Crucial BBQ
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Posts posted by Crucial BBQ
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Generally, your GPA in your major is calculated by calculating the GPA using only courses listed in that department.
However, taking the maximum possible number of credits each semester, especially if it includes courses not related to your major, program, or degree requirements, is really really bad time management. It doesn't matter if it's one-price-fits-all. You only take what you can manage.
What do you think is going through the adcom's mind here? 'Look at all these extra courses BBQ took... that brought down his/her GPA.'
Well, it has already been done. One of the programs I got in touch with after the rejection letter came in "last year" cited my lack of an explanation regarding undergraduate courses, low GPA, and so on in my SOP. I took a chance and decided not to include that info with that SOP. I was told by the program director there was a chance I would have been admitted to the Masters program had I took the time to explain. I was wait listed to a another program, but according to the PI-my contact to that program-it was my GRE quant score combined with some low grades freshman and sophomore years that ultimately led them to say no.
I dunno...it all made sense to me at the time.
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This is the second time through for me. I was denied to all programs last year.
Undergrad Institution: Private LAC on the East Coast not known for its science programs.
Major(s): Dual biology/chemistry. I had already earned an A.S. in Applied Oceanography prior to attending.
Minor(s): Could have received a minor in psychology of all things had I petitioned.
GPA in Major: 2.9 to 3.1, but it depends on how one would define "major-related courses". See below:
Overall GPA: 3.4 if including every single college course. My university had a one-price-fits all for full time students. So, since I was already paying for them I took the max number of credits each semester, including of courses not relating to my major, program, or degree/school requirements, but most were science/math related. I also did a lot of community college prior to transferring into my university.
Position in Class: School did not rank, but I would say somewhere near the middle.
Type of Student: Domestic, male.
GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 156.
V: 154.
W: 5.0
B: What is this? The Biology subject test?
Research Experience: Two years worth working from an R/V (research vessel). One year chemistry: new project, primarily set up the experiment, worked out the kinks, and wrote the protocol/manual for future students. Worked directly for the prof, not the "lab". One year biology, and another year biology. One was for the "lab" working on an already established project and the other was directly with a prof. Both were on campus. Both of these projects concluded with research papers (roughly 25 pages each, not including reference/bibliography/graphs, tables, etc.) and public presentations. Neither paper were published or attempted to be published.Two years building and deploying coastal drifters, tracking their movements via attached GPS, plotting movements into GIS. This culminated with the participation in the State GIS Championships. Won 3rd place.
Awards/Honors/Recognitions: All recognitions were school/campus related, but not major/degree/department related. I was recognized for outstanding leadership/commitment for: one year: as staff writer of student newspaper; one year: as Editor-in-Cheif of student newspaper; one year: as vice president of the student senate (note* not SGA); two years in a row for founding/leading a team of students who built underwater ROVs for competition which included writing of technical reports, poster displays, and verbal presentations/design rational Q/A to a panel. Not one person on the team, including myself, had prior experience with robotics/ROVs. Our team beat MIT both years, ha!
Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Three years volunteering with a respected organization analyzing water chemistry. One year constructing and deploying artificial reefs (volunteer). One year monitoring invasive species (volunteer).One year lab assistant for chemistry department: set up labs for experiments. One year building/designing new types of ocean drifters.
Not related but sat on a "student welfare and retention committee" as a student liaison; helped create/change campus wide policy. Sat on another committee that helped promote and recognize student leadership.
Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: There are more-than-likely a few more I am excluding....
Special Bonus Points: Nope. I was older then the typical undergrad, perhaps? My first SCUBA certification is probably older than the age of the typical gradcafe user...maybe...if one considers the minimum age requirement...
Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: I included everything I wanted to include here. All other info is between me, the application, and the prospective departments.
Applying to Where:
University of Rhode IslandUniversity of Maine
UC Davis
MIT
Brown
San Jose State
University of Maryland
Maybe University of Delaware
Maybe Scripps (oceanography)
A few others...
I'll be the umpteenth person to say: post/PM me with any questions!
