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Getting a bunch of As in lower-division classes after you finish your bachelor's degree won't exactly do much to convince gradcoms that you're ready for graduate work... so, no. It's not like you just list your GPA on a sheet - you're required to submit transcripts from every institution attended. Gradcoms will easily see that your GPA has been inflated.

Relevant work experience will help. So will distance from your modest academic performance - the longer the track record of quality work/research you have between graduation and application, the less weight applied to GPA.

ConsideringGrad

"First of all, probably not. Even lower-tier universities will probably want a PhD candidate to have at least a 3.0, or even at least a 2.8+.

Second of all…you don't want to go to a no-name university for your PhD. You will have very small chances of getting a job in the field."

1.Would it be better to raise your GPA to 2.8 from 2.65 by attending school for one more semester? Or would it be better to go to a low Masters program then excel to have a chance at high PhD?

2. If you go to low PhD but then get out with a Masters can you use that to go to a high PhD? (I heard some people don't complete the PhD but get a Masters out of it, so essentially getting the Masters without paying for it like you normally have to)

3. I've seen some people working on their PhD (PhD candidate) but don't live at campus and have a job somewhere else. How can you do this? I guess one disadvantage pointed out at PhD track is that you don't earn much money, but if you can have a job and not live on campus then I guess it's something I would like to do.

ConsideringGrad

I heard that even if your MA is low ranked, as long as your research is good enough at that MA you might have a chance at a good PhD program. Is that wrong?

somemom

PhD PIs want some one who will do solid research. Can you live & work near a solid mid-range master's level university, volunteer with a professor in your area of interest, get his/her endorsement. This might allow you a probationary admission to a masters, even with your sub 3.0 GPA.

You would then need to prove yourself. Maybe you had a bad time in your freshman year so your GPA is bad? Maybe you had some sort of problem which distracted you and caused poor attendance and poor grades? The big question is WHY is your GPA low? And more importantly, have you fixed that?

If you can get into a solid mid-range Masters, then you have to ace the entire thing, all As, great teaching (if the campus allows/requires that), great research, great connections with your professors. Make them love you. THEN apply to PhD programs.

Simply put, you screwed up in undergrad, now prove you have fixed that problem, prove through a two year masters that you are stable and solid in this "new you," prove that you are worth the risk to a PhD prof. He/she would be spending their funding money on you, they need to know you are not a waste of money and time.

ConsideringGrad

somemom, thank you very much. "Can you live & work near a solid mid-range master's level university, volunteer with a professor in your area of interest, get his/her endorsement. This might allow you a probationary admission to a masters, even with your sub 3.0 GPA." This seems like a good idea.

ConsideringGrad

Could even 2.65 GPA get a probationary admission? Is that not too low?

lookingforward

Lightning does sometimes strike- but it's more than gpa. They have to want you for a host of reasons- and we don't know your selling points. I don't think we even know your major. Or, where you flubbed the gpa. Tell us why grad level profs would want to work with you. How would you present yourself? If I could generalize, I'd say: for UG, they're looking for your potential, as evidenced by your hs record (incl activities.) For G, they're looking for evidence of success in your academic arena (and the skills/tools to go further) in your specific focus. Have you spoken yet with your current profs?

somemom

If you are near a school where you may wish to matriculate for a master's, then take some time, find a professor, volunteer in his research and prove that you are worth the risk. Get that professor to support your master's app, prove that whatever caused your GPA issues has been resolved.

SharpieMarker

My current thesis adviser had a similar situation. Finished bottom 1/3 in his class with around a 2.5 gpa from a top 10 undergraduate focused school...

... After some job work he hated he begged and pleaded (not literally but you know) with UMich and did amazing on his GRE. He got in on probation, worked his ass off, got his Masters. Went to Penn State got his PhD. Now is a tenured professor with 15 years industry experience before academia, oh and he has a startup company that has secured a few million in funding over the years.

So yes, ANYTHING is possible. Figure out a way and you can do it. Why would you go to a low tier school with students who don't care as much? Go to a GREAT school with people who are passionate and want to achieve great things.