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Hi, I am very conflicted on what direction I should do, any advice is appreciated. I have graduated with a B.S. in biology about a year ago and my GPA is a 3.17. I understand my GPA is low. I did very bad my first two years of college due to dealing with anxiety and depression issues but my last two years I managed to raise my GPA from a 2.75 to 3.17 and got an A in all my upper level biology courses (such as cell biology, microbiology, parasitology, biochem, animal behavior, virology etc.) Anyway I have always dreamed of getting a phD and being a research scientist. My first two years in college have discouraged me from aquiring significant research experience with a professor but I managed my senior year to work on a very small animal behavior research project with one of my professors (otherwise I have very minimal research experience in undergrad). My research interests are mostly related to microbiology (infectious disease related). Experience in undergrad related to graduate school programs include: being a TA for gen bio lab, TA for an anthropology course, a bunch of leadership experience, & directed study senior year, study abroad as well Right out of college I got a job as an Associate Scientist at a cosmetic company. My job pays very well (65,000 per year + bonus), the company has amazing benefits (unlimited sick leave, 401K, pension, tuition reimbursement, vacation time, health care and even more than listed), and it is an industry job. I work in a research lab were I am gaining significant microbiology experience (such as lab bench experience, writing SOP & protocols, bacteria identification, and testing etc.). But, I am lacking a lot of "flashy" molecular and genetic lab experience. This, I feel is making me less of a competitive applicant for a phD in micro program (such as doing research for a pharmaceutical company developing a drug etc.). But, I am not sure if this job I have now does make me a completive applicant?? I also have a significant amount of loans from undergrad and am able to pay them off (hopefully in 3 years with this salary) and do not want to acquire more loans than I need to. My boss also really likes me and is willing to let me work on more research projects than I am working on now. I have signed up to take the GRE in a month as well. My recommendation letters will be strong (hopefully) I have two professors in mind and my Director and Executive Director of my lab can write me a strong recommendation. I do not know if I should: A: apply to PhD programs by this december for next fall and see if I am able to get accepted to a program and leave my high paying job (for a BS in bio out college) for this if I get an acceptance ? --> I have to start emailing potential research labs, being my personal statement etc. etc. etc. BUT i do not know if it is worth it to leave my company now considering I have a great job. B: get a part-time masters (apply for next fall- most application are due in April/May) in a related field IN PERSON such as biotechnology, biochem, or Biology with concentration that is either thesis based/internship based. There is no MS in micro or infectious disease or immunology in my area where I work. I would do this while working where I work now and get the tuition reimbursement from my company. --> I think the basis of the masters for me is to gain more lab/research experience (molecular and genetic) C : finding a volunteer position at another lab (either within the company or at a local college) to gain that molecular lab experience AND then apply to phD NEXT YEAR for fall 2021 programs OR take a molecular lab class at local college in fall to gain this experience D : look at online masters options for next fall and get tuition reimbursement and apply to PhD programs after or just stay with masters ( I do not know how reputable or beneficial an online masters will be) I have though extensively about what a phD program entails (I have taken a seminar course in college that went in depth of how to apply and what you are getting yourself into. Also, I have read books and articles on what this would entail). I am just unsure on how worth it this will be to apply for next fall, should I be applying NEXT YEAR for fall 2021 programs?? I am not sure of the pay off between just having masters vs. just having a phD in programs related to biology and the jobs associated with each. Will I be wasting my time JUST getting a masters OR getting a masters AND then phD (I know some PhD programs you can leave with masters if you choose too). I think right now my eventual goal is phD but I do not know how ready I am for this. I think I am also doubting my application strength and my ability to get accepted now. What do you think my chances are of getting accepted to a program right now? Or am I stupid to leave my job after a year for a phD program if I do get accepted to one. I know you can not do much with a BS in biology and graduate school is mostly necessary. THANK YOU FOR READING ALL OF THIS I am very lost in what direction I should be taking.