I did this whole process TWICE and am finally starting at a program I'm excited for in August. For any older/non-traditional applicants, holla at me, I'm your guy! Also had a colorful academic record, so if you can sympathize, you know where to find me.
I'll send you a PM. If I forget, PM me
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The "unofficial" cutoff for most programs in biology is 3.0. As long as you can explain any low grades in your SOP it might not be a problem.
As far as "safety" schools are concerned typically Master's programs do not have as-strict entrance requirements.
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Well give me eight more months and I will provide some stories of my own.
I do know of a professor (who wrote many LORs on my behalf) who claims he applied to the same graduate program three years in a row. According to him a professor in the program he was applying to recognized his name and realized that it was for the third year in a row he has applied. He said the prof mentioned to him thinking something along the lines of Well, this guy is persistent. I'll give him a chance.; and made sure he was admitted that year.
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we usually have the students make a "packet" of relevant info for their professors. This includes a description of the schools and programs that the student is applying to, as well as an explanation of what kind of information the letter of recommendation should contain. The student also types up a "press release" of sorts, which describes his/her main accomplishments and qualities that should be highlighted in the letter.
I have had professors here in the U.S. request similar information. They wanted me to give them as much info as possible including the press release, courses taken, CV/resume, and so on.
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Why do you think you will be a good candidate for grad school, beyond people with higher GPAs? Find and answer and use it in your statement of purpose. Just because you have a reason for your low GPA doesn't mean you have a reason that you will be a good graduate student.
First, shoot for thesis based masters programs. You will not get into a PhD program unless you have very good connections, publications, or just plain lucky.
Look for places that do not have a minium GPA for grad students. Below a 3.0 in grad school is failing, you are severely under that in perhaps less rigorous classes.
You need to be completely candid about your GPA. You need to have something you can contrast that GPA to show them academic promise. You need to prove to them that despite your GPA you learned enough information to survive in graduate school.
You need to expect that you will fail at getting into graduate school your first time around, and will probably have to take classes as a non degree student to raise your GPA, preferably graduate level classes.
You probably will have to pay for your masters, as most GA/TA/RA spots are given to the people entering the program with the best GPAs.
The person who wrote this post: http://3dpancakes.typepad.com/ernie/2005/03/re_phd_with_low.html had a 2.4 undergraduate GPA and is now a full professor a top 5 department in computer sciences. He has great advice.
Good luck.
I applied only to programs that did not have a minimum GPA and while my own GPA was much higher than the OPs and not necessarily a problem itself the fact that I got some low grades were an issue. I mentioned in another thread that I had a rough start in undergrad. Essentially, I maintained a C average during freshman and sophomore years. I got Cs in intro bio, chem, physics I and calculus. Even though I went on in my junior and senior years to earn mostly As and Bs including in physics II (A) and higher levels of math, chem, and bio, I was still denied because of those introductory Cs. To make matters worse, I was denied to at least two programs because I did not mention why I got those grades in my SOP. Well, I thought my academic record showed a complete turn-around and upward trend for itself so I thought it would have been redundant to mention it. I thought wrong.
Another program said they would have admitted me into their Master's program had I explained those grades (applied for the Ph.D. program) and another program that initially wait listed me said they would have taking a chance on me in their Master's program had I only scored a little bit higher in Quant (GRE).
My advice to the OP is to stick with it, try to retake a course or two to boost GPA, and do not mention depression, ADHD, etc. in the SOP.
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I second rising_star and slow cooked meals. What I do is spend an hour or so packaging meals in freezer bags and keeping them in the freezer until needed. Essentially I just remove one of the bags/packages, dump it into the slow cooker frozen and all and set it high. When I come home in the evenings dinner is done for the most part.
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I am older than you (not saying by how much, though). Let me give you some advice. I can understand that you do not want to miss out on your daughter's childhood but the reality of the situation is that you are simply doing what your wife wants and not what you want. I've been there, done that. Let me tell you: no one who truly loves you would ever say that you are being selfish when in reality they are only manipulating you to get what they want. The bottom line is that anyone who claims someone else is being selfish has their own selfish agenda they are attempting to accomplish.
