New Grad trying to break into Robotics/Aerospace

I'm a graduating student in Mechanical Engineering, trying to break into the robotics/aerospace industry. My dilemma is that I don't think I'm competitive enough as an applicant. I am very passionate about the space, and I have tried to tailor my university experience to gaining relevant skills in this area (courses, teams, etc.), but I still find myself lacking when I compare myself to my peers, who have higher GPAs or more relevant experience.

I've tried to complete personal projects that showcase my skills, but they take time to implement, and I don't want to compromise my grades to complete a project that may not be worth it. I'm feeling the pressure to have an independent, fully completed project on my portfolio, but my current one is still in progress and won't be done by the time I start applying. I have other relevant projects, but they are all school projects, and the advice seems to be that those are not real projects that should be on my resume.

I still have a lot to learn (since my background is in Mechanical, I'm not the strongest coder), but I'm confident I can perform well if given the chance. But as it stands, I don't even have a foot in the door, and that's discouraging. Has anyone gone through this and can provide some perspective or much-desired advice?