Hello! I am trying to decide between Columbia and Northwestern for a master's in journalism. To give you some background, I am interested in pursing international reporting after graduation and want to attend the school that provides the best opportunities/connections to make this possible! At Columbia, I have no specialization whereas at Northwestern I picked Social Justice and Investigative Journalism. I have also included a pro/con list about the two schools below. Any insight about either or both schools would be greatly appreciated! Thank you! Columbia’s Pros: At Columbia, I would not have a specialization, so my education would cover multiple platforms (audio, video, broadcast, print, online, etc.) (this may be beneficial since i have limited experience) Great international reporting department with a lot of connections. There are some great postgraduate fellowships Columbia Journalism Investigations, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, Longform Narrative, funding for investigative reporting A lot of post-graduate internships that accept many Columbia grads; in particular, companies like: ABC News Broadcasting in London; Al Jazeera in Qatar, The Marshall Project (Investigative Reporting in NYC), The Reuters Institute at Oxford. Spring Career Expo (where you can have scheduled/walk-up interviews) Year long master’s project supervised by an advisor (to work on long form narrative) There is a required module on investigative journalism Students Associations: Society of Professional Journalists, Women in Journalism Ivy League Located in NYC (good for networking) A lot of students are encouraged to get published Columbia’s Cons: Slightly larger classes (15-20) and larger seminars Fewer opportunities to travel abroad while completing the degree (no established programs) No scholarship Northwestern’s Pros: Medill Explores Program: a week-long trip spent reporting on international issues and networking with local experts Global Residency Program: a 10 week program abroad with an international news organization (Time Magazine in the UK) Medill Justice Project: the opportunity to work on criminal justice cases and writing investigative stories Social Justice News Nexus: works with local Chicago news outlets to report on social justice issues Knight-Lab: focuses on emerging technology and new forms of journalism A 2 quarter class where you are trained in media technology (however, I will not be able to enroll if I do the practicum in DC) Benefits of Investigative & Social Justice Specialization: Will have stories published in Medill News Service (partners with news outlets to publish your work) There are still core courses that cover the fundamentals of reporting Practicum: a 10 week internship (instead of a thesis) in which you work with a local media outlet of your choice. It can be completed in DC or Chicago. Medill Friday events (speakers, workshops, etc) Medill Career Services Partial Scholarship Only 130 students in the program Small class size (about 10 students) Northwestern’s Cons: I had to apply to a specialization, but as I do not have a lot of journalistic experience, I am not sure if this is the field I want to stay in. Fewer media outlets in Chicago

Has anyone heard from Lamar University, the university of Texas rio Grande Valley, or Kingsville for Fall 2019? I’m so anxious and worried about not getting in anywhere! Someone please help ease my nerves 😭 I just want know if they’ve started sending interview invitations or acceptances already. Any opinions on whether I have a shot or not? Cumalitive GPA: 3.4 Major GPA: 3.4 GRE: average! I’m bilingual (spanish and English) with lots of research experience.

Hi guys! I am an undergraduate junior about to graduate this upcoming Fall... & may be applying for Audiology programs. For those in AUD programs, how did you get funding for the programs you were accepted into? If you went out of state, was it a lot of fund? Also, what are some AUD programs that offer substantial funding for Audiologists? Thanks!

Hi everyone! I'm an International Student. I applied to NYU's Tisch School of the Arts MFA Dramatic Writing Program from December 19th and I was told that notifications are sent out ANYTIME between MARCH 1st and APRIL frickin 15th! I am going crazy!!! It's almost the end of March and I haven't seen ANY applicants on this site with a decision for this program. In fact, I think one of the key committee members has been out of office for 1 week or so, with no "return date" in his automated email reply, so I don't know when he's expected back. I don't want to keep emailing admissions to annoy anyone, but this is ROUGH! At least with Brown University, they stuck to the date they gave (although it was just as long of a wait). At least they stuck to their date. Tisch, I don't know what's taking them so long... I mean... they have 1 month AND 15 days and I haven't seen ONE decision on the Results Search page... sigh... I'm also waiting on Boston U's MA Journalism which I was told would be out by next week.... but Tisch.... what is going on in that dept? Does anyone know? Thanks!

Hey, so I'm having a hard time choosing between Tufts University MALD, Columbia MIA, and George Washington SPS. I was hoping someone could give me some advice after hearing my reasoning + pros & cons because I feel stressed with the upcoming enrollment deposit deadlines. Thank you in advance~ Context About Me - I have a fellowship that offers me financial assistance, 2 great internships with the government, and a job straight after graduation in the government. So, technically I don't HAVE to be in DC because I have that fellowship that will make me end up in DC for the summers anyway for my internship. I'm from Texas... so I need information about the city too. I've had an internship in DC before, so honestly, DC is the only one I'm familiar with the area, but I've never visited GW. I visited Tufts for a day, and I really liked it, but again, I don't know Boston. Personal, but I'm a Christian, so I'm gonna be attending a church and need Christian clubs on campus to help keep me sane lol I'm South Asian heritage... so I need some diversity to make me feel not alone I'm 21 (will be 22 as I start grad school), so it makes me wary since I'm also super young and entering grad school Columbia - Pros: I like the program? It's an Ivy League Cons: Honestly the biggest negative for me right now is the cost of tuition & cost of living in NYC. I like the program on paper (looking into the International and Security Policy concentration as well as Management specialization), but I don't know if it's worth the debt at the end. I'm appealing for more money, but SIPA didn't offer me additional financial aid in addition to my external fellowship... that means I would need to pay 40k a year. Is it worth the debt? I mean I have a guaranteed job in government after college, so is the name/Ivy League status helpful for someone who already is going to be in the government after college? I've never visited either... I've been to NY before, but I've never seen the campus. Tufts - Pros: I like the size of the school where you can get to know everyone and can good attention from professors... it'll help with the community aspect. Visiting made me feel good because I got to talk to a couple of students, the admissions dude was nice, and I liked the classes I visited too. I like the ability you have to cross-register and take a few courses at Harvard too for more experience. Cons: I don't know Boston. I'm not good with the cold... so will I survive? It's not DC either, so if I want to do a job to get some experience... it may be hard to find organizations in Boston that are IR/gov related? With my external fellowship + funding Tufts offered me, I only need to pay $5000 per semester if I attend. But, I'm appealing for more because there's no harm in trying. GW - Pros: I am covered in terms of tuition, which would be amazing considering I have undergrad debt I need to pay off. Big school, so lots of clubs and opportunities to connect/find my people? I know DC (from my 1 semester experience there). Night classes only, so it will help if I want to find a job/internship during the day. Cons: Big school, so I don't know if I'd get a small school attention. Never visited, so I don't know if I would like the campus atmosphere and such. I think I'm really wary of grad school life since I haven't experienced it yet. I really don't know how it's gonna be different from undergrad, so I need to really be intentional in finding community/my niche. I guess that's why I'm confused? PLEASE HELP!!!

