Study Abroad with a Low GPA--Has Anyone Appealed Successfully?
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Anonymous
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I’m wondering if anyone has experience with their student studying abroad after having a lower GPA than the program required.
My DC is a sophomore at an SLAC and wants to study abroad in Europe next fall. He’s doing much better academically (all Bs) this semester, but his cumulative GPA will only be around a 2.5. The programs he’s looking at list a 2.75 requirement, though some mention they’ll consider applicants "on a case-by-case basis." If your student was in a similar situation, did they try appealing or providing an explanation? Were they ultimately allowed to participate? And if so, what seemed to make the difference — a strong personal statement, faculty recommendations, upward trend, etc.? I’m also curious how other families navigated that process. Any insight or stories would be much appreciated! |
Anonymous
| I have experience only with Oxford graduate programs. When Oxford says a 3.7 minimum, it means it. Don't even try. |
Anonymous
 That's not at all what the OP was asking.
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Anonymous
She said she had experience "ONLY" with it. stop being a jerk. As to St. Andrews, what they say (2.5) is apparently not what they mean: "St. Andrews University requires a minimum college GPA of 2.5 on a 4.33 point scale and a minimum high school GPA of 2.5. However, applicants should ideally have a current GPA of at least 3.04, with a preferred GPA of around 3.16. The university accepts 42.86% of transfer applicants, making the process competitive." |
Anonymous
| OP here. To clarify, I'm talking about a semester study abroad program while your kid is in college (not high school). And it is a 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. I'm hoping to hear some success stories. |
Anonymous
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OP, the reason they set GPA requirements is because study abroad is a distracting environment. Kids can get homesick or seduced by the fun outside of class.
If I were you, I'd recommend he go in spring semester. Does it really make much difference? The best reason to appeal would indeed be a 3.0 average in the last 2 semesters. There may also be alternate programs in a similar location that have different application requirements. You might want to ask about that. |
Anonymous
| My guess is that no one here can answer this for you because it's school and program specific. If you kid is at a SLAC, I'm sure they have advisors who can help answer this question or, better yet, advocate for your child to get into the semester abroad program. Might be helpful if the program is not a super popular one and there are plenty of spots. |
Anonymous
| There are programs with lower requirements if you google, see if you can get credit for them. A summer program might be a good idea. |
Anonymous
| Professor here and you may not like my answer. Can he instead do one of the week-long experiences that many schools offer within a class? These rules exist for a reason and they want him to stay successful. |
Anonymous
| If he can’t figure this out himself, he can’t go. |
Anonymous
| Mine applied last November and his cumulative gpa ended up being just below the 2.75 cutoff. He applied again in the spring and was accepted. The less desirable locations were available but he is going to Prague this spring. |
Anonymous
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It depends on the program. Some programs are less about academics and more about exposure to culture — they may make an exception for that. The also have short programs (2-4 weeks) in winter or summer where the student does non-academic things, like wine-making in Italy, or something like that.
Also want to echo the PP about less-desirable locations. I was with the foreign service and my favorite places were the less-desirable — so much more culture and interesting. |
Anonymous
| As other parents can attest, study abroad programs are basically a semester of partying and touring around Europe every weekend. My kids were going to school in Italy and Spain. They both had no classes on Friday, so travelled a lot on the weekends. Dublin, London, Prague, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Portugal, Morocco, Switzerland, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and more I can’t remember. Keeping up with school is a challenge for even the most studious. I wouldn’t send a 2.5 GPA student abroad unless maybe Australia where they are landlocked and not enticed to travel with college and high school friends every weekend. YMMV |
Anonymous
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OP, it sounds like what you want is for whatever created your kid's low GPA to be overlooked in evaluating his readiness for study abroad. I would suggest that you start by asking yourself if that is a good idea.
It might truly be a great idea. If the low GPA was the result of a mismatch with a major, a sports injury that required distracting rehab, a family crisis that has now resolved, etc., then you might be able to explain this in a personal statement or cover letter and make a strong case, and I wouldn't hesitate to do it. But if the low GPA is related to (for example) poor decision-making, psychological challenges that are only partly controlled, limited executive capacity, lack of motivation, or substance issues, I'd recommend that you listen to some of the other PPs here and start with a spring break or short summer program to see how DS does. Study abroad isn't necessary for a successful undergraduate career or a happy life, and while it can foster amazing growth, it can also be a ripe environment for epic failure if a kid isn't set up for success at the start. That GPA requirement is standing in for a lot of other expectations about stability, maturity, independence, flexibility, and decent judgment. Make sure your kid has those things before you try to launch an appeal or find a program that has lowered the bar. |
Anonymous
| Plus why does he have to study abroad? Why not just take a vacation abroad on the summer ? |