againstthegrain Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 I did not apply myself in undergraduate studies and withdrew from a 90% complete major after getting pregnant with our son at age 20 with a GPA of 2.37. I'm 31 now, enrolled to go back and finish my BA in Anthropology & Sociology (8 classes over the course of a year) from a highly ranked college. Even with a 4.0 on these last courses, my GPA will be under the 3.0 grad school minimum mark. I cannot go back and retake the courses I scored low in - they are not offered any longer. Honestly, do I have any decent chance of grad school if I earn a 3.9/4.0 in the last 8 classes and get a couple Professors from those courses to write me a letter of recommendation? The last 11 years has included earning my associates of arts at a local community college (3.02 GPA), serving as a Family Advocate for Head Start programs, teaching in private Pre-K classrooms and then homeschooling our children. The grad program I WANT may not be an option (Sociology @ State University about 45 minutes from me), though I wonder if I would be able to get into a grad program at the University I am re-enrolling in to get my Bachelors? When I look at online programs that do NOT have a minimum GPA for application, I can't tell whether they are a diploma mill or what.So, give it to me straight. What are my odds of grad school admission? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 There is no easy answer to this. Grad schools vary a ton by department and location. My advice would be to make contact with the departments you are interested in and go from there. If these places are not interested in you, talk to the professors who are writing your letters and see what they recommend. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Ivy Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 I would honestly talk to the graduate admissions office, explain the situation, and see what course of action they require. Sometimes, letters of recommendation and a letter detailing why/how you have changed and how that is evidenced in your past work can help. But, until you talk to the admissions department or the head of the graduate program you are wanting to study, it's hard to tell. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Call the department and ask! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 My husband flunked out of school the first time, then went back and finished about 5 years later and was able to get into grad school (Mathematics), get a TA job and pass with flying colors. I do not remember what his GPA was when he got in though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ailaena Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Graduate programs will often allow you to start on a conditional basis if one of your areas (Gpa/test scores/recommendations) is lacking and if you keep up your current grades, they will formally admit you after a year. From my experiences, life skills, recommendations (from people who actually, honestly know you), and test scores were SO MUCH more important than Gpa. (Ten years ago) I was accepted into an awesome MD/PhD program with a terrible overall GPA. I say go for it! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolt. Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 I think there might be a solution in this part of the explanation "enrolled to go back and finish my BA in Anthropology & Sociology (8 classes over the course of a year) from a highly ranked college." It sounds like your current school is accepting courses for transfer from (maybe) a different school where you did the first part of your degree? If so, is it possible for you to choose to transfer fewer (previous) courses, and therefore take more? Would it tip the balance at all? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Some of the graduate schools I'm considering explicitly state that they only look at the GPA for the last 60 credits. I was pre-med for the first 2 years of my 1st undergrad degree so I'll be very happy to exclude those relatively lower grades from my application! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Yes, I do believe there would be options for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Are they really applying your old GPA in with the new? Typically when you transfer, the classes transfer but the GPA doesn't. Are you sure it is calculated with the new GPA mixed in with the old? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 I have a couple friends who went back to college as adults with young kids. Go back a semester and see what you think before you make any big decisions. Both of them did continue school, but changed their course from what they were originally expecting to do. Not that it hurts to research your options, but I'd keep them open ended at this point. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Are they really applying your old GPA in with the new? Typically when you transfer, the classes transfer but the GPA doesn't. Are you sure it is calculated with the new GPA mixed in with the old? I wonder the same. I plan to take a few courses I need to apply to a grad program I'm interested in. I presume they aren't going to care about my grades from many years ago. Would be nice if they would because I had good grades, but I even already retook one of the courses because I figured it was so long ago they'll assume I'm rusty (fairly so). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Do you know what the job prospects will be if you get an M.A. in Sociology? I would check to be sure that the time and money invested in grad school will pay off in terms of employment and not just leave you with the same job prospects as a B.A., but with higher debt. I would also check to see if the grad program requires the GRE, and if so what the range of acceptable scores is. IME, a stellar GRE score and great recommendations can help offset a lower GPA, but mediocre tests scores plus a lower GPA will make admissions more difficult. