low GPA, no masters. Do I have a shot?

Trying to get an honest read on my situation because every other resource just tells me “it’ll work out!” and I need real talk.

I am a stats major with a cs minor at a T40 school, t25 for stats, graduating December 2026 . GPA is bad. I know it’s a filter and I’m not here to pretend otherwise.

I have projects on GitHub and I’m active in relevant clubs on campus. No meaningful technical internship experience though, which I know doesn’t help. I have a bio one from freshman year and this year, I have a summer internship set up that’s more market research/excel/powerpoint.

My actual questions:

1.	Does a GitHub portfolio ever actually move the needle past a GPA filter, or does ATS bury you before a human sees it?

2.	Is a master’s becoming non-negotiable for DS roles, or can you still break in at entry level without one? I don’t think I would be able to get into a competitive program. The masters program at my current uni is out of reach based on my gpa. 

3.	For those who got in without a strong GPA and without a technical internship — what actually worked?

Not looking for resume feedback, just honest perspective from people who’ve hired or been hired in this space. Appreciate any real answers. I am also considering data analyst roles as well, as I do think that is more realistic, but I want to end up in DS eventually as I do have solid programming experience. Should I try to find a different summer internship even though it’s late and I already have one?