Job Discussion Forums

MikeySaid · Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 509 Location: Torreon, Mexico

So I didn't take school very seriously, especially when I first got going. While I was aware that a low GPA was frowned upon, it was the least of my worries while I attempted to figure out what I would do with my life. Now I'm 27, I've been out of university for four years, and I want to study a master's in either applied linguistics or speech pathology.

The thing is, my GPA is a good solid point below what is considered the minimum for just about every respectable program. And while I understand that respectable programs want respectable students, I really am. It's just that 7 or 8 years ago I was a lazy kid without much direction in terms of career and when I didn't like a class or found it to be outside my area of interest, I often disregarded it and passed it simply to get it out of the way or put it off for things like a job that I actually enjoyed or to smoke or drink with friends. Yes, very irresponsible, thanks for pointing that out.

What I'm trying to figure out and haven't been able to do so on my own with Google searches is this:

What on earth does someone like me do to get himself into a program that isn't at the University of Phoenix?

Note: 2.1 GPA over six years. Great letters of recommendation available, still slightly disorganized but always improving.

jpvanderwerf2001 · Joined: 02 Oct 2003 Posts: 1117 Location: New York

Dude. I feel your pain. I finished my undergrad ten years ago with a less-than-stellar GPA (for many of the same reasons as yourself I suppose), slightly above 2.5.
I am in the process of applying for grad schools, and can tell you that experience is the golden ticket that can/will get you into the promised land. Let the schools know what relevant work experience you've had since you left college, and how you've reformed your lazy ways, etc. You know the drill.
I have, admittedly, only been looking at online programs for geographic reasons, but have had positive feedback from the grad schools I've contacted thus far. Hope to be starting by fall.
Best of luck!

johnslat · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 12:16 am Post subject:

Dear MickeySaid,
Here's what I found on the Net:

1. "The old joke is that you only have to worry about getting into grad school if your GPA is from 3.1-3.5. If it's above 3.5, you don't really need to worry. If it's below 3.1, you ... don't really need to worry.

Seriously, though, my GPA was not very high (higher than yours), and here I am in grad school. I don't know what grad school is like for CS people, but the main factor for me was to demonstrate that I could do what it is that would be required of me in grad school (research). Note that I got my not so magnificent GPA from a very good school, and that I got rejected a LOT.

It's possible, but not easy.

2. One way to overcome a low undergraduate GPA is to establish a new, higher GPA. Find a community college and take classes, either toward another degree (associate's?) or not. If you lived in Boston, for example, you could enroll in night classes at Harvard Extension School and study whatever you like. Admissions departments recognize maturity; if you can show them a recent year of straight-A's, they'll give less weight to your 5-year-old 2.1.

3. i had a 2.01 undergrad gpa. ok scores on the lsat. i had no problem getting into grad school.

http://ask.metafilter.com/61708/Do-I-have-a-chance-of-getting-into-grad-school

4. Don't worry. There is always a "back door" into graduate school.

I had a very poor undergraduate GPA of 2.1. It was a combination of my parents forcing me to go to college right away after high school (I should have gone to work and learned hard life lessons instead), I was lost as to what I wanted to do with my life, I got very depressed (my parents kept telling me if I took any time off I'd never finish...I should have taken time off), and I ended up hanging out with other "lost" students not focused students. I did pretty good in my CS studies, but over all I just coasted without a rudder. Without direction.

After I finished my BS CS I went to work. I had a hard time finding work, but I managed. I ended up working for a couple of well known top companies. I started feeling excited about software engineering and started to feel like I had found my direction. It was then I vowed to redeem my academic pride (I had never been a bad student until most lost undergrad years).

I found a respected institution (no not a top 10 school, but not a for-profit edu-school either). By asking I found out they'd allow one to take a number of courses first, without matriculation, and use that GPA for your entrance GPA requirement. So I went for it! It was a gamble. If I was truly an idiot and wasn't able to maintain 3.0+ GPA then I would lose thousands of dollars of my own money.

Well, after a year and a half of part-time evening classes, my substantial real world resume, and thousands of dollars I was able to file for matriculation. I was granted probationary matriculation. I worked hard for another year and was finally taken off of academic probation. I went on to graduate with a 3.5 GPA.

I also have known other people that have continued to take undergrad classes to bolster their GPA.

If you want it bad enough you can do it. Of course with a bad GPA you will have to work HARD and jump through hoops. You have to earn the academic respect first.

http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:CzVm-xidPlQJ:discuss.joelonsoftware.com/default.asp%3Fjoel.3.647831.28+My+GPA+is+2.1+can+I+get+into+grad+school&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7&gl=us

Hope this helps.
Regards,
John

MikeySaid · Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 509 Location: Torreon, Mexico

Thanks John,

I talked to someone at Arizona State and someone else at Northern Arizona today and they both told me that since there are some pre-requisities (seven, actually) that I should just get there and enroll as a non-degree seeking student for my pre-req's and demonstrate that I can knock out high marks and then with those in place take the GRE and apply.

Now it's just a matter of deciding:

Speech Pathology or Applied Linguistics?

johnslat · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 2:28 am Post subject:

Dear MickeySaid,
Depends on which interest you more, I suppose. But for EFL, Applied Linguistics would probably be the better choice, especially is you ever plan to take your MA to the Middle East.
Regards,
John

MikeySaid · Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 509 Location: Torreon, Mexico

While I've got lots of side interests and a few silly ideas about how to make big money later in life, I suppose I really want the best of both kinds of programs.

I've asked in the past and done research but haven't really seen much in terms of accent reduction/modification in any TESOL programs.

Obviously pronunciation is part of teaching language, but I'm specifically interested in having the expertise necessary to charge people for accent coaching and things of the sort.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

johnslat · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 2:31 pm Post subject:

Dear JZer,
Not me - I dropped out in '63, went back in 72, when I was twenty-nine years old. It was so much better the second time around. I can still easily recall how some of my teachers (especially in Semantics and Linguistics)
presented ideas that fascinate me to this day.
Regards,
John

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 2:46 pm Post subject:

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

MikeySaid · Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 509 Location: Torreon, Mexico

johnslat,

In your experience what Master's degree has the highest earning potential?

Applied Linguistics/TESOL? English? Some other area of Linguistics?

I'd like very much to be able to earn well in the US in the same field as while abroad. Right now when I go back I'll probably end up flipping burgers in Phoenix or Tempe since a BA and TEFL cert doesn't seem to be enough for jobs in the already tough US job market.

johnslat · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 11:32 pm Post subject:

Dear MickeySaid,
Well, if you plan to make EFL/ESL your life, an MA in TESOL would likely be the wise choice.
If you plan to use your MA in EFL/ESL for a while but then switch back to teaching at home, then I believe an MA in Applied Linguistics or Speech Pathology would be better.
As far as highest earning potential, in EFL, to the best of my knowledge, an MA in TESOL or Applied Linguistics would fetch about the same most places.
Regards,
John

hollysuel · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 225 Location: Connecticut, USA

I went in as an 'unclassified graduate student' and then took all the classes for the first semester MA TESOL. After they got to know me and I did the work and did it well the first semester, I was accepted into the program. I know others that did the same as well... Good luck!

Chancellor · Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:58 pm Post subject:

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

You might also want to think about an MA in education in general - opens doors across fields, in some cases, though it's so un-general that it might not help in some cases...