Writer Christopher Paslay has applied to graduate school at Temple University twice. Once for Creative Writing in 1999, and Journalism in 2004. Each time he was denied for his undergrad G.P.A.
However Paslay’s work did get in, featured in one of Temple’s placement tests. And he isn’t too happy about it:
Temple continues to focus on my ancient undergraduate G.P.A. of a 2.55 as a way to keep me out of their graduate programs. Never mind the fact that I’m a published author whose commentaries on urban education frequently appear in The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia City Paper. Never mind the fact that I’m an accomplished educator who’s been teaching English and Journalism in the Philadelphia School District for 11 years, and who founded Swenson Arts and Technology’s student newspaper. Never mind the fact that they continue to use my published work as an assessment tool for their incoming freshman!
