I’m going to be applying to graduate schools this Fall. I’m interested in Physical Chemistry. I’m trying to stay in the Pittsburgh or Columbus area for family reasons. I’m applying to Carnegie Mellon, University of Pittsburgh, West Virginia University, and Ohio State University. I have a preference for Carnegie Mellon and OSU. I want to hear from people who applied to these schools and people who applied to any graduate school with grades similar to mine with the results.
I have a math minor completed. This Fall I’m going to betaking Inorganic Chemistry, Quantum Chemistry (graduate level), and Partial Differential Equations.
My overall GPA is a 3.6.
Math GPA - 3.6.
Chem GPA – 3.7
Phys GPA – 3.5
All Science – 3.64
Right now, I’m concerned mainly about my grades. I’ve never gotten a C, but I’ve gotten a lot of B’s in important classes. Fortunately, I did well in Physical Chemistry both semesters. I got a B in Differential Equations, Calculus III, Calculus Based Physics I, Organic Chemistry I,II, and Analytical Chemistry.
I currently don’t have research experience, but I’m going to get experience this Summer and continue in the Fall. I’m wondering if I should have started earlier, but I just didn’t have time with classes and I only want to do synthetic work if I absolutely have to. I wouldn’t have been able to do anything I wanted without physical chemistry.
I haven’t taken the GRE, but it isn’t something I’m concerned about because I’ll be above the threshold and it’s not something schools really care about.