Continuing on to a PhD Program

[profoundquiet]

I am going to be entering the BME Masters program at Columbia this Fall. I really really wanted to be guaranteed for a PhD track, but my undergrad GPA was simply too low, so I am currently enrolled in the M.S. only track.

I'm sure that it depends greatly on the school and major, but how difficult is it to continue on to a PhD program from a Masters? I know that you have to keep your GPA up during your Masters as well as get in a research lab where your PI would eventually be willing to fund you for a PhD. But is there anything else I should know about?

I emailed the prof I want to work with and he said "Occasionally outstanding MS students go onto funded PhD programs, but this is not the normal path and not guaranteed in the MS admission." which made me

Any advice?

[HassE]

I am going to be entering the BME Masters program at Columbia this Fall. I really really wanted to be guaranteed for a PhD track, but my undergrad GPA was simply too low, so I am currently enrolled in the M.S. only track.

I'm sure that it depends greatly on the school and major, but how difficult is it to continue on to a PhD program from a Masters? I know that you have to keep your GPA up during your Masters as well as get in a research lab where your PI would eventually be willing to fund you for a PhD. But is there anything else I should know about?

I emailed the prof I want to work with and he said "Occasionally outstanding MS students go onto funded PhD programs, but this is not the normal path and not guaranteed in the MS admission." which made me

Any advice?

Well most likely you will need to re-apply again for the PhD program. Depending on where you want to go, I think you will have very good odds of achieving entrance into a PhD once you have a MS. I don't know what you can do (obviously other than research) to try and gain admission into a PhD. You proved you can do the coursework, all you need to prove is that you can do research and I don't think they could really say no.

If you mean applying to Columbia PhD, you have an MS from Columbia, your recommendations should be from Columbia, if they don't accept and recognize their own program and the difficulty within, I don't know what would then.

Other wards, the chances are very likely.