the value of an MS when applying

[boomerthebme]

Hello All,

 

current M.S. in biomed engr student, will be applying to PhD programs in the Fall (in bme).  It seems like nowadays everyone goes straight from undergrad to PhD (for me I wanted to do an MS first, not coming from an engineering background, but that's another topic).  Anyway, I'm wondering how admissions committees see applicants who have an MS in their field, as in:

 

What are they most concerned with when looking at an MS...grades? research experience? publications?

How much does this help one's chances?

 

Anyone with personal experience applying to PhD programs with an MS, or who have heard from admissions folks etc. it would be great to hear your story.  Also sorry if this is the wrong section...I'm new here lol

 

 

[biotechie]

I applied to programs while nearly finished with my masters. They liked that I knew my way around a lab and that I knew a ton of lab protocols well enough to trouble-shoot them if done in different ways. I will require less training than an undergrad with no experience, or even one with experience (since I have 6 years of experience counting undergrad). Make sure that you can talk about your masters project, especially if you've yet to have publications. I was asked about why I didn't have recent publications, but was able to explain that there will be 4-6 papers dropping this fall with my name on them.

The things that mattered for my applications seemed to be research experience, my passion for science (SoP), statement of research, and my letters of recommendation, all from research mentors.

 

GPA is important, but mine is not stellar; UG was a 3.7, masters is a 3.6. I got quipped a little about that as well as my 70-80th percentile GRE scores at interviews, but they kept telling me that my grasp of science overshadowed that.

They also liked me because I'm slightly interdisciplinary... undergrad in microbiology and masters in mammalian cell physiology. I have a large background of base information that should help me when I select a lab.

I guess my take-home point is that all of it is important, but that you need to take your best assets and put them forward. If you have really strong research experience, make sure they know it. If not, make sure they know your interests and how determined you are to succeed. I keep saying this to people, but it is important to draw them in with your application. Show how excited you are for your field. They've got to read sometimes hundreds of applications. Make yours one that they remember.

That being said, don't try to hide things that you think will mar your application... make sure you are as open as possible with them. If they ask you about something, be prepared to talk about it.

Good luck!