Applying to grad schools with low GPA, but lots of lab experience?

After I graduate, I plan on working in the industry for about a year or two, and then apply to developmental bio, molecular bio, or biochem graduate programs. I'm very passionate about the field after getting first hand experience in it, and would love to continue with it. I don't necessarily want to remain in academia after a PhD, however.

You've got the cart ahead of the horse here, I think. Do you have a job lined up? What do you actually want to do with your career? Developmental bio, molecular bio, and biochem programs is quite a spread of things... and biology degrees aren't particularly employable to begin with (though biochem would be more so). You might not even need a PhD, and a PhD might not make you more employable and a MS or even your bachelors.

I think you would be better off forming more concrete graduate programs during/after your time in industry and determine what you actual want to do, and then plan accordingly. Because you're not really saying much of anything right now... "I want to work in not-academia for a few years then get a PhD in one of 3 things" is ultimately very vague, and instead of worrying about PhD applications that are 2-3 years away, I'd determine exactly what I want to do and then figure out how to get there.

And then if you decide on the PhD that will take some work - I think it's pretty likely you will need to get a MS first, have a great MS GPA, and then apply for a PhD.

/r/gradadmissions Thread