Am I cooked for graduate school?

[sighimcooked]

I'm an upcoming senior with a 2.7 GPA, but I have to do a fifth year because I got behind with classes + how my university offers physics courses. I wanted to go into astronomy / astrophysics and maybe eventually get a PhD, but obviously my grades aren't that good. Was wondering if I actually have a chance of getting into any graduate programs with astronomy/astrophysics/just physics. I have research experience with machine learning/analyzing cosmic rays but that's about it.

 

[Frabjous]

Many schools have a mimimum GPA requirement of 3.0. Assuming that you are entering your fourth year, 3 semesters of A’s with a good story might give you a chance. Be realistic about the chances of you doing this: past performance is generally a good indicator of future performance. The odds are against you.

 

[mathwonk]

I don't have enough information to say. one student studies hard all the time, attends class faithfully, has problems grasping the material, and even with extra credit scores mostly C's in advanced courses, with a couple B's in elementary ones, impresses no teachers, GPA 2.7.

Another student is so cocky she skips class consistently, plays cards all night, parties, flunks out with a 1.2 average as a sophomore. Then after working at a dull job, gets religion, comes back, goes to class, works hard, gets extra help, after a few rough starts maintains a streak of 4.0 grades, attracts attention from top profs, and still ends up with a 2.7 average.

These two students have different likely futures in grad school, but both have a chance, if they choose the right school. The best person to answer this question is a school advisor/professor who knows you and the schools you are applying to.

But since you are an upcoming senior, your chances are a lot better if you absolutely ace everything on your plate senior year.

 

[StatGuy2000]

To the OP:

You are an upcoming senior with only a 2.7 GPA. I will not sugarcoat this -- that is a considerable obstacle to being accepted in any graduate program. What a 2.7 GPA tells me is that you have not truly grasped or mastered the underlying material required to pursue further studies.

@mathwonk in his post is correct that your chances will improve if in your final year (or 5th year) you absolutely ace your classes, as well as getting strong letters of recommendation from your professors. Your research experience with machine learning applied to cosmic rays could be helpful there. At the same time, I would be doing you a disservice if I don't mention how difficult your situation is in terms of getting into graduate school, given your circumstances and given the competition you will be facing.

My advice is to come up with a back-up plan. What that back-up plan is will depend on you (work in industry, work in education/teaching, etc.). But something other than graduate school.

 

[TensorCalculus]

I'm an upcoming senior with a 2.7 GPA, but I have to do a fifth year because I got behind with classes + how my university offers physics courses. I wanted to go into astronomy / astrophysics and maybe eventually get a PhD, but obviously my grades aren't that good. Was wondering if I actually have a chance of getting into any graduate programs with astronomy/astrophysics/just physics. I have research experience with machine learning/analyzing cosmic rays but that's about it.

I've definitely not got the experience to answer this, but whether the chances are high or not, your best way to maximise those chances is to just keep going, regardless of what the outcome may be, no? Work hard to solidify the basic concepts and get that GPA up, to maximise your chances of getting into grad school, and if you don't end up in Grad school, then you use that knowledge to help you pursue other paths. Either way, the best option seems to just keep going, regardless of what the answer to the question is, in my opinion. But maybe I am just oversimplifying the situation at hand.

 

[gleem]

Clearly, aceing your 5th year courses is your best bet. We don't know the story of why you fell behind. However, you should consider taking the physics GRE. Although it may not be required, it could help if you do well and your story is compelling.

 

[CrysPhys]

Clearly, aceing your 5th year courses is your best bet. We don't know the story of why you fell behind. However, you should consider taking the physics GRE. Although it may not be required, it could help if you do well and your story is compelling.

The OP's profile reads US. Assuming this is accruate and that they apply for a PhD program in the US, their performance in their 5th yr courses won't add much unless they take a gap year. Otherwise, applications will be due ~Dec of their 5th yr (some schools maybe a month or so later). So perhaps the courses of the first semester of the 5th yr may be considered via an updated transcript (not sure about that); but the courses of the second semester won't be considered for sure. If the OP is on a trimester system, there will be slight adjustment to the above.

 

[Choppy]

Getting into grad school will be an uphill battle if you're sitting at a 2.7.

But something to really consider is... why?

Admittedly GPA doesn't tell a whole story and there are a lot of reasons why someone might not have great marks, but it's worth putting some serious thought into why exactly you want to pursue graduate school if you're struggling to keep your head above water as an undergraduate.

As a PhD student your peers will be the ones who all did extremely well as undergraduate students. And the material builds on what you've already covered, and it doesn't get much easier. So if you're ~average now, you're quite likely to be one of the guys with the lowest marks in graduate classes. And generally speaking, anything less than a B is considered a failing grade.

Then there's research. That's a different beast compared to classes. Sometimes the average students (in terms of coursework) can be very successful when it comes to doing research, but this success tends to be rooted in a deep desire that will drive students to read excessively in their chosen area, explore their own ideas, and develop skills independently of the minima required by their supervisors.

When students find themselves in a position where they are constantly struggling to keep up, have a shaky foundation, not deriving joy from the work itself and are looking forward through years and years of the same... any little obstacle can suddenly become the proverbial last straw and cause them to burn out.

None of this is to say you can't do it... just a warning to be careful what you wish for.