Like many others have done, I'm a current first year grad student! Feel free to ask any questions from applying to grad school itself! We're all in this together and I remember how rough the application process was!

What are my chances of getting into a decent Biostats program based on my stats? Undergrad Institution: state school in california Major(s): biology w/ emphasis on zoology Minor(s): GPA: 2.5 Type of Student: Citizen, URM, female GRE General Test: Writing 6/Quant 166/Verbal 168 Programs Applying: MS/MPH Biostatistics...hopefully MS in biostats Research Experience: 2 years of research in Epidemiology lab Awards/Honors/Recognitions: 2 year research experience in Epidemiology/Biostats funded by NIH fellowship. Pertinent Activities or Jobs: President of Health club on campus, secretary of two other clubs, student senator, heavily involved on campus with advocacy groups as well as encouraging women and other people of color in the sciences. Letters of Recommendation: I have three-four strong letters of rec being written for me by post docs/professors that are mentors. I meet with them every so often and we talk about my career trajectory, my work, and the like.

Hi guys. I've seen people in other areas begin threads for the Fall 2019 applicants, so I figured I would start the Classics thread. I'm graduating in May and working on applying to a large variety of Masters and Ph.D programs related to Classical Archaeology.

I have applied to five schools and have only heard from one school. Idaho State University- waitlisted. Is anyone else in a similar situation? 😕

I’m applying to Csudh Msw fall 2019 program, if you have applied what are your stats and when did you or when are you turning in your application. Do you know when they start sending out acceptance or denials? Why did you choose CSUDH?

Hi everyone! I recently have been accepted to my top choice clinical psychology PhD program (yay!!!), and my POI informed me over the phone that a formal email would follow within the next week. Is this normally the case? I guess I'm just in such shock, I want to see my offer written out on paper. This has been a long road for me, so I'm so excited to be accepted into my top program. Thank you all in advance!

Hi everyone! I'm looking for a nice messenger bag, preferably brown leather, to use for graduate school. I'm more interest in durability than affordability right now (although anything over $200 is tooooo much). Does anybody have any recommendations/bags they love/bags they hate? Thank you!

Hello! Does anyone know anything about Rutgers American studies program? I can't find much information on their webpage and there seems to be very few entries on the results page... Is this a strong program? Is the funding good (the DGS never wrote me back when I asked what it entailed)? Also, why would there be so few entires in the results page?

Has anyone heard from Lamar University, the university of Texas rio Grande Valley, or Kingsville for Fall 2019? I’m so anxious and worried about not getting in anywhere! Someone please help ease my nerves 😭 I just want know if they’ve started sending interview invitations or acceptances already. Thank you so much in advance. :)

hi all. I've been admitted to a PhD program and I'm getting an ok stipend, but relative to the city I'm moving to I'll barely be making it by. Do cost of living scholarships even exist? Are there things that I can apply for to subsidize cost of living? FYI I'm on a student visa

I am from California. I got into Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) for Social Work which is #2 in the country for Social Work. I also got into a Cal State. I want to get licensed in CA and work in California after graduation. Also WashU is maybe 10k more than the Cal State. Will it be worth it to attend a high ranked MSW program or should I attend a school in the state in which I want to work and practice? I want to get my LCSW after I graduate.

