<p>I graduated from college ten years ago. Like many students, I didn't take it as seriously as I should have, and I left college with my degree and a low gpa. After school I was able to get into a somewhat lucrative industry, and have since been able to make a nice life for myself. I'm a business owner with all the trappings of conventional success. There's only one problem with my American Dream, I've always wanted to go back to school and pursue my PhD. Much as I've enjoyed my business career I don't think I'll be truly happy unless I'm in an intellectual profession. I was in an incredibly high achiever in high school but for whatever reason (immaturity) I wasn't able to pull it together in college. </p>
<p>So now I find myself at a point where I feel I have to make a move now or never. I'd like to jump into a graduate program with the hope of transitioning into a funded PhD program, but there are several problems. I have no hope for admission because of my poor grades and because I have no academic recommendations. </p>
<p>I feel like my only option is to go back and earn a second undergraduate degree, not only to bolster my academic credentials but to make the necessary connections with professors and to ask for their recommendations and counsel. I've been accepted to a solid state flagship as a transfer student, and have committed myself to focusing all of my efforts on being an exceptional student.</p>
<p>My question is, do you think my situation will hurt me with graduate programs? I'm not worried about my age, but I am worried that they may look askance at my application because of my highly unusual path. Does anyone have any experience dealing with situations like this? Any information would be appreciated.</p>
<p>Back in the last century, I graduated from a very fine LAC with a GPA of 2.8. I worked for a couple of years and decided that I wanted to change fields so I enrolled as a “senior transfer” at my cheapo home-state public U. I took undergraduate courses for one academic year and the following summer (new GPA about 3.7), and then spent a semester as a “non-degree” graduate student (GPA 3.9) before applying to graduate programs that I was interested in. I was admitted to all with full funding.</p>
<p>I also know of others who did take the time to complete a full second degree before applying to grad school. Most of them had not completed as many courses related to the new field of study during their first degree program as I had. Some needed only two years to finish, but others spent three years on the second bachelors.</p>
<p>If the PhD you are looking for is related to your first degree, you might consider going straight into a Masters program right now. If you pay for it yourself there are more options than if you are looking for funding. Provided you get the good grades and recommendations, you could apply to a PhD program later.</p>
<p>Have you thought about an MBA or Masters in a business-related field followed by a DBA or PhD in business? MBA admission is more dependent on your professional experience than on your college GPA</p>
<p>I’m 27 and in a rather similar position and wondering about the future. </p>
<p>In 2009 I did a BA in Political Science with a 3.1 GPA, worked, travelled, and enjoyed myself for a year. I’m well into Economics now and want to pursue a masters in the field. I’m currently doing a BS in econ and have got a 3.83 GPA.</p>
<p>My brother and some friends who are in masters/PhD programs have told me age and experience can heavily out-weight GPA. Still seeking further confirmation, however, that our unusual paths may pay out in the end.</p>
<p>There are a bunch of Masters programs out there whose main purpose is to allow students like this to buy their way in to a chance to show how they can perform now. That would seem like a much more efficient way to go than trying to get a second BA (which few quality colleges will even permit).</p>
<p>in very similar situation, I feel exactly the same way. You could also do the transient student then try to get into a terminal MA. I think that would be the better route. Similar to what I am doing…Feel free to send me a PM would love to talk about it. My fields are completely unrelated…Whats better, 6-7 more years down the road with a PhD in your hand? Or 6-7 more years and still probably doing the same thing you are now.</p>
<p>First, contact professors in departments that you want to work with. Cast a wide net. I personally had maybe 50% of potential profs respond to my initial contacts.</p>
<p>Talk with them. Tell them about yourself, and convince them (truthfully) why you want to do graduate work with them. In most fields/universities (especially technical, you didn’t specify), all you need is a professor willing to take you as a student and fund you, and acceptance is a non-issue. Don’t underestimate this, I see it all the time on this site. People continually say “oh i have a 4.0 GPA and a 1600 GRE, can I get into (X top institution)?” And it just doesn’t work that way. Graduate admittance is intensely personal. If it wasn’t, I’d never have been accepted to places that honestly thought GPA and GRE and other tangibles were the most important criteria. Your age and situation will only be a factor if you just submit a graduate application to a university without having a specific goal and without a specific professor backing you. I promise you will not be accepted anywhere if you simply fill in the blanks on an application and pay their $60-$160 application fee.</p>
<p>Don’t do guesswork, and don’t apply to any university and just “hope” you’ll get in. Talk directly to the professors you’re interested in. The worst that can happen is that they ignore you. The best that can happen is that they will say “I’m sorry, I don’t have room for any more graduate students” and then you have saved yourself an application fee. The bestest best that can happen, is that you have a professor you’re interested in engaged in a dialog. At the graduate level, if a professor wants you, you’re in, end of story. You are their employee and you do work for them. They don’t want faceless names on 3 sheets of paper.</p>
<p>I once flunked out of school actually, and ended with a criminally low undergrad GPA. Later on, once I found out what I loved to do, did good work, and then found myself accepted by all of my top choices for graduate work. It’s a testament to the committees at various universities with acceptance rates far under 10% that I was admitted over the legions of uninspired grade-oriented undergraduates that think a 4.0 GPA is the way to get admitted.</p>
<p>Best of luck. I know what it’s like to be out of school and return for advanced degrees.</p>
<p>“There are a bunch of Masters programs out there whose main purpose is to allow students like this to buy their way in to a chance to show how they can perform now. That would seem like a much more efficient way to go than trying to get a second BA (which few quality colleges will even permit).”</p>
<p>“in very similar situation, I feel exactly the same way. You could also do the transient student then try to get into a terminal MA. I think that would be the better route. Similar to what I am doing…Feel free to send me a PM would love to talk about it. My fields are completely unrelated…Whats better, 6-7 more years down the road with a PhD in your hand? Or 6-7 more years and still probably doing the same thing you are now.”</p>
<p>Can you get federal funding if you’re not in a degree program?</p>
<p>Not that I am aware of, I did 4 classes transient to get back into “school mode” then went into a program. This was last year and was extremely more focused at 28 than I was my first time around at 18, entering a program this fall. Could be possible if you are enrolled at least half time though. I am not positive what the threshold is. It could just be you need to be a Title IV school and enrolled half time. But also might depend on the particular school. I had the cash at the time and was working full time so paid for it straight up. Now I am going the minimum load for full time at a private uni however and taking out loans for tuition/books while doing a little bit of work to cover rent/living expenses.
The economy isn’t that great right now so I am not in a rush for the transition into another profession, getting recommendations, focusing on my work, and trying to get into the best PhD program possible.</p>
<p>I think if you work at it, there are lots of opportunities for these “redos” or 2nd careers.</p>
<p>If you tell us what field you are interested in, we could probably help you with some of these “terminal MA” programs. While you can certainly apply FAFSA to these, they generally are not funded. I believe they are meant for sort of a proving ground, whether you have been out for awhile, went to a not so prestigious undergrad, lower GPA than you would like, etc.</p>