<p>Hello,</p>
<p>I am a current graduate student (Master's) at Georgia Tech and I am looking to apply to PhD schools in the fall.</p>
<p>When I was an undergrad, my GPA was a 2.8 in engineering because of personal issues (my mother passed away and I was seriously depressed with psychiatry for 1 year). I was a President's Scholar at GT (50 out of each incoming freshman class every year) and my GPA fell from 3.5 to 2.1. Only after I battled my depression was I able to pull it up to 2.8 over my last 3 semesters at GT.</p>
<p>I was accepted into a Master's program at GT only because of my circumstances, I am almost certain of it. My GPA in my Master's program is a 4.0 and I have been doing research as a graduate student. However, I have no publications yet. I hope to have one approved for publication by August.</p>
<p>My GRE Q is 790. I am hoping to retake it to hit 800Q since high Q for GRE is so common for engineers. </p>
<p>I am interested in applying to TOP programs such as MIT, Berkely, Stanford, etc. Do I have a chance with my 2.8 undergrad GPA? I would really like to think that my high grad GPA and extenuating circumstances could overcome my low undergrad GPA but I have my doubts.</p>
<p>I am trying to avoid generic advice such as "get good recs and get published". Rather, I was wondering if anyone can provide any evidence of people they know who have been accepted to top schools with circumstances like mine (low undergrad GPA)?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance</p>
<p>I don’t have any examples, but I am certain that your graduate performance makes up for it. I would seriously doubt anyone doubting your capabilities with a 4.0 at the GT masters program. I definitely know your troubles though–I’ve been helping take care of my dad with Lymphoma while doing coursework for the past year and it is really hard. I want to say you have a shot because all that should matter is your performance in the graduate coursework, however, the lack of being published makes it unlikely in my opinion. By the end of the masters work, I would assume being published is the norm.</p>
<p>Also, ignore the GRE score. A 790 makes no difference if upped to an 800. If you drastically shot all of the other sections up, it may be worth it, but I’m not an expert. All I heard is that GRE scores are factors in receiving fellowships</p>
<p>Thanks for the response. I am only a year into the program, I expect to graduate in May 2011. I hope to have a publication approved by August. I agree, not having a publication during a Master’s is indeed suspicious, but I’m not done yet =p</p>
<p>Wow! I am starting my master program in ECE this fall @ Gatech and I can’t believe you got in with 2.8 undergraduate GPA from Tech even with that circumstance. I did my undergraduate @ Gatech and I know for ECE department, it will require 3.25 minimum for graduate school admission and when you have 3.5 GPA @ first semester junior, you can qualify for BS/MS 5 year program. </p>
<p>I am curious about what major you are and how you convinced you graduate admission to let you get into M.S. program. Did you like aced all the classes after you got 2.1 GPA?</p>
<p>Hi, I was BME undergrad and I am in Bioengineering now. My last semesters I had GPA’s of 3.3-3.7 and I kept in touch with faculty that knew my situation. My recommendation from my advisor and the director of the presidents scholarship program must have held some weight.</p>
<p>If you are BME major, why do you want to go to Stanford, MIT, or Berkeley for PhD? Its not ranked higher than Georgia Tech in Biomedical engineering. Do you know a professor within those schools that you want to research under? Or do you just want a prestige on your degree tag? Why not stay at 2nd ranked GT biomedical engineer or apply to JHU? </p>
<p>Seriously, I doubt you are in graduate school. It is hard to believe someone with 2.8 GPA from undergraduate to be admit to grad school in the first place and want to go lower ranking program for just prestige name instead of program? What professor are you working for your GRA?</p>
<p>“Seriously, I doubt you are in graduate school. It is hard to believe someone with 2.8 GPA from undergraduate to be admit to grad school in the first place and want to go lower ranking program for just prestige name instead of program? What professor are you working for your GRA?”</p>
<p>CSmajor… There is no reason he would fake all of this just to ■■■■■ on some obscure forum. First, he needs to apply to get funding so applying to other schools is DEFINITELY necessary. He was accepted to a masters at GT because he was from there, had some circumstances, and, most importantly, masters programs do not fund the students–the school still profits.</p>
<p>Actually, high qualified master student gets GTA position or gets some sort of scholarship to fund his/her master program. Most master student can find GRA position within first/second semester while pursuing master at Gatech. I am currently pursuing master at Gatech. Its funny to see someone who have no information or knowledge regard to Gatech graduate program and still speak like you know all about it.</p>
