raul.carmo

Maybe strong research experience/publications ??? I know people that went to Berkeley with a GPA lower than 3.0 but were lucky enough to be in very active research groups and ended up with >5 1st author publications when they graduated.

Yes, specially if you are a late applicant like I am (I applied on christmas day to most programs). Also, there are schools that only start to send decisions after Jan. 15 so you should be fine. Try checking the admissions board to see if people are receiving offers from the institutions you've applied.

Me too, but most schools I applied to are only sending acceptances after Jan 15 so I am trying not to panic. Waiting is the worst part though, I'd prefer to do 10 GREs in a day than waiting over a month to hear back from schools lol

Guys, how bad is it if one of your references submit the LoR after the application deadline? Some programs I applied to were open until Jan. 1 and this professor just uploaded the document today, now I am worried that this have killed my application.

I was a late applicant, most of my applications were completed by Dec. 22 because ETS takes forever to make the results of the Chem GRE available, even though it is a multiple choice exam. Anyone else in this situation? I fell like I am only going to hear from the programs I've applied to by March and this is killing me

I've heard that the chances of acceptance are lower for international students for several reasons. Are there any chemistry PhD programs in the US known for high international acceptance rates? I've been told that two of the institutions I applied to almost never admit international students and now I am worried about not having applied to the right programs.

Congrats!

Just applied to Emory, SUNY Buffalo, Dartmouth and Case Western (besides the programs applied earlier this month). I wish I could sleep until all the decisions were made cause waiting for them is by far the worst part of the process

I'm also looking for programs with open applications

I applied to (all Chemistry PhD): -Univ. of Illinois in Chicago -Univ. of Utah -Univ. of Toledo -Georgia Tech -Oregon State Univ. -Univ. of Southern California in Dornsife -Univ. of South Carolina -University of Pittsburgh Thinking about adding 3-4 lower ranked institutions to the list just to be safe. Anyone applying to these unis with me?

I tried to add some information, I don't know if it got better or worse though. To the admissions committee, I earned a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from the Federal University of Viçosa (Brazil) in 2015 and a Master's degree in Inorganic Chemistry from the Federal University of Minas Gerais in 2017. The strong research on catalysis and new synthetic methodologies conducted in your institution made me very interested in pursuing graduate studies at your department. Since sophomore year in college, I have been involved in research projects at the interface between organic and inorganic chemistry. In my Master's work I was mentored by Dr. Eduardo Santos (one of the most prominent catalysis researchers in Brazil), transforming olefins extracted from pine trees into biologically-active amines through a Rh-catalyzed one-pot procedure in ethanol instead of toluene, a greener approach to the synthesis of amines that led to higher yields and selectivities than the traditional systems already used. In addition, I took graduate-level courses on group theory, advanced mass spectrometry, nanotechnology and received practical training from companies such as Bruker and Shimadzu to operate equipment such as NMR spectrometers, chromatographs, electron microscopes and others. These advanced courses contributed to my understanding of core concepts of my research area as well as for my skills to independently operate essential equipment in my field. I have also spent the 2012-2013 academic year in the U.S performing research on chemical ecology at the University of California Davis as a Science Without Borders Scholar. Studying abroad has introduced me to cutting-edge science, allowing me to operate new instruments and learn new techniques not available in my home institution, besides the rich cultural exchange. In 2016, the American Chemical Society awarded me with a scholarship to travel to Panama, where I received intensive training on scientific outreach and communication, skills that are imperative for a graduate student, this opportunity has impacted the way I think chemistry can serve our society and made me realize I can do more for my country than I ever expected through science. Brazil has numerous economic and social inequality problems,and being raised here gave me perspectives that I think will be useful not only during graduate studies but also throughout my career as a scientist. Unfortunately, Brazil has been facing major cuts in science budget since the last two years and in the actual scenario I am not able to do impactful research here and, for me, the most powerful way to overcome economic and social hardship is through international scientific cooperation and knowledge exchange. I believe my research skills and the willingness to help others understand the importance of science for sustainable development are the strongest parts of my application. As a creative, responsible, result-driven and focused person, I want to be able to help the academic community not merely by doing outstanding research in catalysis but also by participating actively in discussions within the department and the university, raising awareness on the importance of diversity and sustainability in academia. I would also appreciate the opportunity to help students from the Department of Languages learning portuguese, my native language, in informal conversation sessions with the Brazilian Club. My professional objective is to become highly qualified in the field of catalysis and teach at an institution committed to social, economic, environmental and scientific development in my country. Earning a PhD from an institution known for high-quality standards and few research constraints on their students such as the University of Utah would help me achieving this career goal. After a thorough search, I found that the PhD program in Chemistry at the University of Utah is a very good fit for me since it has a structure with all the resources I need to advance in my career. Dr. Sigman research on metal-catalyzed coupling reactions is specifically what I want to investigate as a graduate student, I think coupling reactions can pave the way for more efficient biorenewable olefins valorization, while also generating less waste than traditional methods of alkene modification. The department also have other faculty members that I would feel honoured to work with, such as Dr. Louis and Dr. Roberts, both being very active and relevant to organometallic catalysis and synthetic development. The state-of-the-art department facilities such as NMR laboratories will offer me the advantage and privilege to be creative in the finding of new reactions and explore the chemistry at a mechanistic level, since the equipment have the capability of multinuclear detection, solid state and ultra-low temperature analysis, which are imprescindible for my work in the frontier of organometallic chemistry and synthesis, as well as modern mass and optical spectrometers which can corroborate my results. The collegiality of the department members is also a positive feature to me, since I am an extroverted and sociable person who would enjoy such an environment to make new friends and create a network of scientific contacts for future collaborations. I am confident that the aforementioned characteristics make me a viable candidate for this graduate program. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss my candidacy with the department faculty and provide further information. Thank you for your time and consideration. Raul L. L. do Carmo

