Applying to I/O Psych programs: how to explain low UGPA?

[Engali]

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So I'm in the process of applying for a MA/MS in I/O Psych. Ideally, I would be applying for a Ph.D. program, but I graduated in 2005 from a top 15 liberal arts college with a UGPA of 2.8 and a B.A. in Psychology. I haven't calculated my Psych GPA, but I'm pretty sure it's around 2.8 or lower. I'm applying to a Masters program so that I can show that I've matured enough to be able to handle graduate level course work when I do apply for Ph.D. programs. Enetring into a Masters program will also give me some valuable research experience, which is something I'm currently lacking.

I've e-mailed many programs and the responses I've gotten usually request an explanation for my undegraduate performance in my Statement of Purpose. Some programs have said this is esepcially important for admission consideration since my UGPA doesn't measure up at all against my my GRE scores(V+Q: 1430, V:710, Q: 720, A:5.0).

The issue is that the reasons for my less than stellar UGPA are varied and somewhat personal. I don't want to transcend any professional boundaries and come across as inappropriate in my attempt to explain my UGPA. The single, largest reason for my UGPA was that I had a bad break-up with my then-gf at the end of my junior year. This sent me into a depression that, in retrospect, I really should've sought professional help for. This was compounded by the fact that I had made friends with her friends during our relationship and drifted away from my own friends and, in the break-up, her friends obviously sided with her and I lost a large part of my social support system. I was left trying to patch up the relationships I had neglected with my old social network in my Senior year. All this made having interest in my classes challenging at best. My Psych GPA suffered in particular because I had grown fairly dissatisfied with the direction of my studies. There was a large biological compoenent to a lot of the upper-level classes and this focus really didn't interest me at all. I'm fairly pragmatic and wanted knowledge that was or would be immediately pratcial upon graduation.

Does anyone have any advice on how I should explain my UGPA or if I should even mention it at all? Yes, I have used the search function already. Ive actually browsed through both this and the Psy.D./Ph.D. forums from start to finish as well. Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

 

[Merlin Coryell]

I also suffer from poor choices that led me to an UGPA of about 2.9. In hope of going for a PhD program, it has been suggested that I obtain a masters first, to show doctoral boards that I do have the ability to handle the challenges of academics. Now I feel that I will have to overcome my UGPA just to get into an MA/MS program as well, so I have spent the last 18 months working in the field in treatment centers and community based programs for people with mental health or developmental issues.

I also keep up with reading, and even plan to write some independent papers on research topics of interest, to show that I do have an understanding of the research methods, and have the fortitude to conduct the work needed for such programs, or so I hope the efforts will show.

I would recommend that you either work or volunteer in the field as much as possible, stay up on your reading and writing skills, and perhaps even kill the GRE/PGRE and send those scores in with applications. Also, get some time with valuable references who will be able to write letters for you. These should be people that you have done some fairly direct work with, so they know your abilities and skills fairly well, not a random UG instructor who knows your name.

Thats about all I can think of. From many people I know who have gone back to grad school after breaks, the consensus is that the longer you have been out of UG, the less the GPA counts, and the more weight things such as experience and references carry. Not sure if this is true all the time, but it makes sense; so if you dont get in right away, take some time to work/volunteer and build up your profile outside of your UG career.

Hope this helps, and good luck to us both!

 

[IOPsych]

So I'm in the process of applying for a MA/MS in I/O Psych. Ideally, I would be applying for a Ph.D. program, but I graduated in 2005 from a top 15 liberal arts college with a UGPA of 2.8 and a B.A. in Psychology. I haven't calculated my Psych GPA, but I'm pretty sure it's around 2.8 or lower. I'm applying to a Masters program so that I can show that I've matured enough to be able to handle graduate level course work when I do apply for Ph.D. programs. Enetring into a Masters program will also give me some valuable research experience, which is something I'm currently lacking.

I've e-mailed many programs and the responses I've gotten usually request an explanation for my undegraduate performance in my Statement of Purpose. Some programs have said this is esepcially important for admission consideration since my UGPA doesn't measure up at all against my my GRE scores(V+Q: 1430, V:710, Q: 720, A:5.0).

The issue is that the reasons for my less than stellar UGPA are varied and somewhat personal. I don't want to transcend any professional boundaries and come across as inappropriate in my attempt to explain my UGPA. The single, largest reason for my UGPA was that I had a bad break-up with my then-gf at the end of my junior year. This sent me into a depression that, in retrospect, I really should've sought professional help for. This was compounded by the fact that I had made friends with her friends during our relationship and drifted away from my own friends and, in the break-up, her friends obviously sided with her and I lost a large part of my social support system. I was left trying to patch up the relationships I had neglected with my old social network in my Senior year. All this made having interest in my classes challenging at best. My Psych GPA suffered in particular because I had grown fairly dissatisfied with the direction of my studies. There was a large biological compoenent to a lot of the upper-level classes and this focus really didn't interest me at all. I'm fairly pragmatic and wanted knowledge that was or would be immediately pratcial upon graduation.

Does anyone have any advice on how I should explain my UGPA or if I should even mention it at all? Yes, I have used the search function already. Ive actually browsed through both this and the Psy.D./Ph.D. forums from start to finish as well. Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

I am a 3rd year I/O PhD student and I would definately suggest mentioning it in your SOP, however do not focus on it. I would seriously recommend applying to some PhD programs, yes your UGPA is low, however if they think you are qualified they can put you up for university fellowships (you need around a 1300 total for these) and they do not have to fund you as a program the university funds you. I also second what Merlin said, try to obtain research experience, even if you are volunteering and establish connections with people that can write you stellar letters of rec. I was in a similar situation although my gpa was still in the low 3.4s. I spent an entire year volunteering for free at a consulting firm I contacted and worked with 3 I/O PhDs that ended up writing me very good letters of rec. I ended up applying to 8 schools and got into 4 of them. That GRE should raise some heads, If you can get some research experience and letters of rec I still think you may have a shot at some pretty stellar PhD programs.

The only downside about getting your masters first is when you get into a PhD program only about 9-10 hours will transfer. You end up being in school for 7 years instead of 5. But if you are passionate about it I say go for it. Let me know if I can be of any more help.

Perhaps look into taking one or two masters level psychology courses or higher level undergrad psych courses at your local university as a non-degree seeking student and include those grades in your transcripts to show you are a high quality candidate.
Nick

 

[Engali]

Thanks for the responses. I was hoping to start Fall 2010, but that may not happen anyway because of my lack of research experience. I currently work as a case manager in the non-profit sector. I guess this is related experience to a degree, although it's more slanted towards social work than i/o psych. I have a direct supervisor and a weekly study group supervisor who said they would be able to write me letters of recommendation. I'm looking into getting at least one academic LoR and hopefully I'll get one soon.

I've love to go the Ph.D. route outright, but a lot of the programs I really want to get into have incoming students who, on average, are literally a whole letter grade higher than my UGPA at 3.7/3.8. On the othe hand, I actually misremembered my GRE score(took it last May) and it's really a 1450(V:720, Q:730), so I have ~230 on the average GRE scoree of their incoming students. Maybe the two will cancel each other out. The letters will be fairly strong, bnut i dont know if they will hold much weight since they aren't coming from professors for the most part. I guess it comes down to the SoP. Anyway, thanks for the advice.