geographyrocks

Here are a few stories related to scores and admissions. Person 1: Perfect GRE scores (seriously 170/170), 4.0 GPA 1 year paid ($50,000) internship at Harvard. Gets in at all the elite schools...except for Harvard! Person 2: Near perfect GRE scores (165/165), near perfect GPA, 3 years research experience, admitted to Stanford. Person 3: Mid-150s GRE scores, 3.5ish GPA, 3 months research experience, admitted to Stanford. Person 4: Great GRE scores, near perfect GPA, lots of experience, rejected at mid-ranked school. I think that alone should tell you that luck plays a very HIGH part in admissions. That's why people with less than stellar scores apply to places like CU Boulder and why people with amazing scores are afraid to apply at mid-ranked schools. I'm halfway convinced that the reason I was admitted was because I chose the perfect advisor at the perfect time. You never know if an advisor has funding (or will get the funding they're hoping for), if their students will graduate on time, if they took on too many students last year, so on and so forth. Point is, I would never advise an applicant that has an amazing application with only average GRE/GPA to not apply to places like Stanford and CU. Scores only mean so much and you'll never know when they'll mean more or less.

That really sucks! Wasn't he the one who kept encouraging you to apply for the last year?

I have a question for you, are there professors who are doing research that you want to do at those top universities? Your numbers are good enough, but what you really need to focus on now is fit. And if your main goal is a PhD, go for the PhD.

This might help: My state has a similar tax rate and the total tax taken out of my stipend each month is roughly 9.5%. (That includes state and federal)

In 2014, 14,000 students applied with roughly 2000 grants available. So the acceptance rate was about 14%. Good news to me since I was thinking it was around 7%. I think the 7% is for normal grants. http://www.nsfgrfp.org/assets/File/GRFP%20Outreach%20PowerPoint_NSF_Aug%2014.pdf

I did absolutely nothing, and it was glorious. Of course, I'd spent the past year or so working my ass off to save up enough money so I could do nothing. I'm not sure the end justified the means...but at least I still have the memory of doing nothing.

Not always. My advisor had a decision on a joint grant in February. I was also under the impression that it was a 'once a year' kind of deal, but that doesn't seem to be true.

The funding offer is usually attached to the official acceptance email (or letter). Were you notified officially or unofficially?

Now don't I feel like a jerk? Hopefully, you'll get good news soon!

Not to give false hope, but I'm not sure you should expect a rejection letter any time soon. Considering how popular Berkeley and MIT are, I would think that rejection letters have already been sent. You may be on a wait list. You could always contact a POI if you've had previous communication with them.

I know Geosciences is completely finished. And that section had the latest submit date (along with life sciences). The new method is crazy. They get all of the reviewers together on a video chat! I know! I'm more nervous now that I know someone has already read my proposal.

Yes it is. And FWIW, I know that some sections have already met and read through all of the proposals.

You should definitely have talked about those in your application. You should always talk about any research experience. Your Q score is kinda low. That may hinder your chances. Colorado School of Mines is extremely competitive. Others can probably tell you more.

Most offers are conditional if you haven't obtained a BS yet. They just need a transcript showing that you earned your degree. There are other reasons for a conditional offer, but those are much more rare. For example, an international student was admitted with the condition that they take English classes (low TOEFL or some such). Congratulations!

You still have several weeks before this even becomes an issue. I know that CU Boulder will notify soon unless you are on a wait list. If you don't hear by March 13, you could call both schools and inquire. If you do end up on a wait list and want to wait to see if you get off the list, then you could ask for an extension from UNLV.

Was it a NSF panel or the GRFP specific panel? I ask because the regular panel is a lot more intense. Also, the GRFP panels are virtual now (according to the two former panelists I talked to).

I know a professor who was actually on a NSF committee. I should've asked her when they started reading grants. I know that they first have to take "courses" where the idea is to sync everyone's rating system. It obviously doesn't work very well, but they try.

It's lonely with all of these rock people, isn't it?

Did you take the practice exams? How were your scores on those?

I think any program that doesn't offer funding is a money-making program. A lot of people would advise you to not pay for a graduate degree. I don't really like telling someone what they should or shouldn't pay for, but there are a ton of programs out there that won't put you in debt.

As long as you have a good fit (which was eloquently pointed out in your SOP) and your letter writers took the time to write great recommendations, I think you have a very strong application. A lot of students don't manage to get any research done in undergrad. A publication could help your application, but that's also just a bonus as it's not expected that undergraduates be published. That being said, places like Stanford will have a surprising number of applicants with just as much, if not more, research experience than you PLUS publications PLUS high GREs...you see where I'm going. Places like Stanford are difficult because sooo many amazing applicants apply. It's true that there are people who are admitted to schools like Stanford without the highest qualifications, but I always think of them as unicorns. They're magical in some way.

Boo on the first school for sending an all out rejection when someone was still interested in your app. But at the same time, maybe this professor will be a better fit!

He he...when I first read the title my initial thought was: Paaaaarrrrrttaaaaayyyy! lol