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 I wonder the same. I plan to take a few courses I need to apply to a grad program I'm interested in. I presume they aren't going to care about my grades from many years ago. Would be nice if they would because I had good grades, but I even already retook one of the courses because I figured it was so long ago they'll assume I'm rusty (fairly so). I was told by the head of the program at one of my target grad schools that they look at the GPA for both the first and second bachelor's but place much greater emphasis on the second as it's in-field and more recent. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SereneHome Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Graduate programs will often allow you to start on a conditional basis if one of your areas (Gpa/test scores/recommendations) is lacking and if you keep up your current grades, they will formally admit you after a year. From my experiences, life skills, recommendations (from people who actually, honestly know you), and test scores were SO MUCH more important than Gpa. (Ten years ago) I was accepted into an awesome MD/PhD program with a terrible overall GPA. I say go for it! Yep, she is exactly right. My undergrad GPA was probably 2 something. My GMAT scores, essay and references got me into grad school, fairly good grad school on a conditional basis. I graduated with 3.7 GPA two years ago. There was 12 yrs between the time I graduated with my undergrad and getting into grad school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 There are definitely schools that would take you, but be careful. Terminal masters in Social Sciences / Liberal Arts that you pay for are a whole lot of debt, and can be very very challenging, but not lead to anything. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimomma Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 I agree with others to make some contacts. Often schools consider GPA with time gaps different than a applying-right-out-of-school GPAs. Especially if you have a school in mind and can make a connection with a faculty member you might want to work with. That person can advocate for you. I have worked in admissions for non-traditional students and we considered their applications very differently than traditional students. Statistically, older students do far better no matter what grades they might have earned in the past and schools know this. If direct application looks doubtful, most schools will allow people to take classes as a non-degree-seeking student so that you can establish a track record to reapply. Those classes can still be applied to your degree after acceptance at most schools but do check those rules before investing significant time and money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriedClams Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 "You know what the answer is if you don't ask." -my mom Go for it. What's the worst that can happen? My MIL went to law school in similar circumstances. If it is your dream - DO IT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J&JMom Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 There are definitely schools that would take you, but be careful. Terminal masters in Social Sciences / Liberal Arts that you pay for are a whole lot of debt, and can be very very challenging, but not lead to anything. Listen to this! I was in a similar position back in 1992. (yeah, I'm old). I was finishing up a bachelors' with a 2.7 GPA in psychology and sociology. I decided my last year to pursue a sociology degree 1) my GPA was way too low to consider grad psychology and 2) my senior advisor suggested it. However, despite my good GRE score (surpassed minimum threshold for doctoral), I enrolled as a 'non-degree' student, taking 9 hours (full time) to prove myself to the department. No financial aid or loans - straight from my pocket. I got all A's and an admission to degree study. 2 years later I was a graduate assistant teaching 2 classes and finishing up my thesis. My original plan was to go for the doctorate, but changed my mind - why? On the first day of being a GA there was a departmental memo on my desk - there were only 8 academic positions for every 100 graduating doctorates in the country. Yikes! Over the course of my teaching semesters, I witnessed doctoral candidates searching far and wide to cobble together 2 part-time teaching positions. Very few had full-time assignments at graduation. Now this was over a decade ago, but I doubt there has been an explosion in jobs for sociology majors in my absence. My advisor smartly suggested from the beginning that I get a computer science minor along with my sociology degree [lowest grade a lonely 'B'].Thanks to her advice, I was steadily employed as a programmer after graduation until I came home with my youngest (12 years). The major is a very fulfilling, I still think of going back for the Ph.D., but I think better of it as someone younger and more ambitious could use the spot instead. I don't regret the path I took at all. Good luck with finding yours. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basketcase Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Totally agree with everything that's been said - 1- consider what you'll use the degree for and whether it's worth it. 2- talk to the department head, talk to admissions. Call more than once because you might get different answers from different people. 3- study like crazy for the GRE. A fabulous score makes up for bad grades early in your college career. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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