How to deal with graduate school rejection and overall academic failure?

There have been a lot of buzz about how difficult is to achieve a tenured position, however, it seems even harder to get into graduate school. My case: I graduated early from school in a developing country and decided to study Biology with more passion than reason (low salaries compared to a Doctor or an Engineering). I completed in four years a five years Bachelor's in a top institution of my country with some national awards, grants and scholarships. My GPA was among the best %5. I did research since my second year and established good relations with my Professors (Their letters of recommendation are fine without bluff).

I applied to some MSc in Europe and US and got rejected the first time. I got the only available (bad paying) job until the next admission period. I lower the stakes for my second round of applications and got rejected again. With two consecutive rejections, I am staring to think that I am ineligible for any graduate position. Especially considering that I have been off academia for two consecutive years. Why? A MSc in my country, even at a top school, has no international worth. Furthermore, it doesn't have worth in my own country as few positions are available.

I know I have weakness:

• My college is top in my country, almost unrecognized internationally. The awards I got have no international value.


• Although I was in that 5%, I had a harsh beginning. The first page of my transcripts has some bad scores (~2.8, lowest) along good ones (~4). That first page causes a bad impression.


• The extra course load is irrelevant for the admission committees.


• I specialized myself too much. While some students attest experience in three or more projects, I focused on one big project since the beginning.


• Few publications and conferences. In my country, there have been almost no conferences in my field in years and I cannot travel abroad for a presentation.

My future is staring to seem bleak: no job in my country, no graduate school abroad. Overall, I feel a complete failure in what I loved. What should a person in my position do? Should try again or set new professional goals?