Getting Into Graduate School (Full Version)

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solo_soprano22 -> Getting Into Graduate School (4/20/2008 8:03:21 PM)

So... I'm set to graduate with a BS in biology in 2009. (I have a premedical concentration.) I was supposed to be done next month, but some circumstances (medical) that I couldn't see have kept me back.

I'm going to apply for doctoral programs soon. I still have to take the GRE; I'm probably going to do it in a couple of weeks. I'd do it sooner, but I have some study guides here that I want to try to go over fully before I take the test. My gpa doesn't look that bad, and it *looks* like I'll make either all A's this semester or all A's/B's, so that should help. I'm trying to get undergraduate research done at the place I want to get my PhD from-- not for that reason, but because my university isn't big on research and it's a big teaching school/hospital that's very close.

I know I should make sure this is what I want to do.... and about mentors, etc.

I'm wondering if there is any more than I can do (other than watching my GPA, getting research if I can, trying to get good recommendations, doing well on the GRE). I know in the past stuff has slipped with me because I'm sick, but I'm trying to make sure to pace myself well and try to keep all the scores and such high. I'm wondering if there's anything else I can do right now.

If it matters, I'm trying to get a PhD in some branch of pathology. If I get into where I want to, their requirements are (if I'm not mistaken) a 3.0 GPA (overall and for the last 60 hrs), at least 1100 GRE and three rec. letters.

Thanks for anything! [;)]



rgod -> RE: Getting Into Graduate School (4/26/2008 9:59:32 AM)

Congratulations! I'm excited about the journey that you are embarking on. Here are a couple of thoughts:

Check out Chronicle of Higher Education's website (http://www.chronicle.com) There is a forum there for graduate students (http://chronicle.com/forums/) - it might be a good place to post specific questions. Keep in mind though that some of the people there can be a bit snarky - so take it with a grain of salt - but the advice they give you is really quite good.

Definitely look at the professors that you'll be working with, make sure there are several of them that specialize in your area of interest (in case one leaves or is reassigned). They'll be part of your committee one day. Try to meet them if at all possible. Take a look at their papers that they've published as well. If you are going to apply to other schools and you can, try to visit or at least email. You want to get a feel for the student community as well as the faculty there. If you can, take a peek at the thesis/dissertations that other students from that department have written (usually on file at the library). It will give you a nice idea of what is expected of you before you graduate. Get the book "Getting What You Came Here For" post haste. It is an excellent book that will guide you through the process and let you know what to expect. Another good one is "Getting In: Making it into a Top Grad School" (it is a Greene's Guide). It will help you with your admissions essays. If you can get started on those sooner rather than later, it will help you to be able to let others review what you've written so that you can make changes. Find out what happens to alumns - do they teach? research? consult? work in hospitals? Where do you see yourself going? Is this school a good fit for you?

Get your recommendation letters together sooner rather than later. You might want to give your recommenders some information on you so that you'll jog their memory of your accomplishments, achievements. Have them put a copy of the recommendation letter on file at the school should your school have a service like that - that way you can apply to other places if you need to.

Continue getting experience. It will help you tremendously. Keep praying and looking at your interests. If possible, try to get some sort of internship or volunteer at something related to pathology so that you have a better handle on what you really want to do. Also, make sure that your FAFSA is filled out and that you file by the early deadline. You want to make sure that you are in consideration for financial aid.


If I think of more, or can find a really good timeline (I think there might be one in one of the books I recommended) I'll post, but that is what I have for now.



henny -> RE: Getting Into Graduate School (4/26/2008 10:58:34 AM)

I'd worry more about getting good letters of recommendation and taking the GRE than your GPA. The sad thing is that while a low GPA will hurt you, a really high GPA won't help you much just because schools are often so different in their grading habits that I don't think many graduate schools view it as a good base line. The GRE itself as an indicator of sucess is kind of a joke, but unfortunately it's the only "common base line" amongst applicants that we have. Schools usually value that pretty highly, so I'd study for that if you haven't been (some will even refuse to look at applications outright if you don't meet a certain score, although most claim not to do this). Plus start your admittance letter/proposal earlier rather than later, as that's really important as well (They usually don't expect you to know exactly what you want to do your PHD on right off the bat, but the more specific you are in laying out exactly where your interests lie and what you want to do, the better).

I'm just finishing my Masters this May and want to change schools to get my doctorate so I have to go through the head ache of applying all over again. And it really is a head ache, so try to do everything as early as possible (especially the letters of recommendation, which are the biggest hassle, as you have to track down teachers, make sure they get mailed on time, etc, etc).

