Zoop

Right. Thanks for your help. I feel a lot better about it now!

Ok, that's good to hear. I was just afraid that no matter how I worded it, they would think of the terms "more desirable" and "stepping stone" themselves.

My field is computer science and I am applying primarily to Ph.D. programs. However, I'm also applying to a research track master's program as a backup with the intent of getting more research experience there and then moving on to a Ph.D. program at a different school. How should I write the Statement of Purpose for this master's program? Surely I can't be honest and tell them that they're just a stepping stone to a more desirable Ph.D. program. Or can I? I would guess that a lot of people pursuing a research track master's plan to get a Ph.D. afterward, but how do they describe their goals without offending anyone?

How is a question regarding graduate school admissions not a graduate school concern?

Thanks. I think I'll do that. I've read that it can be tricky to make contact with a professor before being admitted. Some professors even ask not to be contacted unless you've already been admitted. However, the worst that could happen is they wouldn't read the email. Thanks for the advice.

I haven't had any luck finding research positions that don't require either a Ph.D. or a large amount of research experience, but I hadn't considered engineering positions within research divisions. I'll look into this. Thank you for the suggestion.

Thank you for the suggestions, everyone. You've given me a lot to think about! Perhaps I have a better chance of getting into a top 20 Ph.D. program than I orginally thought. It sounds like my chances at such a university with my current credentials would ride heavily on my ability to write a pursuasive SoP. However, the possibility of an unfunded master's offer is somewhat comforting. What are your thoughts on unfunded masters' at top 20 programs vs funded PhDs at lower ranked programs? At the moment, I'm leaning toward applying to Ph.D programs this fall. I will also look into some programs at Canadian schools as suggested. I would hope to at least get some masters' offers. I would like to fill my time between now and next fall with something that would improve my application. I will look around for jobs like that, but since they are quite rare, do you have any suggestions for a plan B? Thanks again for the comments. If anyone else has something to add, I would love to hear it.

I just graduated with bachelors' in computer science and mathematics from a small, unknown liberal arts school. My GPA was 4.0, my GRE was Q: 164, V: 160, A: 4.0, and I only ended up with a semester of supervised research (didn't publish anything). I believe I would receive great recommendations, but from professors unknown to adcomms, and only one that would speak heavily to my research potential. I am interested in pursuing a Ph.D. However, I realize that with my background and experience, top Ph.D. programs would likely be out of reach. Ideally, I would like to end up in a top 20 Ph.D. program, but it may not be worth it do what is required to achieve that goal. From what I've read, the experience from a master's program would be the best way to get from where I'm at to a top 20 Ph.D. program, but I would almost definitely be paying for that master's. What are your thoughts? Is it worth it to pay the price of a master's tuition to get into a better Ph.D. program? Or should I do the best I can with my current credentials? I realize this isn't a yes or no question. I would just like to hear your thoughts on the issue. Thank you for your help!