chaospaladin

Can anyone here give me a list of PhD Chemistry Programs that you applied to that waive your application fee regardless of level of income?

Is there a reason why you put an exclamation mark next to UCLA in your signature? Did you have a full fellowship at UCLA without the need to be a TA at UCLA?

Can you list the names if the universities that you gained admission that paid for your visit? Thank you very much in advance.

Regarding your signature, where you listed universities under "withdraw," are those universities you applied but you "withdrew" your admission before you found out your admission decision at those universities or you found out you got accepted but turned them down to attend Northwestern? I'm just wondering since I have lower statistics than you and I want to eyeball my chances for PhD in Chemistry admissions. Thank you very much in advance.

Let's say a PhD Chemistry Program pays the application fee for its applicants, does that mean that the program is low on students and they want to encourage more applicants to apply to said PhD Chemistry Program? If this is the case, then can we conclude that said PhD Chemistry Program is a little bit easier to gain admission? Is it true that most PhD Chemistry Programs give more priority to domestic applicants and less priority to international applicants? If this is true, then can we conclude that a PhD Chemistry Program with a larger proportion of international students is easier to gain admission than a PhD Chemistry Program with a smaller proportion of international students? Thanks.

Can you elaborate on why I should not retake 1 or more of the engineering classes that I scored below a C in? I know I can get an A in one of them (from F to A; major GPA boost since I've already take the first part of Physical Chemistry). Is it because as long as you meet the GPA 3.00 mark any GPA that is only slightly higher than 3.00 will do no good? How about retake a D in biochemistry? I know I can get an A in that class. The only reason I didn't was due to emotional damage from a death of a very close friend which resulted me in skipping 3 weeks worth of classes. Honestly, thinking back, that class was so easy. Or should I just mention that the fact I only performed poorly was due to a death and just mention it and explain in my SoP? Honestly, I'm kinda surprised I have the GPA that I have right now given the terrible grades I mentioned. On a side note, someone PMed me saying they know a friend who got into PhD Chemistry at University of Arizona with a 2.85 GPA and below 1000 GRE.

Is anyone aware of PhD Chemistry Programs cross-examining applicants with each other? Since my family has a low income (both of my parents make below $30,000 a year combined), I may qualify for application fee waivers. Since I have a poor academic record, I was thinking of applying to like >30 PhD Chemistry Programs with the mind set "I have nothing to lose since I get application fee waivers (hopefully for all of them)." I am probably getting ahead of myself though since I am still a third year. If they do cross-examine, they will know that I am desperate and applied to many programs and if so, would they think that I am desperate and will count that against me? He was bald, white, and didn't wear glasses. Also now that I have thought about it, he seemed like a graduate student than a Professor. He probably left for other reasons. Upon trying to ponder about it further, I think he was a graduate of a professor who left for a term but gave permission to him to give undergraduate students access to her lab. The Professor was Claire I believe. I still have her email address as well as the graduate student's email address somewhere in my inbox but I'll dig it through at another time. Also regarding the professor that I want to do research with, I had him for Physical Chemistry in which I got an A- in his class in Fall quarter and will have him for Physical Chemistry again in Spring Quarter. I did not have him for Winter Quarter (now) because he isn't teaching this quarter. I did not go to his office hours at all Fall quarter (although I should have). So regarding Spring quarter you suggest that I do the following things right? 1. Go to office hours and ask questions regarding HW for like 6 times or so. 2. By the 3rd week of visiting his in office hours many times, he should be more familiarize with me, right? (And ask him about his research in the process). 3. Should I also mention my GPA casually in passing by saying something like: "Well yeah, I have a 3.2 GPA and I'm looking into applying into graduate school next year" and ask him for advice for graduate school at the same time as asking him for HW help or will this look too awkward?

