<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>I have a 3.3-3.4 GPA and I plan on applying to Phds @ Hopkins, Stanford, Vanderbilt and Duke. I'm a Romanian citizen and I have been studying Law in Spain for the last 4 years which is why my GPA isn't that impressive ( the language barrier ). I was wondering:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>does it make sense to apply if i dont meet the gpa requirments? can i prove that im a good candidate with my gre, toefl scores and my extra-curricular activities?</p></li>
<li><p>how important is the SOP and how much of yourself should you reveal in it? can a convincing sop get you in?</p></li>
<li><p>is it better that teachers recommend you or ex-employers and staff you've been working with in different occasions? </p></li>
</ol>
<p>im pretty nervous about my gpa but i was hoping i can get in with a good gre and some pretty fancy letters of rec. what do you think?</p>