Mr. Wonton

I've unofficially decided on a thesis lab, but my other rotation advisors were awesome people, I had a great time in their lab, and I want to stay in touch with them. How do you tell your other rotation advisors that you're not joining? In person? By e-mail? A thank you card?

Just curious. Do you, or do you find it too awkward? I was lucky to be hosted by some great students during interviews last application cycle, and even though I decided not to attend their program (or any program for that matter... reapplying this year), I'd still like to stay in touch with them. This probably goes for professors at those programs, too.

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I've always heard that a legitimate question you can (and perhaps should?) ask is whether the professors you're interested in are taking students. If, for some unfortunate reason, none of your three favorite potential advisors are taking new students from your cohort, it doesn't make sense to apply, so you can cross that school off your list.

Applying to 7, all PhD. I was tempted to apply to more, but the application fees were a bit much... crossing my fingers and hoping for the best!

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Novels don't go out of date, so I keep those - but I try to sell my life science textbooks as soon as I'm done using them because information in the life sciences can become outdated very quickly (math textbooks, not so much). It's difficult, since I get very attached to my books too! I tell myself that if I tried to sell them down the road to make more room in my apartment, nobody would want to take my old editions. For a lack of a better analogy, it's like... passing a hot potato.

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Your publication and conference presentations will definitely be a plus for you when you apply, as they're a better indicator of your research ability than standardized tests. Depending on your field, grad programs will look more closely at your quant or verbal. Remember, too, that it's the percentile that matters - since verbal is so tough (at least for me, anyway ), a score in the 600s is actually really good. Good luck!

It's definitely doable, and seniors at my undergrad often took grad classes as electives to fulfill their major requirements. I took a grad level class every semester starting from my junior year - my grades in intro-level courses were erratic, so I wanted to assure grad schools that I was perfectly capable of handling grad-level classes and would be able to pass my quals. However, my research project always came first (and my grades in grad classes still turned out ok!).

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Grad programs usually require that universities send transcripts directly to them. However, some online application systems list what materials they have received so far, so it makes keeping track of your transcripts easier. If it's close to the deadline (or past it), grad programs often call you to ask for missing materials. Remember that if you're not sending something directly (GRE scores, transcripts, recommendation letters), they'll understand it's out of your control, so they'll be a little more lenient on the deadlines.

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Most professors will write one letter for each student and make slight changes as they see fit (for example, if you're applying to X University and they got their MBA there, they might throw in a few words about how you're a good fit for the program). It's your responsibility to provide your recommenders with the deadlines and letter submission guidelines for each school. As for your second question, it looks like you've already answered it - if your supervisor can't provide a meaningful assessment of your potential as a graduate/business student, he/she shouldn't write you one.

Most competitive grad school applicants in quantitative fields, especially engineering, have perfect quantitative scores - remember, it's the percentile that's more important than the actual score. While your essays are the most important parts of your application, you certainly don't want to give your review panel any reason to reject you. I would spend the $160 and try to bring up that score (with an emphasis on the quant).