Angela: Your prospects for getting into grad school are not dead, just because your undergraduate GPA was below 3.0.
You just need to do a good job communicating to the admissions committee (and your prospective advisor) why your undergrad GPA is not a good indicator of your potential for success in grad school. Things happen in real life that can derail students from their coursework - family crises, relationships, extended illness, financial troubles, and other things. You should not have to forgo grad school just because of an event like this. Some students take a while to really get focused. This is where your work experience really helps. You may be able to argue that you weren't focused as an undergrad, but now you really understand what your interests are, and you see how grad school fits into your overall career plan. And, not being straight out of undergrad may have given you greater maturity, perspective, and leadership skills, all of which make you more likely to succeed in grad school. You'll want strong letters of rec to back up your claims, if possible. I have accepted grad students with GPA below 3.0. It depends on the school, but some admissions committees give great weight to the advisor's recommendation. If your advisor wants you, then he/she may just need to say why they're choosing you over other candidates with higher GPA (but perhaps not as much relevant experience). Then, the onus is on you to perform to your full abilities once you're admitted. Good luck! John D. Perrine Associate Professor Biological Sciences Department California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, California USA
