Updated: Monday, October 27, 2025
By Indhika, IvyWise Graduate Admissions Counselor
A critical component of the graduate application review is determining an applicant’s preparedness for graduate-level study. Looking at the undergraduate transcript for key indicators of academic achievement, graduate admissions committees assess an applicant’s potential to excel at rigorous coursework, manage multiple deadlines and heavy workloads, and contribute meaningfully to a learning community. While GPA alone does not capture the full range of an applicant’s academic potential, it is the go-to benchmark for review.
Many graduate programs require you to have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA to be considered for admission. Beyond this, the standard guidance is that you should have a 3.5+ cumulative GPA to be considered at competitive programs and a 3.7 and above if you are applying to research-centric master’s or doctoral programs.
Additionally, graduate admissions committees will consider the selectivity of the undergraduate institution attended, rigor of coursework, and relevance of courses to the intended graduate program. Individual grades, particularly in prerequisite and/or relevant courses, will be noted. They will also look for grade trends — an upward grade trend as an applicant delves deeper into their major is viewed favorably, while a downward grade trend raises red flags.
So, what happens if you want to apply to graduate school but don’t meet the GPA recommendations?
It’s important to assess your GPA within the above-mentioned parameters:
Making this assessment will be key to determining how to bolster your overall academic profile as well as how to highlight important information on your application materials, such as including a GPA in your major on your resume.
Plan to improve your overall academic profile to be a more competitive applicant. To get started, here are five ways to bolster a low undergraduate GPA and show graduate admissions committees you are ready for graduate-level study.
Sustained and meaningful applied experience enables you to apply technical expertise as well as gain valuable professional skills such as leading projects, managing teams, meeting deadlines and deliverables, and communicating with stakeholders and clients. From internships to full-time work, robust professional experience signals your ability to succeed at assigned tasks and excel in the workplace. This can serve as a proxy for GPA in conveying that you have the skills and mindset required for academic excellence.
Applied experience highlights marketable skills, career potential, and job readiness. For industry-oriented programs, professional background is viewed as a strong indicator of long-term career contributions and leadership potential.
If your undergraduate GPA does not accurately reflect your potential for academic success, consider enrolling in additional courses after graduating from college. Earning high grades in standalone courses and/or certificate programs will affirm both your commitment to and aptitude for further studies.
Find accredited, reputable, and flexible education providers that will enable you to undertake coursework while working. In addition, enroll in courses that are relevant to your intended area of graduate study. Research prerequisites and recommended prior coursework and technical skills to identify courses or certificates that will improve the competitiveness of your candidacy.
Standardized tests used to be a required component for most, if not all, graduate programs. While certain schools still require standardized test scores (for example, business school, law school, and doctoral programs in psychology), other schools have made the GRE an optional requirement or removed it all together. If you are required to submit a test score or have the option to do so, give yourself enough time to study and access test prep resources.
Making a testing plan will give you the flexibility to add further resources as well as take a test more than once if needed. IvyWise offers tutoring and test prep services that can help you maximize your study timeline and strategies. Overall, you should aim for scores in the high 80th percentile and above.
Most graduate programs give you the opportunity to submit an additional information statement to address special circumstances or aspects of your candidacy not covered in other application components. Whether your GPA is a result of financial hardship, health issues, or a lack of maturity or purpose, graduate admissions committees understand that life happens. They are interested in learning how you have grown from these initial challenges. Your additional information statement is a short essay that — when framed effectively — will add a further impactful layer to your candidacy, demonstrating your self-awareness, commitment to improvement, resilience, and preparedness for graduate-level study.
Thoughtfully choose recommenders who will write grad school letters of recommendation affirming your academic readiness with compelling anecdotes and insights on your depth of knowledge and technical expertise. If there is a relevant class that you excelled in, keep in touch with the professor. For professional recommendations, make sure at least one letter covers relevant technical knowledge and skills to serve as a stand-in for a more academic letter.
In addition, select recommenders who will speak to valuable characteristics such as diligence, maturity, initiative, and drive to convey to graduate admissions committees that you are both technically qualified and motivated to take on challenges. When requesting recommendation letters, include guiding notes on the skills, achievements, and potential contributions you want highlighted.
If you plan to apply to graduate school with a less competitive GPA, keep in mind that graduate admissions committees are looking for reasons to admit you as opposed to finding reasons to deny your application. Stay positive and proactively improve other areas of your candidacy as I suggested above. Here are two more tips to improve your chances of acceptance:
Because the graduate admissions landscape can be so complex and competitive, you can benefit from professional guidance. Here at IvyWise, our graduate admissions counselors have sat in committee for some of the top graduate programs in the U.S. We know how to help applicants stand out and maximize their chances of admission. Contact us today to learn more.
Graduate school is becoming an increasingly attractive option for many students, if only because it provides a sense of security and purpose in an economic climate that does not. Still, applying to grad school on a whim is ill-advised. So, how do you know when grad school is right for you?
Interviews can often be a source of stress for students, and the ones for graduate school are no exception. Generally, a graduate school interview is an opportunity to showcase your strengths, demonstrate your knowledge of the institution, and impress an alumnus or member of the faculty who might play a role in deciding your admissions outcome.
If you plan on attending graduate school, whether it’s business school, law school, medical school, or some other graduate program, you’ll most likely need to take one of several graduate admission exams as part of your application. Preparing to take graduate admission exams long after your initial undergraduate admissions process can seem daunting, but the sooner you get started the sooner you can be on your way to a rewarding graduate school experience.
For most undergraduate students, graduate school is a possibility, but many aren’t sure until closer to application time. By then, you’ve passed many opportunities to work on areas that will influence your application to graduate school. Even if you’re not entirely sure which field you’ll be pursuing in a few years, it’s important to get involved the moment you step foot on campus to ensure that you’re making the most of your time in college and that you have the best chance of gaining admission into a top-choice graduate school.
