BootsnAll Travel Community

so i am done with college but i could have cared less about it....which means i didn't take it seriously b/c what i wanted to do was travel but i did what my dad wanted me to do...which also means i did not do nowhere near well as i could have in school if i had taken school midly seriously..so now i want to go to grad school after a year of "living" and i am scared with my undergrad grades and fear of tests i may not do well on the GRE....and the only colleges i want to attend is American University preferably the campuses in egypt or india or fsu! go noles! give me some feedback anyone been through this or going through this...

What type of Masters degree are you looking to get?

I am not speaking from experience (I really have no desire to go back to grad school), but from what I have heard, and really only in relation to an MBA. If your undergrad grades weren't that good, then you should probably get a few years of relevant business experience under your belt. Work experience can help offset the bad grades. Start working on your references.

Second, look at the requirements for the schools you are interested in attending. See what their class make up looks like, what the average undergrad grades are, etc. Go to information sessions and interviews there to find out more about the process.

Next, the GRE. It looks like at American University, you actually need to take the GMAT. I couldn't find it on the FSU page, but I assume they need the GMAT, too (that is the more standard Grad school test). Find out what your scores need to look like, and get to studying. If you have a problem taking tests, you may be able to get extra time. You're going to need to study...I don't know anyone who took the GMAT, and passed, without studying.

There is a thread in the Corporate Wasteland forum about MBA's really being useful. I am not sure what your reasonings are to going back to school other than to do better, but if that's the case, maybe get another Bachelors? Also, don't be surprised if you start "living" and decide to postpone grad school. Many companies pay for employees' degrees...you may want to check into those, too.

i am looking into doing possibly a masters in information database but more along librarian type stuff....i 'm having a brain fart i can't think of the propername right now...i don't want an mba....(i am not mathematically inclined)
well the reason why i don't look at stuff like that is b/c they are so vague the academics page that is....besides i have my reasons....

It may be possible to enroll as a non-degree seeking graduate student and take a few classes in the subject that interests you. There is typically a limit to the number of credits that you can earn this way (usually 6 or so) but those can be applied to your field of study.

This does a few things:

Gives you a feel as to whether or not this field is something that would really be interesting enough for you to invest the time and money.

Gives you the chance to earn really stellar grades, which shows the university that your most recent work is the better representation of what you can do, academically. Remember, universities tend to put the most weight on the grades that are most recent. They understand that sometimes your first efforts at academia might not be as reflective of your true abilities as your later efforts. Enrolling as a non-degree seeking student also tells the university that you are serious about high achievement.

Annie's suggestions are right on the money, though. You want to provide as broad a picture of yourself as possible. There is nothing like great work experience and strong letters of reccomendation to strengthen your appeal as a future graduate student.

Good luck!

I agree with AJV- if you take classes as a non-degree student, you can boost your GPA. I have a friend who tried to get into a grad program, didn't make the cut, retook the classes that weren't quite up to par, and reapplied. She's waiting on the result right now...

This will also help you get current, good recommendation letters from faculty.

Good luck!

I agree with taking some classes to boost your gpa. Good luck!