Chances of admission with GPA lower than minimum?

Hello,

I am studying Mechanical Engineering in Germany and want to pursue a MPhil in Technology Policy in Cambridge (I will also apply for Engineering Technologies MPhil as an alternative).

Unfortunately I do not have the required (German) grade (1.3), but only a 1.6. I belong to the top 2% of my class though and also have a strong CV.

Can other qualifications (research experience, prestige level of undergraduate college, internships, awards, community service...) theoretically compensate for my GPA being worse than the minimum, or is this a cut-off requirement?

Reply 1

Doones

21

Original post by Horst

Hello,

I am studying Mechanical Engineering in Germany and want to pursue a MPhil in Technology Policy in Cambridge (I will also apply for Engineering Technologies MPhil as an alternative).

Unfortunately I do not have the required (German) grade (1.3), but only a 1.6. I belong to the top 2% of my class though and also have a strong CV.

Can other qualifications (research experience, prestige level of undergraduate college, internships, awards, community service...) theoretically compensate for my GPA being worse than the minimum, or is this a cut-off requirement?

You would need to ask the department really.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Original post by Horst

.............

They will have an academic cut-off below which they aren't prepared to go, because they couldn't rely on students being able to keep up with the pace of the course. They can afford to run a course a few students short, because there will be other courses in the department that can take a few extra students to balance overall student numbers.

however, relevant experience like relevant internships, publications, quality of undergrad institution etc can all help. Community service and extra-curriculars aren't considered at all.

The freedom of manoeuvre they have depends entirely on the cohort of applicants that year, so no-one except the admissions staff can be sure what the tolerances are in any year.

Reply 3

Horst

OP

5

Original post by Doonesbury

You would need to ask the department really.

Posted from TSR Mobile

I have already asked, but I‘m still waiting for an answer.

Original post by threeportdrift

They will have an academic cut-off below which they aren't prepared to go, because they couldn't rely on students being able to keep up with the pace of the course. They can afford to run a course a few students short, because there will be other courses in the department that can take a few extra students to balance overall student numbers.

however, relevant experience like relevant internships, publications, quality of undergrad institution etc can all help. Community service and extra-curriculars aren't considered at all.

The freedom of manoeuvre they have depends entirely on the cohort of applicants that year, so no-one except the admissions staff can be sure what the tolerances are in any year.

Throwing an application away just after seeing that the applicant does not have the GPA minimum (which is stated on the website and seems to be the same for all applicants) sounds a bit weird to me, especially if they do this without looking at least what subject he has studied and where, and (most important) which percentile of the class he belonged to.

For instance, sb with a 1.3 is among the top 1% in class X at college Y, but in class Z at college W this is not even enough for 90th percentile.

(edited 6 years ago)

Original post by Horst

...........

They don't throw away any applications without reading them. The minimum they are prepared to accept is not necessarily the GPA minimum on the website, that's where relevant other aspects might count. But nevertheless, there is a point where the risk a student won't be properly prepared for the course and able to keep up is very real. Hence why at undergrad level, even with extenuating circumstances, students with strings of Bs at A level don't get in.

Reply 5

Horst

OP

5

Got answers from both:

Energy Technologies: it is not a cut-off and the whole application is being taken into consideration.

Technology Policy: internships, research and other activities are no substitute for a first class honours degree. I am welcome to apply, but my application may be disadvantaged for this reason (specific statements about how the commitee will exactly review the applications cannot be given). Also, I have to take into consideration that my application will be reviewed in comparison to all other applicants.

I guess I will just have to apply for both and hope for the best.

Chances of admission with GPA lower than minimum?

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