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Is is really that much important the reputation of the university? I have been accepted to the MALS Dartmouth, Queen's MA in Political Legal Philosophy, St. Andrews MLitt in Legal and Constitutional Studies and Sherbrooke University for the Master of Laws (LLM). So far, the advices I have received are really to go with the prestigious school - Dartmouth, Queen's St. Andrews and to not keep Sherbrooke University. However, I do believe there is a value in their degree -- LLM. It is normally quite impossible to enter in that degree without a prior law degree so I have to say that despite their lower reputation, I felt it was quite attractive to have this chance to study law at the graduate level. More particularly, if I had the chance to pursue a doctorate in law, I believe this program would be my only chance to pursue legal research or teach law later on.

Hello! I come from a small, public university. My major is applied chemistry- I'm not required to take calculus I or II (but I took cal I anyway), calculus-based physics, or two semesters of physical chemistry (I only have to take concepts). I have a 3.93 GPA and one semester of research; I'm aiming to do an internship this summer and I'm going to take the GRE later (but it isn't required for my no. 1 school). How competitive am I, in your opinion, against those who have taken both calculus classes, calculus-based physics, and two semesters of physical chemistry?

Talking with me mates the other day and one of them was sure his degree was the longest (he's studying to be a doctor). His degree, when he graduates, will read MB BCh BAO (NUI) LRCPI LRCSI. That got me thinking, what is the longest academic degree postnominals out there? P.S. Just for fun, I searched for longer degree titles (including associateships and diplomas awarded by specific universities e.g. DIC, AICSM, ARCS, ARSM, ACGI (from Imperial), AKC (from KCL)) None of these, even combined with a regular degree from these unis, appear to be longer than my friends.

Hello, I'm interested in the one year Master of Science in Public Policy program at NYU's Wagner School. It seems like a pretty unique program to me, and I'm having trouble finding any information about acceptance rates or thoughts on past applicants. etc. Does anyone have any thoughts about this program or is anyone else applying/does anyone know any admissions statistics? Thank you! - M

Hi everyone! I'm new to thegradcafe.com but I desperately need some advice, guidance, ideas, etc. I'm really torn as to what my next move is academically and life-wise. I will be graduating in the spring of 2017 with an overall GPA of 3.2, my degree will be a BA in Political Science with a French minor. I want to go on to get an MA & PhD. The two fields I am leaning towards are History and English/Writing. Clearly I don't have a high enough GPA to get into an upper-level school, so to speak. However, I really want to get my PhD from a top 20 school. My GRE scores were: 148 quant, 162 verbal, 5 writing. I plan to retake the GRE in the spring to see if I can get higher scores. So, what next steps would you recommend? Here is what I've considered. -Go home, work for a year (maybe two) and attend a local university to take one or two graduate courses to make a firm decision on what to get my degrees in. Then apply for an MA/PhD program or just an MA and then my PhD at another school. -Begin an MA program at my state school (a good one) and get that degree, then go on to a top 20 school for my PhD. Basically what I'm wondering is this: -With my current academic standing, would it be beneficial for me to take a few grad courses at my local school, excel in them and then attend a matriculating MA program somewhere that better suits my interests? -Is it frowned upon to get an MA at one university and go to a different one for a PhD? -Would working for a year or two while taking classes (and getting the best grades possible) improve my application package for programs? -Should I take some extra undergrad classes at my local university in history or english since those fields weren't my major field? -Is there any chance, if I excel in an MA program and prove to be a valuable asset, I could be fully funded for a PhD program/get assistantships, etc? -Is there a chance I could go to a lower-ranking school for my MA and potentially get funding if my GRE scores were fantastic? -Is it bad to take a few years away from my undergrad, work and such, and then formally apply for an MA program? I'm dead set on getting a PhD so I know I will go back to school no matter what. I'm leaning towards going home to work, save money, and try a grad class or two to confirm it's what I want to pursue. However, what is realistic for me to pursue after I take those classes and excel? Thank you so much for your time and thoughts! Any and all advice is welcome.