2014 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[vaalbara]

I'm getting a bit worried -- two of my friends have already heard back from their POI at Scripps (one of them just got his full award package today), and I haven't heard anything. Should I send him an email, or just wait it out?

[Geologizer]

My experience ran the gamut. I had a few professors that I corresponded with via email that felt very generic: introduction blurb, "oh cool, sounds like a good match, you should apply" response, +/- brief discussion of project opportunities/funding. I didn't apply to any of those schools, for better or worse. 

 

I had a few markedly unique experiences: One POI was extremely helpful but was not in a position to accept students. She did however offer to give advice over the phone, put me in contact with some other people based on my interest, and even offered to drop each of those people a personal note beforehand to break the ice - really went above and beyond to help me along despite having never met her before. Another POI started out of the gate by posing a thought experiment for me to answer back to. That was unique, and lead to quite an interesting and lengthy dialogue. 

 

The POI I ended up applying to work with were those with whom I had detailed correspondence over email and phone in some cases, and met in person prior to applying. This is just how things happened to turn out for me. I'm not suggesting this should be the measure by which you decide if it's worth applying. Like CC2014 mentioned, professors get busy and just because a conversation doesn't get exceptionally detailed or they seem to take a long time to get back to you (I had some 2-3 week waits mid conversation, but most times the POI did follow up and reply) doesn't mean they aren't interested. 

Edited January 29, 2014 by Geologizer

[CC2014]

I'm getting a bit worried -- two of my friends have already heard back from their POI at Scripps (one of them just got his full award package today), and I haven't heard anything. Should I send him an email, or just wait it out?

 

Ouch!  I hadn't heard anything from Scripps either and they're way up on my list.  I wasn't super optimistic to begin with but now I'm more worried.  Are you applying to their Marine Chemistry program?  What about your friends?

[Usmivka]

Ouch!  I hadn't heard anything from Scripps either and they're way up on my list.  I wasn't super optimistic to begin with but now I'm more worried.  Are you applying to their Marine Chemistry program?  What about your friends?

Admissions are going to be on a department by department basis, so this is worth considering before you start to worry about somebody else's acceptance.

[vaalbara]

Ouch!  I hadn't heard anything from Scripps either and they're way up on my list.  I wasn't super optimistic to begin with but now I'm more worried.  Are you applying to their Marine Chemistry program?  What about your friends?

I applied to the Geosciences program, but also had two people from the COAP department listed in my application. My friend that got the full award package also applied to geosciences, and the one applying to physical oceanography got an email from her POI telling her that she'd made the first cut.

[GeoDUDE!]

Well... my friend got into Uchicago late, so good things happen to those who wait. Don't give up!

[CC2014]

I always considered Scripps a long shot for me.  its a pretty amazing place.  If I don't get an offer i won't be crushed.  Hopefully we hear from them soon, though!

 

I'd like to make a decision sometime in March so hopefully I hear from them before then.  

[GeoDUDE!]

I always considered Scripps a long shot for me.  its a pretty amazing place.  If I don't get an offer i won't be crushed.  Hopefully we hear from them soon, though!

 

I'd like to make a decision sometime in March so hopefully I hear from them before then.  

 

 

 I agree. I wish my POI there was taking on graduate students this year... but he wasn't

[vaalbara]

Just got an email back from my POI at Scripps, and he says that he's only taking one student this year and I'm not one of the top applicants. Ah well, moving on!

[CC2014]

Well that is a bummer but Scripps is Scripps.  You do have some other awesome schools on your list so I hope you get some better news from them!  

Edited January 30, 2014 by CC2014

[geographyrocks]

I noticed that someone was accepted for Earth Sciences at Scripps on the results page.  I wonder who that was...

[Usmivka]

In case anyone applying to WHOI is interested, I just overheard in the hall that the chemistry department finished an initial ranking of applicants. Not that it means they'll send admissions offers out immediately, but it seems like they are close to the unofficial offer stage. And I have no idea what is happeneing in the other departments.

Edited January 31, 2014 by Usmivka

[GeoDUDE!]

It feels kinda weird to get an acceptance really early and then hear nothing for weeks....... ominous 

[geographyrocks]

I've developed an obsession with checking my email even though I KNOW that the programs I applied to usually don't send decisions until at least mid-February.  It's going to be a long two weeks.  Followed by an even longer two weeks if I don't hear back by mid-February. 

[gelologist]

I'm in a worse boat: I submitted early, so already started checking email, but have to keep reminding myself that the app deadline for my school isn't until tomorrow haha.

