Low Undergraduate GPA: Is it Still Possible?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the challenges faced by a Georgia Tech graduate with a 2.84 GPA seeking admission into a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSEE) program. The individual has three years of industry experience and has begun coursework at the University of South Alabama, achieving an A in one course. Insights shared indicate that work experience can mitigate GPA concerns, especially after a few years, and emphasize the importance of a strong personal statement and resume to highlight relevant industry experience. The conversation also touches on GPA requirements for graduate programs and the potential for re-admission to Georgia Tech.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of graduate school admission processes
  • Familiarity with personal statements and resumes for academic applications
  • Knowledge of GRE scoring and its impact on applications
  • Awareness of GPA requirements for MSEE programs
NEXT STEPS
  • Research specific MSEE programs and their GPA requirements, particularly at Georgia Tech and local institutions
  • Learn how to craft an effective personal statement that addresses academic challenges and highlights professional experience
  • Explore GRE preparation resources to improve verbal and writing scores
  • Investigate networking opportunities within the electrical engineering field to enhance application prospects
USEFUL FOR

Recent engineering graduates, prospective graduate students in electrical engineering, and individuals seeking to improve their academic profiles after a low undergraduate GPA.

smk037
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Hello All,

I graduated from Georgia Tech ~3 years ago with quite a low GPA. I ended up with a 2.84 cumulative for my BSEE degree.

I know this is not good. Since then, I have done a couple of small personal electronics projects and have been working in industry for 3 years. I also started my MSEE at University of South Alabama while working (only took one course and received an A) but had to leave due to medical reasons.

Is it still possible for me to get into a decent MSEE program?

Thank you for your help,
 
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from what I understand after 2 or 3 years your grades don't matter as much as the experience you get from your years of work. however I'm not certain if this applies to engineering 100%. My sister was in biology and had a similar GPA to yours, and after 3 years of working as a lab assistant/technician, she got admitted to tulane U for a Msc in Public health (pretty decent school in the US for that field)
 
Thank you, that makes me feel better. I have been fortunate to have pretty decent work experience.
 
You never indicated any reason why you want to get the MSEE degree.

Zz.
 
My last job was doing hardware designs for ethernet switches and it was not quite what I expected. I was doing work at the board level-- basically creating schematics around ASICs that did most of the work. I did some power supply design then and it was my favorite part.

Right now I'm working at a regulatory agency and doing safety testing. Again, power supplies is what I'm most interested in here as well. I'm hoping getting an MS will help me get a job doing power supply designs in the future.

Either way, I can not imagine having an MSEE is a bad thing.
 
It seems like most schools in the area have a minimum GPA requirement of 3.0. Will this still apply since I've been out of school for a couple years?

Also, is it possible to get back into Georgia Tech with such a low GPA? And anyone know of some other schools in the Atlanta area I can apply to?
 
Also, are there things I can do at this point to get help my chances? I have taken the general GREs and gotten an 800 in math. I didn't score very high in writing/verbal (~550).
 
Most grad programs require a personal statement, resume, or something similar. Use whichever platform the school wants to explain the situation. A personal statement allows you to explain what you've explained here (why I got bad grades, doing well in industry, why I want MS, blah blah blah) while a resume/CV will show the industry experience you obtained after graduating w/ a BS.
 

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