I’m currently a 2nd year Computer Sciences, Linguistics major (B.S.), and I was hoping to get a masters in Computational Linguistics. Currently I have a 3.3, but given the difficulty of the CS courses (and also the difficulty of some of the higher-level Linguistics courses), I am afraid my GPA may be sub-3.0 before I graduate.
I do participate outside of academics, I’m in a couple orgs related to my majors, I’ve done some volunteering, and I’m currently a research assistant (for an Applied Linguistics research project). I hope to do an internship before I graduate as well.
Is there any way I could get into grad school if my GPA happens to slip below a 3.0 (I’ll try my best to not let that happen, but the rigor of upper-level CS courses makes it seem like an uphill battle).
If not immediately, could it be possible for me to get in after some industry experience?
(Just in case demographics has any bearing, I want to clarify that I am not black, I’m just a Miles Morales fan, haha.)
I’d advise you try and look for a summer internship right now. Get involved in leadership through clubs that relate to your major or professional/academic fraternites (NOT social fraternities).
Don’t hesitate to “grow” your GPA by taking easier classes each semester, including over the summer (see if you can take a “Philosophy of language” course at your local CC for instance).
Employers want a 3.0 but might be a bit more lenient if you have excellent professional experience/skills (you don’t even need to include your GPA on your resume if you have a full “work experience” section).
With 2-3 years experience, you’ll be able to show what you’re able to do.
In addition, if you know what the average GPA in CS is, you can provide it as
That being said, the best Computational linguistics programs will expect a GPA above 3.0, even if you’re at GTech or HarveyMudd.
I also recommend choosing classes with care to give your GPA a cushion. It’s possible that a not very selective grad program might take you (it’s also possible that a computer or an administrator would prevent your application from being considered.). Keep in mind that to graduate from grad school, you need a 3.0 so applying with Cs in related courses might be a concern.
Sometimes, the gpa in your major can make up for lower grades in other depts. Are you saying your major gpa is lower? Grad school is generally about your research interests. And, how they align with the work profs are doing in various programs, whether you “fit” into that scenario.
You need to confer with the folks who will back you up in your apps, write recommendations, suggest appropriate grad programs for your record. That’s your major profs. Not this forum.
Yes, my major GPA for Computer Sciences is poor and my major GPA for Linguistics is great.