Thanks for the advice, as someone not experienced in writing statements of purpose I need all the help you can give. I thought about discussing my qualifications to prove I am a good fit for the program, but I thought it would be pretentious of me. Any advice on how should I put my qualifications without looking obnoxious? Would it be so bad if my SOP exceeds 1 page? Because I think it will be impossible to add any information to this and keep it one page long...

Hi everyone, I am applying to PhD programs in the US for the Fall 2018 semester but I am not confident that my SOP is good enough. As an international student, I have little knowledge on this since writing SOP for graduate schools is not common my country. Can someone review my SOP and tell me what could be changed to improve it? Any advice is welcome I tried to keep it 1 page long because I heard that faculty members in the US do not like to see statements any longer than that. However, I had to omit that I have one manuscript in preparation, one poster presentation, voluntary activities etc. What do you think? Should I replace any information on my SOP by those? Thanks To the admissions committee, I am writing on behalf of my application for the Doctoral program in Chemistry at the University of X. I have earned a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from the Federal University of Viçosa (Brazil) in 2015 and a Master's degree in Inorganic Chemistry from the Federal University of Minas Gerais in 2017. The strong research on catalysis and new synthetic methodologies conducted in your institution made me very interested in pursuing graduate studies at your department. Since sophomore year in college, I have been involved in research projects in the interface between organic and inorganic chemistry, studying new ways to transform abundant and cheap substances into valuable compounds using less toxic reagents and generating less waste. In my Master's thesis I managed to transform compounds extracted from pine trees into biologically-active amines in a one-pot procedure using ethanol instead of toluene as a solvent, a greener approach to the synthesis of amines that led to higher yields and selectivities than the traditional systems already used. In addition, I had the opportunity to take graduate-level courses about group theory, advanced mass spectrometry, nanotechnology and experimental nuclear magnetic resonance which contributed to my understanding of core concepts of my research area. I have also spent the 2012-2013 academic year in the U.S performing research at the University of California Davis as a recipient of the Science Without Borders scholarship. Studying abroad has introduced me to state-of-the-art science and allowed me to operate new instruments and learn new techniques not available in my home institution, besides the rich cultural exchange. In 2016, the American Chemical Society awarded me with a scholarship to travel to Panama, where I received intensive training on scientific outreach and communication. This opportunity has impacted the way I think chemistry can serve our society and made me realize I can do more for my country than I ever expected through science. Brazil has numerous economic and social inequality problems,and I think one of the most powerful ways to overcome them is through international scientific cooperation and knowledge exchange. Research experience combined with extensive theoretical and practical training received during the baccalaureate and graduate-level courses encouraged me to take a step further in my career as a scientist. My professional goal is to become highly qualified in the field of catalysis and teach at an institution committed to social, economic, environmental and scientific development in my country. The PhD program in Chemistry at the University of Utah is a very good fit for me since it has a structure with all the resources I need to advance in my research, with Dr. X and Dr. Y and Dr. Z groups being very active and relevant to my field. The NMR facility have the capability of multinuclear detection, which is indispensable for my work in the frontier of organometallic chemistry and synthesis, as well as modern mass and optical spectrometers. I am confident that the aforementioned characteristics make me a viable candidate for this graduate program. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss my candidacy with the department faculty and provide further information. Thank you for your time and consideration.

