Thoughts?

[BioBum]

I applied to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign December 22nd, 2013 for admittance as a Master's student in their Natural Resources (NRES) department. I will be attending the perspective graduate student weekend, but have no idea if I will be admitted. 

UIUC only counts the final 60 credit hours in calculating your GPA. I am just short of the 3.0 minimum they require, 2.9/4.0. However, the university will accept students on a conditional basis. 

I took the GRE twice. 

1st time:
149 Q (37th percentile; ouch)
156 V (73rd percentile)

4.0 Analytical (54th percentile)

2nd time:
153 Q (53rd percentile)

157 V (78th percentile)

4.5 Analytical (81st percentile)

I was told by my potential advisor that the GRE scores would not be an issue as he thought my second set of scores would be good enough. 

Two weeks later I received an email from the department stating that I didn't meet the GPA or GRE requirements as they had been changed as of January 1st, 2014, excellent timing, eh? The website specifically states "Although there is no minimum score for admission, successful applicants usually score above the 70th percentile". Previous version of the website specify an average percentile for Q/V/A. With the 2nd round scores this is not a problem. However, for this year they decided each section must meet the 70th percentile. The GPA issue was known and expected. My potential advisor wrote a letter of support, but that was supposed to be the only hitch. 

Additionally, I have been an employee of the university since May 2013 working for three of researchers in the department. I am told that this helps my chances. 

My potential advisor does not seem concerned. I am, to put it plainly, freaking out. 

Words of wisdom for those that have been in my position before? Or anyone that has advice, really. 

[EngineerGrad]

Is retaking the GRE an option?

[BioBum]

Is retaking the GRE an option?

 

Not at this point. 

My application has already been submitted and I assume it is currently under review by the committee. 

I was hoping to hear from people that may have insight into the review process and/or from someone that may have been in my predicament. 

I will also add that my advisor, if I am to be accepted, already has a project he wants me to work on. And is his words, he "wants to work with me". 

[finally]

What do you mean "my potential advisor does not seem concerned"??

 

 

I live in Urbana and went to undergrad and grad school here, and have a pretty good idea of how the grad college works.  If the email came from the grad college (as opposed to someone in the department), then I would trust your advisor's words.  In that case it would sound like it's automated from someone on the 3rd floor of IUB (that's where the grad offices are).  But they can admit people on a probationary basis - if you have serious proponents in NRES, and it sounds like you do, then I would take them at their word.  In my experience, with the right departmental support, the Grad College is just a rubber stamp of what they want (as long as you aren't too far away from minimum requirements).

 

If the email came from someone in the department, I'd be questioning your advisor as to why (s)he isn't concerned, because in that case the implication of the email is that your application is no longer being reviewed, it's out of contention.

 

I've dealt more with the grad college than I care to admit or want to divulge - they're a pain, but I believe if you're close they'll  take the advice of department over GPA mins.

[BioBum]

What do you mean "my potential advisor does not seem concerned"??

 

 

I live in Urbana and went to undergrad and grad school here, and have a pretty good idea of how the grad college works.  If the email came from the grad college (as opposed to someone in the department), then I would trust your advisor's words.  In that case it would sound like it's automated from someone on the 3rd floor of IUB (that's where the grad offices are).  But they can admit people on a probationary basis - if you have serious proponents in NRES, and it sounds like you do, then I would take them at their word.  In my experience, with the right departmental support, the Grad College is just a rubber stamp of what they want (as long as you aren't too far away from minimum requirements).

 

If the email came from someone in the department, I'd be questioning your advisor as to why (s)he isn't concerned, because in that case the implication of the email is that your application is no longer being reviewed, it's out of contention.

 

I've dealt more with the grad college than I care to admit or want to divulge - they're a pain, but I believe if you're close they'll  take the advice of department over GPA mins.

 This is the email I received:

"Your overall GPA does not meet the dept. and Grad College’s requirement for admissions and Quantitative percentage does not meet the dept. requirement. Your application packet is missing the following references: Prof X and Prof X. Once they are received your file will be complete. Have you been in contact with X advisor?"

If my application were not in contention would they be asking about references and if I were in contact with the advisor?

Since then both missing references have submitted their letters and my potential advisor has written me a letter of support. I applied before the department changed it's requirements. Seems unfair that I am being held to the new standards when at the date of my application the old requirements were still posted, but, there is nothing that I can do about it now. 

From what I understand, the person who emailed me is the email wrangler that organizes the applications and deals with emailing applicants. So I don't know how much stock to put in that email. 

My potential advisor has successfully campaigned for a student that had a lower GPA and lower combined GRE percentile. However, with that said, there are new "minimums".

I also have the support of the department head, however, he isn't on the committee so I don't know how much that actually counts for. Sigh. I hate being in limbo. 

[finally]

That sounds like an admin type of some kind.  I can't imagine why they would be tasked to comment on your below min GPA.  If that's the exact wording, it could even be an automated thing - again I don't know why an automated thing would comment on your GPA.

 

But, it doesn't sound like anyone that actually matters wrote that, so I'd trust your advisor.  And I suspect the department chair has some sway no matter how uninvolved (s)he may be in decisions.  So I would remain confident if I were you.

 

One last question - who signed the email you received?  Rhetorical question, for you to consider.  If it was a dean or important prof, pay attention and maybe go ask to speak to them, ask them directly what you can do to make up for the shortcoming.  If it was, as I suspect, some administrative person, just trust your advisor.  I promise you that the UIUC grad college can make exceptions for these things - although that may involve putting you on some kind of probation in your first semester, where if you don't meet the min GPA they set, they boot you.

[finally]

*One note, take with a grain of salt: You say your potential advisor previously got someone with worse numbers admitted?  That could actually be an important indicator for you.  How did that person end up doing?  If they ended up being a strong student despite being a weak candidate, it will speak well to others about his potential to find and motivate "under-achievers."  If that person ended up doing poorly, others may think "well the last time we made an exception for this prof, we regretted the choice, will we regret this one?"

[BioBum]

That sounds like an admin type of some kind.  I can't imagine why they would be tasked to comment on your below min GPA.  If that's the exact wording, it could even be an automated thing - again I don't know why an automated thing would comment on your GPA.

 

But, it doesn't sound like anyone that actually matters wrote that, so I'd trust your advisor.  And I suspect the department chair has some sway no matter how uninvolved (s)he may be in decisions.  So I would remain confident if I were you.

 

One last question - who signed the email you received?  Rhetorical question, for you to consider.  If it was a dean or important prof, pay attention and maybe go ask to speak to them, ask them directly what you can do to make up for the shortcoming.  If it was, as I suspect, some administrative person, just trust your advisor.  I promise you that the UIUC grad college can make exceptions for these things - although that may involve putting you on some kind of probation in your first semester, where if you don't meet the min GPA they set, they boot you.

It is a direct quote from the email I was sent - I took out the signature to allow for some privacy. 

And the email is from an admin.