Graduating & concerned for grad school

[rl91]

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In a nutshell right now and it's got me anxious, nervous, and all that.

I'm finishing up my last semester of undergrad and applied for graduation this May (walking in May, graduating in Summer due to having to take a major requirement course) and I'm a bit depressed due to my ugly low GPA (around 2.8, I know...) and I'm already planning on taking a year off.

I do plan on applying this coming cycle (UNTHSC, TWU, UTSW, Texas State) I believe it's coming in October. I'm graduating with my BS in Healthcare Studies, working as a PRN PT Tech and have done volunteering and shadowing at another hospital location and also in several organizations (FSA, Pre-PT, AED). I plan on retaking Chem 2 over summer as a retake at CC since I didn't do well and was naive when I took it at a university which I believe really hurt my grade. I'm wondering if it's possible to raise my GPA by this cycle with the retaking over summer, and possibly the time I have between my graduating and the application cycle deadline, if there's still a possibility to raise and apply.

Please help! Need insight :/


Thanks in advance!

 

[obeshy]

There are a few factors to consider. How many credit hours have you earn? I'm going to say retaking one class is not going to raise your GpA very much. You can have a rough idea by adding 4 credit hours to the total and let's get you get an A, add 16 quality points, then calculate your gpa. You have to ace this semester and maybe even take more classes this summer. It's possible though.

Remember that PTCAS calculates GPA differently. They take into account all classes and the majority of programs use that gpa. You should check to see which gpa your top programs take. I applied this year and was insta-denied from some schools due to low ptcas gpa. However, some schools looked at my transcripts and evaluated how I performed when I graduated (2.81) and how I was currently doing (3.89). Which is why I know raising a 2.8 gpa above 3.0 is tough! The good news is I got in so I know that it's possible. Just work as hard as you can do get straight As.

 

[situational]

Retake as many Cs or Bs as you can for As. It's your best shot. With a 2.8 GPA, most schools will just toss your application out since the minimum requirement for overall and prerequisites are both 3.0

 

[starrsgirl]

Honestly I was in this situation last cycle. I retook a ton of classes over the summer and planned more in the fall. I knew that with my fall classes I was
Going to be at a 3.0 but because these classes were in progress I clearly wasn't above that line at time of application. For me, it took about 9 classes to bring my gpa up. I figured out that for me each A only brough my gpa up a few hundredths.

Knowing what I know now, I wish I had just not applied last year as I am very certain I was automatically rejected right out of the gate on gpa. I would have saved a ton of money, hours and heartache.

 

[rltruong]

since the schools your applying to do not use PTCAS you won't have to worry about applying during the summer like everyone else around the country. but you GPA is really low and you need to retake as many pre req as possible to raise it up. retake anything you have a C in. you may need to cast a bigger net of schools. those 4 that you mentioned rarely even look at an app below 3.2-3.4.

 

[rl91]

@rltroung

since the schools your applying to do not use PTCAS you won't have to worry about applying during the summer like everyone else around the country. but you GPA is really low and you need to retake as many pre req as possible to raise it up. retake anything you have a C in. you may need to cast a bigger net of schools. those 4 that you mentioned rarely even look at an app below 3.2-3.4.

Honestly I was in this situation last cycle. I retook a ton of classes over the summer and planned more in the fall. I knew that with my fall classes I was
Going to be at a 3.0 but because these classes were in progress I clearly wasn't above that line at time of application. For me, it took about 9 classes to bring my gpa up. I figured out that for me each A only brough my gpa up a few hundredths.

Knowing what I know now, I wish I had just not applied last year as I am very certain I was automatically rejected right out of the gate on gpa. I would have saved a ton of money, hours and heartache.

There are a few factors to consider. How many credit hours have you earn? I'm going to say retaking one class is not going to raise your GpA very much. You can have a rough idea by adding 4 credit hours to the total and let's get you get an A, add 16 quality points, then calculate your gpa. You have to ace this semester and maybe even take more classes this summer. It's possible though.

Remember that PTCAS calculates GPA differently. They take into account all classes and the majority of programs use that gpa. You should check to see which gpa your top programs take. I applied this year and was insta-denied from some schools due to low ptcas gpa. However, some schools looked at my transcripts and evaluated how I performed when I graduated (2.81) and how I was currently doing (3.89). Which is why I know raising a 2.8 gpa above 3.0 is tough! The good news is I got in so I know that it's possible. Just work as hard as you can do get straight As.

Yeah, it is a lot of stress and pressure. Well, this GPA (2.8) is the GPA I have at my university since I did transfer from a community with a 3.5+ I believe. Since I have to send in both transcripts, when I apply, wouldn't my GPA come out above 3.0? I do plan on taking other re-takes on top of Chem if I need to.

 

[rl91]

Btw, thank you all for your insights and responses again! Giving me perspective and points to look at and work at. I'm pretty determined to apply by this October though 🙁 :/

 

[starrsgirl]

Sit down and do the math now so you know exactly. It all depends on how many credits you have from each place.