I just got my chem GRE scores and the result was below my expectations. I scored 700 (50th percentile) and now I am not sure if this score will kill my application to a PhD program in chemistry. I am an international student from Brazil and my normal GRE scores are V:160, Q:154, W:3.0. My undergraduate GPA is 3.1 and my master's GPA is 3.7 (in Inorganic Chemistry). I also have no publications, only 2 presentations in small meetings and a manuscript in progress. Am I competitive to any PhD program in the US. I don't care too much about rankings, but I would like to get into a top 100 program, do you think I stand a chance?

Undergrad Institution: Federal University of Viçosa (Brazil) - 2015 Master's Institution: Federal University of Minas Gerais (Brazil) - 2017Major(s): ChemistryMinor(s): -GPA in Major: 3.4Overall GPA: 3.0 Master's GPA: 3.7Position in Class: -Type of Student: International TOEFL IBT: 113/120GRE Scores (revised):Q: 154 (55%)V: 160 (86%)W: 3.0 (18%)S: To be reportedResearch Experience: 3 years of undergraduate research + 2 years of research as MSc.Awards/Honors/Recognitions: (Within your school or outside?) -Science Without Borders Scholarship (1 year in the US sponsorship) -ACS BOOST (1 week in Panama City to receive training on scientific writing and ethics, awarded by the american chemical society) -Undergraduate research grant (awarded 2 times, within institution) -Sybilla Merian Scholarship (University of Groningen)Pertinent Activities or Jobs: -1 year as Biochemistry TA. -6 months at a Food/Microbiology startup as product development intern.Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Prepared and ministered a practical course about soap production using recycled vegetable oil for low-income families in Viçosa-Brazil. -Research Assistantship for the Master's (2years)Special Bonus Points: - 2 posters presented on brazilian scientific meetingsAny Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:Applying to Where: (All in the field of Organometallic Catalysis and Synthetic Methodologies) New York University The University of Iowa University of Illinois - Chicago Pittsburgh University Georgia Institute of Technology University of South Carolina University of Pennsylvania University of Southern California Oregon State University Iowa State University University of Utah Michigan State University Princeton University (who knows? haha) (all programs are within the Chemistry Department of the respective institutions)

Just so you guys know, I have applied to 3 terminal MS programs in the US for this spring semester (I thought it would be easier to get into a Master's than a PhD program): Villanova University, Bucknell University and Illinois State University. I felt devastated that I was rejected by Villanova and Bucknell a few weeks ago, because they are really small programs (not even appear on rankings) and I thought I would stand a chance. Illinois State have not decided yet but I feel I am going to be rejected as well. Does that mean I won't stand a chance on a PhD program?

