What do I need in order to move on to Grad School?

Question

I do not have 3.0 GPA its more like 2.0-2.5, I know it dropped because I had a rough semester this past Spring. I am going to graduate in May '08 with a degree in Anthropology and a minor Religious Studies. I was thinking about going to grad school and was wondering what the process was to get into grad school. I haven't made up my mind if I wanted to prusue the Rel. Studies or the Anthro. So any information on both would be very helpful. Thanks.

Answer 1

Well, your question is right up my alley. :)

Here's what you'd need to do. First, figure out whether anthro or religion would be better venues in which to pursue your SPECIFIC research interests. Here are some guidelines to help you decide:

A fieldwork-intensive
R fieldwork optional

A uses specific methodologies, depending on whether you focus in cultural anthro, linguistic anthro, physical anthro, etc.
R uses specific methodologies, depending on whether you focus on anthro of religion, sociology of religion, history of religion, psychology of religion, etc.

A has a different history of the discipline than R. This impacts current methodological and theoretical reflection as well.

As you might be perceiving, grad level study focuses a lot on theory and method, so you will want to figure out your methodological preferences in order to choose.

Now to grad school admissions:

- Since your undergraduate GPA is below 3.0, hopefully your major (or minor) GPA is much higher. Do the math. Highlight this higher, discipline-specific GPA on your applications.
- Take the GRE.
- Talk to your current professors. Find out which grad programs they'd recommend for you, given your specific interests (methodological, geographic area, historical era, etc.).
- Do some research into grad programs yourself. Where do your favorite scholars teach? If they teach at a university without a grad program, where did they attend grad school? Make sure the faculty at the programs you choose can accommodate your specific interests before you apply, because graduate admission focuses heavily on "fit" with faculty specializations.
- Ask for letters of rec from three undergraduate professors. Choose these professors with care. Tenured folks with international reputations are best, as long as you got As in their classes.
- Visit campuses if you can. Contact the Director of Graduate Studies in each department to which you've decided to apply. Some departments may be able to defray costs of travel.
- When you speak with each DGS, ask about assistantships. Ask how many they award each year, and what the assistantships entail. This is important, because you DON"T want to pay for grad school. Assistantships and fellowships usually carry full tuition remission as well as a living stipend.

That's enough to get you started.
Best wishes to you!

Answer 2

i had a 2.89 when i applied- all the places i applied to said 3.0 minimum. not so. first of all, you must have an authentic and strong statement of purpose. a masters statement is shorter and less specific than a phd statement. you also need 3 STRONG letters of recommendation, at least 2 from phd'd professors who know you well. (the other could be a usual employer) if you do not have these contacts yet, MAKE THEM IN THE NEXT YEAR. chat it up, visit office hours, be a teacher's pet. if you do this, you may be offered a research position (i took one in anthropology, which led me to public health). any relevant job experience (academic or research) will also help. also, if you get a 4.0 your last year in college, grad schools will see this upward trend. go to all your classes, and do what it takes to make it happen, if you're serious. also, study up online for your gre test- there's lots of free programs. good luck!