I believe it is becoming increasingly competitive to enter graduate 
school and get funding.

An "A" is the new "B".

(In Canada) There are two ways to get "in" with a low GPA:

1. Find a supervisor (with access to funding) and demonstrate you're 
a good worker with academic potential. Working as a field assistant 
is a good way to do this. With all your technical skills, you'd 
probably have your choice of jobs and projects. Once you're a known 
quantity, there's a better chance a supervisor will take you on as 
long as the minimum GPA requirements are met.
You may have less independence in terms of project development, but 
it's a good way to break into the system and there's always 
opportunities at the PhD level to be creative.

If you're interested in applied fields with economic bases (e.g., 
forest sciences), supervisors tend to have more funding for students.

2. Find your own funding first. Nearly any student that comes in with 
a scholarship will be welcomed with open arms. Clearly, a good GPA 
helps but there are funds that don't require that killer GPA (e.g., 
NSERC Industrial), just someone willing to network. Once you snag one 
scholarship, it becomes easier to win more.

Best of luck!

At 04:18 PM 8/14/2007, Malcolm McCallum wrote:
>Many people are late bloomers, but 2.77 (A = 4.0) is not an abyssmal GPA.
>I suspect you will find many PHDs whose undergrad GPA was in this
>ballpark, I know of several.  others are very focused on a particular
>subfield at an early age.  Occassionlly people are both!  These things
>cause GPA's to be a little lower.  Your last 60 hrs is particularly
>important.  There are many schools that will admit you, but you can't
>expect to be admitted to Harvard.  Look into the smaller regional state
>universities and I bet you can get admitted to an MS program.  I suspect
>you may even get an assistantship at a smaller state institution.
>
>
>
>On Tue, August 14, 2007 2:09 pm, S wrote:
> > I am posting this message to solicit advice.   My situation is that I
> > graduated in 2000 with a B.S. in wildlife biology with an abysmal GPA:
> > 2.77.   During school and since I've done a lot of technician type jobs in
> > the fields of wildlife and ecology but at 30 years old I no longer find
> > these types of positions intellectually fulfilling, feel that I can
> > contribute more, and would like to pursue a graduate education.   I took
> > the GRE for the first time this year (with 2 weeks to prepare) in order to
> > apply for a RA (didn't get it).   My scores are 720 quantitative, 580
> > verbal.   I can likely do better.
> > So my question is how can I pursue a graduate education with a less then
> > stellar GPA?  Is it even possible?  Would taking classes help?  Classes
> > would be expensive, as I've moved a lot for the temporary jobs and do not
> > qualify for instate tuition anywhere.
> > In hindsight I should've taken undergraduate education more seriously, but
> > I feel I've gained experience and maturity since then and that it is
> > really time to move forward.
> > I am particularly interested in advice from those who have served as
> > graduate advisors and from those who have completed a M.S. despite having
> > a low undergraduate GPA.
> > Thanks.
> >
>
>
>Malcolm L. McCallum
>Assistant Professor of Biology
>Editor Herpetological Conservationa and Biology
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Emily Gonzales, Ph.D. Candidate
Centre for Applied Conservation Research
3041-2424 Main Mall, Forest Sciences
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC  V6T 1Z4
604-822-1256 (office) 

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