Schools Can I Get Into Grad School Despite My Low GPA and Age?

[Delong]

And honestly I appreciate all the judgments *ahem* excuse me I meant "advice" but I think I've heard enough from retired professors who are used to being on the top and not having their lives affected and determined by other peoples decisions.

If there were more people in my shoes on this site I'd probably appreciate hearing from them more but being what it is I probably brought my malaise to the wrong place.

So thanks anyway for the help but I think I get the point by now.

 

[symbolipoint]

And honestly i appreciate all the judgments (ahem) excuse me i meant "advice" but i think I've heard enough from retired professors who are used to being on the top and not having their lives affected and determined by other peoples decisions.

If there were more people in my shoes on this site id probably appreciate hearing from them more but being what it is i probably brought my malaise to the wrong place.

So thanks anyway for the help but i think i get the point by now.

Psychological progress well on its way now so that's good.

Learning how to be honest with yourself should help you figure what to do.

The posts now becoming long with some long discussion posts on the topic, graduate school entrance seems to be a competitive situation. Some conditions have changed or become stricter as everything progresses. I talked to a couple of technical and science people with Master's degrees who worked in their fields. They were as well as I could tell, average people who were accepted - MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO. One was a chemist at a time when we needed more "trained" and educated scientific people, and maybe not enough students were studying such sciences while the society really needed some technological advances made. Possibly fewer course requirements were in place at that time and some elective course choices made him competitive enough to be accepted to a Masters degree program. He worked somewhere along the way. Another person was an engineer who struggled with some courses, especially some of the Calculus required in the undergrad level. Still since much of his academic work including in the Master's program was for the newer field of computer science, and maybe fewer applicants were available while we needed more technical and scientific people (even if toward engineering), he managed to be accepted for this advanced degree program, finished, and worked.

These days, employers often want people who are more qualified (more than Bachelor degree), not less qualified. More students are trying to get into graduate degree programs, so this puts limits on how many can get into them. One needs stronger qualifications now to be judged as competitive to handle a graduate degree program.

 

[Dishsoap]

And honestly I appreciate all the judgments *ahem* excuse me I meant "advice" but I think I've heard enough from retired professors who are used to being on the top and not having their lives affected and determined by other peoples decisions.

If there were more people in my shoes on this site I'd probably appreciate hearing from them more but being what it is I probably brought my malaise to the wrong place.

So thanks anyway for the help but I think I get the point by now.

Many of the people who have responded to this post (Dr. Courtney, ZapperZ, V50) are current professors. You know, like the ones who will be on the admissions committee reviewing your application. And they have reviewed applications on admissions committees previously. Your inability to accept your failures and learn from mistakes is shown not only in grades, but also in the way that you responded throughout this thread. Even if you had a 4.0, no one in this thread would agree that you are ready for grad school based simply on your response to criticism.

 

[Delong]

Many of the people who have responded to this post (Dr. Courtney, ZapperZ, V50) are current professors. You know, like the ones who will be on the admissions committee reviewing your application. And they have reviewed applications on admissions committees previously. Your inability to accept your failures and learn from mistakes is shown not only in grades, but also in the way that you responded throughout this thread. Even if you had a 4.0, no one in this thread would agree that you are ready for grad school based simply on your response to criticism.

V50 is a staff emiritus which means he has retired. Zapperz has not commented on my forum but he is also an emiritus. Dr. Courtney disappeared after around post #10.

Ok ill admit that I am not good with criticism but id like to see who in this human world is. All of the advice on the forum I've accepted but many commenters feels fitted to put me down as well not just professors but unaccomplished students just like myself.

This is not an environment i very much ask for or need.

 

[Mark44]

V50 is a staff emiritus which means he has retired. Zapperz has not commented on my forum but he is also an emiritus.

"Staff emeritus" means that they have retired from mentorship on this forum. It has nothing to do with whether they are currently teaching.

Dr. Courtney disappeared after around post #10.

