2013 Applicant Profiles and Admission Results

[gelologist]

Anybody out there applied to New Mexico Tech hydrology program? I got an invitation to visit at the end of the month, but no word on acceptance or funding. I mean I guess an invitation only is not a bad thing but what does that mean about funding?

I didn't apply to Hydro (Geology/Volc) but I haven't heard anything from them at all yet, other than that 1) one LoR didn't arrive and that 2) "oops nvm it just took a while to get there from your recommender who is abroad.". So invite is positive news, though I dunno if it suggests funding.

Also, long time reader, first time poster, but I'll do the whole "profile yourself" thing a bit later (gotta run to class).

[gelologist]

Undergrad Institution: Small liberal arts; part of Keck Geology Consortium
Major(s): Geology
Minor(s): Environmental Analysis
GPA in Major: 3.2
Overall GPA: 3.2
Position in Class: Middle?
Type of Student: Domestic male.

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 162
V: 163
W: 5.0
P: N/A


TOEFL Total: N/A

Research Experience: 2 REU's, each with abstracts to conferences.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Grant funding to support summer research

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Summer REU's, TA for lower division classes.

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Geology-intensive, and decently well recognized study abroad program.

Special Bonus Points: Connected to some advisors via faculty.

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:  Iffy grades, some small speed bumps in LoR.

Applying to Where:

University of Oregon - Geological Sciences - Volcanology
University of Alaska, Fairbanks - Geophysics - Volcano Infrasound
University of Hawaii at Manoa - Geology and Geophysics - Petrology, Submarine Volcanism, Physical Volcanology/Hazards

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology - Geology - Volcanology, Volcano Monitoring

Boise State University - Geology - Volcanic processes, e.g. dynamics of pyroclastic density currents

SUNY Buffalo - Geology - Physical volcanology, international volcanology

[jande48]

Rejected from Wisconsin. ... I got a letter from the potential PI (Jean Barh) that there was 2 positions available and I wasn't one. :S ... ... Good luck to Mylonite and others that applied to Wisconsin

[rockbender]

Accepted to MIT/WHOI! I wasn't really expecting that since I kind of messed up the app, so I guess that's even more exciting! I got an email from the associate dean and she said one of the scientists would contact me soon

 

MIT open house Mon Mar 18

WHOI open house Tues Mar 19

[electric]

Congrats rockbender!!

 

I got admissions letters from Rice, UCSD/Scripps, and Colorado School of Mines, and a rejection from Caltech, all in the last week or so. It's interesting to compare the admits, especially info about financial support (RA/TA/fellowship) and advisors. The unknowns still outweigh the knowns, so I think you just have to go with the best school, primarily, and research group, secondarily.

 

In any case, I'm excited that I met my goal of getting into one school!

 

Good luck, everyone!

[RafAkd]

Congratulations guys!!!

[Rizu]

Well - I heard back from Penn State and basically got in there as one of the top applicants there. They had their first meeting on January 15th, and the visiting day will be on Friday, February 15th.

 

I'm not trying to get too excited about it though since I have a history of being disowned by advisers, so I'm being cautious.

 

Would you please tell us some details about the visiting day of Penn State? How was it? How many students was there?

Edited February 16, 2013 by Rizu

[Usmivka]

Accepted to MIT/WHOI! I wasn't really expecting that since I kind of messed up the app, so I guess that's even more exciting! I got an email from the associate dean and she said one of the scientists would contact me soon

 

MIT open house Mon Mar 18

WHOI open house Tues Mar 19

Congrats, looking forward to meeting you. Sounds like you have lots of other good options too.

Edited February 17, 2013 by Usmivka

[wabisabi]

I've posted this in the engineering thread too, but I'm in kind of an interdisciplinary field.