If you think New York City is expensive....you won't be happy in DC. I live 20 minutes north of DC...I'd take NYC any day of the week over that place. Not the greatest advice but if you ask yourself how will you feel about your "choice" five years from now and give yourself an honest answer that you can live with, well, then, so be it. Otherwise you will carry around with you a ton of regret.
For what it is worth it says a lot that your wife was wiling to move to NYC in the first place. Not sure where you guys moved from but my guess is that she is simply homesick and making too many mental comparisons between why NYC sucks and why "home" rules. If I were in your position, and I was in many ways similar, I'd try to come up with a compromise: you two stick it out for one more year and if at the end of the year she still wants to move, then you will move no questions asked. This would give you the opportunity to leave with a Master's, which would be enough to get you that job in biodefense (my current SO is also a microbiologist, and works for the Fed. Gov. Trust me on this; Ph.D.s are not required).
To answer your questions:
1: As soon as possible! Yes your PI will be upset, but he/she will be even more upset the longer you wait. You need to be as professional as possible and you want this person as a reference. Do not wait and be honest.
2: Yes, of course. But it will all depend on how you explain the situation. Grad school is essentially training grounds for academia, even if you do not wish to go into academia it does not matter. College in the U.S. has changed little over the last 200+ years. On the one hand academics are expected to pick up and go at a moments notice either for employment, research, sabbatical, and so on. So for you to leave a program that you love and are doing well in at a moments notice says a lot about your ability to "get up and go as needed".
On the other hand if the prospective programs even sense that you only left your current program "because of the wife" would be bad in terms of your chances for acceptance. It is one thing to move to keep the family unit together, it is another because the misses said so. In short, it is not professional.
Another thing to consider, as already mentioned, is that it is fairly common for couples, married or otherwise, to go into long distance status when one or both enter graduate school. Not every couple does this but it is generally viewed as the mature, and professional, thing to do.
3. I know that I am coming across as harsh but as I wrote above I have been there. As long as you can live with the decisions, then that is all that really matters in the end. I suggest you talk to your PI ASAP and begin the search for a suitable program in your home town area.
I would also gently push the idea of sticking it out for one more year and perhaps suggesting moving out of the city to cheaper area that is still within a reasonable commuting distance.
Good luck.
- mop, ss2player, RunnerGrad and 2 others
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I used to think that contacting potential advisors/mentors/etc. was discipline dependent but now, as someone who went through the whole process last year, I am of the opinion that it is program specific. Out of all of the programs I looked at whether I applied to them or not, some 22 in total, said one of the following:
Contacting at least one potential advisor is an absolute must prior to submitting your application. You must indicate which professor you have been in contact with in your SOP.
Indicating which professor you would most like to work with is a must, but no real contact prior to or after acceptance is necessary.
After you are admitted to the program you must select an advisor to work with. Even if you are admitted to the program you will not officially join the program until an advisor can be secured.
It is not necessary to contact a potential advisor prior to applying. During your first two years of coursework you will do lab rotations. At some point near the end of rotations you will select an advisor.
It is encouraged, but not necessary, to contact a potential advisor prior to applying. Once admitted you will be assigned an academic advisor. After matriculation, and at sometime during your first year (or two), you will select a research advisor/select an advising committee.
Also, if you research it you will get conflicting advice about including a CV in your initial email. The general consensus is not to send it in your initial email but instead to ask, if the POI is interested, if it is okay to attach it to a follow up email.
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I haven't applied to grad school YET. I plan to apply for the fall of 2016. After much research and deliberation I have concluded only one thing, I must make the next 18 months of my life count in every possible way academically, to make up for the years of undergrad that I consider to be a massive waste of time and money. The results from my undergraduate years were a less than stellar GPA, with no accolades or awards, just a degree that in four years have only collected dust, and interest on student debt.
Following a plan found on the UC Berkely website for getting into graudate school with a sub 3.0 GPA this is my plan, and I am wondering if it will work.