Ok ill admit that I am not good with criticism but id like to see who in this human world is. All of the advice on the forum I've accepted but many commenters feels fitted to put me down as well not just professors but unaccomplished students just like myself.

Speaking for myself, I quoted things that you said about yourself. IMO, these self-admitted traits explain pretty well why you are in the situtuation you describe.

This is not an environment i very much ask for or need.

If you don't want to hear the answer, don't ask the question.

 

[Delong]

"Staff emeritus" means that they have retired from mentorship on this forum.

Speaking for myself, I quoted things that you said about yourself. IMO, these self-admitted traits explain pretty well why you are in the situtuation you describe.

If you don't want to hear the answer, don't ask the question.

What kind of crappy useless label is that? who cares if you were successful on this forum?

I don't think I deserve bad grades. I simply took on more than I could handle at one time. I'm a little bit older now and I know I am capable. I just had to learn timing and spacing. That's a far cry from the responses I'm getting about how I'm a "failure". Again this is not feedback I find constructive in much any way.

 

[Delong]

I think I'd prefer feedback from people around my age level and stage of career development in science. Not so much seasoned professors.

 

[Mondayman]

What kind of crappy useless label is that? who cares if you were successful on this forum?

I don't think I deserve bad grades

Echoing dishoap's sentiment, even if you had a 4.0, this kind of attitude will definitely hold you back.

I think I'd prefer feedback from people around my age level and stage of career development in science. Not so much seasoned professors.

You'd prefer potentially misleading or harmful advice over valid, unbiased advice?

 

[Student100]

Let's not fall prey to obvious trolling.

 

[Delong]

I found this from one of my old threads 3 years ago: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/stressing-out-over-grad-school-apps.732993/

Hi everyone, I'm applying to grad school and I find the process extremely stressful. Today I got almost/maybe rejected from my third graduate school and I am completely freaking out. This one was one I was actually pretty hopeful I can get in. I still have four other schools I applied to but if this trend continues I might not get into any. Getting into grad school and pursuing life as a scientist has always been my dream. All my future plans rides on this. When I got the news today that I may be rejected I was so stressed I actually had to find a place to sit down and control my breathing. I feel like my organs are ripping apart from all the adrenaline. Can someone offer me any words of comfort or ease please?

I don't think people on here realize how much stress rejection causes me. I've already recuperated and tried again for a second time. I don't need people who don't understand my situation to put me down.

Echoing dishoap's sentiment, even if you had a 4.0, this kind of attitude will definitely hold you back.You'd prefer potentially misleading or harmful advice over valid, unbiased advice?

And who might I ask you are? A guitarist?

 

[Delong]

Speaking for myself, I quoted things that you said about yourself. IMO, these self-admitted traits explain pretty well why you are in the situtuation you describe.

If you don't want to hear the answer, don't ask the question.

I don't think those traits explain my situation well. I am a capable person and I have a good head on my shoulders. There's just some small things in life and school that I'm not getting right. But it's so simple to just cast me as a lazy ignoramus who didn't apply himself. If I were a professor I'd probably do the same thing to students complaining about their struggles.

Thanks but I don't find your "answers" to be actual answers.

 

[micromass]

I think I'd prefer feedback from people around my age level and stage of career development in science. Not so much seasoned professors.

Why? What useful feedback could people of your age give that seasoned professors could not give? You asked "Am I ready for grad school?", how can somebody at your stage of career development possibly answer that? If you are just asking for validation, then you should say so.

 

[Delong]

Why? What useful feedback could people of your age give that seasoned professors could not give? You asked "Am I ready for grad school?", how can somebody at your stage of career development possibly answer that? If you are just asking for validation, then you should say so.

I don't know but i guess i prefer support and undderstanding at my point over criticism and reprimand.
Although id liked to handle criticism but i don't think I am currently strong enough to do so. Or rather don't think I am mentally strong in general.
So if that's the case then i think this thread has reached a certain wall thanks everyone anyway