Complicated application-need advice

[colorless]

Hello

 

I am going to apply soon but there are some parts in my application that look very weird.

 

Ok I graduated summa cum laude from my B.A. but then went on to do master's in a related field. However the dept came to an unofficial closure and we had to move to a similar dept and things got in the way so I could not complete this one. I have very good grades here too and research experience from this time period. How should I mention this in my statement? I am not going to finish this degree but I want to send my transcripts etc. Also when you fill the application form it asks dates attended etc. and there is the option "discontinued". How bad does that sound?

 

Secondly I then went to a second master's and it was in a different country. The grading system along with judging criteria totally blew me up. It was a totally unrelated discipline so I did not do well myself but along with their weird grading system, the overall image is bad. They don't even have GPAs, they use letters. But their pass grade is E?! C which I got is considered good. Plus they have no GPA, these letters are only for single courses. The school application system asks what the GPA is (they accept the letter system in the form  as well) but as I said the grades I have are for courses only, not for the total course load.  In addition the grades are bad!!!

 

For my PhD I'm going back to my initial B.A. discipline so I know that my B.A. scores would count more (?) but I don't know how to handle these two weird master's degrees, one incomplete but perfect in grading, the other terrible in grades. Both in the form and in the statement of purpose?

 

Please advice!

 

[PeakPerformance]

I would consider not mentioning the second program in your application or including the transcripts. You don't want to look unfocused or create worries that you're a dilettante who is unlikely to finish their PhD. PhD completion rates in some fields are incredibly low: of the 30 or so students in my PhD entering class at the University of Iowa, less than 5 ended up completing the program. I would be sure to explain the reason why you didn't finish the first program as well as why you switched fields and are now switching back.

[juilletmercredi]

I disagree with the above advice.  Typically graduate programs want transcripts from all previous degrees attained, and the academic world is small enough.  If it comes to the fore that you withheld information about your educational history you could be denied admission or asked to leave even if you've already begun.

 

Most applications allow you to submit a statement or letter with additional information pertaining to your admission, and this is a perfect time to do that.  I would spend no more than 4 paragraphs (2 each) explaining the circumstances behind each of these - in the first one, be frank and concise and say that the department was closed, and you chose not to complete the degree in the similar department because it was not what you wanted, and thus you were unable to complete your degree (I don't think you have to elaborate on the "things that got in the way").  You can even omit the second clause and just say that because the department closed you were unable to finish your degree.

 

For the other one, you simply need to explain the grading system and give some kind of American equivalent of how you did.  There are companies that do grading conversions and you may even be able to find this information on the Internet somewhere, so I'd look and then try to help make sense of the grading system to your readers.  You can just explain that you had adjustment difficulties to the culture of the country and also realized that this degree was not really where you wanted to be, and it really just helped solidify that your true passion is the field that you are in now.