exacerbated

kalapocska, LJK, and starmaker, thanks a lot for your replies. The application only allow three therefore it's either the grad student or the prof. I'll get the rec from professor then. You're right that the grad student didn't have the experience of PI and his recommendation could be taken as grain of salt (also since my adcom mentor told me not to)

So I worked for a year for a Grad student and he knows me very well (like how hard I work, how good, etc). The problem is, the PI does not know me and has never supervise me working (huge lab). Since the PI doesn't know me, he told me he won't write a good rec letter (he told me this). The grad student knows me and will write a strong good letter, so I want to get one from the grad student, but my current mentor (another PI) told me not to since it's better to get LOR from a professor. Should I get the letter from the Grad student or one from a class (related to the program) that I got an A from? Btw the grad student is famous for being one of the best in the program (highest grade (even though grade doesn't matter in grad school lol), published couple papers in high ranked journal, won fellowships all the time (including NSF), crazy teaching exp, became instructor (not TA anymore) couple of times) and I'm applying to the same program as him in the same school. He's going to graduate in 3 months. So I'd say his opinion *should* has some weight as well. My current LOR: 1) A PI (prof) which is my current mentor (I worked for him 1.5 years, she told me it's "friggin strong", and she's in adcom of the program) 2) Small upper div class (5 ppl) I got A from (I kind of know the prof, we went field trip, etc) 3) Either the grad student or another small upper div class (30 ppl) I got A+ from (I also kind of know the prof since he knows I worked very hard e.g. I came to office hour, discussed assignments a lot, etc) FYI I have bare minimum GPA and above average GRE and slightly above average experience.

Since there are no response yet, maybe I'll narrow down the choices: I'll just ask about UCSB/UCI/UCD/UCSC (for UCLA/UCB/UCSD..lets just say 0 chance). At those schools, stats are: Average GPA accepted: PhD 3.3-3.5. Master 3-3.3 - my GPA isn't THAT far off, but will raise some flag and even more flags due to 3Ds 1F. But I got A/A+ on three tier 2 (harder) upper division courses relevant to PhD/Master major I want to apply to. However, 1 D is in totally different field, 2 Ds are in biochemistry and one of them are tier 1 (easier) and the other one is tier 2 (harder). Shouldn't these kind of "cancel out"? I also took the A/A+ at final year and the failed classes at junior year. Average GRE: Verbal 480-500 (Master), 500-550 (PhD). Quantitative: 720-750 (Master), 740-760 (PhD), 4.5 writing. - my Verbal is slightly above for master, slightly below for PhD - my Quant is slightly above for both - my AWA is at average LOR, I said glowing because: 1) these are from well known professors in their field, 2) both the professor and me personally know each other for 1+ year and they know I work hard 99% of the time, 3) they told me they will write "spectacular LORs, so you shouldn't worry about getting in anymore". Experience: I guess 1.5 years in genetics, two co-authors in genetics, although haven't been submitted, will be quite strong? I have another one that I will co-author, but the data is not complete. Funding: I don't need funding, will show bank account with at least $100k, this should open more opportunities right? I thought grad schools weigh GPA+GRE 50%, experience and LORs 25%, and based on these they make a cutoff at the average % score for acceptance into interview (for the last 20% score)? If they accept those with average stats, and I'm slightly below average GPA with slightly above average GRE (esp. quant, since I'm in a science field that requires math), shouldn't I at least 90% get into Master's interview part or 50% chance to get PhD interview especially since all my LORs, good grades, experiences, co authors are in genetics? I'm so depressed right now, every prof/PhD candidate that personally know me and I've talked to told me that I'm grad school material, "at least master", but with horrible GPA, I have this bad feeling of not getting in at all. Please help me point out if any of my logic above is incorrect, because I need to tell my funding sources about what is my chances getting in at least interview.

It was to the point of almost identical. Oh btw, the score I got from POWERPREP is almost identical as well as the real one. 480V/780Q, 550V/720Q. Real: 510V/800Q

Hello! First and foremost I'm international student. First learned real English when I went to US at 18. My native language use non-alphabetic symbols. - Graduated at top 10-30 university, biochemistry. Master/PhD intended major: Genetics - cGPA 3.15. Science GPA 3.08. I know that this is well under the required GPA. Explanation: Freshman+soph in well known feeder communnity college was mostly As+some Bs+one C (GPA 3.4). Transfer-> screwed up junior year (B/Cs with 3 Ds) due to language problem. I seriously had trouble with English..was significantly harder at univ than CC, e.g. on my essay part of exams, sometimes I got the answer correct but due to my horrible english, got 0. "is incomprehensible" is what the grader wrote (cGPA at this time 2.7). Late junior-early senior year I gradually overcame English problem by practicing writing at least one 500 word English essay/day, got all B+/A/A+ with upward trends, except one NP (from Pass/NotPass) due to family/home country disaster problem (GPA 3.6). All of the senior hardest/upper div genetic classes are A/A+. Took one biochem grad course and passed it (should have gotten A if it's not P/NP). These are all mentioned in SOP. Had maximum credit hours permitted. - GRE 510V/800Q/4.5AWA. This is..I believe average? - two flaming hot LOR and one good, all prof have 5-15 publications at distinguished journals (cell, nature, etc). 30+ citations average per paper. I think this is above average? - 1.5-2 years genetics research in two labs, one independent. Two co-authors pending publication (written, 99% data ready, not submitted). Average as well. - Have my own funding (Let's just say I have $500k in bank, enough to fund 5 years). From what I've heard (from some advisors), US universities are reluctant to accept internationals to grad schools due to funding, but I am willing to pay. I will mention this in SOP/interviews. Personally known some professors and mentioned them in applications. Two of them told me they'll take me (become my advisor) if I get in. If not PhD, I'm aiming for at least Master's program. Do I have poor chance or good chance at Master and/or PhD at UCs? I applied to basically all UCs: UCB UCSF UCLA UCSD UCSB UCD UCI UCSC UCMerced UCRiverside From my own approximation, I know UCB/UCSF/UCLA would be VERY hard to get into to the point of 0% chance, UCSD will be difficult ~20%, UCD/UCI/UCSB/UCSC will be ok/somewhat difficult, UCM/UCR would be ok/better chance? Thanks!