love biology...low undergrad gpa...considering grad school? - (Jun/12/2008 )
i absolutely love biology and research. i attended a top university in california and majored in cell and molecular biology - i minored in biotechnology.
because i was a transfer student, i had alot of classes to complete in a short amount of time. i spent 2 years in a community college and 2 years at my university. i finished my degree in four years while i was working. sometimes i was taking up to three science classes + labs and 1 ge class and working in a lab at the same time.
i never partied and went out for fun. i was always either in class, studying, at working, sleeping or eating.
but, i did it because i love molecular biology. because i was psuhing myself to finished many classes in a short amount of time and devoting up to 20hours a week at work, my gpa suffered.
my cummulative is about 2.9
my biology gpa is about 2.3
i am working for a top biotech company right now, can provide excellent letters of reccommendation.
the only thing holding me back is the fact that i have an awful undergrad gpa and i failed organic chem.
is grad school at san jose state even a possibilty for me or am i just dreaming......................... 
i dont have anyone to talk to about my problems......any comments, support, personal experiences appreciated.
thank you!!!
You'll never know if you never ask...
Contact a number of your top-choice schools, with a letter from your employer, and see what they say. You might have to do some bridging course so they can see you have the skills required to complete the degree.
I'm totally in the same position as you.. I'm not even kidding.
My undergrad GPA was the same as your's, and I am trying so hard to get into grad school for microbiology. I applied to about 7 schools for the upcoming fall 2008 semester, and got rejected by all of them 
I've been working as a full time researcher at The University of Pennsylvania for the past year and a half. My PI and a former professor wrote me great recommendation letters, but because my grades weren't that hot and my GRE score was kind of meh, nothing helped me.
BUT... you should know that if this was a few years ago, you and I would get in to grad school with no problem. There is a financial crisis everywhere and grant money is very tight. For example, UPenn, which is an ivy league institution, normally accepts about 100 or so grad students every year into their cell/molecular biology grad program. This year, it's much much less... all because of a lack of funding. This is happening everywhere. So this means that the people that are being accepted are the best of the best of the best of the best of the best (4.0 GPA, 1600 GRE score, at least one published paper). Several of the schools I applied to didn't take any grad students at all for next year!
I will try again next fall. In the mean time, I will retake those effing GRE's and take the subject GRE in biology.
I think you could very well get in to grad school. It may not be your top choice, but it can be done. The experience you are getting now is priceless. There are so many entering grad students that probably never did a restriction digestion of DNA, or even ran an agarose gel. I believe grades and test scores only say so much about someone. Showing your determination and commitment to science really says a lot about you to admissions committees.
-Andrew
may try oversea...Britain, Australia, Germany, Singapore
i dont have anyone to talk to about my problems......any comments, support, personal experiences appreciated.
thank you!!!
Why don't you approach the school directly (by which I mean in person)? I know quite a few people who eventually got into grad school despite low marks because they were very proactive and persistent. It takes more than just filling in applications, sending them off, and keeping your fingers crossed: make an appointment to speak with a graduate officer or someone in admissions to explain your situation, and ask what you would need to do to get in. Emphasize that you are willing to do whatever it takes. Importantly, don't make excuses for your marks (no one likes hearing excuses, and besides, that would be focusing on the negative), and instead make a solid case for yourself that you are now an excellent candidate for graduate school. They will only give you a chance if you make an excellent impression, so make sure your meeting is face-to-face, and that you present yourself as someone that would be an asset to their grad program.
I also know others who took the round-about route of working as a lab tech for a year or so to really get a few profs from the department, on their side, and the professors' letters of recommendation were enough to counter an abysmal record as an undergrad.
I wish you all the best,
Ginger
My suggestion: try to work hard and smart to get your name on one or two publications in which you have made significant contribution to the work. Experience counts.
Also, try to look for any opportunity within your same institute if possible (For phillyandrew).
Also, try to look for any opportunity within your same institute if possible (For phillyandrew).
i actually have been published twice - once at school and once at nasa where i interned
then, i also got a patent at work
i feel like i am the perfect candidate besides my grades
Also, try to look for any opportunity within your same institute if possible (For phillyandrew).
i actually have been published twice - once at school and once at nasa where i interned
then, i also got a patent at work
i feel like i am the perfect candidate besides my grades
You really need to get in contact with professors in person, so that you can tell them everything. I think they will like you afterwards. Each department has a professor who is in charge of graduate program. Dont worry, they dont bite.
as everybody is saying, give it a try.
Biology is still very large hands on component. A high GPA will not mean you are any good at microinjections, tissue straining or micro disection. So go ahead and give it a go.
I feel hopeless.....but I'll still keep trying!