If you understand the competitive nature of grad school acceptances, you might be feeling a little stressed if you have anything but straight As on your transcript. Don’t worry! As someone who got into graduate school with an F on their transcript, I’m here to tell you that there are ways around subpar grades.
I want to kick this blog post off by saying first, grades do NOT define intelligence. As an undergraduate student, it can be so easy to compare yourself to others. Even when it comes to your classmates who might have the same goal in mind: getting into grad school. However, your educational experience is unique to YOU and should be celebrated as such. Even if that means you have a B or C average.
Now, when it comes to getting into grad school, most universities and programs look at students from a holistic point of view. That means grades are not the only determining factor. Keeping that in mind, if you know that you’re not going to get straight As, there are plenty of other ways you can strengthen your application to ensure that you are a strong candidate for any grad program!
1. Gain experience in your field.
Think about your future career and the industry that you want to work in. There are often ample opportunities for undergraduate students to gain hands-on experience while still in school. These opportunities usually show up as internships, study abroad trips, research studies, and more! Make sure to speak with your academic advisor or your school’s career exploration office. They are going to be the best resources to help you find those awesome field experiences you’re looking for.
If working during school just isn’t possible, but you still want to gain some hands-on experience, you should consider taking a gap year! If you’re interested in taking some time away from school, check out my blog post about the benefits of a gap year here.
2. participate in community volunteer work.
Volunteer work is a great way to give back to the community you’re involved in. This type of work doesn’t have to be directly related to your potential career field. Graduate schools love to see applications that are selfless with their time and are actively trying to make a difference in the community. For example, you could participate in a food drive, play games with residents at a nursing home, or pick up trash on the side of the highway. Find something that you genuinely enjoy doing. If you volunteer 4 hours of your time each month, every month, for the four years you’re in school, you’ll clock almost 200 hours of volunteer time that you can add to your resume!
3. Write about it in your personal statement.
The people reviewing your application materials are human too. If it ties into the prompt or question being asked, feel free to take some time to address the grades in your personal statement. Some programs also allow a letter of explanation, which is an additional document you’ll be able to submit explaining the lower grade point average. Not every program has this option though, so I recommend at least addressing it in your letter of intent or personal statement.
When you are sitting down to write your statement, be careful with how you are conveying this message. You don’t want to sound like a victim or like you’re making excuses for the low GPA. Rather you want to show that you can recognize past mistakes, develop an action plan to avoid those mistakes in the future, and explain to the university how being a part of their program can help you achieve those goals in your action plan!
4. Try to boost your GPA through elective courses.
Everyone has to take a certain amount of credits to earn their bachelor’s degree. Sometimes those credits can be filled with elective courses! If you have the opportunity, seek out a course that you know would be an easy A to help boost that GPA! Now you shouldn’t just flip through the course catalog and pick the first random class you see. I’d recommend putting a little thought behind it.
For example, if you’re a STEM major, but you decide to take a semester-long meditation course, some might question why. You know deep down it’s to boost that GPA. If someone asks, you could explain to them that grad school is going to require a lot of commitment both mentally and physically, so you thought it would be a good idea to learn some stress management techniques before pursuing a master’s degree. It’s a win-win situation!
5. Focus on your entrance exam.
You might be at the point in your undergraduate career where you have one semester left to boost your GPA. If it doesn’t seem like it’s going to budge, focus on getting a good score on your entrance exam. Most graduate programs require the GRE (Graduate Record Examinations). Some specific programs might require other exams, so pay attention to the requirements of your specific program. You should build a study plan and start early to prepare for the exam!
6. Build a rapport with professors.
Most, if not all graduate schools will require some sort of recommendation from trusted people in your life. Establishing a good relationship with your professors early on is key to getting a strong letter of recommendation. Some ways that you can do this are through simple introductions, staying engaged in class, or attending office hours. Some programs might require a certain number of academic references, so be sure to keep that in mind. Other times, you can just provide professional references. These letters can come from work supervisors, an athletic coach, an academic advisor, or any other trusted source that can vouch for you and why you would make a great graduate school candidate.
7. Find the right graduate program for you!
In terms of admission requirements, not every program is set up the exact same. Schools and programs can even vary from the way they instruct their courses to their academic areas of interest. Finding the right program where you meet a majority of the admissions requirements and is a good fit for all of your needs can be a daunting task, but it’s worth the effort!