I want to go back to school but I have a low gpa from my first bachelors.?
I have a bachelors in Biology but my major gpa is a 2.1 and comunilative is a 2.4 ( I know this is bad). It wasn't until my senior year that I got involved with an organization that dealt with counseling sexual and interpersonal violence survivors. We also educated the public on how to be active bystanders when they see signs of violence. I have a minor in psychology and got mostly A's and some B's in those classes (yeah i should have just switched majors but its too late for that now). I really want to go into public health and work with domestic violence survivors and to also educate high schoolers on consent to stop the spread of violence. I was wondering if it would be possible for me to get into a masters program for counseling and public health even with my low gpa?
Has anyone gone back to school to get a 2nd bachelor's degree?
I have a B.S. in biology, and I'm stuck in a job where I'm unhappy and making very little money. I don't see much room for growth at the laboratory I'm working at, and it took me a long time to just find this job. I don't think I could get into grad school. I had a fairly poor GPA and nothing to make me really stand out. I've been thinking of going back to school in the spring at my local university and studying engineering. I'm just thinking about it at this point. I'm 23, and I feel like it might be better for me in the long run if I bite the bullet and go back to school instead of spending forever in a job where I'm unhappy and there aren't much prospects for the future. Since graduating and getting into the "real world", I feel like I've learned a lot and would totally devote myself to my studies, making connections, and getting myself prepared for a career. I believe I would be able to use all my general undergrad classes for the 2nd degree, and would need about 2 years to finish the engineering courses. Has anyone done this? Good idea? How was your experience? Thanks.
If I have a Bachelors Degree but a low GPA will I still be able to get a job?
Almost all employers will be looking for a 3.0-3.5 minimum GPA. They will obtain this information from your college transcripts which they will either request you get for them or they will ask for permission to go obtain them directly from your school. If you don't have that average then it will take you a lot longer to find a job because you will probably not even get a call for an interview. I would like to sugar coat this for you but unfortunately companies do look at this information. Where I work it is often right in the job posting. Best wishes!
Why do people go back to school for a second bachelor's degree?
To begin a new career. The popular myth that a bachelor’s degree in one field (ie BA in any Liberal Arts or Humanities) will qualify you for a Master’s degree in EVERY OTHER FIELD no matter how radically different it may be (ie nursing, computer science, or electrical engineering) is exactly that: a myth. The fact is that while you can get a Master’s in a different field than your Bachelor’s (like English to Business Management), it often not the case in a science, health, mathematics and engineering. You will need to either a) start with a second bachelor’s or b) take prerequisites classes, pass the GRE or GMAT and hope your GPA is high enough so a University will accept you into their program. Route b) will often take 4 years to complete (adjusting for Pre-Reqs, tests, applications and Masters), while route a) will perhaps take less time if your second college accepts all the credits from your previous degree (mine’s did, but some will not accept all of them) and less money. It usually sucks, but hey: if you struck out with the first degree and you want to get into a field that is in HIGH DEMAND and PAYS A DECENT SALARY then it needs to be done.
Can I get into Medical School with a cumulative gpa of 2.2? Any low gpa/high MCAT stories that you can share?
Okay, here's my situation: *Majored in Biochemistry at first but due to family problems/situation at that time, it affected my studies and gpa fell below 2.0. *Since med school has no degree/major requirements to get into one, I switched to Theatre and obtained a Bachelor's degree. My cumulative gpa ended with 2.2 and major gpa (Theatre) was 3.6. *Currently went back to school to get an Associate in Medical Laboratory Technology so I can have a back up plan in case I could not get into Medical School. Some of the courses were credited and last semester, my gpa was a 4.0. *Still have to study for the MCAT but only need a 21 in order to get an interview as a South Carolina resident. I'm more focused than ever and studying Theatre helped me with my study habits and skills. I'm considering on being a Medical Doctor in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine since I'm currently studying in Medical Laboratory Technology and I'm working at a Pathology Billing Company. Life gave me a second chance to prove myself that I can still get into Medical School but I know that the road will be harder this time around. Even though I'm working full-time and going to school full-time, I still maintained a 4.0 gpa and have been studying for the MCAT. So.... I was wondering if any of you have any low gpa/high MCAT stories that you can share with me. Doesn't hurt to ask but some inspirations would really help me get going. Much love ^_^
I have a low GPA 2.0 after graduating college. I want to go back and get another degree for a "fresh" start after 5 years out, but is it even possible to get accepted anywhere with that GPA?