That said the program I seeking to enter does not have a minimum GPA or GRE score. They have not made public any of this information, even after I inquired about it, but none the less. The program I seek requires exposure to C++ programming and at least 1 semester of calculus, and since the program is a molecular biology/Genetics program, I plan to take at least two senior level molecular biology/chemistry courses.
1. Raise my GPA .4 points. While I will not be at 3.0 at that point, I will certainly be closer than I am now. I plan to do this by doing what I started out in college doing, eating, living and breathing the classes I take. I plan to do this with the required pre reqs. I would like to get a programming certificate for C++ and getting a lab technician certification that would give me the wet lab skills I need for graduate school. I would by all means make an A. in the above mentioned Molecular biology/chemistry courses.
2. Take at least 2 courses in the program before matriculating. The university allows people to take the introductory courses and later transfer them to the program if accepted.
3. Blow the GRE out of the water. I am hoping to land in the 75th-80th percentile, which is where most life science majors seem to fall. This is mostly going to be my proof I have the aptitude to complete the work.
4. Letters of Recommendation. In the spring of 2015 I plan to volunteer in a lab with a professor who loves plant biology and genetics. I realize the volunteer work is purely self serving in nature but, I need it. The program requires 3, the other two I haven't decided (other than Acing a bunch of classes) how I might earn a letter or recommendation for the program.
5. Personal Statement and Purpose. This will be thought out and well rounded. I do plan on using this as an opportunity to discuss the low GPA and what obastcles I have removed and how things are different. I do plan to put a lot of emphasis and focus on the things I did leading up to my decision to send my application and how it reflects my growth and potential.
6. This is a HUGE maybe, but I have considered doing a small Independent study project, when I mean small something that will take me less than 9 months to complete and present.
If I complete this plan I think I might have a real shot at acceptance, but it hinges on me successfully reaching each goal by Jan 15 2016.
While my situation is different I can honestly say that I have been there. Here is my advice based on "having been there", the advice I got prior to applying and the advice I got after being rejected:
1: The absolute best way to boost your GPA in terms of graduate school is to retake courses, if even at a community college. The more credits you add to the pile the slower the GPA will rise even if all new grades are As. Getting a cert in C++ would definitely be a good thing considering your intended course of study. As for the lab tech cert...not sure if this would make much of a difference. Sure it's another feather in your hat and could make a Master's application but for a Ph.D. I don't think it would matter much (in my limited opinion) considering Ph.D. is about being the researcher not the gopher (well, perhaps not at first). In lieu of the lab tech cert I would suggest getting [more] research experience by volunteering at the least if you can.
2: Probably the best advice here, but...graduate level courses are expensive and even if you are taking this courses at a public with resident tuition expect to pay out-of-pocket a few grand per course in the least. And if you don't earn at least a B then....well...
3: For what it is worth I don't think anyone plans on failing the GRE and most hope or "know that I will" score high. Yes, if you have low grades in math, chem, and/or other analytical courses than scoring high on GRE quant could be enough proof to some programs, but not all.
4: Volunteering in the lab is a good plan not only for the LOR but also for the experience that can be included in the SOP. Other than that the best way to get LORs is to simply shoot-the-breeze with a few profs on a regular basis if you can. Hang out after class, pop in during office hours, and so on. Don't be a creep, though.
5: Once again, everyone says this and I am fairly sure too many believe it, too. Begin writing your SOP at least 1/2 year in advance. I guarantee that no matter how polished you think it is, no matter how much you think it is the best it could possibly be, two seconds after you hit submit you will think oh, shit...I just thought of...
6: Great idea but keep in mind that if it is not under the direction of a "qualified scientist" it might get viewed as a weekend DIY project considering "an authority" did not critique and approve your proposal.
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No, I don't think any of those things. As I mentioned several times, I actually prefer to not have intellectual conversations with friends, I want to have 'normal' conversations. And I dont think of myself as 'highly' either. Why is it the case that people of any other profession can be show off their expertise and they don't get called 'arrogant' but when academics talk about their expertise they are automatically pretentious or too 'highly'? I think you are missing the point I'm trying to make.