Make sure you look into scholarships and fellowships too. Some schools will automatically pay for everyone admitted and others offer fellowships you can apply for separately. I ended up getting a full time fellowship for my Master's, which was a really good deal as all of your tuition is payed for in full and you get a stipend every semester to live off of that you don't have to pay back (plus graduate school is tons more work, so if you want to go full time it's often hard to have anything more than a part time job -so you'll want to make sure you are fixed financially).



solo_soprano22 -> RE: Getting Into Graduate School (4/30/2008 10:10:30 PM)

I have a question. I'm a bit busy right now, so I can address some other stuff later, but for those of you in grad school (or have been in, or am familiar), was there a minimum GRE score to be considered for your specific program?

Most of the time the minimum I see for any program is around 1100-1150. The minimum for the program I want to get into is lower than that, although every other grad school there at that Univ. is 1150; this is the only program I see that's not like that. Anyway, if you don't mind sharing, what was the minimum?



karlie -> RE: Getting Into Graduate School (5/1/2008 2:09:26 PM)

I think it depends on your school and the program you're going into. In the program I am applying to, they weigh the professor's letters heavier than anything. Followed by GPA, then the GRE scores. They also greatly value volunteer work. But, I've been told in other departments within the same school(such as science) the GRE and the GPA is most important and people with great GPAs have been declined due to poor GRE scores. I think every department has it's own standard.

I also lucked out with the GRE. Last year, they temporarily suspended needing the GRE scores at all in my program(counseling) for all students with a 3.8 or higher when they apply. If I watch my p's and q's over the next semester and maintain my GPA, I won't even have to take it!



rjdodd -> RE: Getting Into Graduate School (5/1/2008 2:55:24 PM)

To reiterate what has already been said. Recommendation letters count for a lot more than the GRE in my opinion. I never took the GRE because the school waived it after the recommendations from my profs - big school too, so this doesn't just apply to smaller ones.



solo_soprano22 -> RE: Getting Into Graduate School (5/1/2008 5:19:09 PM)

I think extracirriculars are better for med school entrance rather than biology; research is best for what I'm trying to do. (I want to do both, but I want to do biology first.) It just seems like the GRE score for the program I'm applying to is low, and I'm wondering why theirs is lower than the other biology grad. programs within the same university.

I'm actually trying to figure out now which profs to get recommendations from. (It's rougher than what it seems.) Most of my professors have seemingly disappeared into an abyss after they retired. [&:] And I'm not sure they even remember me. [&o]



karlie -> RE: Getting Into Graduate School (5/1/2008 5:32:47 PM)

quote:

I'm actually trying to figure out now which profs to get recommendations from. (It's rougher than what it seems.) Most of my professors have seemingly disappeared into an abyss after they retired.

That is hard. And a lot of them don't want to write letters unless they've followed your progress for a couple of semesters. I had one of my professors from last semester actually offer to write me a recommendation and ask if I would be interested in volunteering in her clinic. I know she's very selective with that, so I have worked hard to keep that door open. I'm even taking another class from her that doesn't really count for anything but a wise move for my future, I think. She's a fantastic instructor though, so it definitely won't be wasted. I'll learn a lot for her.



Auben -> RE: Getting Into Graduate School (5/1/2008 7:07:33 PM)

I just finished this process and am starting Grad school next year (fall 2008).

I really recommend that you apply to multiple schools. I had a 3.48 gpa for college (3.8 in my major) but I still got rejected by one of the schools where I applied.

*get recommendation letters early and consider asking them to keep copies of a general recommendation letter in case you want to apply for scholarships.

*if its not someone who sees you every day make sure they have notes on you; what classes you took with them, the years those classes were taken, grades from the class, major papers or research you did with them, a photo of yourself, a list of other common data about you (if you worked on campus, extracurricular activities, gpa, etc).

*if the grad school is close enough to your location tour the facilities, ask to meet particular professors if you have an interest in them, chat them up.

*if you haven't already, check out what kind of research the major professors in your specialty are doing. Read their stuff. Google them. This makes it easier to chat them up and gives them a reason to remember you.

*research scholarships. There is a lot of stuff out there. You'll probably need a chart with dates, what you need to do, etc. A lot of scholarships also need recommendation letters so start early or have a general letter you can use for these things.

It's been 13 years since I graduated from college. I had a very hard time with recommendation letters. My main professor misremembered me and I didn't find out until after he sent in the letter. He thought we'd only had 1 or 2 classes together and wrote a letter which reflected that (despite all the info. I sent him on me to jog his memory). It was a very frustrating situation. So keep on top of those retired profs if you can. Usually the other profs in the department are very helpful in tracking people down, giving advice on where to look next, etc. Seek out their advice even if you don't feel they would make good references.



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