billobob

Very few schools will tell you. The #1 reason for getting rejected is quite simply because a professor thinks another student is a better match for the research he's doing, assuming you're applying for a PhD or funded masters. Contacting and talking to POIs is the most important thing in the entire process IMO, again unless its a more professional degree.

Credentials matter less past a point than being active about emailing people and selling yourself. Even at big places like Texas or Columbia where an individual may have less pull what matters most is actually talking to someone. I did fine in school, I was just lazy about the process and put everything off (multiple) times until it was too late.

I'm basically a textbook screwup. This is my third time applying (and last, so whatever happens, happens--if nothing pans out I plan on applying to MS programs for data science). Working an actual job distracted me too much from what matters (ie future/applications), but this time around it looks like things may go a bit better. I applied to fewer schools and only did so at ones where I got a positive response early or know someone. Undergrad Institution: Brown, grad 2010 Major(s): Geology Minor(s): GPA in Major: 3.57 Overall GPA: 3.6ish Position in Class: pretty average if I had to guess, lots of smart people and such Type of Student: white USian GRE Scores (revised/old version): Q: 760 V: 660 W: 5.5 I probably should've retaken the GRE as I've been tutoring SAT (among other things) for a while now and would do much better, but oh well. Research Experience: Couple years in UG and senior thesis, REU, worked at USGS for a year Awards/Honors/Recognitions: not much, aside from the very best students there weren't many rewards other than standard summer research grants. I graduated with honors, but everyone who does the B.S. and writes a thesis at Brown does so it doesn't mean much. Pertinent Activities or Jobs: full-time tutor the last two years, worked in the USGS for a year before that Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: I wish Special Bonus Points: nah Applying to Where: UCSC (PhD, invited for interview), UCSB (PhD), Texas (MS) All three schools are places I'm applying to for paleoceanography to work in stable isotope labs; I'll elaborate more when I'm feeling a bit less lazy. Since this is my last time, I'm only applying to places I would really like to go/people I'd really like to work under--if this fails, it's time for me to cave to my greedy side and dust off the extremely rusty programming and math experience from UG. I'm applying to data science/analytics programs this month, which have either rolling or end of Feb deadlines for what I'm looking at. To anyone applying to Texas, usually early February is when PhD people will hear something unless they have a fellowship offer, in which case you already know. Incidentally I have no idea about how MS applications are sorted. UCSB/UCSC depend more on individual professors, as some have already sent out emails and others haven't.

I just emailed the person in charge of admissions and asked her when we could expect decisions by

I applied to Columbia, UW Seattle (oceanography), USC, Texas, and Michigan. So far my app at UW is on hold (although I imagine I'll get rejected since the prof I want to work with turned out to not be able to take another student this year); something similar happened at USC but I talked to a different professor who said he was interested in maybe taking me on and I should know within a week or so. FWIW I ended up applying ridiculously late because I couldn't pay on time (Christmas season stolen ID/frozen bank accounts ftw!) so honestly any acceptances at all would surprise me. At any rate I've received some good feedback.