To Update or Not to Update???

[LLajax]

Finally got my Fall semester grades in, but the question is, do I try and find a way to update my applications?

Things I'm considering:

-Said Fall grades have been the best grades I've gotten ever and pulled my overall GPA up from 3.4 to 3.5

-All of my deadlines have passed

-How the heck to you update them anyway? I'm having enough trouble even getting ahold of people to ask if everything is in and complete.

-Transcripts are expensive. Yeah I know I've already dumped so much into applications, an extra $10 times however many schools shouldn't make a difference, but hey- it does! That being said, I'd rather shell it out and get in than not.

Does it matter? Is it worth it? Thoughts?

[finknottle]

You can usually send updated copies of the online stuff if you contact the grad depts. I discovered a typographic error in my CV, and most schools were willing to accept my updated CV. (I'm still awaiting a response from 2 though). Not sure about the physical copies of transcripts though. Regarding whether it's worth it, on the monetary front at least it is. As you said, $10 x n is a really small sum if you compare it to the total cost of applications and the cost of attending grad school. However, the trouble might not be worth it. You should account for the number of mails you might have to send or the number of calls you might have make to get something like this done. Calling might be inconvenient too if you are an international student due to the difference in time zones. And there is a small risk of pissing people off in the process. Since your deadlines have passed, it is also possible that your application is already under review. Personally, I wouldn't go through all the trouble just to report slightly better grades. Had it been a case of a publication getting accepted, I would have definitely recommended sending updated docs since something like that is more likely to make a discernible difference in the profile. A difference of 0.1 in the GPA might not make a world of difference in my opinion.

Edited January 8, 2012 by finknottle

[Pitangus]

I'd have to agree with finknottle that updating just for the sake of a slightly higher GPA might not be worth the money/effort, unless someone had a sub-3.0 GPA and this semester's grades brought it above 3.0.

In LLajax's case, I personally would only try to send another transcript if it included relevant graduate-level courses and/or courses that are required/recommended for admissions to my programs.

So to LLajax - Congrats on your successful semester! But if you are already having trouble contacting your grad departments, it seems unlikely that you will be able to get the "ok" to send the transcript before your file has already reached the review stage. Perhaps you could take a chance and send them in the mail (if that's what you had to do originally) and hope people in the admissions offices are still putting together applicant folders and would add them to your files.

But at $10 a pop I personally wouldn't bother.

Edited January 8, 2012 by Pitangus

[jeenyus]

Hello from a long time lurker of this forum.

I also have a question regarding updating prospective departments, although it is not related to grades. I just received news that one of my papers was accepted for a major conference. Is this small piece of news worth sending an update to the schools? For the schools that asked for a CV I can always send in another, but for schools that asked specifically for conference presentations, how would I go about doing this? An e-mail to the grad secretary?

Thanks so much. This website has been a safe haven over the past few months.

Jeeny