With most professionals, their job, their profession, is not their life. What-ever it is that they do there is a shared experience that all in the "work force" or "real world" can relate to. Academics are different. They devote their entire lives to scholarship: to the research, publication, and teaching of a singular subject. Some may have broad research interests but if you look closely those interests still tend to fall into the narrow gap between A and B. To add, the majority of research-output occurs outside of the walls of the Ivory Tower yet most academics consider themselves the authority(ies) even though few actually work, or have worked, in the same industries they claim to be experts of.
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Can anyone offer specific advice on places to avoid or target for decent family-friendly housing? Daviswiki seems very helpful for students, whereas I'm actively looking for something that has NOT been primarily full of students. I'm ok with being "far" from campus, as long as it's in the Davis school district. I want a place that is appropriate for adults raising children, nowhere near undergraduate havens, nowhere near trailer parks with high crime rates. I'm a homeowner who has been on the other side of a rental situation, and I'm really interested in finding a nice, clean, well-maintained home (and keeping it that way) while having a respectful relationship with someone who understands that my husband and I are functioning adults (and treats us that way). Is this a pipe dream in Davis? After an entire evening of reading housing reviews on Daviswiki, I'm starting to fear that it is. If you have any insights, suggestions, advice, please let me know. Thanks!
tl; dr - where would a professor live if s/he didn't want to buy?
Davis is small with just over 60K residents. The city itself exists almost solely for the university but there are a good number of people who live in Davis who are not affiliated with the university in any way; people who work in Sacramento, Folsom, or perhaps Roseville but do not want to deal with the crime or grime of "the city". Your post is rather passive-agressive. If it is because of your concerns for living in a student ghetto, well, it is a college town first and foremost. However, there are plenty of families in Davis and it is considered one of the more family-freindly cities in California. If your attitude stems from your personality, then, you more-than-likely will not fit into the city and will end up hating it.
Davis is one of the safest cities/suburbs in California. Not only that, its crime index is lower than the national average. To my knowledge there have only been 4 murders over the last 10 years and the #1 crime is theft (generally bicycles and laptops). With that, as to where to live, I'd suggest avoiding anything immediately around the university. Davis does have Section 8 and a few complexes devoted to Section 8, but there is nothing that resembles "the projects" or "trailer park" with high crime rate (and yes, there is one trailer park that I know of just south of 80).
I was staying in Sacramento during my visiting day. The events ended around 5pm and that's when I headed back to Sac. The traffic was pretty terrible. It took me an hour to get from UC Davis to midtown. If you can help it, leave earlier or later than rush hour.
An hour from Davis to Midtown seems a bit excessive but traffic can be bad. It usually does not backup until you get to West Sac or so, mostly with people trying to merge onto 80 (80...80...if you continue straight you will be on Business 80 which turns into 50 if you were to continue on ahead. If you ride in the right-hand lanes, but not the right-most, you will continue on B 80 which was renamed Capital City Freeway because non-locals seem to get the whole 80 80 thing confused. If you remained in the right-most lane you will merge onto 99, which is the same freeway as 80/CCF...but on the south side of 80/50. To me, and everyone else I know, it will always be simply 80. By the way, at this 80/CCF/50 interchange, if you were to look behind you once you merged onto 80/CCF you will be looking at HWY 99..aka 99). Just a bit of trivia.
What route did you take? I used to live in Midtown. Personally, I would have exited on 15th and cut over. Did you stay on 80 to N St. or H St.?
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Well, considering this application season bombed, I'm looking at the 2015 cycle. I was originally "supposed" to apply for the 2013 cycle, but stuff happens as they say. I actually managed to have LORs and transcripts sent to schools/programs, but because of that "stuff" I did not complete and submit any of my applications. I am not bummed, really. I have spoken to a few of the programs I applied to and learned a great deal of what to do and what not to do; some of which is in direct contrast to the "advice" normally found on the Internet.
I'll pass this info along towards the end of summer as students begin to gear up for the application cycle.
