not-so-stellar post-bac grades

[buzzworm]

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I've noticed that some schools allow you to send an additional letter to the admissions committee if you feel that your academic records don't accurately reflect your true potential, and I'm trying to figure out whether I should send one in.

I graduated from college with a fine GPA, but made the mistake of taking extra classes half-time after I graduated, while I was working 50 hours a week. Needless to say, I didn't have enough time to adequately study for all my classes, and I didn't do as well as I would have liked.

Is it worth sending a letter explaining that these grades don't really reflect my potential, or will that just draw unnecessary attention to them? They weren't psych classes, so they I don't think they should have a direct bearing on my ability to handle a psych PhD program.

For the record, most schools do require that I send these grades in, so just pretending they don't exist isn't an option.

 

[Buzzwordsoldier]

I've noticed that some schools allow you to send an additional letter to the admissions committee if you feel that your academic records don't accurately reflect your true potential, and I'm trying to figure out whether I should send one in.

I graduated from college with a fine GPA, but made the mistake of taking extra classes half-time after I graduated, while I was working 50 hours a week. Needless to say, I didn't have enough time to adequately study for all my classes, and I didn't do as well as I would have liked.

Is it worth sending a letter explaining that these grades don't really reflect my potential, or will that just draw unnecessary attention to them? They weren't psych classes, so they I don't think they should have a direct bearing on my ability to handle a psych PhD program.

For the record, most schools do require that I send these grades in, so just pretending they don't exist isn't an option.

My guess is you'd be well-advised to take the opportunity to make some kind of statement explaining how they don't represent your true potential, or what you learned from the experience...something. Have you run this by the professor on the "advice from prof" thread?

 

[edieb]

Do you have to send in the post-bacc grades??? WHy not just send your college trascripts? If you do have to send them in, you will definitely have to explain the grades away. However, admissions are so competitive that you may wish to throw in some safey schools -- I doubt that really competitive programs will accept any explanation.

You may want to do some ancillary things to strengthen your application: Join the APA and your state psychological assciation and note it under "Professional Affiliations" on your c.v., gain some extra clinical experience. If the poor grades were in a psychology course, note on your c.v. that you are re-taking the course this semester, et cetera

I've noticed that some schools allow you to send an additional letter to the admissions committee if you feel that your academic records don't accurately reflect your true potential, and I'm trying to figure out whether I should send one in.

I graduated from college with a fine GPA, but made the mistake of taking extra classes half-time after I graduated, while I was working 50 hours a week. Needless to say, I didn't have enough time to adequately study for all my classes, and I didn't do as well as I would have liked.

Is it worth sending a letter explaining that these grades don't really reflect my potential, or will that just draw unnecessary attention to them? They weren't psych classes, so they I don't think they should have a direct bearing on my ability to handle a psych PhD program.

For the record, most schools do require that I send these grades in, so just pretending they don't exist isn't an option.

 

[hamsterpants]

I've noticed that some schools allow you to send an additional letter to the admissions committee if you feel that your academic records don't accurately reflect your true potential, and I'm trying to figure out whether I should send one in.

I graduated from college with a fine GPA, but made the mistake of taking extra classes half-time after I graduated, while I was working 50 hours a week. Needless to say, I didn't have enough time to adequately study for all my classes, and I didn't do as well as I would have liked.

Is it worth sending a letter explaining that these grades don't really reflect my potential, or will that just draw unnecessary attention to them? They weren't psych classes, so they I don't think they should have a direct bearing on my ability to handle a psych PhD program.

For the record, most schools do require that I send these grades in, so just pretending they don't exist isn't an option.

It's funny, I have the exact opposite problem. not so stellar undergrad GPA but great grades in recent classes. Maybe we are twins! as much as it hurts me to say this, I think they will look at your undergrad first and weigh it most heavily- that (along w/ GREs) is how they make the first cut supposedly. I don't think they make some sort of composite GPA that includes recent classes. In fact, a couple schools wanted me to only send my undergrad transcript and would not accept transcripts for any courses post graduation.

I think you will be fine. and I don't think an additional letter is warranted especially as they are not psych classes and like you said it might draw attention to them.

 

[buzzworm]

Do you have to send in the post-bacc grades??? WHy not just send your college trascripts? If you do have to send them in, you will definitely have to explain the grades away. However, admissions are so competitive that you may wish to throw in some safey schools -- I doubt that really competitive programs will accept any explanation.

You may want to do some ancillary things to strengthen your application: Join the APA and your state psychological assciation and note it under "Professional Affiliations" on your c.v., gain some extra clinical experience. If the poor grades were in a psychology course, note on your c.v. that you are re-taking the course this semester, et cetera

Yep, a lot of schools require that you send all grades, even if they weren't part of your undergrad education. For the ones that didn't explicitly say it, I've called to ask, and they've been split about 50/50 as to whether I need to send them.

Other than this, I'm actually feeling pretty good about my application. I definitely am throwing in a bunch of safeties just in case, though.