So it looks like a few people have heard some positive news from grad schools about upcoming interviews starting next month. How is everyone preparing? I know that I did some initial preparation when I was completing my applications, but I'm not too sure where to go from here. Every POI has published material, ongoing grants and recently completed work, lab websites/department biographies... But what is interview day/weekend really about and what kinds of questions should we be preparing for and what questions should we be asking as we are on these interviews? Happy Holidays!

Hello, I wanted to see what schools people recommend for graduate program in speech language pathology that look at more than just GPA and GRE. MY GPA is not competitive. My GRE scores are very low. I may retake them. I have a lot of experience. This round I applied to: NAU- summers program NOVA Chapman University Idaho State University Eastern New Mexico University .

I am going to be *that* person and seek opinions about whether my scores are good enough for graduate school admission. I am applying to 13 schools (yes, I know that's a lot. But I am anxious because of my low GPA compared to the average accepted GPA). uGPA: 3.43/4.00 CSD GPA: 3.75/4.00 Last-60 GPA: 3.80/4.00 GRE: 157 V, 154 Q, 4.5 AW I am a CS&D major with an Education minor. I have been involved in 2 research labs during undergrad; one for three semesters studying bilingual language acquisition and language development and the other studing Parkinson's Disease using rat models. I currently serve on the executive board of NSSLHA as the Secretary. I was a Camp Counselor at an overnight summer camp for kiddos on the autism spectrum. I am working as a conversation volunteer in our schools speech and language clinic. I also am enrolled in a service-learning course as a mentor for children in our public school district who experience homelessness. Finally, I have been an RA for our dorms for the past 2 years. I think I have a diverse amount of leadership and research experiences which could help that lower GPA. (Also, being a male in the field, many of my colleagues have told me I shouldn't worry about not getting in. Personally, I don't buy that because programs are trying to get the best applicants no matter what, right?) I know Letters of recommendation are important as well and two of my three professors are revered as "innovative" in their respected research fields so hopefully their opinions may help. I also know them pretty well, so it's not like I asked strangers for the sake of them just looking good to schools. My letter of intent has been looked over by many sets of eyes and will continue to be looked over. I've been told it sounds good by colleagues who have been through the application process. (I only mention these things because I know ad comm's look at the applicant holistically) As you can tell by my sheer number of schools, I am pretty anxious about getting in. CS&D has become my passion since finding the major and it would be a blow if I couldn't get in. Any thoughts? I'd love to hear from people going through their applications too!

Should I use the professional transcript entry option if I have one undergraduate transcript, or should I just manually enter in my grades? The professional transcript entry option is $65 for three transcripts, and I only have one to enter.

Hello, I am applying to graduate programs in biology this year. I have almost four years of post-graduate research experience in top-tier institutions and labs, and am a co-author on 5 peer-reviewed articles, 3 of which are in Science/Cell/Nature. I have good GRE scores. I think I would make a strong applicant apart from the glaring issue of my undergrad GPA (3.1). Unfortunately I experienced domestic violence and medical issues towards the end of high school up till sophomore year of college, which were partially resolved with professional help and positive changes that my family and I have made. I am really agonizing over whether this is appropriate to mention in an SoP. I haven't dove into the details at all so far, just said something along the lines of "I've experienced serious personal and medical issues at the time and persevered through them and my grades drastically improved in the last two years..." Is this sufficient? I am sure there are a lot of stories similar to mine, particularly from folks who dealt with mental health challenges and that's perhaps even harder to address. I would love to hear how everyone's tackling gaps in their application due to these reasons, and I hope you all are doing better now.

hi! I wanted to ask if anyone knows of any SLP grad schools that superscore (which is where your best scores in each section of the GRE are taken). I took my GRE twice. On the second round of it, I did better in writing, but worse on the verbal and quan sections than my first one! If anyone has any schools on the top of their head that super score, please let me know!

Currently, I'm a Junior at Texas A&M-Commerce, and will be applying for graduate school in December 2018. I'm a psychology major with an overall GPA of 3.9 and a major GPA of 4.0, with experience in independent study, research, and data analysis. I expect to graduate summa cum laude and receive good letters of recommendation from the professors with whom I've conducted research. However, I doubt that I will be able to achieve a high or even average score on the GRE. On all of the practice tests I've taken so far, I've done well in the verbal and written areas (156-160 on the verbal, and 5.0 on the written), but I've performed poorly on all the quantitative sections, receiving scores that ranged from 120-110. I know that with time and practice, I can improve my quantitative scores, but I am still unsure about my chances of getting into UT Southwestern's Clinical Psychology PhD program. Do any of you think that I could have a chance of getting an interview, or do you think I have better chances applying elsewhere?

Hello, I wanted to create a place for all of us to chat and compare our stats. Also, to congratulate each other when some of us get in and people to plan a second try who don't. Good luck to everyone, and I hope we all hear back soon!