<p>I know this gets asked a lot, but I want to make a clarification. I'm am currently a 4th year EE student (going to start 4th year in a few days @ UCLA) with an overall GPA of 2.97 (does this round to 3.0?). I've read that the minimum GPA is generally 3.0 for grad school. I want to get a Masters in EE so I was wondering if I will be eligible.</p>
<p>While my overall GPA is 2.97, my major GPA is 3.21. Does this matter at all? The grad school apps start this fall which is before I have time to increase my overall GPA. My GPA my first two years was bad, but last year I think I averaged close to a 3.5 (so there is a trend of improvement).</p>
<p>I know GPA isn't everything as I am sure someone will say, but my other things like research, LOR, GRE (I have yet to take it later this month) are sub-par.</p>
<p>So, am I good to apply for grad school (i.e. can I claim I have the minimum 3.0 GPA)? Should I explain my GPA in the personal statement?</p>
<p>P.S. If anyone can recommend some good schools for me to try at, it would help.</p>
<p>My older D has run into this very same senerio. One school is requiring her to take the GRE while they do not require applicants with at least a 3.0 to do so. Masters program is in Public Administration at a SUNY school.</p>
<p>If all your qualifications are “sub-par,” as you say. perhaps you should wait to apply to grad school. Give yourself time to improve your GPA, study for the GRE, get more research experience, and get to know some professors so you can get excellent LORs. From what you’ve told us (which, admittedly, isn’t much), you might be wasting your time applying this cycle.</p>
<p>So if I wait to apply for grad school, when do I apply? My ideal scenario would be to go to grad school after I graduate (so enter grad school in Sept 2012). So I defer applying for grad school, when can I start? I don’t know what I will be doing for 1 year…</p>
<p>LOL, WELCOME TO LIFE! Which it seems like you’re trying to avoid by forcing yourself to go to grad school asap.</p>
<p>I think you are in this for the wrong reasons like a lot of young gunners I see on this forum. Definitely take that year off or better yet, as a famous professor once said, “go backpacking across Europe!” BAHAHA. :P</p>
<p>Sorry if I gave the wrong impression, but the reason I want to go to grad school and get a Masters is so that I can get started with my life as soon as possible. If I take a year off, I don’t want to “waste” time or forget stuff I have learned and have to go back to school when I am not ready.</p>
<p>That’s why I prefer going to Masters right after college and getting a job hopefully. But as eg1 suggested, I wanted to know what the typical student who doesn’t go to Masters right out of college does. When does one apply for grad school and what do you do in the meantime?</p>
<p>If you wait a year… you apply a year later. So, in your example, you’d apply in the winter of 2012 for admission in fall 2013. As for what you do in the meantime - you do anything. Do AmeriCorps. Cycle across the country. Enjoy life. Look for a job. Find an internship. It might open up a whole new track you never thought of.</p>
<p>I took an internship with the Forest Service in the year after finishing undergrad, and that experience sent me in an entirely different direction both academically and professionally. It made my application much stronger, more focused and competitive.</p>
<p>I’m quite certain I wouldn’t have gotten into the top schools I got into, or been funded, if I hadn’t waited and taken a gap year after my bachelor’s.</p>
<p>Have you considered getting a job, and then doing the degree part time? From what you have described, a thesis-based masters is probably out of reach in the near term, but an employer- funded coursework masters may work well for you.</p>
<p>Is there anything I can do or steps I can take to improve my chances of applying for grad school this year (as opposed to waiting 1 year)? And I take it that my 2.97 GPA cannot be passed off as 3.0 or higher?</p>
<p>No. You can’t round up. The GPA will be listed on your transcript in any event, so you’ll just look like you’re lying.</p>
<p>I was in the same dilemma you were in, drewbiedr. If I’d have applied without my spring semester senior year grades, my cumulative would have been sub-3.0. So… I waited, worked my tail off to bring my GPA up and came back the next year with a much stronger application.</p>
<p>Honestly, it’s not a big deal at all. Lots of graduate students - perhaps even a majority - don’t go directly from finishing their bachelor’s degree back into academia.</p>
<p>If there’s anything I can recommend to you, it’s that you should work your tail off this semester and next. You still have time to bring your cumulative above 3.0 and show a strong trend of improvement.</p>
<p>I am in the same boat as you drewbiedr. Do what you feel is right. If you are worried about having to low of a GPA contact some of the schools that you are interested in to get a true idea of what they require. Most schools require a 3.0 GPA, however from communicating with professors and speaking with professors at my school they all say that having slightly below a 3.0 GPA isn’t good it certainly won’t affect you as long as everything else in your application is spectacular. If you can get strong LOR’s, a great GRE score you’re GPA can be overlooked. You’re “major” GPA is higher than your cumulative, which is also good. Upward trend is good as well. Most applications aren’t due till mid January anyways unless you are applying to only UC schools. As I stated earlier, do what you feel is right. My GPA is around a 3.1 and I know most people on this forum will say that that’s not a good enough GPA for grad school but I’m still applying anyways. You may not get into the great and prestigious schools but you’ll get into somewhere. Hope this helps and good luck during your senior year. I know I’m excited for this to be my last year.</p>
:P</p>