can i still get into grad school with a poor gpa?

Question

what would i need to do to increase my chances to get into grad school?

I am currently attending University of Wisconsin Madison. And I am a biology major.

Answer 1

Goucho marx said, "I wouldn't want to belong to any club that would let me in!"

That's the position you're in, unfortunately. You can apply to Grad Schools if you have bad undergrad marks, but which of them will take you? Only the ones who don't care about their students because they are only interested in collecting tuition.

When you finish, your degree will be almost worthless because everyone knows what kind of a school it came from.

What you have to do is, before you are admitted to a degree program, take several courses at a respectable school - they usually let you take four of five courses without being actually admitted for a degree. You need to get As in these courses. Then you can take your transcript to the Grad School guys and say, "See, I really am a good student!"

Getting bad marks as an undergraduate is really a downer, and has left you in a tough position.

Answer 2

This would depend upon the school, the subject matter, and how long ago you got your degree. If you are just finishing your undergraduate work and have done poorly, most schools would not consider admitting you, on the assumption that you just aren't a very good student. If you did your undergraduate work 20 years ago and can validate the fact that your earlier poor grades were due to a poor attitude (too much partying, or personal health problems which have since been resolved), then some schools might give you a chance, probably on a probationary basis, in a subject matter which is not overcrowded. Your best bet would be to take some tough preparatory courses now and do well in them, to show that your undergraduate grades were a poor predictor of your ability to do well now. This won't work, however, if those undergraduate grades were earned last semester!

Answer 3

if you did poorly in undergrad, why go immediately into grad school? grad school (from what i hear) isnt easier. maybe you should evaluate why you want to go to grad school before you waste your time,energy and money.

The lowest gpa req. Ive seen for a program was 2.75 but thats the MINIMUM and I doubt they let anyone in with that.

You should probably get an internship/or volunteer work in your field and try to get some good recommendations that way. Join the Peace Corps or something. If you're GPA is really that low you're going to need something to convince them that you have changed and that you can become a good student.

Answer 4

The GRE is important, yet you might have a minimum of a few introductory courses in 2 different languages below your belt... If I have been you, i might take a pair greater advantageous quarters to get strait 'A' high quality artwork finished on "grad point courses" or undergraduate path artwork which will relate to the better degree you ought to pursue... your academic skills will could be actual honed. sturdy success & "shop your nostril to the grindstone!"

Answer 5

Probably not, or at least not a decent one. Grad programs usually require you to maintain a minimum gpa of 3.0 to stay enrolled in the program. If you can't maintain that as an undergrad, they won't believe you can as a grad student.