<p>If all the top graduate school accept people with lower qualification with personal issue that hinder his/her academic performance while they are attending undergraduate, do you really think it’s fair for people who are more qualified student to loose the position for master program at 4th ranked engineer school in the nation? I would be furious if I did my biomedical engineer at Gatech with higher GPA and similar GRE score and lost position to a guy who doesn’t even qualify to get into master program (most master engineer program require minimum 3.0 or 3.25 from Gatech undergraduate) … I would be furious and file a petition to biomedical engineer master program.</p>
<p>I assume that he performed very well if he went up from 2.1 to 2.8 in his last 3 semesters. That implies that, given the same situation as someone who performed at maybe a 3.3-3.4, he is stronger still.</p>
<p>Well by that logic, high school students should be exempt for having low GPA when they apply to college for the first time? If this guy truly got into Gatech master program, it would be testimony case to prove how recommendation letter weight way more than GPA / GRE numbers. However, this is highly unlikely or never have happened for high ranked graduate admission. Your performance in undergraduate should be the sore determinant factor for your admission to grad school not some unexpected misfortune in life. Hell I wonder if I slacked off during my undergraduate with the excuse like this misfortunate event, I wonder if I can still get a ticket to grad admission.</p>
<p>Maybe this is a case of the OP knew someone who knew someone who pulled some strings and got the OP admitted? Because I have heard that the grad admissions process can be like this. It’s not all about numbers.</p>
<p>Or maybe this is a ■■■■■ job.</p>
<p>CsMajor - That is not necessarily true. Recommendations from the right people and motivation to do great work can outweigh, and usually do, your undergraduate transcript and GRE scores in graduate admissions. I know this from my personal experience with graduate school admissions. You may not think it’s fair but success in graduate school may not always be a “numbers game”. Also, life just isn’t fair in general…</p>
<p>I’m almost seething at the ignorant responses of people that [I assume] have never lost a loved one while trying to do research. Frankly, if you’ve never had to move through a death like that, you shouldn’t make statements like “If all the top graduate school accept people with lower qualification with personal issue that hinder his/her academic performance while they are attending undergraduate, do you really think it’s fair for people who are more qualified student to loose the position for master program at 4th ranked engineer school in the nation?”</p>
<p>Graduate schools are fickle - they want what they want, and who is to say whether or not the kid who had to work through this type of thing is any less qualified than someone with the average stats who had everything going for them. That’s their choice and how DARE you belittle someone who had to work through something so tragic. I hope similar never happens to you because it will shake you to the very core of your belief. </p>
<p>I graduated undergrad with a 2.9 but having to bury almost 6 family members and friends during undergrad. After this, I worked in research for an additional 4 years and really was able to figure out that research was where I wanted my life to be. Albeit, I am in the life sciences, I would imagine there are similarities in the admissions of both programs. </p>
<p>As for the original question, I think there is very little to do to guarantee that you will be admitted to top programs with stats like that. As much as I champion people that have worked through things like this, top schools ARE looking for those individuals who have a great proven track record. The best you can hope for is to come out of your masters with a great CV, (BRIEFLY) explain how your undergrad doesn’t reflect your true potential and hope for the best. You’ll have a good shot at a mid-tier school with some great potential advisers. If your goal is to get into one of these top schools, prayer will be your best friend. If your goal is to impact your field, you can do great research at a mid-tier school if none of these “dream schools” accept you. You have to put everything in perspective.</p>
<p>@bass51az
Well first of all, this guy got into Georgia Tech master program which is 2nd ranked in the nation program for biomedical engineer. </p>
<p>I still strongly uphold my statement regarding how unfairly he got into the Gatech master program if he indeed is pursuing master @ Gatech. I never belittle him just have my doubt on his acceptance. </p>
