BSU Quant Psy Masters Program

Graduate School
1

Hello, I am thinking of applying to a quantitative psychology masters program at Ball State University. This program is fairly new and they do not have a gpa requirement to apply to their specific program however there is a 2.75 gpa requirement to apply to their graduate school. I have a cumulative 3.0 gpa with a 3.2 gpa in my major of psychology. My gpa would have been higher had I not attempted to pursue a biopsych degree as an undergraduate. When I was a biopsych major I was taking chemistry and physics at the same time and because of this my gpa dropped dramatically. Will my explanation of this in my personal statement help with my application. Also the quantitative psych program is research focused and I do have research experience and have a 3.8 gpa in classes that I’ve taken relating to research in psychology. I also presented at 2 professional conferences and one competition. I also won an award relating to research. I am discouraged in applying because my last 2 years of undergrad weren’t that great due to taking the chemistry and physics that I previously mentioned. Will the fact that this program is new and doesn’t have a gpa requirement give me a better chance at getting in compared to some other programs that have been established for sometime? And will my final 2 years not being that well affect my chances of getting in?

Thank you.

2

Yes, sometimes newer programs are a bit easier to get into, as the word of the program spreads and before they attract lots of applicants. This really depends on the program - a new program at Stanford or Michigan, for example, might be competitive from jump. But at Ball State, it’s possible that it’s a bit easier in the beginning.

Will your final two years affect your chances? Sure; lower grades would affect anyone’s chances of admission. The best thing you can do is apply and see what happens, though.