So here's my undergraduate record:
The first 2.5 years I was enrolled in a good community college (doesn't mean much but it's top ranked in the nation among community colleges and it was tougher than some 4-year schools in my state). I completed an associate's degree and worked full-time simultaneously. My GPA was 3.797 for 64 credits, and I became a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society. I also was a member of the Student Government and a tutor in computer science. My major was humanities/social sciences.
I transferred into a top-tier state school. According to rankings, it is just below Cornell, and just above NYU (overall score, some programs in specific differ). This was a tough, tough school, and I didn't transition well. I got diagnosed with bipolar disorder and barely made it through some semesters. From here, my total GPA is 2.993, and my major (Psychology) GPA is 3.063. I was not a member of any clubs, and I worked roughly 30 hours a week for a few semesters. I did volunteer work with a fraternity and I also was a volunteer in a Developmental Research lab. I have another semester of enrolled lab experience as well.
Cumulatively (community college + university), I have a 3.37 GPA and a 3.06 major GPA. I retook four courses.
If I stay an extra semester, I can retake one course and add a couple more courses to it and bring my GPA up to 3.48 or 3.5. I can also get one semester's worth of research lab experience out of this, totaling it to 1.5 years of research experience.
My goal is to get into graduate school (not shooting for a Ph.D. yet), but just as a master's level student of psychology (clinical). I don't think its a question of ability as much as it was of circumstance and this university not being a good fit for me. I felt suffocated by the high standards here. Compared to my state's flagship university, Rutgers, it is tougher. My GPA of 3.37 translates to a 3.57 in Rutgers, and a 3.76 in Rutgers Newark Campus.
As a psychology student I don't have many options for my future, and because I chose the wrong school I have this obstacle to deal with. And my concerns were not petty, either. I was hospitalized twice and had gone through weekly therapy and treatment. I just want to go to graduate school and do something with my knowledge. I want to work in the field of mental health, preferably as a researcher or writer, and wish to get my Ph.D. sometime in my life. Will graduate school factor in my community college GPA or will they only consider my university GPA?
These are my qualifications:
1 year of research experience
.5 years of internship experience
128 credit hours completed
GPA: 3.37 (cumulative) 3.09 (major)
B.A. Clinical Psychology
A.A. Social Sciences
- Organization Memberships
- Volunteer Experience
- Letters of Recommendation
Will they consider my 2-year GPA?
If I do good at the GRE, will I have a chance?
Will they understand my circumstances?
Answer by monkey
They consider everything. I had issues like you did of not adjusting when I transfered and had a lower GPA. At some schools a good GRE can help with a lower GPA. I think if you apply to some lower ranking grad schools and some better ones you should get in somewhere. Then again a lot of people are going for masters now so I am not 100% sure. Try and see what they say. Yes, you community college GPA will factor in.
Orignal From: Mental Health: Grad School and GPA's?
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