I think a high GRE score will offset your low GPA. Furthermore, you still have at least a year left of your undergrad work, so you can improve your GPA by the time you graduate. Try to get your GPA up to 3.5. Take extra electives in classes that you enjoy and that are easy for you. Easy "A's" can also be determined by making a quick visit over to ratemyprofessors.com. With strong letters, strong writing samples, high GRE scores and a very good SOP, you can possibly get into a PhD program with a 3.5ish GPA. ~Karrie
Thanks for your reply! I'll definitely be trying to pull my GPA up...but if I suddenly end up taking easier classes, won't they notice I'm up to something?
Not necessarily. Is it possible to "minor" in something easy? When they see that you're taking a bunch of easy classes, then see on your transcript you earned a minor in it, they will know the reason. If there is no option to "minor" in something, then you're right it might look suspicious. HOWEVER, you can take easy classes that appear difficult. Just do this by researching. Like I said, ratemyprofessors.com is a great resource. ~Karrie
Getting a 3.0 up to 3.5 in two semesters (Spring and Fall, the ones that will show up on applications in a year) is not really possible. After having a 3.0 on 80 credit hours, two semesters worth of courses with a 4.0 in all of them will only raise your GPA to a 3.29. Three semesters of a 4.0 could raise it to a 3.38. It is therefore not possible to raise a 3.0 to a 3.5 by the time the OP graduates unless they delay their graduation, which I don't suggest. Anyway, my point is this - Don't worry about hitting some number, just do your best to get good grades in your remaining classes, continue to focus on research experience, and prepare well for the GRE. I would suggest that you apply to both PhD and Masters programs. Cast your net wide.
You'll have to look into the details of it, but for a lot of science programs, a masters-only route is discouraged. Many schools don't offer an independent masters degree--it's something you earn en-route or if you drop out of the doctoral program after completing a certain level of work. I don't know how things work in bioengineering. Most of the (non-bio) engineers I know have a masters, period
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If it makes you feel any better, you'll most likely have a leg up when it comes to the GRE (at least the general one, which is the only one I have experience in). The quantitative portion, if you know your formulas, is not very difficult. I'm in liberal arts, with almost no focus on math, and very little in science (in fact, science was my worst subject in college), and I did pretty well on the quantitative section, which is what your adcoms will be mostly focused on.
hi hippopatisum cool name I just wanna say that u dont need to worry cause everyone always thinks they do bad but really they're doing well u know what i mean? like u are focusing on the gpa but u should be focuing on the gpa in ur major which is high so u dont need to worry k also when u take the GRE and get good scores then u'll be fine
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~Karrie
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~Karrie
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Anyway, my point is this - Don't worry about hitting some number, just do your best to get good grades in your remaining classes, continue to focus on research experience, and prepare well for the GRE.
I would suggest that you apply to both PhD and Masters programs. Cast your net wide.
Good luck.
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I just wanna say that u dont need to worry cause everyone always thinks they do bad but really they're doing well u know what i mean? like u are focusing on the gpa but u should be focuing on the gpa in ur major which is high so u dont need to worry k also when u take the GRE and get good scores then u'll be fine
dont worry k :)
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