milam1186

You'll likely get into Utah with those stats if you can find a prof that wants to take you. I don't know about the others as I didn't apply to those. When I interviewed at the U of U, a lot of the profs were disappointed with the quality of applications that cycle. So maybe you're unlucky you weren't in that group of applicants. The whole grad school admissions thing has way too much to do with chance. I wish you luck... focus on your publication and statement of purpose. GREs don't matter so much except to weed out applications from the start, and yes, some of those screens do end up being around the 75th percentile, so there is that.

Being at Duke doesn't make getting a Nature paper easier. That's just silly and suggests something rather fowl going on in the scientific community. Good for them though, you get a Nature paper by merit, not by who you know/where you are. OP has a scholarship for a Master's Degree. My whole point is that it really doesn't matter where you get your Master's degree as long as you have a decent advisor and are motivated enough to get your thesis chapter(s) published. OP knew about the "name" schools with Master's degrees... I was suggesting lesser known schools that may be "easier" to get into. Others to consider: University of Maryland, Baltimore San Diego State Montana State University of San Diego San Jose State Obviously more out there, just a few I knew from papers I've read in my field/met people from there at conferences. I then checked to see if they had masters programs.

I got a master's degree from an unknown (UNC-Wilmington)... now I'm doing my Ph.D. at the University of Toronto (one of those "name" schools). My wife did the same thing, masters from UNCW, now at U of T. We also got into schools like Cornell, UC Irvine, UNC Chapel Hill, and University of Utah. So, getting a masters at an unknown doesn't come close to dooming your chances for getting a Ph.D... in fact, I'd say it helps those chances. Like I said before, the most important thing you can do to help your academic career is to publish.

Getting a Masters definitely helps getting into PhD programs... even in the US. The ranking of the school is secondary to getting publications to your name and experience in the lab. Plus letters of recommendation can be your golden ticket for the PhD program of your dreams. If you're into the "name" game, you can limit your search to those. Personally, I'd look into smaller schools as well that use Masters student as the life blood of their research. Schools like the non-Chapel Hill UNCs (UNC Wilmington, UNC Charlotte, UNC Asheville, etc), smaller private schools and the like. The only things that will matter in your career in academia: how many publications you have and where you published. Those two things will open up career opportunities more than anything else. Anyone who puts much weight on where you got your degree and if you also hold a masters in addition to your PhD is either an old-school elitist or ill-informed.

You'll likely be fine and some schools put more weight on your last year or two's grades. Everyone has similar stats and the overachievers can take only so many spots. It's more about who you know and the really big one: Do they have money to take you?

50% (3/6 on schools I got a decision from... withdrew my application from 2 schools after I got into my first choice)

I'll be going to U of T for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. I'll be commuting... going up in June to look for apartments. I'll have to keep in mind that subway info.

I echo Katzenmusik's thoughts. That's a rough situation to be in and the only thing to do is make sure you don't lead him on. Don't let him be alone with you... and if he persists, don't worry about hurting his feelings. Its your reputation to keep. And I'm sure he is mistaking his lust for love.

Howdy! Like any major university in the States, there is a large international community at A&M. You won't have a problem with anyone at the university and the overall atmosphere is welcoming and friendly. College Station is a rather small town but it is within driving distance to all the major cities in Texas (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio). The main scene in CS is Northgate, which has mainly bars and a few clubs. I don't think the risk of running into racists is any greater at A&M than it is any other place in the States (even in California, shocking I know, but redneck racists live there too). College Station is the most educated city in Texas per capita... just don't go to bars in tiny little towns outside of College Station and I'm sure you'll be fine. I went to A&M for undergrad and thought it was a great place with friendly people and great professors. I was in the Biology department, but one of my roommates during my time there was an international PhD student in mechanical engineering. He is from India and got a job lined up in upstate New York before he even graduated. Which is just one example, but it is a well regarded program from what I've gathered. Obviously I am advocating A&M, but really, any of those schools would likely further bolster your chances to achieve your career goals. Do as much research on the cities and schools as possible.

You're probably on their unofficial wait-lists. At least that is my best guess if they have already sent out acceptances/rejections. They don't hold applications if they aren't considering them... at least I hope not.

I'd just do the biology requirement for biochem. There is probably a lot of overlap b/w the chem and bio ones. I'd say take ochem2 and get any help you can. No sense limiting your options just because you're afraid you might not do well. Ochem is difficult for everyone at first, but once you get into it, it becomes doable. My second semester I got a 20 out of 100 on the first test and then got the highest score on the last test. I went to a fully funded master's program. They do exist, you just have to search for them. A lot of the time, they aren't at the big name schools a lot of the time, those fund more PhD students and don't really care about the Master's students in sciences it seems.

Well... take biochemistry and do well in that. I did okay in freshman chemistry with a B both semesters. I had a bad Ochem experience because of personal issues during that year and I survived by the skin of my teeth with Cs in both semesters. No one ever asked me about my ochem grades on interviews and I ended getting into a top-notch school for my PhD. I did venture into the wilderness for a master's degree though.

This depends on how serious your relationship is and how dependent your happiness is on being close. Long distance relationships are tough... heck, being in a relationship while being in grad school is tough. Last round of admissions, I only got into one funded Master's program and my eventual wife didn't get into any (despite having vastly superior stats). She decided to move with me across the country from Texas to North Carolina. We got married after my first year and luckily she got into the program a year after I did (though I had to sit out a year as a lab tech and I'm itching to get back into the grad student game). We had a long distance relationship for a year while we went to separate undergraduate institutions. That was rough even though we were within driving distance and saw each other every weekend. She decided to transfer to my school after that. Being in grad school gives you less time to go on dates and actually enjoy being with your partner. It is difficult to balance lab work, school work, teaching (if you're a TA) and a relationship at the same time. Now add the long distance to that. I know that I couldn't do it. I'd be miserable if we had to go to different schools in different cities. As luck would have it, we both got into our first choice (U of Toronto) for our PhDs and I don't have to worry about that. If your sig other is really having second thoughts about grad school... have a serous conversation about the job opportunities in the city where your preferred program is. And as the proudest member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2008, I have to say: go to A&M. Thank you and gig 'em. I personally put more importance on love and personal happiness than my career, but that's just me. Just talk to your sig other and work out the best joint solution. Congrats on your acceptances.

Day one, single out the toughest member of the cohort and beat them up. From then on, you'll have cred with everyone and they'll leave you alone.

I don't know how much weight I would put on their website... I was offered admission and accepted it weeks ago and I just checked the website and my status on there is "under review." This probably depends on program though. I'm Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.