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selecttext

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Posts posted by selecttext

  1. "our admission is at the discretion of any individual prof; basically, if someone wants to take you, you're in"

     

    That is not true at all. There is an entire admissions process with strict minimum requirements. Finding a supervisor is only a hurdle. 

  2. Your SSHRC application was forwarded to the national competition by your current university. It is still possible that you won't be funded. In fact, many otherwise successful applications have, in recent years, been declined only because there was not enough funding. 

     

    you may not be admitted to a graduate program for a number of reasons. apart from your grades and the quality of your application, your program might simply be competitive. A graduate fellowship would certainly make you more appealing to potential supervisors but it wouldn't guarantee your admission. 

     

    I think that you can defer SSHRC by one year.

  3. I've looked at that page and always wondered: What proof is there that these are actual successful SoPs?  How did she get all these SoPs?

     

    That page hasn't been updated since 2004.  I haven't read all the statements but the ones I did read had lots of cliches and Dr. Suess-type anecdotes.  I'm a bit suss on it.

     

    I agree that they are not written at the level of a native english speaker but I have no reason to believe that this person has posted misleading information. in general, they are much better than many of the first drafts posted here.

  4. In a section, use your laboratory experience as evidence of your excellent preparation for graduate school but do not mention the supervisor. Have your referees attest to your laboratory abilities in their letters. Make sure to give them a copy of your CV and explain your situation. It would also be very helpful to give them a copy of the manuscript. One thing that puzzles me is if the supervisor has cut off all communications, does he really expect that you will have authorship?

  5. Don't I need to explain which subjects in my undergrad made me want to get into this specific area for my MS and how?

     

    No, you need to write what interests you about the field and what you hope to accomplish. Your courses have piqued a particular interest that is obfuscated by their enumeration. The reader should not have to disentangle your interests from your long 2nd and 3rd paragraphs. You should be much more specific and to the point. Just imagine you had a stack of these to read. would you prefer to read long and complicated or concise and clear letters?

  6. journals with a short turn around time sometimes have a high rejection rate. it's very unlikely that your article would be accepted to any journal without revisions in 6 weeks. do not forget that your co-authors might also request major revisions before you submit. it's a long process - especially your first time.

    I would focus on finding good referees and writing an excellent statement of purpose. 

  7. every field has journals that process manuscripts in short order. under review is as bad as in preparation. people write these to beef up their CVs . committee don't takes these seriously. HOWEVER, you could write a manuscript and send it to your POI who might petition harder for you.

  8. I'd go. It's only $500 in the grand scheme of things, and (in my opinion), you should visit somewhere and meet the faculty, graduate students, etc. in person before you decide to spend 5-6 years of your life there. What if you hate the other students once you enroll? What if your POI is actually abrasive in real life and you can't see working with them? What if the facilities suck? What if you hate the city/area? What if the grad students are obnoxious or tell you that they actually really hate the program/school/quality of life? This is a fairly big commitment to make without meeting anyone in person or seeing where you will be working- and who with- for the near future.

     

    You can Skype with the professor's graduate students - who are generally forthcoming.

  9. usually in these situations you should go see professors who are familiar with your work ask if they would support your application for a phd. get ready for rejection and exhaust your options. if your performance was good in general then you shouldn't have a problem getting a third letter. at this point there is no way to build your rapport so just be upfront. just in case, bring along a copy of your CV, transcript and statement of purpose.

  10. it means the department has recommended you for admissions to the faculty/school of graduate studies (who make the final decision)

    you will probably receive an offer

  11. You probably wouldn't get into an MSc program either - but you should discuss your situation with the graduate advisor for your target school. Aside from your low GPA, there may be problems with you statement of purpose or with you referee reports. By the way, will you receive a graduate diploma or an actual MSc with the 1 year biotech program? My recommendation would be to do the 3rd major and take as many 4th year/grad courses as they will allow. You will then need a very lofty explanation in your SOP.

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