Not admitted with a 3.7 gpa

[marcadrian]

I have just graduated from Hunter College with a 3.7 GPA. I applied to the graduate program at the same university. I submitted two excellent letters of recommendation from a tenured professor and an adjunct professor as well as a very thorough statement of purpose. I have learned that other students with lesser grades and GRE scores have been accepted, I also just learned that my acceptance was made contingent upon my receiving at least an A- for one of the core courses for my discipline, I got a B+. Other students were not given the same requirement and have been admitted with a lesser grade on that course.

My discipline GPA is 3.73 and my general GPA is 3.69

I cannot afford a private university and feel that I have been discriminated against. Can I sue the university if they have admitted lesser qualified candidates, specially since I am a graduate of that very same university?

 

[Just Blue]

I have just graduated from Hunter College with a 3.7 GPA. I applied to the graduate program at the same university. I submitted two excellent letters of recommendation from a tenured professor and an adjunct professor as well as a very thorough statement of purpose. I have learned that other students with lesser grades and GRE scores have been accepted, I also just learned that my acceptance was made contingent upon my receiving at least an A- for one of the core courses for my discipline, I got a B+. Other students were not given the same requirement and have been admitted with a lesser grade on that course.

My discipline GPA is 3.73 and my general GPA is 3.69

I cannot afford a private university and feel that I have been discriminated against. Can I sue the university if they have admitted lesser qualified candidates? Specially since I am a graduate of that very same university.

On what grounds were you discriminated against? Race? Religion? Sex?

 

[marcadrian]

On what grounds were you discriminated against? Race? Religion? Sex?

Well I don't know. I am hispanic and 48 years old. I just cannot comprehend why other students with lesser academic achievement have been admitted while my admittance was made contingent upon my getting an A in one course, specially since I have very good grades.

 

[Perky]

There may have been other factors that the university considered when accepting students to the graduate program.

 

[marcadrian]

As I understood it, the factors that the university considered were one's GPA, GRE, letters of recommendation and statement of purpose. If there are other factors they are not stated in the admission package, and what could they be?

 

[Perky]

Depends on the discipline, and it isn't always stated in the admissions package. If others took advantage of internships, research opportunities, and even community service, they may have an edge over those who didn't.

 

[marcadrian]

I am an anthropology graduate, I participated in the anthro student's club, I was its vicepresident in the last semester, I brought a published lecturer to the club, I helped organize the department's annual party, I have developed and given two lectures on themes that interest me, I helped other students with their studies. Some professor's commented on how respected I was by other students, etc. I really feel that I was involved in the department in a very positive way. I just can't understand why I would be denied admission over other students who were not involved in extracurricular activities, and who made no effort to excell academically. And why the absurd requirement of getting an A in one course, when my GPA is 3.7? Shouldn't they have just rejected the application instead?

 

[Perky]

Well, have you asked them how they made their decision and why you had the additional grade requirement? If the answer doesn't make sense to you, then you could ask if it's because you are a 48 year old Hispanic man. That would probably get their attention. (Communicate with the university in writing!)

 

[marcadrian]

I sent a very respectful e-mail today, explaining why I didn't get an A- but a B+ in that particular course (I missed one paper due to my father in law's death), I asked the graduate advisor to reconsider, given that an A- and a B+ are considered enharmonic (almost the same) by some institutions. If his response is a negative one, then I will ask why I have been shunned in favor of other applicants. Perhaps then I will bring up my concern that I have been discriminated against, when I do this do you think I should CC my e-mails to other professors? Should I include the head of the department?
I appreciate your advise, as right now I am devastated.

 

[Perky]

I'm not a lawyer, so my advice is only based on my experiences at university.

I would not cc all the profs, but I would cc the head of the department. I would also wait to address your concern about discrimination until your other questions are answered.

Also, check back tomorrow or the next day to see if anyone with more legal knowledge posts any advice.

Good luck!

 

[marcadrian]

Thank you, and yes I will wait for that answer before I bring up other concerns.

Again thank you and good night.

 

[stealth2]

Have the other applicants published? As someone who has had some personal experience in the admissions process, your departmental activities, while nice, aren't really all that impressive. It's kind of fluffy, when compared to publishing, presenting papers and/or research at conferences, holding internships, etc.

From *here* you look like a career student, and not necessarily someone who's going to go and move mountains in the field of anthropology. N o offense intended.

 

[marcadrian]

No offense taken. Other applicants are not published either. While I am an older adult who returned to school to get a degree, I don't think that qualifies me as a career student, I do not ask for financial aid as I can pay my own way, etc. While some of my professors are aware that I am already making some contributions to the field (I have lectured on the subject of mesoamerican calendrics, but I haven't published because I didn't have any academic credentials until now) and that I returned to school in order to pursue my passion and get academic credentials, as well as an academic foundation. it is possible that the graduate advisor doesn't know this. But both of my letters of recommendation were very strong and made the point that I was already involved in the field and that indeed I had a contribution to make to it. I also had spoken with one of my professors ( a very well respected archaeologist) about being my thesis advisor and he had accepted.
Compared to most applicants I have stronger academic achievments and have already made some modest contributions to my field.

Making my acceptance contingent upon getting an A in one particular course, when other students with lesser grades were not required to do so, or haven't even taken that course seems to be a violation of my rights for equal treatment.

I wonder under what criteria could such a demand be made, and not violate my rights for equal treatment.

Thank you for your reply.

 

[justalayman]

I wonder under what criteria could such a demand be made, and not violate my rights for equal treatment.

You are simply going to have to find out why they did not accept you yet did accept others with seemingly less qualifications.

then you can decide where to go once you get that info.

 

[Ozark_Sophist]

You may not have received appropriate letter of recommendation. Did you consult with those asked to provide a letter in order to determine the type of recommendation they were willing to give you? Your statement of purpose might have been below par.