gelologist

Back again for more! Gotta say, thread seems much more dead than in past years. Anyway, since apps are in... Undergrad Institution: SLACMajor(s): GeologyMinor(s): Env. AnalysisGPA in Major: ?Overall GPA: 3.14Position in Class: Very much middle Grad Institution: Not-so-great large publicMajor(s): GeologyGPA in Major: ?Overall GPA: 3.9Position in Class: ?GRE Scores (revised/old version):Q: 162/83%V: 163/93%W: 5.0/93%Research Experience: 2 REUs, 1 field camp abroad, 1 senior thesis (Bachelor's); 1 master's thesis. 5 abstracts, 2 first author papers in prep.Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Couple merit scholarships, Sigma Xi, GSA grantPertinent Activities or Jobs: TA in UG, Adjunct Lecturer in grad, tutor on the side, spent time in industry between ug/grad.Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Admissions officer for UG school, organized grad field trip, couple workshopsSpecial Bonus Points: idk, the master's?Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: idkApplying to Where: PhD - I guess basically all are for petrology stuffURI GSO CUNY Grad Center Harvard Columbia Rice UC Davis Wisconsin

I know there's lots of forums about what to initially send to a potential grad advisor (see anything by the Professor is In, or other websites, or forums on TGC), but I figured I'd start something about how best to keep communicating with a potential grad advisor. After your first email, and subsequent reply, how have you usually kept contact open with a potential advisor? How do you do so, especially if after your detailed+concise first email, you only get back something along the lines of "I'd encourage you to apply and let me know if you have questions"? [Full disclosure, I'm actually in this position now. (I recently contacted a prof - probably too early in the year, I know - but I didn't expect a reply, unexpectedly got one, and am now wondering how to keep things going until the Dec/Jan app deadline...haha oops.)]

Because it seems to be at least a halfway decent program, and maybe Crazy wants to study exactly what the faculty and courses offer there. People also apply to schools as safeties, among other reasons. Anyway, not trying to be cold about this by any means, but I think there's little reason, really, to look at rankings for a grad program. Ok, sure, if you want to be a professor or something, it helps having a top tier school on your PhD degree. Not to mention, top schools arguably are better off in the funding department, and all the benefits that brings with it. Otherwise, though, so many amazing PhDs are churned out by just the top tier programs alone that many people with incredible academic backgrounds end up at schools that wouldn't be at the forefront of anyone's mind when considering so-called top programs. However, just because they aren't at universities that are household names doesn't mean these faculty aren't great people doing incredible work, and doesn't mean that there's no reason to apply to work with them, especially if there's a great research and personal fit with them, and the institution these faculty are at. This last bit may be a stretch, but I liken it to saying, "it's not where you do your degree, but who you do it with." (Meaning it's more about studying what you want with an amazing advisor, than it is about slogging through school to get the university name on your diploma.) Comments and discussion welcome here, but I guess I'm trying to say there's no reason to discount the quality of an education from a school - or to question why someone would apply there - when many of the faculty at all institutions (and the research they're conducting, which - however limited - may be appealing to someone) are all incredibly qualified these days, regardless of rankings. Cheers! gelologist

@reeses_pieces who's the Scripps volcanologist? I never heard of them having anyone doing terrestrial magmatism, subaerial or submarine!!

Hi all! Still waiting to hear back from a place, and the app deadline was 1 Feb. Any ideas how to safely touch base with my POI, maybe let them know I had an abstract accepted at a conference, and at the same time get some word on the app status? Or is that too risky/too much too soon given the deadline was 6 weeks ago?

Did anyone here have the Hawaii acceptance? I heard they don't often take MS students, so that's impressive!

I'm in a worse boat: I submitted early, so already started checking email, but have to keep reminding myself that the app deadline for my school isn't until tomorrow haha.

So question out of curiosity as we all play the waiting game: how responsive have POIs been during communications during the app cycle? I feel like the people I've tried to reach out to have been fairly hard to build an email conversation with beyond the "hi I'm so and so are you taking students etc" and "sure go ahead and apply you look like a good fit here" ... I'm wondering if this is common is the earth sciences or not. Also, how have you maintained contact with POIs both while feeling out places to apply and as you wait? Guess I'm hoping to make a resource for others coming down the pipeline in the future.

Hmm, yeah, that's what I was worried about. No worries, though, as I think I found a way around it! Guess the saying should really go: "If at first you don't succeed, edit your SOP again." Many thanks for the input!

I don't think that I am. (I mean, I could be - I've never really been sure how to construct a great SOP.) All I'm really trying to say is: "My current research interests are X. Specifically, I one day hope to build off of the work of others such as A, B, and C, who have recently done M, N, and P. Ultimately, this would allow me to pursue my future goals of synthesizing such work into a comprehensive system that allows for the development of improved hazard awareness and response initiatives by better understanding the triggers and timescales of whatever geologic processes." ^Too specific? If so, any SOP advice would be great!

Finishing up a grad school app for Geology MS, and I'm wondering: is it a bad idea to mention researchers in your SOP who are not affiliated with the school you're applying to? I'm trying to explain what current research in the field I'd like to build off of, but I'm struggling to do so unless I name drop people at other institutions. NB: I'm only applying to one program, so if there's any way someone could suggest exploring current research in the field while also conveying that the school is the only one I'm applying to (i.e. reassure them that name dropping doesn't mean I'm looking to run off with the other people I mentioned), that'd be cool as beans. Thanks!

You said she was willing to take you on. Why not now? Sorry that your grad studies seem to be so prone to drama and extraneous circumstances.

any word from boise state, for anyone? haven't even gotten email replies from them, and i can't figure it out.

Seems like U of Oregon took on almost zero masters students this year: seems like lots of rejections being listed on the boards!

Nixed from Hawaii - Manoa for MSc Geology, as well as New Mexico Tech for Geology. Waiting to see what pans out with some other schools, including SUNY Buffalo, where I was told by POI I'd be strongly considered depending on the number of PhD enrollees (they're supposedly having faculty issues at present). Happy for everyone who's had good news thus far!

Undergrad Institution: Small liberal arts; part of Keck Geology Consortium Major(s): Geology Minor(s): Environmental Analysis GPA in Major: 3.2 Overall GPA: 3.2 Position in Class: Middle? Type of Student: Domestic male. GRE Scores (revised/old version): Q: 162 V: 163 W: 5.0 P: N/A TOEFL Total: N/A Research Experience: 2 REU's, each with abstracts to conferences. Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Grant funding to support summer research Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Summer REU's, TA for lower division classes. Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Geology-intensive, and decently well recognized study abroad program. Special Bonus Points: Connected to some advisors via faculty. Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: Iffy grades, some small speed bumps in LoR. Applying to Where: University of Oregon - Geological Sciences - Volcanology University of Alaska, Fairbanks - Geophysics - Volcano Infrasound University of Hawaii at Manoa - Geology and Geophysics - Petrology, Submarine Volcanism, Physical Volcanology/Hazards New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology - Geology - Volcanology, Volcano Monitoring Boise State University - Geology - Volcanic processes, e.g. dynamics of pyroclastic density currents SUNY Buffalo - Geology - Physical volcanology, international volcanology

I didn't apply to Hydro (Geology/Volc) but I haven't heard anything from them at all yet, other than that 1) one LoR didn't arrive and that 2) "oops nvm it just took a while to get there from your recommender who is abroad.". So invite is positive news, though I dunno if it suggests funding. Also, long time reader, first time poster, but I'll do the whole "profile yourself" thing a bit later (gotta run to class).