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.

Congrats on all your acceptances... those are all great schools, so really it just comes down to your research interests. Look at the publications from the labs you're interested in, can you picture your name along side the other authors? If not, that's a good indication you're not really feeling the type of research they do. Location also factors in some for me... I'd totally go to San Diego... but out of those three places... Chicago has the best feel to me, but really, I just don't like LA at all and haven't been to New Haven so that's not a totally informed opinion.

Yeah, I just got notification today. I didn't read this until just now. It seems like this whole process just depends on funding. Which is an unfortunate reality. Good luck! Maybe we'll be in the same cohort come fall.

Just got word from my POI that I was accepted by U of T into the ecology and evolutionary biology PhD program. Super excited/nervous because it is my first choice and my wife hasn't found out if she got in or not (she applied to the same program as well as the Cell and Systems Biology PhD Program). Other EEBers... I found this out ahead of any official acceptance letters, so there is still time.

Getting a masters degree definitely pads your resume. It seems, based on your two other acceptances, that your application already is pretty strong though. A big part (maybe even the biggest part) is funding which there isn't a lot of to go around right now. Maybe the situation will be better after you get your master's degree... maybe not. The only funded offer I got last go around was a master's program so I took it and ran. I feel like this helped a lot in my interviews as I had a ton of research experience and knowledge compared to when I was interviewing the first go around. However, back to funding... one of the schools that I got an interview from right out of undergrad didn't even bother this go around. I really doubt the quality of applicants their sky-rocketed. So even though my CV was vastly superior than it was before and now included a couple first author publications, even more presentations and a year of teaching experience... they didn't even feel like talking to me before sending a rejection. So it can be a mixed bag... it will definitely help your CV, but based on the funding situation of the POIs and program, that may not matter. It is a gamble. But if you really don't feel like you're a good fit for the PhD program you got into, I'd say go for the masters and cast a much bigger net next round.

I suppose that depends on what kind of position you want. A lot of government organizations treat years of experience with master's degrees as equivalent to a PhD. I cannot really speak for private companies as I've never looked into that and only have connections to people with government and academic positions. I would think that experience is just as good as a PhD to companies, but that is just conjecture.

Just assuming the worst I guess. It just seems like a weird time to get an email like that.

Enact a lab policy in which you make more gel when you use it all? That's how it works in mine.

Got this email from the U of T Ecology and Evolutionary Biology PhD program. "Thank you for your interest in a graduate program in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto. Your application is complete and the Admissions Committee is considering it. There are many contingencies in the decision process, that still need to be resolved. We will provide you with a decision as soon as soon as we can, but no later than the end or March or the first week in April. In the interim, we appreciate your patience. If you need an earlier status report in order to make an informed choice about other opportunities, please contact the EEB Graduate Office (grad.eeb@utoronto.ca) and we will try to clarify your current status. If you situation changes in any significant way, e.g. you win an NSERC, OGS, or other major scholarship, be sure to inform us promptly. Such an achievement can change the ability of a prospective supervisor to support your research, opening up a new training opportunity for you. Alternatively, if you decide to withdraw your application, please let us and your prospective supervisor know as soon as possible. While you are waiting, we wish you continued success in your current program." I'm guessing this means I've been wait-listed but I e-mailed my potential advisor about it and he is looking into it. Meh.

This could be hearsay, but the professor at U of T I've been in contact with basically said for Canadian students that if they find a professor that is willing to take them on and meet the minimum requirements (which seem actually kind of high as far as minimum requirements go), they get in. But for International students, the competition is tougher because they have a limited number of international spots.

This was a while ago now, but Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro.