Hello! I am currently an undergraduate senior majoring in Physiology with a Spanish minor and a certificate in public health. I am interested in working in the public health field and would like to pursue an MPH. Unfortunately, my GPA is low (2.5 cumulative) due to personal issues with severe test anxiety. I also haven’t had any opportunities for research. The professors that I’ve asked to write me letters of recommendation know of my circumstance. I just want to know if it’s possible to get accepted into any programs. I am not willing to give up my dream just because I can’t take a paper exam. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
I have an MPH. I would recommend that you work for a few years first. It would show your commitment to the field, and the further you get from college, the less your grades will matter. At the moment, grades and test scores are the only things they can judge you on. Besides, the vast majority of people going for an MPH are not straight out of college.
So go get a job at an NGO, with the UN, with the CDC, with a community health program, with a department of health, etc. Or volunteer for the Peace Corps. Your grad school application will be vastly improved after these experiences.
My daughter may go this route and has been investigating. Some programs accept students right out of college, while others expect you to work first ( Peace Corp, CDC, medical type work etc). I agree that in your particular case it would be best to work for a few years before applying.