sr41489:
Congratulations on your decision to attend HES! It sounds like it's a great fit for you and your interests. Best of luck with your future endeavors, and be sure to keep us updated about your progress when you start applying to doctoral programs!
Crimson2014:
I owe you a big thank you for your helpful posts on this thread! I was thinking of possibly pursuing a HES masters eventually, though after some reconsideration I don't think it's a good fit for what I want to do in the future, but your posts were highly informative and seem to be someone who got exactly what he/she wanted from the program. Congrats on your Ivy grad school acceptance! Further proof that you had a "legit" quality degree from Harvard.
I have been accepted to a PhD program with full funding just today. My undergraduate GPA, of the first and only bachelor, is 2.30/4.00. This thread helped me hugely while I am searching for my PhD degree, therefore please allow my contribution to the thread with my long long searching story.
I completed my first bachelor degree in 2008, the same year Lehman brothers gone bankrupt, exit with 3rd Honor at 2.3/4.0 GPA. I joined the work force in business field, earning a grand each month and suffering with nadir self-esteem. In the middle of 2009, swine flu pandemic hit Hong Kong. Research assistant positions in local University gusted out cause of funding rushing in. I grabbed the chance and, just by absolute luck, joined the WHO reference lab for virology in a global-scale-top-tire University located in Hong Kong, directly under the supervision of a Global known epidemiologist. I served the team for five years, attained my Master's degree in 2012, published 5 publications with 3 first authorship, and another 4 in preparation. In the mean time, I established a strong professional network, joined lab meetings and various courses and workshop, learnt a great deal of scientific knowledge of my research project and methodology, and trained up my English in the multi-national working environment. While I was not given good chances to work on research even though they are more than able to provide, literally my boss wants me to routinely work on his assigned work without any deviations for my whole life, I struggled to get publications myself and learn all I could by myself.
After I graduate from my Master's degree in 2012, I started my searching of PhD position by then. I research Professor of Interest (POI) by checking University website, read their papers and profile and tailor made emails to inquire possible vacancy in their lab. My search didn't restricted to US, but also Canada, UK, Europe, middle east, but not in Asia except Singapore. Concerning my honors, I put my focus in Europe and individual positions, where they don't care about that much, except UK. I got response from them in a rate of roughly 1 in 30, and somehow positive feedback at a rate of around 1 in 200. At the same time, I checked out, daily, various scientific job websites such as naturejob.com, the job vacancy webpages of various research institutions around the world, subscribed job notifications, surf grad cafe and other postgraduate orientated forum. I tailor CV and PS/SoP/LoM for every position. I keep doing this for 2 years. The first positive response for interview was from Germany, a renowned historical University with research focus on virology. And then I received another phone interview followed by face to face interview, asking me to fly to Germany on my own expense, from Germany, near Berlin. I got another interview from Oxford, where the POI is one of the collaborators of my current boss and this is the only reason for his entertainment. I didn't apply to any US school in 2013 Fall. and this is the end for that round.
After I virtually get nothing in the last round, my boss asked me to stay and offered me MPhil in his lab. I figured out that is actually not a great idea to spend (waste) two more years for a degree, which focused on a field that I never ever studied, worked or intended to switch to, which is not necessary for my career, I turned down my supervisor and started looking for career advancement else where, since I have proved to myself this is not a place (and supervisor) which worthy to waste even more time. I prepared to apply to US schools, keep looking for individual positions and stopped spamming POI's mail box, which is actually not really totally useful in my POV. I took GRE for 3 times, TOEFL for once, tailored PS with focus on my research background, write separate paragraph to explain, professionally, why I picked the faculty member as my future supervisor, why I picked this University, and never mentioned personal particulates. Please check out my result for 2014 Fall from my signature.
To conclude, accumulate real world research experience, publications, improve English writing and speaking in academic manner, keep searching and asking would help. References do count, but not in every case. A strong, well written and positive reference letter weight out the reputation of the Professor, but definitely not vice versa, where it is the best if you can shake out whether he or she would like to write you a very nice one. If he or she is reluctant to let you know whether they are going to give you what, forget about it and move on even if they are the faculty dean of Ivy league. Finally, keep your faith, maintain a preferred attitude and never ever give up if you are determined to get your PhD.
Undoubtedly it is a long battle especially for low stat applicants. It is very easy to conclude this long journey by 3 paragraphs or less. However, the personal quality and things that I have improved in the process can never be taken away and I cherish this experience. I would never be the same if I haven't gone through all these. Last but not least, get used to arsehole and I can assure you they are everywhere in any field and any place. Once you confirm you are under such, let go and move on. They are less than benign to remember you right after your departure and once you gained a position which can benefit them, who knows who will approach you with words like "It is because of me."
^If I were you, I wouldn't worry.
For several reasons.
Harvard Extension School degrees are real degrees. Period. And you are a Harvard alum after getting it. Harvard, and most universities, have many different schools (Engineering, Arts and Sciences, Medical, Law, Journalism, Business, etc., and in the case of Harvard, extension.) If you get a degree from any one of those individual schools, you are recognized as an alum of the university.
Additionally, it is even less of a concern for you specifically because you want to go on to a doctorate.
Most masters in traditional programs cost like, what, 50, 000 a year??? Two years and boom you're 100k down the drain even before setting foot in a doctoral program. The HES masters cost about 1/3rd - 1/4th of a traditional degree, and probably just as good quality (although I heard a little less structured...meh).
Plus, check out this list:
http://www.extension.harvard.edu/degrees-certificates/master-liberal-arts/overview/after-alm-graduate-schools
Ph.D Programs themselves obviously don't seem to hold it against for going to HES. It seems to me that for your case, HES is a clear route! Best of luck, and let me know how it goes !
It says you need a student id, which is listed in your acceptance letter, in order to rsvp - that definitely seems promising. Of course, they could just be sending out the email to everyone, so it's hard to say for sure.... hopefully it's a good sign, though! Good luck!!!
... wow. I can't believe they sent you all of that before an official decision had been made. That's absurd. I will probably discourage friends from applying there.
Seriously, one of the main deterrents I have to entering academia is having to deal with people who can't function in a normal environment. Out of the numerous grad students and professors I have dated, I would say about 2-3 have had problems with normal life activities similar in magnitude to this guy, and whereas it didn't bother me very much, most of the time I was like, WTF. People in academia just seem so anxious about everything, in a way that people in other high-stakes high-profile jobs such as finance or medicine aren't. It really makes one reconsider the precariousness of academic life.
Basically, I hate scholars because they're petty, I hate students because they're stupid... Why am I here?
To give a long story short, I messed up my senior year in college. Got a 2.0 in my last semester because I went through PTSD thanks to my ex-boyfriend and they were some business courses. I had to take courses at NYU SCPS to show that the last semester was a fluke and that it won't happen again.
KCL reached out to me and told me that it was bc of my certificate courses at NYU that was the key factor in them accepting me, although, they were a bit reluctant to do so also because they were worried that I would not be willing to leave NYU for KCL.
So personally, I think you should take it. It will show growth. I think NYU Poly sends those to everyone to be honest. I received one and I'm not an engineer. It doesn't hurt to apply though .
