Can My Emotions Help Me Meet My GPA Requirement?

[zheng89120]

I was emotional - could I list this, so my 1st two years' marks are looked over for the 3.0 GPA minimum calculations?

I also come from a top-tier undergrad university that really challenges you

 

[gb7nash]

it certainly doesn't hurt. If there's a reason why you didn't do well, state it.

 

[fluidistic]

it certainly doesn't hurt. If there's a reason why you didn't do well, state it.

There's always at least 1 reason why someone would do bad. Not sure it's always good to state it. I can't answer the OP. I know others can so I'll wait. :)

 

[Choppy]

Most graduate departments have a minimum GPA cutoff. If you don't make it, it's tough bananas.

In some cases you will have an opportunity to cite extenuating circumstances, but usually these are more for situations like "I took time off from school that year to help my family escape a genocide" or "I didn't manage to hand in every assignment due to my chemotherapy sessions" rather than "my girlfriend broke up with me and I spent my semmester playing video games rather than studying."

And you also have to be able to demonstrate that you have the potential to succeed as a graduate student. For example if you had a couple crappy years, but then found your true interest and have been able to maintain a high average in senior courses, then you have a lot better shot than having done mediocre all the way through.

Also, just because your university has a high assignment on a more-or-less arbitraty index index, don't count on that doing a hole lot for you. It might be given additional weight in some places, under some circumstance, but don't count on that.

 

[Pengwuino]

I was emotional - could I list this, so my 1st two years' marks are looked over for the 3.0 GPA minimum calculations?

I also come from a top-tier undergrad university that really challenges you

If all you have is "I was emotional", no, there's no chance they're going to look past it. Did you happen to get straight As the last 2 years?

 

[Thermalne]

I also come from a top-tier undergrad university that really challenges you

And? Undergraduate degrees are pretty carbon copy if they're all under the same accreditation.

Why should they consider you vs. someone who did well all four years?

 

[gb7nash]

There's always at least 1 reason why someone would do bad. Not sure it's always good to state it. I can't answer the OP. I know others can so I'll wait. :)

Valid point. If it's a plausible reason, it's probably good to state it. If it's "I just didn't feel like working and played video games instead", it's probably not good to state it.

 

[Angry Citizen]

If you do state it, then be sure to emphasize that you overcame your 'emotional issues', that they're behind you, and to prove that, point to the list of A's and a few B's that you almost certainly have in order to even consider grad school.

How's your major GPA? I always understood the GPA cutoff to apply to the major GPA rather than the overall GPA. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Choppy]

How's your major GPA? I always understood the GPA cutoff to apply to the major GPA rather than the overall GPA. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm not sure this is the case. In some places they specify a minimum GPA. Usually, this is fairly low - not necessarily a 3.0 - probably more like a 2.5 or so, but it can apply to just about everything that you've ever taken. That's to be accepted as a graduate student by the school. THEN, you have to be accepted by the faculty you're interested in and the cutoff can be higher. This is where it's more likely to apply to your major average, but not necessarily.

And of course, that's just minimum requirements. On top of those you have to compete for the positions. Just because you meet the minimum requirements does not mean that you're competative for the available spots.

Every school has its own policy, so it's a good idea to check it out at the school you're applying to.