Low(ish) GPA

[GeoffO]

A question....

I am still an undergrad with a little more than a semester left.
My question is how much does your GPA really weigh in the admission process?
I am looking to apply to both MSW and Psy.D programs which I'm sure have different GPA requirements. What I'm scared of is being 'weeded out' in the first round of applicant admissions regardless of my other attributes. I have very strong letters of recommendation, lots of sought after experience and research among other things. I am confident of my interviewing abilities as well.

Will schools look past a slightly low undergrad GPA?

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[EquestriAnn]

What is "slightly low"? On this board, it very well may be a 3.7 (gasp!)

 

[quistyliz]

Many programs' admission webpages will list cutoffs - GPAs below which they will not consider your application. If your GPA is above a cutoff, you at least won't automatically be disqualified. From that point on, it's just a matter of showcasing your other qualifications. Letters of recommendation that comment on whether your grades reflect your ability are especially helpful!

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Low is like 3.0-3.3. I believe the average incoming GPA is around 3.5-3.6. There are so many applicants that programs like to use cut offs to thin the herd. If you are towards the lower end, you may want to take some courses over the summer time and/or fall to bump it up a bit. Is a 3.6 better than a 3.5 applicant....probably not, but will they be more likely to look at a 3.6 instead of a 3.0....most likely. If you are strong in your other areas (particularly your GRE), you can off-set your GPA.

As long as your make the minimum GPA cutoff, you may want to turn your focus more on the GRE and hope that it evens out a lower GPA because you are working against 120 credits, so it would take multiple classes to even make a dent in your GPA. I believe this question came up recently in the DCT thread, which should be somewhere on the first page (it is one of the longer threads).

 

[ohiopsychology]

I have served on the admissions committee for a clinical phd program. We have a formula we use that includes the GPA and the GRE scores. So if your GPA is low and you have a high GRE, then you can make it past the first round. I have also seen people who have communicated with professors prior to admissions, got kicked out of the selection in the first round, and then brought back in by the person they were communicating with and accepted. Admissions is very subjective.

 

[lilies05]

ohiopsychology - could you please share that formula so we can have an idea of how high your gre needs to be to offset a certain gpa, etc?

or at least tell us what gre offsets a 3.3, 3.4, 3.5 etc?

thank you!!

 

[psypsypsy]

ohiopsychology - could you please share that formula so we can have an idea of how high your gre needs to be to offset a certain gpa, etc?

or at least tell us what gre offsets a 3.3, 3.4, 3.5 etc?

thank you!!

I'm not ohiopsychology by my school also uses a cutoff in terms of what applications they look at. It's called the Goldberg Index, and this is how it works:

(Verbal GRE+Math GRE)/200 +Undergrad GPA.

So, the absolute top possible would be a 12.0. I think that my school looks at any Goldberg scores over 9.5 (which is equivalent to 1200 Combined GRE and 3.5 GPA). Having a 9.5 won't necessarily get you in (neither will an 11.5) but it will get your file examined by the admissions committee.

 

[Psyched77]

How many of us neurotic people who have already been accepted just put their GPA & GRE through that index?!?! (I swear...the application/admission process triggers its own mental illness!)

 

[cara susanna]

Gahhh, I'm a 9.3! How unfair is that? D:

 

[Ollie123]

Here's the formula Wisconsin-Madison uses. I looked it up since I remembered seeing it when I applied there.

(a) [(Undergraduate GPA) x (393.9)] + [(GRE verbal score) + (GRE quantitative score)] must be equal to or greater than 2600

 

[psypsypsy]

Gahhh, I'm a 9.3! How unfair is that? D:

Well, I should add that someone looks at absolutely every application, regardless of your score. Having that magic 9.5 will get you the full treatment by the admissions committee, but they have one admissions committee member go through all of the ones below afterwards that don't meet it and pull out any that they think are absolutely outstanding to get the full treatment. I think there are usually 1-2 people who get an offer from that. However, I think the rest of your application has to be pretty spectacular to get that interview (better than the people who meet the cutoff), but it's definitely still possible.

 

[angee]

Dear All,
I post this some of yours Pm but havent get a response yet. so asked all of you..

I need your opinion about my chance to get into a PHd in clinical psy.
here in my country it is not easy to get high grades. there are some weird expactations on this grading issue.
I have a 76/100 undergraduate gpa- some advisors told me that its ineffective to translate this to a 4.00 scale.
-And 3.67/4.00 graduate(clinical) gpa.(program was nonthesis but we have to complete a research)
there are different views about whether undergraduate or graduate gpa is take into account..
I am sooo motivated for a phd..and left a quite well career path for this preparing processes.
after my graduation for several reasons ı began to serve as an organizational management consultant..
I worked for wellknown international firms. I have many certifications some of them is international. (gestalt therapy, EMDR, hynopsis etc) while working. I have a successfull work experience as a management consultant, giving coaching and involved to feedbacks of hundreds psychological tests' feedback..

when ı looked at statics of applications they all have min 3.60 gpa..
considering my undergrad gpa whats my chance with this background? ı am still preparing for toefl and gre. assuming that ı can manage to hold a very good gre -hoping so badly- (maybe 650+ verbal and quant 750) what will be my chance..I sometimes feel like working for nothing with this gpa ..(remindering that ı have no publication)
briefly, do ı have a chance for a good program??

your advices welcomed..and congrats to all new starters to a PHd hope to hear the same good news next year :S