B.S. in Psychology but too low of a gpa to get masters...now what?

[Kls2303]

Hello, I am brand new to this. I have a BS in Psychology but a 2.7 gpa, all the colleges I have looked at require a minimum of a 3.0 to get into a graduate program. I have applied to jobs in the meantime but don't know what to do now...

 

[xisnotx]

Me too...I have no advice.

Work hard?

More importantly, work smart?

 

[panic in paradise]

Have you ever heard of the psychological analysis field of Corporate Psychoanalysis? That is a much needed, but rare, part of a corporate team. It is also a field of profession that is made most successful, personally, as it leaves you open to work with numerous franchises in a free-agent type manner. Usually there is a group and this is not done alone, which is beneficial in many ways.

Seems like the sort of thing that you could get your foot in the door with, showing genuine interest, with a lesser degree of accreditation and begin to build a reputation for yourself; which in the long run does mean more.

_________
"Career paths in psychoanalysis range more widely than one might think."
APA

 

[Lysis]

Rock the GRE (is it the GRE you have to take for psych?), get some work experience, and get someone who can write an awesome personal statement. Get some great referrals too.

I know someone who charged someone $200 to write his personal statement. He had been on academic probation for a time, so his GPA was low. Now, it was because he was sick, but still.... He got accepted. So, it's not totally outside of the realm of possible. You probably won't get your first choice in schools, but it's still not impossible.

 

[xstayfadedx]

Yeah, don't worry.... just write a personal statement and give a hell enough good of an explanation why you got the gpa... and just make them believe on you. Also get some work experience... I'm going to start working at a group home when I have my BA in psychology and this will give me experience working with the kids. Not only that a lot of group homes will pay their employees masters off. Just do your job right and get great referrals and you can even work with probation... yeah, yeah probation but there are not many options when having only a BA. Good luck!

 

[guerrilla]

There will be a pre-screening based on GPA and standardized test scores. In my field (which is not psychology), good schools won't look at your full application because your GPA is too low. So just getting good references and working extensively on a personal statement is a waste of time.

I think the following may work. Get a job. Then, do some addictional course work in a program that is accessible to you. Like, take a few evening classes. Good grades there coupled with strong GRE scores may be enough to compel admissions to take a closer look at your applications.

 

[RobotRipping]

GPA doesn't mean everything as mentioned above you can get in with really high test scores and great referrals. I was in the same position while applying to law school and that was the case, i'd have to score high on the LSATs and i would have got in no problem. Never ended up doing that though but i'm sure the same applies in your case.

there's no work for someone with a bsc in psych, psych is the most popular major, so it's oversaturated the work field.

 

[InvisibleEye]

You might want to get an additional diploma in something that is relevant to your BSc - maybe human resources management, social work, education,... anything that allows you to apply what you have learned in Psychology to other fields.

It doesn't have to be a 90 or 120-credit program, a lot of universities offer 30-credit programs that can really help you get a job that is close to your personal interests.

If you're interested in pursuing a masters degree, have you considered becoming a specialized librarian? Library/information sciences are an interesting avenue if you want to stay involved in the academic world. All university libraries have specialized librarians, and the working conditions are very good. I have a few friends who chose to pursue a masters in Library Science after getting their BA/BSc, and they don't regret making that choice at all. The pre-screening doesn't seem to be all that tight, so getting good referrals and a writing a great motivation letter might get you in even if you have a low GPA.

 

[Jerry Atrick]

Hello, I am brand new to this. I have a BS in Psychology but a 2.7 gpa, all the colleges I have looked at require a minimum of a 3.0 to get into a graduate program. I have applied to jobs in the meantime but don't know what to do now...

I've applied to half dozen or so grad schools pursuing education in the social sciences. On one or two of the applications I recall being prompted to write an essay explaining why the applicant did not meet one of the pre-requisites for entry into the program. This essay, however, was the exception....not the norm. Most of the applications did not give the applicant the opportunity to explain his or herself.

I recommend you just ask. Go to a university's website, find the program you want to apply to, look up the number to their office, and call them. You don't even have to tell them your name. Simply ask if, on the application, they give you the opportunity to explain a low GPA. The answer may be yes or no but you won't know until you ask.

If the answer is no then you still may be able to work it into your Statement of Purpose. I would get help from your undergraduate advisor on writing your Statement of Purpose.

I DO NOT recommend having someone else write the SoP for you as that would be academic dishonesty and would make you subject to having your application thrown out. Word spreads fast in the academic world. Burn a bridge and it could haunt you for a while. Besides, wtf are you applying to grad school for if you can't write an essay about yourself? In the social sciences....ALL YOU FUCKING DO IS WRITE! If you can't write a brief essay about yourself then you have no business even applying to grad school because they'll weed your ass out quickly. LOL :D

 

[Kls2303]

Thank you, I am researching this field. It really works out because I am very interested already in psychoanalysis.

 

[double ewe]

take part-time classes as close to your desired masters program as possible. some universities will even let you take graduate level courses part-time without admission to a degree-granting program, and will transfer the credits if you're admitted. the thing about bad grades as an undergrad is that everything good you do afterwards reduces their impact on your future. and people (especially university administrators) understand that even smart, hard-working students sometimes screw up in college. so if you had a lackluster sophomore year, but are now kicking ass in graduate level courses, the admissions office is going to pay more attention to the kicking ass than something that happened many years prior. this will show not only competence, but commitment, which is also a big deal in graduate admissions.

an even more specific recommendation, if you're looking at psych programs, is to take some research-related statistics courses (preferably including some SPSS). proving yourself there will be extra impressive, since it's an area where a lot of social science people burn out. as others have said, any related work experience helps (internship, research assistant, etc), as does a good GRE.

i had a sub-3.0 BS in psyc as well, and decided i wanted to work in math instead. took advanced undergrad/first-year grad classes part-time to prove myself, got admitted to a masters program in applied math, and now work in mathematical finance. a good friend of mine who majored in history and recreational drugs spent a couple post-grad years taking bio and chem, aced the MCAT, and is now in his fourth year at one of the best med schools in the country. shit's not quick or easy, but it's definitely doable.

 

[SarahU]

I was unable to further my education after my BA in psychology, due to budget restraints. I went into social work instead.

 

[maynard29607]

Are you finding satisfaction with social work? I got a BS in psychology as well. My GPA was good, but my GRE was pretty low. I applied for Occupational Therapy Masters programs and was accepted to 2 of the 3. I did not pay any mind to budget restraints. Now as a graduate, I have both much higher earning potential and much higher debt.

I am not considering any other degree programs, but certifications closely related to my field have been low cost and have also boosted earning potential. Have you considered anything like that?

 

[Pretty_Diamonds]

Take the GRE! There are two parts, general and subject. Take both. Most schools only require the general but if you take the subject you can show how much you DO know about psychology which will make your GPA look a lot better. Also, don't forget recommendation letters and your statement will go a long way. Do you have a reason why your GPA is low? Can you get a lot of letters? More than 3? From psychology professors?

If not, there's always next year! I'm going through the same thing but with a 3.1 GPA so I feel you! Get a job in the field and it'll really spice up your CV to increase your chances next year.