Not my personal experience, but I will share my Dad’s.He graduated from Syracuse with a lower GPA, I’m not certain of what it was exactly, but it wasn’t high enough to be accepted into a top-tier graduate program. This is why he attended Cal-State North Ridge to boost his GPA and get more credits under his belt. Hard work at CSUN lead to an acceptance, and later an MBA, from The University of Southern California.2.0 Doesn’t eliminate you from all your options, but puts you at a large disadvantage from the first step of the “admissions game”. If you really want to continue graduate study, and don’t feel you have the GPA/Resume to receive admission to the schools you hope to attend, consider first attending a Community College/State university to boost your GPA and give yourself some more marketable credits and coursework, and you will have a much greater chance of admission than if you were to apply directly with a 2.0 GPA.
What happens when you finish undergrad with a low GPA and want to do a master's? Do you take extra classes at a community college or something to offset low GPA?
A2A - Graduate degree programs won’t consider an improvement in grades after a bachelor’s degree if the new grades are from a community college. That’s like stepping backward, not so much because it’s a community college as because their courses are for the first two years of college. Grad schools want to see improved grades from advanced undergraduate or even graduate courses.You can continue to take courses as a non-degree student from your four-year alma mater or from another four-year school. Usually colleges are more open to letting students take classes as a non-degree student, though you must take them for credit so you get graded. You can even take some graduate-level classes this way, though you may need the professor’s permission in some cases.You can also work on a second bachelor’s degree.It may work better to take a year or even several years off and work, and then go back to improve the grades. Or you could take the year off, prep hard for the GRE or GMAT and ace it, then apply to grad schools.You can apply anyway. It’s just that with an average below 3.0, it’s going to be harder to get in to better universities or into the more in-demand programs.But think about this. If you couldn’t manage a 3.0 GPA as an undergrad, you may be under-prepared for grad school. You may want to retake some classes at a community college just to strengthen your knowledge, then move on to taking a year of more advanced classes at a four-year school before applying to grad school.
How do I offset my low GPA when I am applying for grad-school?
It’s simple. By excelling at every thing else that matters for your application.Try scoring well on the GRE, write a well-researched and solid statement of purpose, which very clearly indicates your interest in the program, outlines your potential, and at the same time, also mentions about the failures and the lessons that you have learnt from it.Yes, you heard me right. More often than not, failures are the stepping stones to success, and the admissions committee is well aware of this. Highlight your strengths and good experiences, but do not hide your failures.Mention something really distinctive that you have done. Did you offer tutoring on any course? Were you involved in any hobby groups? Your start-up seems like the perfect experience to mention. You can really leverage on it to grab attention of the committee. Write about your experience in detail. Everything. The good bits. The not-so-good bits.Try getting good recommendations from your professors. It is highly valued. All these things can more than offset your low GPA, I’m sure. All the best!
Does it make sense to earn a second bachelor's degree before going to law school?
Actually, you do have a chance of getting into a good law school with a 2.7. I go to Loyola Law School, a very reputable school in Los Angeles, and I know several people who got in with a 2.8 or so. Especially if you have a technical degree, they will forgive it a bit. And the longer you have been out of college, the more weight they will put on your resume and LSAT score. Before going back and getting a degree you won't necessarily need and spend more money on loans, you should take an LSAT prep course and see how high of a score you can get. With a higher score, your GPA will be less of an issue. As for your writing and speaking skills, you could always take a class at a junior college in public speaking and a grammar class to brush up. They will teach you how to write in a "legal" way in law school. Unless you really want a second BA, it may be worth seeing what schools you can get into with your degree now, and you can always re-apply after you get your second degree. At the very least, take a practice LSAT now and see where you score. Kaplan will give you one for free. Then check out http://www.LSAC.org and they have a function where you can input your GPA and score and see where students with similar profiles go. Also, keep in mind, teaching at an inner city high school is very respectable, you will have a strong personal statement and stand out from other applicants. You also may have a better chance of getting into a part time program, which will be 4 years instead of 3, but still quicker than getting a second degree!! So see how you are on the LSAT and give it a shot before you go running off for another 2 years. You can take an LSAT prep course to help improve your score. And your score is good for, I believe, 3 years for applications, so if you take it now and decide to go back for your BA, you may not have to take it again. Good luck with your decision, but do a little research before you rush off for a second BA just for the application - you would be better off spending six months or so studying your LSAT and high scoring than going back - they will look at the GPA for all of your degrees, I don't think they will just ignore your first one, even though they may not weigh it as highly. So unless you do significantly better, it will be harder for you to bring up your overall GPA.