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The pre-grad/em advisor at the Big Prestigious Place where I work gave the following advice:
"Avoid taking a subject test at all costs. It's basically just a random trivia memorization test. Contact program directors to see if they really mean it when the website says 'subject test recommended.' Ask what percentage of accepted applicants take the subject test. Ask if there are any specific situations where a subject test could help an applicant with a deficiency in another area. Then decide whether or not it's worth it for you to take it, but be biased towards not doing it."
I followed this advice, and every time I asked a program director how many of their successful applicants took the subject test, they answered something along the lines of "not many" regardless of what the website said.
I know this is an old thread, but for some clarification...
...in general, those applying to top programs are going to have top grades, good undergrad research experience, and generally "good" applications overall. For those applying to these same programs with a lower GPA, or lower grades in chemistry, orgo, biology, biochem, etc., the subject tests are a good way to show that you know the material.
Besides, you kind of have to know a little bit about everything to do well on these subject tests and I can think of only a few undergraduate tests that were not "random trivia memorization tests".
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I dated a girl who received her Master's of Art. Not an MFA...just "art". We broke up shortly thereafter and I haven't talked to her since but last I heard she is working as a social worker. Maybe doing art therapy?
A good friend of mine received her MFA, and now teaches at that same school. Her undergrad major was BFA, but she minored in both biology and history. The course she teaches is a hybrid of biology and art where she teaches art through the learning of biology. I have helped her with some of her Power Point presentations and they are straight out of a BIO 101 course.
She got the job because she created a course that fills a niche the school itself does not offer. As a strictly art/design/film school the school offers only a handful of liberal arts courses. Yet, there are students who, say, want to take a chemistry course and for them the school has an agreement with a local university where those students could take such a course. So her course is for students like them.
Not sure if this helps, but I'd suggest looking to get a Master's in something other than a second MFA if you want to be serious about teaching. That is what I would do. Then, like my friend, I would combine the two disciplines.
I reminded of a course I never took but wanted to. It was a course that taught math through nature and art.
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Man, this thread is depressing. For those with the sub 3.0 GPAs and admits, what did you do? Did you explain your low GPA in your SOP?
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I think this sort of thing was more frowned upon before most PhD programs started accepting people directly out of undergrad - before, it was more common to do a terminal masters, then go elsewhere for the PhD.
There are also greater number of students looking for employment outside of academia these days, too.
What I have read recently claims that if you are going into academia, in particular for the humanities, it is still considered a bit of nepotism and looked down upon. The general advice is the university likes to see a "diverse" background from their applicants. It gives them a more well-rounded perspective.
As an example, in my field of study, the researchers at Harvard and Yale bring in a lot of cash because they are always in the news for their 'discoveries.' However, their studies are incredibly methodogically and theoretically problematic and many MANY MANY researchers in my discipline have pointed this out. Yet, because they are from Harvard and Yale, they have all of the connections and make all of the big money, so none of the criticism phases them.
Well, Harvard is known to have participated in some questionable research in collaborations with the Military and government. In fact, Harvard has a very long history with the Military going all the way back to the War of 1812.
Yale is currently planning to work with (or already is) the Military on new interrogation techniques. As someone who lives a stone's throw from DC, it is plain to see that any business with the Fed. Gov. and/or Military brings in big $$$$
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I don't feel the student was unfair in their request.
Learning how to write well requires specifically showing what mistakes an individual made and how they may improve them. This does not mean you comb through the entire essay and re-write the entire piece, but find an example or two of the general problems the student seems to have and resolve them with the student. If the student struggles a lot, offer a suggestion.
I've never liked the TA who writes a lofty remark like "Could be written better", "Awkward wording", or other such vague statements without actually specifying where such occurs and potential fixes. Learning should be guided, not thrown into a vague water of general good will.
If a student does not know how to write a proper college paper of any sort then something is seriously wrong. I mean, who wrote their admissions essays/SOPs?
If I were in the OPs shoes I would tell this student that if s/he wants to be cuddled and walked-through everything to go back to high school.
- comp12 and Shamrock_Frog
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2
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I will be entering CUNY Graduate Center's Animal Behavior PhD program this Fall, and I was wondering: What does an NSF graduate fellowship do? What does it pay for? Also, when do most grad students typically apply?
