rocklobster

Wow, thank you all for your wonderful and very informative responses! I was sure that I wanted to skip the master's and go right for the PhD before, but now I am thinking that a master's might be the best choice. I am a little hesitant about getting into more debt, which did make a PhD more appealing as far as funding goes. It looks as if I have a lot to think about.

Hi, I will be finishing up my senior year of undergrad (B.S. in Biology) this fall, and am trying to figure out what to do afterwards. I eventually want to get a Ph.D. in Ecology, but am worried that I will not be accepted into any Ph.D. programs. I have a 3.16 GPA, 1 year of research experience, and am currently taking one grad-level class. I have not taken the GREs yet. What will I need to score on the GREs to become a competitive Ph.D. applicant? Would it be a better idea for me to play it safe and get a master's first? If so, should I apply for a MA or a MS? Is there anywhere where I can get some kind of idea how competitive different grad schools are? I'm really in the dark about this whole process. Thanks