[Crazy454]

I was accepted to New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and South Dakota School of Mines, but have no word on funding from either school.

[RockSniffer]

Alright, here goes nothing.

 

Undergrad Institution: One of the high ranking universities from a small country
Major(s): Geophysical Engineering BSc, ongoing part-time Petroleum Geoscience MSc
Minor(s): Geology minor during BSc
GPA in Major: 3.10/4.00 (... boo)
Overall GPA: 2.84/4.00 (yes, I'm cringing)
Position in Class: Top 5% (if everyone's GPA is low, maybe they will not notice?)
Type of Student: International, female

GRE Scores (revised):
Q: 162
V: 154
W: 3.0 (ugh...)


TOEFL Total:112/120

Research Experience: BSc dissertation project, nothing published.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: One mentionable award from work, and was on the Dean's List whilst BSc a few times

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Worked for a major oil & gas company for the last 2.5 years, solid internships prior to that.

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: ... Drilled wells in an exploration setting, finished all the training from what my company had to offer. Experience, I suppose.

Special Bonus Points: Application-wise, nada. I can, however, lick my elbow. I'm sure that'll do wonders for me. I am still depressed about the GPA thing.

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: Very worried about the low GPA. Slightly worried about "working and part-time MSc was a challenging combination, so I decided to do a full time MSc" argument.

Applying to Where:

Colorado School of Mines - MSc - Geophysics
University of Oklahoma - MSc - Geophysics
University of Calgary - MSc - Geophysics

Edited February 1, 2014 by RockSniffer

[GeoDUDE!]

I was accepted to New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and South Dakota School of Mines, but have no word on funding from either school.

 

 

Congrats, though funding for MS is very hard to come by. I was very fortunate to get mine fully funded.

[Crazy454]

Are you decided then? Or waiting for other schools?

[Crazy454]

Congrats, though funding for MS is very hard to come by. I was very fortunate to get mine fully funded.

I am hoping the fact that I want to study petroleum and dirty old shales, will help me get funding.

Edited February 1, 2014 by Crazy454

[GeoDUDE!]

I am hoping the fact that I want to study petroleum and dirty old shales, will help me get funding.

 

I think that's the case you will find of a majority of graduate students doing an MS. Oil oil oil.......

[geographyrocks]

I think that's the case you will find of a majority of graduate students doing an MS. Oil oil oil.......

Agreed.  I mean, that IS where the money is.  They look like rock stars compared to the salary I'm expecting With a PhD. 

But I love what I do. I love what I do. I love what I do. *repeat chant every time I look up salary statistics* lol

[Crazy454]

I think that's the case you will find of a majority of graduate students doing an MS. Oil oil oil.......

Perfect

[rockwell_]

 

 I had all my applications in Jan 1st and have managed not to check the status updates more than once a week. But I am starting to get anxious.Undergrad Institution: Small branch campus of University of Pittsburgh

 

Major(s): Geology BS

Minor(s): -
GPA in Major: 3.34
Overall GPA: 3.18

 

Position in Class: don't know, is that typical to know? the department was about 25-30 ppl, I think I was probably the top of ~4 seniors graduating.

Type of Student: US citizen living in Australia applying back in the US. (domestic)

GRE Scores (revised):
Q: 152 (eck)
V: 159
W: 3.5

TOEFL Total: n/a

Research Experience: No significant or notable BS reseach, I wanted to join the workforce and did... Now 7 years later....

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: 2 small departmental scholarships

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 5 years wellsite geology in Wyoming and Australia (1 year enviro consulting)

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Abstract Co-Author for AAPG national meeting presentation.

Special Bonus Points: 2 years of international travel and rock climbing expeditions in South East Asia. Great stories, relative maturity, and a strong sense of knowing what I want to do in life.

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: low-ish GPA and GRE's aren't going win me any fellowships and might screen me out of the first round before my maturity and work experience can give me a boost.

Applying to Where:

Masters of Science in Geology, with shale or fine sediment researchers geared to petroleum applications:

University of Kentucky (UK)

University of Utah

California State University - Long Beach (CSULB)

University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV)

Colorado State University - Fort Collins (CSU)

 

probably should have stabbed at a fewer higher tiered schools but I was pretty exhausted with the application processes.

 

(edited for grammar)

 

Edited February 2, 2014 by rockwell_

[RockSniffer]

Some universities' deadlines are in May! How does it work? Acceptances always happen after admissions close or they would actually start getting back to you prior to that?

 

Also, yes, even when busy waiting is not fun.