should I bother applying?
I have work experience in the area, my test scores are high and I have really good recommendation letters.
2006-11-20 01:35:52 · 5 answers · asked by chocolate-drop 5 in Education & Reference ➔ Higher Education (University +)
Impossible to say whether the 3.5 is a binding figure or just a guideline. Why not call the admissions office and ask if you have a chance?
2006-11-20 01:37:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
This question is more complicated than you might think.
Is it the Graduate School or the department to which you are applying that requires the 3.5?
The way it works at my university, the Graduate School requires a 3.0. If an application did not meet this basic requirement, I would not even receive the application, because the Graduate School would not send it on to me.
However, if this is a departmental requirement, the department may EITHER have more discretion in the matter than the Graduate School would, OR the department may have set this requirement in order to cut down the number of applications they will have to consider.
Having said that, you should check with both the Graduate School of the university to which you will be applying, and with the department's Director of Graduate Studies. They will be able to tell you how their process works.
2006-11-22 00:32:01 · answer #2 · answered by X 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the program says you MUST HAVE a 3.5, then the other things don't matter to them at all. If it says something like, "our average entering student has a 3.5 GPA, you can compensate for a lower GPA with other factors. And since the GPA reflects past performance, not necessarily current abilities, you are most likely to be considered if you got your undergraduate degree quite a while ago. They may also look more strongly at you if you had a particularly tough undergraduate curriculum (i.e., nuclear physics) at a school known for being tough on grades.
2006-11-20 10:19:44 · answer #3 · answered by neniaf 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try to find the Graduate Coordinator for the program you want to enter and discuss your chances of admission with him/her. It may be that they would admit you but that you'd have a harder time getting financial assistance, like a TA or an RA.
Graduate school requires you to take control of your life so don't be afraid to start now.
2006-11-20 09:42:32 · answer #4 · answered by Mooseles 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Try it, especially if your grades tended to come up over the course of your college life. If they started at 2.8 or something and gradually rose to 3.4, you can show that you're getting stronger academically. Give it a try.
2006-11-20 09:39:01 · answer #5 · answered by Rusting 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