US News rankings are completely different from QS haha, Iowa State is ranked #200-#250 in QS and #31 in US News. Some institutions in this list have free applications, although I will spend about $700 with the paid ones. I am not primarily based on rankings, I just use them to have a hint on which programs I am most likely to have a successful application. Those were my programs of choice because they have active faculty members doing research in organometallic catalysis and development of synthetic methodologies.

I have decided which institutions to apply based on the research faculty in my field, the numbers in the right are their position according the Chemistry Global QS Rankings 2017. New York University 151-200 The University of Iowa 401-450 Ohio State University 101-150 University of Illinois 151-200 Pittsburgh University 151-200 Georgia Institute of Technology 28 University of South Carolina 351-400 University of Pennsylvania 51-100 UC Davis 51-100 University of Southern California 151-200 Oregon State University / Iowa State University 201-250 University of Utah 301-350 Michigan State University 151-200 Princeton University 24 What do you think? Does anyone have any useful advice on these institutions and, maybe, suggest me others which have strong faculty in organometallic catalysis/organic synthesis?

Sorry if it's dumb question, but where do you evaluate the ranking of an institution? I am used to QS Rankings, but I see a lot of people referring to the THE ranking, and there is definitely no match between them (there are top 20 programs in the QS ranking which doesn't even appear on the THE).

When I mentioned I want to become a professor, that's the whole package (teaching+research), I'm not interested in the field of chemical education (that's a field of research in chemistry which study the theories concerning learning and didactics). Regarding my GRE scores, the Quant is harder because you have not only to understand what is being proposed in the question but also figure out the problem. In the verbal part you have only to understand the sentences and apply the words that fill the boxes or the appropriate argument, which in my opinion is much faster than solving math problems and analyzing graphic data.

Your considerations about the faculty members make a lot of sense... But isn't it much harder to get a post-doc position in a spectacular group (to make groundbreaking publications out of it) if you graduated from a small program, specially now that the post-doc system is declining?

I will try to raise my Quant score, but I don't know if it's going to work if I retake it this month or in the next. My problem is not with math itself, it is the timing, as a foreign test taker it takes me a bit extra time to read and understand what the question is really asking, specially the quantitative part which is tricky. When the clock timed 5 minutes for the end of the test I had done no more than 70% of the questions... The PhD is something I have been dreaming of since I was a child because the major goal in my life is to become a professor at a higher education institution (I love teaching chemistry, but only to those interested in learning it), so I have no doubt about this. What is not clear to me right now is if I should apply to top100 research institutions or if I should apply to the less renowned ones. I am afraid that the structure, funding and networking of the advisor/institution I'm going to might make my 5 years of PhD a waste of time... (I had this experience when I started a MS in my country and my advisor was not interested in publishing at all, even though I had great results, he was just too lazy to review my manuscript and have it sent to the journal).

I have applied to 5 funded MS programs. Those were the only institutions I found that offered a terminal masters degree in Chemistry, the others also have PhD programs and being admitted to the MS track is unlikely to happen.

That's exactly how I used to see it, but after talking to my American friends and reading forums on the internet it now seems to me that what they are saying makes sense. They asked me to go to a small college chemistry department website and check the faculty members; 99% of them have graduated from top50 institutions. Even in small liberal arts college you have people from Harvard and MIT, but I have never seen a faculty from a small graduate program in the faculty listings. Perhaps my acquired perception of this is wrong, and I want it to be, but 5-6 years is a strong time and energy commitment so I would like to think about this thoroughly and consider every situation.

Hi everyone, I am about to go to the US for a masters in chemistry. My intention is to apply to a PhD program after my MS degree is awarded, but I was wondering about the possibility of working before continuing to a doctoral program. As an international student, what would be my chances of getting hired by any company? I know that companies try to avoid hiring foreign workers since the visa and/or residency permits are costly to obtain. But has anyone here been hired under these circumstances? How was your experience? Please share stories or comments that you consider to be useful for me and others in the same situation. Thanks