and they should say a lot about your research.
3) Write good personal statement.
4) if 1-3 works well - don't worry about your grades.</p>