This is my first post. Yay! I’m on this site frequently, so I figured why not make an account!
Anyway, as I progress more and more into my major program (chemistry), I’m meeting more people who don’t have a job outside of school. They usually have a fairly high GPA and have plans on going into some type of healthcare doctorate program after graduation.
And there are students like me, who have worked constantly throughout their undergrad program. Not only to pay bills (I live off campus in an apartment), but also to have some extra spending money and not being totally reliant on student loans to get me by. As a result, my GPA isn’t as high as I’d like it to be (3.41). I have definitely found myself working on nights before exams or when I have a report/assignment due.
Because of this, I feel like I’m at a disadvantage when applying to graduate programs because of my GPA. I’m kind of undecided… I’m not sure whether I want to pursue a PhD in chemistry, or go into a dental program and earn my DDS.
So, my question is, does graduate admissions take jobs into consideration when reviewing applicants? I’m sure they don’t have “preferences” over people who have worked… But do they like to see people who have had the opportunity to balance work/school together? Or are they more interested in people with a higher GPA and test score?
For a PhD, your research experience is the most important thing. For professional schools (such as medical or dental school), GPA and MCAT/DAT are among the most important factors, but the process is generally more holistic, and work experience and extracurricular activities tend to be given weight.
Welcome to CC (officially)!
Graduate school admissions are indeed more holistic, but likewise, it’s also more specialized than undergraduate admissions. Grad schools don’t generally care about what a great person you are overall as much as what a great student/worker/researcher you are in your desired field.
Have any of your jobs been related to the kinds of grad programs you’re considering? If so, you could use them to both bolster your personal statement and give some explanation for your GPA (which is lower than most competitive GPAs, but not low enough to keep you out of the running, I would think).
Have you done any research/interesting projects that could help your appeal? The personal statement is one of (if not THE) most important parts of the application because it’s a direct argument about what you’ve been doing and how you can fit in at a school’s program. It’s especially important if you’re trying to make up for a weaker part of the application (like GPA or test scores), so really dig deep and think about how you can write yourself up to be the ideal candidate.
Good luck!
Your work experience may be taken into account if it’s directly related to your graduate program. For a PhD program, research experience in chemistry (paid or not) would be favorable. For a DDS program, either scientific/research-related work or work that exposes you to to the dental field would be advantageous. If you’re working food service or retail, those are less relevant and most programs won’t really care about that.
If you’re asking if the fact that you have to work will mitigate your lower GPA…no, not really. There are many students who work and/or balance many extracurriculars that take up equal time outside of school and still have high GPAs. (Research shows that 70-80 percent of college-educated people have worked at least some of the time they were in college, and they average about 19 hours a week. So you’re not alone.)
It’d be different if you had a compelling story about it - like you have younger siblings you are the sole provider for, or are caring for elderly parents who cannot work themselves. But simply being a traditional student who has chosen to work - or even has to, in order to maintain a certain standard of living - won’t be the kind of excuse programs would take favorably when looking at your GPA.
PhD programs are going to expect you to have a high GPA, high GRE scores AND research experience in chemistry. DDS programs, much like medical schools, will expect a high GPA, high DAT scores AND good evidence of your desire to be a dentist (like through shadowing or research experience or summer programs or something).
Thanks so much for your reply!
Yes, I actually just started a chemistry internship. I’ll have 2 years into this place by the time I graduate. I’ll mostly be doing Analytical Chemistry but will also be working on some Research and Development projects. I got this job because I did two semesters of undergrad research at my university.
I have no doubt this will be a huge highlight if I decide to apply to a PhD program in chemistry, however I’m worried if I choose to apply to dental school. Because this isn’t related to dental medicine at all, I’m nervous they won’t look at it and be amazed. Of course, I would volunteer/shadow in a dental office before applying, but it isn’t as notable to mention my internship in a dental program as it is for a chemistry program.