Hey you! Need your advice or suggestion, drop in one if you are free :)

Question

Well Hi Everyone. To start with, I'm thinking about pursuing my Masters in USA by next fall - 2015. But there are few 'common sense' concerns I have within myself. Firstly let me list out the negative concerns I have,

*It took me 5 years to complete my Under Graduation
*My backlogs are about 60
*My aggregate/ Percentage is about 55%
*I have been a graduate since 2011 (April)

Lets look at the positives now(at least to me they are)
*I'm a IT professional (Linux Systems Engineer) working since 2011 (May) till present
*I have done a Internship (Free - I was not paid) on Cyber Security which is outside college curriculum for an year in 2010 Feb to 2011 Feb
*I have done my Oracle Certification
*I have done my Redhat Certifications
*I have done my Diploma in Cyber Law from Indian Law Institute

Finally my test scores are:
*IELTS - 6.5
*GRE - 295

Here comes the main part,
I haven't started to apply any of the universities or colleges over in USA. So basically I'm stuck up here, "thinking whether to start the process or should I shut everything and continue with what I'm doing or what I have". It's not that I would resign my job and start the process, it's just my academics, I mean my under graduate marks aren't something anyone would want to steal from me and have as their credits. My common sense here says three things, 1. I'm stupid enough not to realize that I would not get the visa with the marks I have got, and 2. The universities I get would not be top one's for sure, which means the chance of getting a visa is like a lucky draw. And 3. May be I should give it a try and see what happens.

The Twist here is,
fortunately or unfortunately my company's management said they would want me to go for Masters if I really want to do further studies. Hey! they did not say they will sponsor me but they said they would give me a better position and salary when I'm done with masters. And this is where it all started, my dilemma. Btw they do know about my under graduate academics.
P.S: My Company is a moderate one not a MNC to sponsor me. But they said they would issue me a letter saying that they would like me to do a Master's.

Parent's advice: Mom and Dad, they want me to try for it. They have no complaints.

People around me say, 1. "They will see your work not your academics anymore" 2. "They will reject you the moment you say about your backlogs" and so on.

Everything has put me in some kinda of dilemma as I said earlier. I'm stuck with what I should do further. It's not like I'm not able to do anything, I'm fine but its just that pause I get or I be in, when I think about it or people around me talk about it.

So I thought may be someone from here would drop in any suggestions or advice's. I'm all ears.

Thanks,
Sid,

India.

Answer 1

I have seen students gain admissions with failing marks.  However having said that it usually has involved a clear explanation of what events took place that led to the failing mark.  I have seen students have their studies interrupted because of personal tragedy, deaths in the family, work requirements, war breaking out, government disruptions, etc.

 

If you can clarify why your marks are not as good as you would like them to be with a genuine reason and show how despite your setbacks you continued your studies and pursued advanced diplomas as well you could gain an admission.  However financial aid may be a problem as US schools are less inclined to provide it for international students overall so you may want to look for that first.  There are many scholarship agencies and organizations and you may want to consider programs in either the UK or in Canada as well.  

 

The GRE math score will be more relevant to most programs than the GRE Verbal so the higher that mark is the better. I would encourage you to explore your options and consider applying to scholarship programs in the next year for the following academic cycle 2017-18.  You may also want to get it in writing from your employer that they would have a position waiting for you when you graduate.