<p>I am a grad student at UIUC in Aerospace Engineering. I will be finishing my MS this semester. I had an extremely low ugrad GPA 2.79 which was a result of my lack of preparedness and trouble my 1st 2 years. However, i convinced a Prof to let me into his research group. I have a 3.8 MS gpa right now. Since i wasn't able to get money for my MS because of my low GPA, I paid for it out of my own pocket. As a result, i need to work for at least a year or two. However, I would like to eventually go back for a Doctorate. I haven't talked to my advisor about the Ph.D program but i would like to apply to other univerisities as well like Purdue, Michigan, MIT, Gatech. Do you think my low ugrad GPA will be a deterrent or if i keep up my good MS gpa it will not matter.</p>
<p>if ugrad gpa is low and it's been over 4,5 years, i don't think they count it. Just use ur MS gpa. They won't ask for BS gpa. 3.8 you can definitely apply to any good school.</p>
<p>It wouldn't hurt to spend a couple of years working, and not just to pay back the loans. Many if not most large companies will actually subsidize your PhD studies! This may limit the schools you can consider for your PhD, obviously, to ones near aerospace employers... but obviously Boston would be ideal.</p>
<p>Don't worry about your undergrad GPA. First, if the transcript shows massive improvement in upper-level classes, they'll recognize that. After all, you got into UIUC for a masters' program, that's not exactly easy to do.</p>
<p>Your should start communicate your PhD interest to your advisors/professors <em>now</em> and keep them in the loop of your progress throughout '07. You should need them for recommendation later. One of them will want you to work for them in UCIC... </p>
<p>You undergrad GPA won't count as much as your graduate GPA. But you could lose the edge when competing with other equally qualified candidates. Focus on getting good publication (your thesis!) and research experience under your belt. Have another shot at GRE if you can make your score more competitive at the departments that interest you.</p>
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They won't ask for BS gpa.
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<p>Yes they will. When applying for grad school, nearly all places will request complete transcripts from all undergraduate institutions attended.</p>
<p>I don't understand how grades can be so high at some graduate schools. I keep hearing how graduate level courses have high grade inflation. At my school it is much harder to get good grades than my undergrad. The level of competition is much higher and the courses are curved to about a B. So to get an A you will need to be even more exceptional than the already exceptional students. I would think the MS gpa would only matter since that is much harder to receive high marks, at least at my school. </p>
<p>If your gpa is high because your gpa is padded up by research credits that's another thing.</p>
<p>Classes are curved to a B? Is that right?</p>
<p>I thought below a B was considered failing, there the classes would likely be curved to a B+/A-.</p>
<p>Correct if I am wrong, but I thought the distribution in grad school was something like 40% A, 50%B, 10% C. My roommate over summer graduated from UIUC and he said it was rare for a professor to give below a B.</p>
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Correct if I am wrong, but I thought the distribution in grad school was something like 40% A, 50%B, 10% C. My roommate over summer graduated from UIUC and he said it was rare for a professor to give below a B.
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That's correct. Although some professor (a minority) give more C's.</p>
<p>yes, most grad students receive A's and B's only. Not because the subject is easier than undergrad, it's just that those who got in are smart enough to get that grade. After all, most undergrads who go on to grad schools are A and B students.</p>