 

Undergrad Institution: 1) Elite liberal arts college 2) Low-ranked state school (currently in MS program at UG Inst. #2) [long story about this whole journey]
Major(s): Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering (double-majored, as they're separate programs)
Minor(s): 
GPA in Major: 3.8
Overall GPA: 3.4
Length of Degree: 5 years
Position in Class: ?
Type of Student: Female Domestic

GRE Scores:
Q: 165 (92%)
V: 170 (99%)
W: 5.5 (96%)

Research Experience:

Yes, both undergrad and grad

 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: XE, two big undergrad scholarships, I feel like I’m forgetting something here but I kind of never want to see my CV again after obsessing over it for so long, so I'm not going to check 

 

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 3 terms of TA work, started a campus chapter of an engineering association, did freelance work requiring computer skills that evidently are useful to two POIs, tons of volunteer activities that probably don't count for much

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Well, I’m getting an MS right now, so I have that going for me. Very famous advisor. One conference presentation. Firm plans for thesis submission to journal. Have had good interactions with profs at seven of my eight schools . . . four in-person meetings, three phone interviews (not official interviews, more like discussions of research interests).

 

My undergrad GPA was hurt by some youthful nincompoopery, but was 3.87 in my last two years.

 

Decent amount of non-engineering work experience.

Applying to PhD programs:
UC Irvine: Mechanical Eng.

U Col. (Boulder): Mechanical Eng. Accepted, invited to 3/13 grad student visit days where they'll determine funding.

Colorado State (Ft Collins): Atmospheric Science. Accepted with a great RA, visited campus, love it.

Scripps: Climate, Ocean, & Atmosphere program. Unofficial acceptance from POI.

Harvard SEAS: Env. Eng.

MIT: Civil Eng.

UC Davis: Civil Eng. Invited to visit and did . . . no official news but I think it looks good.

Carnegie Mellon: Civil Eng. 

 

I think I ended up aiming higher than was wise, but the research at MIT and Harvard is ridiculously interesting to me and I think I would be somewhat well-equipped to jump in. 

[Queen of Kale]

Just declined my first offer today (UT Knoxville) - and even though it was a terrible research fit and basically my safety school, I felt totally freaked out while writing the e-mail.  Like, there would be some sort of nerd retribution against me.  I feel the same way about going to prospective student weekends when I know there's a chance I will have to turn someone down, I mean, I know it's how the process is set up but it makes me feel guilty.  This is I guess an extension of my being the girl who never let a guy buy her a drink.  Anyway, just had to share and see if anyone felt the same way.

[bariumanomaly]

Just declined my first offer today (UT Knoxville) - and even though it was a terrible research fit and basically my safety school, I felt totally freaked out while writing the e-mail.  Like, there would be some sort of nerd retribution against me.  I feel the same way about going to prospective student weekends when I know there's a chance I will have to turn someone down, I mean, I know it's how the process is set up but it makes me feel guilty.  This is I guess an extension of my being the girl who never let a guy buy her a drink.  Anyway, just had to share and see if anyone felt the same way.

 

I know this feeling! I was wondering if I was overreacting so it is good to hear that someone else feels the same. I heard back from a school which accepted me into their M.S. program (I applied for Ph.D). While I am thrilled and totally grateful, the project/lab group just wasn't right for me. I feel terrible because this prof went through the trouble to email me, host me, etc but I know I wouldn't be happy there and there is no point in making myself unhappy to spare their feelings (they are in academia they should be used to rejection! haha). I mean I am just a potential graduate student, not taking me on isn't a career ender by any means. 

I have come this far and I don't believe I should have to settle for anything less than a schools that is the best fit for me. Now I am drafting this "it isn't you, it is me" type email and I just can't find the words

[Hvfth]

I know this feeling! I was wondering if I was overreacting so it is good to hear that someone else feels the same. I heard back from a school which accepted me into their M.S. program (I applied for Ph.D). While I am thrilled and totally grateful, the project/lab group just wasn't right for me. I feel terrible because this prof went through the trouble to email me, host me, etc but I know I wouldn't be happy there and there is no point in making myself unhappy to spare their feelings (they are in academia they should be used to rejection! haha). I mean I am just a potential graduate student, not taking me on isn't a career ender by any means. 

I have come this far and I don't believe I should have to settle for anything less than a schools that is the best fit for me. Now I am drafting this "it isn't you, it is me" type email and I just can't find the words

 

"it isn't you, it is me"

 

sorry...but that made me smile...