<p>I can’t believe you make such statement: “graduate school are fickle.” You may think this way about graduate school however, there are numerous student who decide on getting master program when they start their undergraduate program.(work harder than others keep GPA intact and worry whether this will be enough? Will I make the cut with next semester GPA bump?) If I lost my spot to someone because he/she was more qualified and worked hard for that position, I have nothing to say to that. However, when someone else got in not by academic standard (such as parent donation to school, relative is a professor within the school, personal issue and etc) you think its fair? the student who lost the spot would either have to settle for lesser ranking school or wait another half or year for another chance to get into his dream graduate school.</p>
<p>At most places with even hard-and-fast requirements, gtgblows, there are at least a few people in the history of the program who have gotten in with below those requirements because of either exetenuating circumstances, personal knowledge of the program, or both. That said, it’s really not that surprising that the OP is doing their master’s at the same school that they did their undergraduate degree given the circumstances, even with the low GPA. Likely the professors in the department knew his or her work and knew that it was the psychiatric disorder that affected it negatively - and for good reason too, given his or her subsequent success.</p>
<p>do you really think it’s fair for people who are more qualified student to loose the position for master program at 4th ranked engineer school in the nation?</p>
<p>“Fairness” and your conception of it has nothing to do with what graduate engineering programs (or any graduate programs) decide to do in admissions. They do what is best for their programs and best for the university. Filing a petition is unlikely to get you what you want and more likely to win you some enemies on the inside. Frankly, nobody cares what you think is “fair,” or what your dream graduate school is and whether you have to wait another year. They’re worried about how their program is going to work, and apparently they believed (correctly) that the OP was a well-qualified applicant whose grades did not reflect his or her actual level of performance and knowledge. It happens to a lot of people. It could happen to <em>you</em>, so you might show some compassion.</p>
<p>I am tired of how others defending you mroptimistic. Although I condon with your situation during your undergraduate, I can’t shake the feeling of how unfairly other student got robbed from his/her replace of your spot for the position. Whether you might have achieved the grades without the tragic event or not, it is still in question and to be able to get in to the master program when you don’t even meet minimum require… I just feel it as injustice toward graduate admission for all student pursuing graduate school at top level.</p>
<p>Julliet I wonder if you were working hard in undergraduate hoping to get into top biomedical engineer program in the nation and lost the spot to a person who doesn’t qualify, I wonder if you can the same statement.</p>
<p>Graduate school admission is not fair? Maybe. But there’s standard protocol of requirement for admission. Try getting into top engineer graduate program with less than 700 quantitative in GRE is automatic decline and same goes for GPA standard of 3.0 is strictly enforced</p>
<p>CSmajor5 - Seriously, you think mroptimistic “ROBBED” another student’s place in his graduate program??? That is a very strong and negative stance to take when mroptimistic has obviously proven to perform well as a graduate student. And to call this an “injustice toward graduate admission”?? Absurd. The Civil Rights Movements, The Gay and Lesbian Liberation Movement, Women’s Suffrage, Brown vs The Board of Education… all these things speak of injustice. Need I say more??</p>
<p>Just as you’re tired of those defending mroptimistic, I’m tired of your lack of empathy and compassion to other people’s personal situations. Also, please consider using spell check before you post.</p>
<p>CSmajor5, while mroptimistic’s way of getting into the masters program might be a little unconventional, it’s hard to argue that he doesn’t deserve the place since he has done better (4.0 GPA) than many of his peers. As I understand it, you’re also a masters student, yes? Then someone might say that if your masters GPA is less than 4.0 then you arguably are less deserving of your masters spot compared to mroptimistic since he is apparently better at understanding the subjects at graduate school. How do you feel about that? Now, I’m not saying that, but you can see how this whole “deserving of spot” here might be interpreted in so many ways.</p>
<p>If anything, Georgia Tech is right on the money here for admitting mroptimistic since apparently he has succeeded in his masters program while many other applicants that are screened by your definition of “fair” process are doing worse than him.</p>
<p>CSmajor is being stubborn because he doesn’t like losing an argument and / or he hasn’t been through something like what mroptimistic has worked through. I may be wrong, but the chances of me being wrong are pretty slim given the way CSmajor is treating the situation. I assume he’s a fairly sheltered person whose parents paid for his education and considered a bad day getting a B on an exam.</p>