The particular one you are referencing awards $32K as stipend and $12K for tuition/school for a grand total of $44K for a total of three years. Supposedly the fellowship claims " freedom to conduct their own research at any accredited U.S. institution of graduate education they choose" . I am not sure if that means you can just walk up to MIT and say Yo! See this NSF Graduate Research Fellowship I got here? Yeah? Well, okay. Let me in. There are at least two users of gradcafe who have won.
I applied two years ago and if I remember correctly the deadline is in November. The NSF does other graduate/research grants/fellowships too.
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To your interview question: I know plenty of Master's students who were interviewed. I was even interviewed by the one Master's program I applied to.
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Going straight from undergrad to Ph.D. has become the norm in the U.S., beginning perhaps twenty years ago. There is currently a push to get students into Master's programs first, in particular considering the high attrition rates of Ph.D.s (something like 50%). On the one hand Ph.D. students contribute directly to the research and "prestige" of the lab/university/and/or particular professor, so you can see where that desire stems. On the other, Master's students are generally not funded through a particular lab/professor (some are, though), so you can see the appeal here, too. But Master's students tend to contribute less to overall research of a particular lab/professor, so you can see the push for straight-to-Ph.D.
For what it is worth, you do not really need research to get into a Ph.D. program, but it is something that is desirable because it shows that you have some understanding of what research is, and, won't waste anyone's time and money by dropping out halfway through the program (read the "Already Admitted" sub forum for evidence of this. Many realize they hate research after the fact).
The main advantage to applying to a Master's program first is that they are generally easier to get into. They take the students with a lower GPA; lower GRE scores; less research experience; and perhaps a weaker SOP. And so on. The other advantage is that it gives you an opportunity to test the waters so to speak. The initial course-work for a Ph.D. is going to be the same as for a Master's degree so it will give you an initial idea if graduate school is for you or not. Many Master's programs offer a thesis track (as opposed to a straight academic track) that will allow you to work on a small research project that culminates in a written (but smaller) dissertation and public defense. This would allow you to see if research is for you (and give you some experience writing and defending a dissertation).
Another advantage is that it will allow to meet and see potential Ph.D. advisors first hand. Labs, too. You will have a better idea of what is going on, how it all "works", and if it is something that you ultimately want to pursue.
An even better advantage is that if your program/lab/POI is short on funding you can still get in (unless it is one of those few programs that out-right funds Master's students). You can apply to a Ph.D. program, and be the most awesome applicant the program has ever seen, but if they don't have funding you can be denied simply because of that. Amount of funding dictates the percentage of applicants that are admitted to Ph.D. programs and why many other-wise qualified applicants are denied.
Realistically, doing a Master's first would better position you for the Ph.D.
I personally do not see any real advantage with going straight to Ph.D. unless you have a very solid idea of why you want to earn that Ph.D. That would be true even if you were to have earned the Master's first. Think about it: you have 21/22 year olds going straight to Ph.D. They are going to graduate at 27 or so with very little "real" world experience. Sad, really. It is no wonder why so many want to go into academia; they have spent their first 27 years on this planet knowing nothing BUT school.
But hey, I suppose that is what post-docs and fellowships are for....and post-post-docs...
Your GPA is good enough in and of itself. I believe it is when it drops below 3.0 when it becomes an issue of its own. What will be looked at is not your 3.6 GPA, but what courses you earned those lower grades in. If they were something like the proverbial Basket Weaving 101, no one is going to care. If they were related to anything "science", you may have a problem. If they were related to anything math, physics, or engineering, you might have a problem. By "they" I mean the courses-in-question. This could potentially be offset by a high GRE quant score...but will depend on program.
Do not apply to a Ph.D. program until you are absolutely certain you want it. Being "fairly certain" will show in your SOP/application, and that is not enough.
