What GPA Do You Need to Get Into Graduate School?
How much does your college GPA actually matter to graduate programs? How high of a GPA is "good enough"? A former Director of Stanford Graduate Admissions addresses the importance of GPAs to higher ed. degrees.
By Debby C.
Posted May 5, 2023
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Students often ask me about their chances of admission to a given graduate program based on their college GPA. Many are surprised when I tell them I don’t know and that I need to see their resume, and talk to them about their interests, goals, and reasons for applying for a graduate degree before making an assessment. Advising someone about their chances of admission to a higher education program is not as clear-cut as one might think – it’s not all about the grades.
Admission committee members not only look at a person's test scores when reviewing applications, but also at an applicant’s other accomplishments and how they bring diversity, knowledge, and a level of expertise to their program. For master’s degree programs in the US, for example, admissions committees want to ensure that admitted students can do well in graduate-level classes, are engaged, and have goals to complete the program. Therefore, they’re also thinking about retention and ensuring that admitted students are a good fit with their program, both academically and personally. They are looking to admit students who can demonstrate curiosity, grit, entrepreneurship, and leadership. They also want students to be resourceful and adaptive.
Although the academic transcript is necessary for the review process, it represents only one part. As such, the statement of purpose and interview are gaining more importance in the selection process of students. In addition to the more common interview questions that are asked (e.g., “Why do you want to go to graduate school here?” and “ Why are you interested in this field of study?”), programs now include interview questions where students can more clearly show the specific skills that the programs are looking for.
Examples of such questions include:
- What are your plans should you not receive admission to our school
- What challenges will you have in this program of study?
- Give me an example of a time when you did not succeed at something. How did you react, and what did you learn from that experience?
- How has your previous work or extracurricular experiences helped you to prepare for graduate studies?
Although a high GPA will get the attention of admission committee members, relying on your GPA alone to get admitted to selective schools is not sufficient. It will not show admission committees the complete picture of who you are and the contributions you will make to the field. Admission committees are shifting their review criteria to include what applicants say in their interviews and how they respond to specific essay prompts. Often, they find that the most dedicated and passionate students don’t necessarily have stellar grades but will contribute to the cohort's diversity and the field of study.
If you’re unsure how your experiences can help you stand out in the admissions review process, or would like to review other areas of your candidacy, work with me on Leland. Book a free intro call on my profile to get started.