Does anyone know how to change the number of posts per page on this forum from 20 pages per post to 40 pages per post? I'm new to this forum and I am interested in reading some of the threads on this forum that have over 100 replies and I would prefer to scroll than to click next page. Just a preference. I am interested in transition metals for now. I see. I am interested in transition metals for now. I was reading a professor's course research web page and his research on Mn was interesting. Organometallics is also an option for me. I see. The Professor's name is eluding me right now. I was almost certain it was Professor Les but then I searched his name and I found Les Rowntree which somewhat doesn't make sense since it said that he retired in 2005 and that he is from the Environmental Studies Department. Actually, if you give me the names of some of the professors off the top of your head whom you know to be retired recently, I may be able to remember it. Thank you very much for all of your responses so far. I would like to keep in touch with all of you on this forums and would like to post in this thread in the future. I plan on posting in this thread for the next 12-18 months on a weekly or biweekly basis or so to update all of you on my interest and resume. I actually expect this thread to have over 100 replies by the time I start applying to graduate schools. So look forward to more of my posts in the future. My next post in this thread will probably be on Sunday February 6, 2011 or so. I actually have a few more questions for now: 1. Are there any M.S. Programs that are fully funded? If so, which ones? 2. Can anyone here provide a list of target schools that fit my academic record? I am actually willing to go to Out of State for a PhD in Chemistry if needed. 3. Will internships in Chemistry that are not research based help my academic record in terms of getting a PhD in Chemistry? 4. I know that most PhD in science are generally funded, but is it true that it is not worth entering a PhD Program that has no funding where you pay for your PhD? Some people were saying that since they don't trust you that you can complete your PhD by not funding you, you should not trust them either. 5. Is there a consolidated list of acceptance rate for PhD Chemistry Programs somewhere? 6. Is there a way for me to edit the title of the OP? I was thinking of updating the thread title every quarter as my GPA changes (hopefully for the better) and I get more research experience. 7. I heard only about 50% of students who enter a PhD Program actually complete the Program and the other 50% don't finish. Is there a consolidated list of Programs that list by how their students finish? 8. As an expansion on the previous question, do PhD Programs normally stop funding their students after 5.5 years? Does that mean that those who complete their Programs by taking longer than 5.5 years have to pay everything out of their own pocket after 5.5 years for the remainder of 4.5 years? 9. I actually knew a TA who said they knew a student that has been at UCSB for Chemistry since September 1995 and just got his PhD in March 2010. He took the 6 year plan for his B.S. and the 8.5 year plan for his PhD. Is it wise for me to stay at UCSB for an extra two years as an undergraduate student to gain undergraduate research experience and improve my GPA or just graduate in four years. This idea seems sketchy to me since I am a low income student and I need financial aid and the level of financial aid decrease after 4 years. I am a 3rd year right now and I can actually graduate one quarter early if I am on track. UCSB actually funds their undergraduates for 6 years, but since I had a lot of AP credits and community college credits, I actually had Sophomore Standing before my first day of class, so I am only eligible for funding until after my 5th year. Even then, I don't know how much financial aid I will get my fifth year. In spite of this, I don't even know what other classes to take for my fifth year besides retaking some classes that wasn't needed for my major to improve my GPA. 10. As an expansion for question 9, is it worth spending time and money to retake classes that I don't need for my major to increase my GPA? My TA failed a few biology classes and had a 3.2 / 3.8 overall / Chem GPA but still made it to the UCSB PhD Chemistry Program, but granted he had a letter of recommendation from a celebrity chemist as well as an undergraduate publication. Thanks.

The professor whom I originally worked with no longer works at SJSU, so I can no longer work with that professor. Also does anyone know if applying to the same school you went to for undergraduate for your graduate is a good idea? I was thinking yes since the professors know you and they are on the admissions committee, but I don't know for sure. Regarding undergraduate research, is it better to do undergraduate research in an area you are not interested in than to have no research at all? The reason why I say this is that my school UCSB, most inorganic chemistry labs are full but a lot of organic chemistry labs are open and I am more interested in inorganic chemistry than organic chemistry. The biochemistry labs are always open but I have absolutely zero interest in biochemistry and only little interest in organic chemistry. Also aside from wanting to teach at a 4 year university, 2 year university, becoming a researcher in a lab, I am also considering working in the industry as an option. Thanks to everyone for contributing.

I am interested in inorganic chemistry and I wish to pursue research in Chemistry, teach at a 4 year university or teach at a community college. Also how do you multiquote? I tried using the multiquote button, but I could not multiquote. I don't really want to double post, so I will respond to the 3rd post without actually quoting it. At UnlikelyGrad: I meant that I will submit my applications for Fall 2012. I am interested in inorganic Chemistry for now. Yes, I actually live in San Jose, CA during the summer when I am not in school. I also did undergraduate research for a professor in the summer at SJSU, but the research didn't go anywhere. I felt like I wasted a month for nothing. Should I even note that on my research experience once I start applying? At everyone else reading this: If anyone knows some good target schools for me to get into, then please let me know. Thanks. Also teach me how to multiquote.

I'm trying to narrow down my choices for PhD Chemistry Programs which I will be applying in Fall 2011. I have a 3.2 GPA with a Chem GPA 3.5. I have one month of research experience and have not taken my GREs yet. What are some PhD Chemistry Programs that are within my reach (if any)? I don't want to waste my time and money applying to top PhD Chemistry Programs that I have no shot at getting into. If I don't get accepted to any PhD Chemistry Programs, would getting an M.S. in Chemistry and doing well in them be a stepping stone to gaining PhD Chemistry admission? I know SJSU M.S. Chemistry have a 2.5 GPA requirement minimum and will accept students conditionally if they prove themselves with a 3.5 GPA their first year, so that can be a back up plan. Thanks.