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When I eat watermelon I sprinkle some salt over it. I think it tastes much better that way. Also, I have been meaning to try something that Rhett and Link came up with on their show; the Big Mac n Cheese. That's right, it's a Big Mac with added layers of KRAFT mac 'n cheese inside. I know most Americans find the idea of eating french fries with mayonnaise not very appetizing, but in the culture where I come from garlic mayo is probably as popular a condiment as tomato ketchup and we eat it with everything from french fries to fried chicken and even rice. What are some unusual food combinations you like?
My current GF puts salt on cantaloupe, watermelon...really any type of melon. I've tried it a few times, not bad.
I actually prefer mayonnaise with fries, or sometimes vinegar. But you are correct; most Americans find it strange and gross.
I like ketchup on "mushy" peas and ketchup on cooked cabbage. But I suppose this is more common in the U.K.
I was vegan for 8 years, so I have everyone beat
One thing I really like[d] from those days was/is tofu coated in peanut butter and BBQ sauce, fried. Another was blending tofu with oil and sugar (...one way to make a base for vegan cream cheese cake). The taste sort of resembles Twinkie filling. When I was younger I would east fried bologna sandwiches with ketchup. Come to think of it, they were really gross. I have always hated the taste of milk and when I was younger I used to add table sugar to it in order to make it palpable.
The strangest though...sauerkraut...straight from the jar/can. Seriously, I can eat it straight but prefer it with mustard. Must be the Eastern European in me...
I eat ketchup on my pizza!
As do I
I prefer to dip pizza into ranch dressing, though. Or as we called it in Minnesota: stripper juice. It's not necessarily weird depending on what part of the world you're from, but I put hot sauce, spices (salt, chile powder, etc), and lime or lemon juice in my Mexican beers.
The lime-in-a-Corona is more than likely an American invention...much like fajitas and a few other "Mexican" dishes. I mean, go to any non-touristy bar in Mexico and you will find that Mexican beers are served sans lime. I grew up in California and at least half of my friends back home are of Mexican heritage. I also recently dated a Mexican-American girl...from Texas. I know of plenty who put chili powder and/or salt onto sweet fruits to eat, but cannot recall ever once seeing someone put chili powder or salt into beer let alone actual lime or lemon juice. They all drank Bud, anyways.
By the way, wouldn't adding salt directly to beer cause it to foam up? I know that on the set of Cheers they drank non-alcoholic beer with salt added to create foam for the appearance of being a "real" beer.
Now, that is strictly the Mexican-Americans I know...most of which fall onto the "American" side more than the other. I have heard of South and Central Americans adding chili powder, hot sauce, lime, and/or salt to beer...but never actually seen it in practice. Quite intriguing and I might have to give it a try...although I am quite familiar with lime/lemon in beer.
I actually like peppercorns and coriander (cilantro) in beer myself.
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Should intl studnets live on or off campus for the first year?is there some graduate experience that is being missed out on if we dont live on campus?
Ill be in Cambridge/Boston fall onwards and was wondering if anyone has insight
I did my undergrad in Boston and lived off campus. In fact, the majority of college students in Boston/Cambridge live off campus. It might be a good idea for an international student to live on campus first in order to acclimate into the new surroundings but for what it is worth you will most definitely not miss out on any "experience" if you don't.
There are 300K to 400K college students (depending on who's figures you look at) within the Boston metro. As such, a very large portion of the city caters directly to college students and you will be surrounded by college students practically everywhere you go. Practically everything happens off campus.
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I'm seriously considering making an amazon wishlist to see if relatives will help me afford all the random shit I'm going to need to move across country for graduate school.
But I also can't help but feel shy about it? Like it's somehow super exploitative or selfish?
But I really do need the help getting basic shit like a backpack, printer, etc.
Has anyone else done this before?
To go along with something that pears mentioned, asking for this assistance in lieu of birthday/Christmas gifts can be a great idea.
Who out there is applying this fall?
in Biology
Posted
My LOR writers will be the same as last year's. I have already contacted them and they are just waiting on the word Go. I'll be retaking the GRE at the end of August, or perhaps early September. Haven't selected a date yet but plenty of slots still open...
My school list is pretty much the same as last year's but not finalized.
My plan this time is to save money so I can apply to all of the schools on my list.