LaraAnn85

I have a 2.9 GPA (though it is due to my first two years being really low during a health problem, my last year was like a 3.9, but overall it is still low), scored just below a 1300 on the GRE, and I haven't been told to totally give up hope yet. Like sammileaht, I have three glowing LORs and really good research experience with well-known people, as well as 2 publications and a good SOP. It's the whole package, you know? If someone else had an equivalent application but a 3.9 overall GPA, of course they have a better shot. But everyone will tell you, it's about your fit with the faculty member and the school and program, it seems very difficult to predict where people will get in simply based on scores. Have you considered retaking the GRE? I am pretty sure that I could have done significantly higher if I took it again, but I didn't have time and was far too stressed out already. But I would recommend trying it again after studying your butt off. Good luck!

Nobody has ever been accepted with low GRE scores and GPA. Ever. Of course, I joke. It depends how low, and for what programs, and what else you have going for you. People get in with "low" scores all the time, but it's definitely harder to do.

Yeah I'm going crazy. I got an interview invite last Monday (1/14), and heard about two other interview that I was graciously excluded from. Now the other 8 are driving me crazy! I'm fairly certain that none of them have extended interviews, so I'm just sitting...waiting...wishing. I just got an email from UW saying that my application just got sent for review, now I have to wait for it to be reviewed! Northeastern said they'd alert people at the end of the month if they are missing anything, so that means you'd still have time to send stuff in before they're finished! Don't they realize that I am going crazy!?!? By the end of every day I've convinced myself that I'm not getting in anywhere and I'm going to have to do this all again. Or I convince myself that if I do get in, I am horribly unprepared and going to have a miserable time. I don't know which is worse. AHHHH

I've heard it doesn't matter, at least for the hard sciences. It's funny, I didn't do extremely well on the verbal section or the AWA on the GRE, though in my research lab class with all the honors students last quarter and got the highest grade on my final research paper. The A+ must have been a fluke.... :wink:

I think that GRE scores and GPA are generally a good way to assess someone's possible ability and performance. BUT, there are times when those numbers simply cannot tell you enough about a person. I have done research for over a year now- running my own experiments, putting in way more hours than required, constantly being complemented on my work, co-authored a paper, etc.- which is what you look for in a graduate student. During the past two years I have had about a 3.7 GPA with an upward trend. All is good and well until you look at my first two years' GPA- probably about a 2.4, if that. However, what my transcript cannot tell you is that I was pre-med and suffering from an eating disorder, so how is that fair? Once I recovered and changed my major and figured out what I wanted to pursue, I was a star candidate. But because of those two years, my overall GPA is not competitive and I'm sure a lot of schools won't have a chance to see that I would make a great graduate student. My GRE scores are good, but not amazing because I didn't have time to re-take them while taking a full load of classes and working in a lab. So in my case, I am hoping that LOR and research experience can get me further than raw numbers. But that's just me.

Woah 5 interview weekends! And you actually got lucky enough that none of them are on the same day? That's impressive, congrats. So where are all these interviews? Leaning toward one in particular yet?

Wow congrats! I haven't heard back from Chapel Hill or Emory, but I guess different departments do their own thing, hopefully that isn't bad news! I also haven't heard from UT Austin nor WashU. I'm starting to get quite antsy...

Did you apply through the Neuroscience Department? I haven't seem to come across many people who applied to the same programs I did, through the Psychology department. In any case, where are your interviews? (and congrats!!!)

It's ranked #4 in the country.

I applied to 11 Behavioral Neuroscience (Psychology department) PhD programs and to be honest, I had no idea what to expect. I am only 22, in my 4 1/2th year of undergad, graduating in March. My GPA is only a 3.0, BUT I was pre-med until my 3rd year (hence taking >4 years to graduate), recovered from an eating disorder in my second year, and did a serious upward climb with my last year about a 3.9. GRE about a 1300, much higher in math (730) than verbal. What I do have going for me is great research experience, 2 publications, and glowing letters of recommendation from very well known people in the field, which I've heard can trump all other things. So far I have only heard back from 2 schools- I am wait listed at Oregon Health and Science University and invited to come for the interview weekend at Purdue. I have two safety schools where I have met my potential faculty adviser and totally hit it off, so I wouldn't be shocked if I got into those. My dream school's application was only due Jan 1, so I don't think they have offered interviews yet (at least I hope not because I haven't heard a thing!). So still waiting on the other 9, this is certainly a test of my patience... :!:

I got wait listed at Oregon Health and Science University, I just found out last week. It was the second one I had heard from, luckily the first was better news. I haven't heard back from 9 others, including WashU, but hey ignorance is bliss sometimes.