2014 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[GeoDUDE!]

I'll post once i've made my decision, if i get one.

[CC2014]

I'm applying to several earth science programs but I will likely wait until I hear from more of them before I post my profile.  I want to do it, as I feel it will help those in the future form an understanding of who gets selected (although a very incomplete and imperfect one) but I am a bit gunshy until I hear back from all of my apps.

[Wander]

no worries, I think waiting to hear back is a plenty legitimate approach. Good luck to both of you!

[CC2014]

How is everyone coping with the wait?  There are not much in the way of results so far.

[GeoDUDE!]

working my my thesis lol... .I saw someone get an interview at MIT/WHOI. Do they do official interviews? I met my POI there at AGU, so I'm not sure he would call me up or not.

[Geologizer]

I also met all of my POI at AGU and talked to them all on the phone and such before applying, so I've been ignoring the few results that are reporting interviews - basically operating under the assumption that it's an unnecessary/redundant step in my case. Unfortunately, those are really the only reports so far. Ideally that would just lead to an ahead of schedule admit response, but that's probably wishful thinking and the foil to that isn't really an appealing prospect, haha. Also ignoring that for now.

Will post a profile after I start hearing back

[Usmivka]

working my my thesis lol... .I saw someone get an interview at MIT/WHOI. Do they do official interviews? I met my POI there at AGU, so I'm not sure he would call me up or not.

No and maybe. A PI may call and try to find out more when deciding between multiple applicants to support (a faculty member must commit to funding the first year for a student before an applicant can be accepted).

 

Also, PIs may call to get a verbal "I would come if you offered me a spot," if they have multiple prospective students and only have money for one--the stakes are high for them in that if they offer to you officially and you don't accept, they may not get a students, but if they offer space to two students hoping to get one they may end up paying more than they bargained. That likely won't happen until the adcom meets in the next couple weeks however.

Edited January 23, 2014 by Usmivka

[Wander]

Yeah, I think most responses of "interview" at this point are more the pre-application interview sorts of things.

 

 

 

How is everyone coping with the wait?

 

Trying to limit my time on Grad Cafe to < 10 min a day. Working more. That's about it.

[geographyrocks]

How is everyone coping with the wait?  There are not much in the way of results so far.

Well, I spend a lot of time going from optimism to pessimism.  When I'm not doing that, I'm fretting over whether I included something in my SOP (the other day I was convinced that I totally left out the work I'm doing on my senior thesis).  Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night convinced that there is an email waiting for me. 

 

I think I'm taking obsessing to a whole new level.  I wish my classes were a tad harder this semester so I'd have something to focus on other than "the wait". 

[GeoDUDE!]

IT does seem to be that Earth Science programs tend to wait longer than others.

 

*edit*

 

I just got into UC davis.... FIRST BLOOD!

Edited January 24, 2014 by GeoDUDE!

[geographyrocks]

Congratulations GeoDUDE!

Edited January 25, 2014 by geographyrocks

[GeoDUDE!]

Undergrad Institution: VERY small liberal arts school
Major(s):Physics
GPA in Major: 3.5
Overall GPA: 3.05

Position in Class: Middle in terms of gpa
Type of Student: White

MSc Institution: Big state School

MSc (Geology) GPA: 3.7 (now higher, but thats the time of application)

 

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 163
V: 161
W: 5.0

physics GRE: 820

Research Experience:  3 years undergrad, including 2 posters at AGU. REU at a top 5 program in earths sciences. Master's thesis.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Best physics student in my graduating year award, student research grant at undergrad

Pertinent Activities or Jobs:  4 semesters TAing at my masters institution, 4 years as a tutor and observatory assistant at undergrad

Special Bonus Points: My thesis is the best attempt to answering a 20 year old problem in geology, using software generally reserved to senior PhD students, postdocs and professors. I met many of my potential advisors at AGU. 

Applying to Where:

MIT/WHOI - Geophysics Division - Geodynamics : Rejected (2/26)
University of Rhode Island - Oceanography - Geodynamics: Accepted(3/14)
University of Hawaii - Geology and Geophysics - Geodynamics : Rejected (3/25)

Washington University in St. Louis - Earth and Planetary Sciences - Geodynamics: Waitlist (2/13)

Boston University - Earth and Environmental Sciences - Geodynamics : Rejected (4/6)

University of California, Davis - Earth and Planetary Sciences - Geodynamics:  Accepted (1/24)

 

I wanted to wait to post this until i got an acceptance, I am very happy that I got into one better departments on my list. After getting shut out for PhDs in 2012, I have overcome my low undergraduate GPA.

