[The real meaning of fit in Grad School Application]

Thanks everyone for all your kind response. One never how helpful people can be unless you open up. I really am grateful to all of you. On another topic i'm currently writing my SOP, Though am for fall 2014, i have started preparation in earnest, i want to give this my very best in all area- gre, sop, recs, etc. On the sop, i wrote and presented a seminar in my final year, albeit that it was at the departmental level, would adcom see this as anything positive? Also because i lacked wet bench research experience, throughout my senior year and even currently, i have been reading journal articles on cancer research, i thus have an extensive knowledge in the field though theoritical. I want to incorporate it into my sop but an having a hard time on that. Finally i'm applying to Harvard BBS, Vanderbilt QCB' UT Southwestern basic science and KAUST Bioscience any general idea and suggestion that would be of help to me would be appreciated.

[The real meaning of fit in Grad School Application]

Discuss it knowledgeably in your statement of purpose along with how you would see yourself integrating into their research workflow.

Thanks Eigen.

I understand that now, what about the Prof, how will you show that you are his/her research fit.

[The real meaning of fit in Grad School Application]

I think it means a lot of things that are hard to quantify, which is why people (including me) like to throw that word around a lot

 

It definitely means research fit. I would say it is more important to show that you have a strong interest in the research being done at the department you are applying to (i.e. the second thing you said). People don't necessarily do the same topic/field between undergrad thesis and PhD, and they don't have to do the same thing between PhD thesis and post-docs etc. either! 

 

However, it also means logistical fit. If you are interested in Profs X, Y, and Z, but all of them are not taking students or wanting to change their research focus etc. then it would hurt your application. This is why I emailed profs I'm interested in before applying and saying I'd like to work with X, Y, and Z. In a similar vein, it might mean financial fit -- you might be a great student, but there might have been a budget cutback and they can't accept students in your area of research, etc.

 

Fit could also mean personality and attitude. When visiting schools/departments, you sometimes get a strong sense of the "vibe" of the department from the faculty and current students. Some departments will value things like outreach and teaching. Some will value an intense courseload that build a strong foundation. Others might value research productivity and papers. The department and student will get along best (i.e. they will fit well together) if the values line up (or at least are compatible with each other). The "vibe" of the department would change over time though as people come and go and sometimes a department might actually be consciously trying to change the direction they're heading and to do so, they might pick grad students / hire postdocs and faculty with certain characteristics that they want.

Thanks for your insightful reply.

Technically speaking, it mean that if I am  interested in prof X research and prof X is going to take grad students then I am a good fit for prof X's Grad program. I am stressing this point because i have really been aprehensive of my chance of been able to get a grad school admit lately, this is because i fear i will have no research experience analogous to that of the reaserch i would like to do in Grad school and even thereafter. I felt though i did a Honors thesis it do be useless since it does not relate to what i'd be enthusiastic about doing (I had no liberty of chosing my thesis supervisor or topic even though i knew what kind of research i wanted to do).

That said, how will an ADCOM know that Student A is really interested in Prof X research, i could say i am interested in Prof X research whereas i really am not. is there something Student A can do to proove to the ADCOM that he is really interested in Prof X research?

[The real meaning of fit in Grad School Application]

I have been reading on this forum and others how grad school acceptance is based on fit, but i have not gotten a full understanding of what it mean to be a fit for a particular program. Let me use myself as an example I studied Biochemistry, and graduated with a good result albeit that i'm not the best graduating student-(CGPA 4.06 out of 5) dont know how this compare to US GPA, though based on percentage, i am 81% while the best student was 91% moreso i am 4th in my graduating class. I did a Honors thesis (my topic-Physicochemical and antioxidant properties of Moringa Oleifera husk and testa). My question- When grad school say fit, does it mean the school will have a prof doing research related to my thesis topic? Or does fit mean a school has a prof whose research i am enthusiastic about and would like to have a career in?

[From the Temperate to land of snow]

Victoria is NOT cold. It's coastal and barely has a winter (from my standards, I'm from Edmonton, AB). I was there last February and was outside in a T-shirt. That should be easier for you to adjust to.

Hamilton on the other hand can get quite cold. I'm currently living in Toronto but haven't spent a winter here, but I know the winters are milder than Edmonton. But you will still be looking at some days of -20 and that feels very cold because it's humid. In contrast Edmonton can get to -40 but it's dry so while it is still f-ing cold, you can at least bundle up. A "wet cold" is more difficult to handle, but if you buy appropriate clothing (warm jacket, boots, gloves, hat, scarf, longjohns, etc.) you can survive. There are a ton of people who move here from warmer climates.

Employment scenario I have no idea about, but it is extremely easy to work in any province in Canada regardless of what province you graduated from.

thanks for your insightfull response.

More contributions from veterans in house.

[From the Temperate to land of snow]

All my life i have lived in the temperate with temperatures 28'C to 40'C i am considering Msc Biochemistry next fall at either Uvictoria BC or Mcmaster Hamilton. The tought of temperature below 10'C to -10'C really scare the hell out of me. Please i want to know how easily to adjust to this extreme temperature.

Also what is the postgraduate employment scenario for some one with research base Msc Biochemistry from Uvic or Mcmaster.

Finally is it possible to graduate from a province and get job in another province.

Thanks for your anticipated reply