I'm currently pursuing a Masters degree in Philosophy at a top UK university, and as my grades currently stand, I'm looking to graduate with a Distinction.
During my second and third years of undergraduate study, I was struggling with diagnosing and dealing with a medical issue. Unfortunately, this affected my grades in several modules throughout those two years. My undergraduate degree transcript features a patchwork mixture of Firsts, 2.1s and then a couple of those 2.2 grades. As a result, I graduated with a low 2.1 overall. Of course, this is all documented, supported by my physicians, and my supervisors were aware of my situation.
My issue is that I am now in the process of preparing to apply to PhD programs in Philosophy. I am hoping to apply to several Canadian institutions to be closer to family, but I will likely apply to some UK institutions too. I can see that GPA is an important factor in the admissions process.
My questions are:
How far will my undergraduate underperformance be likely to affect my chances of admission, and what can I do to strengthen my application to these programs in light of this?
Will my strong Masters GPA be enough to counterbalance my undergraduate transcripts?
