I have rather high GRE scores and a high GPA, I am still amazed at how hard it is to get accepted these days into an ecology program. I came from two years at a community college and then a pretty small state school. I couldn't get a REU, even though I applied to 25. I had little research, but was fortunate to land a summer job at a prestigious company. I was accepted to one USA university and one Canadian. I applied to two big universities and was told from my POI contacts that they had many qualified students with MS degrees and little funding. I had emails, skype interviews and phone chats.
People just do not understand the process we go through to get accepted. I am going to Canada in the fall. Funding is good and my professor is extremely knowledgeable and connected. I plan to get published, do as much research as possible, TA, attend conferences, ect, what ever it takes to hopefully land a PHD program in 2.5 years from now. I may freeze, and have sleep deprivation when I get back to the states, but I will have a resume worth noticing! Best of luck to you all.