[Wander]

Congrats GeoDUDE! Glad to hear you've got good news so early!

 

Having the first news be good news certainly takes the pressure away.

[GeoDUDE!]

Congrats GeoDUDE! Glad to hear you've got good news so early!

 

Having the first news be good news certainly takes the pressure away.

 

 

in my experience, the good news usually comes early, and the bad news come late; Most of my rejections last year happened late march early april 

Edited January 25, 2014 by GeoDUDE!

[Pacifico]

Anyone else feel like this was the longest weekend yet? Judging from the pool of POIs at the schools I applied to, it seems as though this coming week is going to be enlightening...

[GeoDUDE!]

Anyone else feel like this was the longest weekend yet? Judging from the pool of POIs at the schools I applied to, it seems as though this coming week is going to be enlightening...

 

 

Not sure...... MIT still has 1 month

[geographyrocks]

I feel like every weekend is the longest weekend ever.  If I ever needed proof that I lack patience, this would more than suffice. 

[CC2014]

Undergrad Institution: Medium-Large School decently well regarded in earth science
Major(s):  Envi Sci
Minor(s):  Geography
GPA in Major:  3.6
Overall GPA:  3.25
Position in Class: Not sure - GPA isn't as high as many people in class but I was more involved in research than many people
Type of Student: Domestic male minority

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q:  161
V:  161
W:  4.0



Research Experience: 2+ years of being involved with research projects in two departments plus a senior honors thesis that will be submitted for publication 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions:  Departmental Award, two first place presentations at conferences

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 1 job on campus involving research, 1 technical position on campus 

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:

Special Bonus Points: Minority applicant

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

Applying to Where:

University of Washington- PhD - Atmospheric Science
UC San Diego Scripps- PhD- Climatology
Texas A&M- PhD- Atmospheric Science [Accepted with Full Funding on 1/21]

Utah - PhD - Geology (specific professor here)

Notre Dame - PhD - Earth Science

UC Merced - Ms - Environmental Systems

University of Cincinnati - Ms - Geology 

[Wander]

Just got the UCI offer via email, first response is a good one!

[Wander]

And congrats CC2014 on Texas A&M!

[GeoDUDE!]

grants wanderer.... UCI is a very good and underrated earth science program. All the UCs i think are in the top 20 or so in earth sciences. Also Grats CC2014... Texas is great !

[geographyrocks]

Congratulations to both of you!

[gelologist]

So question out of curiosity as we all play the waiting game: how responsive have POIs been during communications during the app cycle? I feel like the people I've tried to reach out to have been fairly hard to build an email conversation with beyond the "hi I'm so and so are you taking students etc" and "sure go ahead and apply you look like a good fit here" ... I'm wondering if this is common is the earth sciences or not. Also, how have you maintained contact with POIs both while feeling out places to apply and as you wait? Guess I'm hoping to make a resource for others coming down the pipeline in the future.

[GeoDUDE!]

I think that is fairly common; though most of my conversations were more detailed than that. One of the places I applied to me and my POI detailed what my dissertation might be like, what the first couple publications out of that dissertation might look like, and ways to get funding. It helps to have met with them face to face of course, but my feeling is that in the Earth Sciences if your initial email can hit a certain chord with your POI he/she will be super responsive. 

 

Another thing I did was talk to my POIs graduate students. That is important. In fact, it could be the difference between getting admitted and not. That isn't to say all of this is necessary, its just ways to get an edge.

 

My feeling is that most people who contact POIs don't do their homework. It may not be a mass "email" but people tend to be responsive when you show great interested in them. Great interest could be reading their papers and showing them how their work/results could lead to a potential collaboration between the two of you.  Even if you misunderstand their results, or the context of them, it's important to show you've made an effort.

[CC2014]

All the good email conversations I've had have been with professors I've known in person.  I've gotten way more details out of them.  I had good exchanges with others, but not nearly as good as the ones I've met in person.  I had never spoken with the professor I got the offer from prior to my application and him reaching out to me.  I had some good emails with him (obviously?) afterwards, however.  

 

I wouldn't say I had built up a good email relationship with many people at the schools I applied to, though.  It was an awkward process for emailing them and if I didn't get a return email I usually didn't pursue it.  In retrospect, that was likely a mistake as I know professors get busy so I should have emailed more.