What is the average # of grad programs that Geoscience PhD students apply to?

[InquilineKea]

A lot of profs tell me to just apply to around 6, which is the average there.

Meanwhile, I'm seeing a lot of Physics or Math students who are basically applying to 12-20 schools (just look at physicsgre.com or mathematicsgre.com).

I wonder if it's because "fit" matters a lot more in Geoscience? Geoscience tends not to have a common core, so people are more self-selective about the schools they're applying for (in other words, apply to only the schools where there are professors who do the stuff you're interested in).

Edited January 29, 2012 by InquilineKea

[Kitkat]

Bascially all of the profs that I was getting letters from, seemed to think that this was a normal number for what I was applying to. I think with my case it is partially because of the fit issue that you mention. But I would also think that it is because at the moment it is still a generally small field, as opposed to a field like physics, which has a much larger selection of schools/programs that you can pick and apply to.

[hope4fall2012]

I initially started out aiming to apply for 10 universities.. I was able to shortlist 15 based on broad research interests..

I then had to filter out a few because they were too ambitious.. And when I started mailing professors, few of them said they didn't have vacancies for graduate students this coming fall.. And a few of them did not reply..

At the end, I applied to 6 universities..which I feel, for my profile, is 2-3 universities too less.. But there's nothing I can do now but wait..

[katerific]

I had applied to 7 programs, but most of my friends applied to <4.

[LCBucky]

I only applied to 4. It took a lot of researching and contacting professors to narrow it down, but I think I have chosen the programs that best match my interests.

[waddle]

I applied to five. Seems like that number is pretty normal among students in my current grad program, though I have heard of some (mostly international) students applying to upwards of ten.

[hope4fall2012]

I have heard of some (mostly international) students applying to upwards of ten.

Ok, now I'm scared and worried.. 6 seems like a very small number..especially with no word yet..

[LCBucky]

Ok, now I'm scared and worried.. 6 seems like a very small number..especially with no word yet..

I'd try not to worry too much...its still very early!

[taylorific]

I applied to seven schools, most of which had professors that I was specifically interested in working with. It felt about right at the time but now it feels like way too many, especially since I think I've made up my mind about where I really want to go. I guess it's hard to gauge where you stack up against the other applicants and so that might lead to applying to more schools than necessary. It's hard to know whether there will be a lot of other qualified applicants who want to work with the same professors!

[Eigen]

I would say 12-20 is an abnormally large number for math and physics grad students as well, based on the programs I know.

I applied to 3 in Chemistry, and most of the others in my cohort applied to somewhere between 2 and 6. You really want to refine your research interests, and there's no reason applying somewhere you wouldn't really want to go, so you might as well cut schools out before, rather than after, applications.

[sansao]

My undergrad research advisor told me, when I proudly announced that I had narrowed my search to 6 schools, that I should cut it down to 3. I cut it down to four, because I felt uncomfortable about such a low number. Somewhat amusingly, the school that I would have cut next was the one that just rejected me, so maybe she was right (would certainly not be the first time). At any rate, if you found programs with a decent fit in 3-7 programs, I'd expect that would be sufficient.