Should I retake classes to get a 3.0 or settle with a 2.8 if UConn graduate school has a 3.0 GPA requirement?

All the top tier universities and those which are generally regarded as strong nationally set forth minimum requirements for a Master's degree. If you fail to meet any of them your application will not even get reviewed. Even though the minimum is a 3.0 I didn't meet anyone in my program with below a 3.3. In the maths/sciences I haven't met one with below a 3.6. Having a 2.8 would fall under the same category as missing a letter of recommendation - automatic rejection. Even if you raise it to a 3.0 you won't get into a great university with lacklustre recommendation letters. You'd be competing with people who have higher GPAs, great letters of recommendation, and some who even have papers published as an undergraduate. Psychology is also one of the most popular fields for potential graduate students, so the competition will be tough. If you did raise it to a 3.0 you might make it into a mid to low ranking university. You will not be able to transfer either since most MA programs are only one year. If you do end up at a not-so-good university for your Master's you need to do stellar to get into a great PhD program. Considering how many people have MAs in psychology getting one from a so-so university with a poor GPA will still leave you with a lot of job finding difficulty.

If their grad program has a minimum 3.0 requirement, you won't get in with a 2.8. You need to delay your graduation and boost your GPA. During that time, do additional things to enhance your resume - do internships, get to know a couple of your new professors (so they can be references), perhaps take classes toward a minor that could help you in your future career, etc. If you didn't fail or get Ds in any classes, don't retake them. Instead, take additional, advanced level classes in subjects related to what you want to study in grad school, and ace the heck out of them. This means you really need to work your butt off. To raise your GPA to a 3.0 in one year, you'd need to get an overall 3.8 GPA in all future terms. Do you think this is realistic? If not, then you need to find a different path - different career, or different grad school.

If their grad program has a minimum 3.0 requirement, you won't get in with a 2.8. You need to delay your graduation and boost your GPA. During that time, do additional things to enhance your resume - do internships, get to know a couple of your new professors (so they can be references), perhaps take classes toward a minor that could help you in your future career, etc. If you didn't fail or get Ds in any classes, don't retake them. Instead, take additional, advanced level classes in subjects related to what you want to study in grad school, and ace the heck out of them. This means you really need to work your butt off. To raise your GPA to a 3.0 in one year, you'd need to get an overall 3.8 GPA in all future terms. Do you think this is realistic? If not, then you need to find a different path - different career, or different grad school.

Go to graduate school. Don't retake classes that you don't have passed. IF you passed the cleasses it usually means you know the material, but you just have get your test-taking ability up. If you go for an MS it will be a lot more difficult, more serious, and less forgiving (I believe you cannot drop below a 3.0 average). However when you put this into your med school application you're going to look a lot more serious in fornt of the admissions committee. Just put yourself in the place of the admissions officer.