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Because of multiple factors including depression, attention deficiency, laziness and immaturity I've managed to accumulate 14 F's during the first two years of my computer science education. I'm finishing a semester late and I'm currently on my last semester. For context, I come from relatively poor European (non-EU) country and my university is considered pretty decent in my country.

Starting from third year I believe I changed myself for the better and so I managed to pass all my classes and more or less catch up to my peers. My GPA is currently 3.0 and I'll most likely graduate with the same GPA. I'm not an exceptional student in any way and I don't have any amazing projects to redeem myself. With my level of (un)success, I am aiming for average universities at best.

While I realize that I've pretty much destroyed my chances of pursuing higher education considering all my failures but I wanted to seek more opinions before I completely give up on it. Thank you.

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  • You might read this: academia.stackexchange.com/questions/324/… Good luck to you.
    – academic
    Commented Oct 22, 2020 at 13:25
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    @academic Most of the advice there doesn't apply to MSc admissions in Germany. For example, MSc students in Germany don't work with an advisor (except for the last semester), and there is no comprehensive application process with letters, interviews etc.
    – lighthouse keeper
    Commented Oct 22, 2020 at 21:19

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Your chances might be not that bad. MSc admissions in Germany, specifically in CS, are not highly competitive. In fact, universities have an incentive to admit and keep as many students as possible, since the number of students has an effect on how much money they get.

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  • I see, thank you for your input. Does this apply for free/public German universities as well?
    – Armut Elma
    Commented Oct 24, 2020 at 12:48
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    @ArmutElma Yes, mostly for those. I don't know much about private ones (they play a rather minor role)
    – lighthouse keeper
    Commented Oct 24, 2020 at 13:45
  • When I mention money, I mean the money flow from the government/taxpayer to the universities, not tuition fees.
    – lighthouse keeper
    Commented Oct 24, 2020 at 16:21
  • Ohh thanks for the explanation, I get it now.
    – Armut Elma
    Commented Oct 26, 2020 at 18:11
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While your chances seem pretty slim, perhaps you could work through a sponsor who believes in you and your potential. Perhaps a local professor with whom you have done well and who knows your background would be willing to "go to bat" for you.

Sometimes such people have contacts around the world and are, themselves, respected enough that a colleague, even in a distant place, would believe them enough to take a chance on your success.

But, pursuing advanced work in the normal way is very unlikely to lead to success. People do, however, recognize that others can turn their lives around.

In some places this won't work because of admissions policies, but it might be acceptable in others. Ask locally for advice and help and see what happens. You will, of course, need to be able to assure a "sponsor" that old difficulties won't come back. Good luck.

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    Why do you think the chances are slim in Germany?
    – user111388
    Commented Oct 22, 2020 at 14:50
  • I was thinking more generally, actually. It is a lot of bad grades that need accounting for.
    – Buffy
    Commented Oct 22, 2020 at 15:34
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    Could you maybe write into your question that you are thinking more generally? The last time I checked, most German universities had as a condition for a Master studies a completed suitable Bachelor's degree. (And I believe, in an ideal world, this should be enough and no accounting for bad grades should be neccessary.)
    – user111388
    Commented Oct 22, 2020 at 15:47
  • Thank you for your input. I assume that my CS professors might help me in that regard.
    – Armut Elma
    Commented Oct 24, 2020 at 12:49

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