[MarkR]

Undergrad Institution: Large Research University (2010)
Major(s): Geology
Minor(s): none
GPA in Major: 3.95
Overall GPA: 3.95
Position in Class: Top
Type of Student: Domestic male

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 159
V: 165
W: 5.0
P: N/A


TOEFL Total: N/A

Research Experience: Job last semester of college, all jobs after graduating

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Graduated "with distinction" (like with honors, but no thesis), won an award from the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists senior year

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Last semester of school + year after: research assistant for high-temp hydrothermal lab (employed by research lab affiliated with a university); last year and a half: research assistant for large scale geomicrobiology projects (employed by a national lab)

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Second author on paper about acid alteration of sulfate deposits on Mars, third author on paper on Arsenic speciation as a result of biostimulation activities, TA for undergrad Geol 101 class

Special Bonus Points: Spoke with POIs via email at both places prior to applying

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:  

Applying to Where:

University of Michigan - Isotope Geochemistry

Stanford - Isotope Geochemistry

[Nikii]

Hey all! I got an unofficial mail from Virginia Tech that I have been accepted for their Masters program. Official Letter yet to come. Can anyone gimme a feedback about Virginia Tech ?

[iowaguy]

Just declined my first offer today ... I felt totally freaked out while writing the e-mail.

Any tips on how to word such an email?  I'm trying not to burn any bridges in case I have the chance to work with these same professors somewhere down the road...  How best to "let them down easy"???

[Usmivka]

Any tips on how to word such an email?  I'm trying not to burn any bridges in case I have the chance to work with these same professors somewhere down the road...  How best to "let them down easy"???

I blamed our move (and thus my decision) on my partner, along the lines of "I had no choice in the matter!"

[RafAkd]

I'm not feeling too confident, but not losing hopes!

What a wait it is!

[essessecy]

Undergrad Institution: Big state school
Major(s): Physics
Minor(s): Geophysics
GPA in Major: 3.85
Overall GPA: 3.8

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 170
V: 170
W: 5.0

Research Experience: Seismology research, produced an AGU poster

Applying to Where:

 

All for seismology M.S., interested in exploration and oil/gas industry relevant work:

 

Rice - accepted

 

Texas

 

Colorado School of Mines

 

Utah

 

Texas A&M

 

Oklahoma

 

Wyoming

[RafAkd]

Cool, another oil/gas industry person.

Even though I don't have good GRE scores and GPA I regret not applying to Mines and Texas, uh!

If I don't get in this year I will certainly apply next year knowing this whole process better.

Congrats on the Rice acceptance and good luck for the rest of the schools!

[gelologist]

Nixed from Hawaii - Manoa for MSc Geology, as well as New Mexico Tech for Geology.

 

Waiting to see what pans out with some other schools, including SUNY Buffalo, where I was told by POI I'd be strongly considered depending on the number of PhD enrollees (they're supposedly having faculty issues at present).

 

Happy for everyone who's had good news thus far!

[Sheogorath]

Undergrad Institution: Ivy League
Major(s): Astronomy
Minor(s): Mathematics
GPA in Major: 3.5-3.6
Overall GPA: 3.5
Position in Class: Above Average
Type of Student: Domestic/Male

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 167
V: 168
W: 4.5


Research Experience: 1 year research on Martian terrain evolution which lead to co-authoring a paper. 1 Summer REU with conference abstract (1st author) and poster presentation

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Substitute Teacher/Tutor at local High School. Interned at a geology museum. 

Applying to Where:

 

Brown University - Geological Sciences (Rejected 2/25)

CalTech - Geological and Planetary Science (Rejected 2/4)

Arizona State - Planetary Science (SESE) (Waiting...)

Washington University in St. Louis - Earth and Space Sciences (Accepted 2/11)

[knoxar01]

Do PhD canidates hear decision before masters?

[Captain Crunch]

Judging by searching "geology" in the results page of this website, yes. Seems like MS students hear Feb-March and PHD's Dec-Jan

[RafAkd]

Just got accepted to Tulsa!!! Not the biggest program but I'm so happy right now. They accepted me for the Geophyscis Master program and I applied for the Geosciences Master program.

[knoxar01]

congratulations!! any funding?