Chances of getting into a top school?

[tbjacks]

Hello all,

 

I'm a history undergrad at Carleton University in Ottawa going into my fourth year. I'm going to be returning to the US to do my grad work. I know that getting into a school is mostly about "fit"--but I was wondering if I could get some insight into what kind of chances I have to get into a top school. My first choice is Berkeley as I want to go into cultural history and have found some profs I'd like to work with.

I haven't done the GRE yet (two more weeks!), but I don't feel as if my score is going to be stellar. My quant score is going to be pretty awful as in Canada we don't have to take any math/science/etc. classes in uni so I'm pretty rusty. Anyway... I have a 3.7 GPA, am going to have at least one published article (hopefully going to have at least one more by the end of the year), and was a research assistant in my 3rd year. I also presented at an undergrad conference.

What do you guys think? Do schools care about publications and conferences, or does every competitive candidate have those qualifications?

 

I'm just really nervous and would like to know where I stand. Thanks for any and all advice!

 

[awells27]

The best apps will be sifted out according to the usual:  GPA, GRE scores, LORs, language background, etc.  Once the most competitive apps remain, your writing sample and SOP, beyond how well written they are, will be evaluated in terms of how they fit your intended POI(s).  Do the research, both now and in the future, further the program in a constructive way.  Then you need a little luck.  Given as much, while a poor GRE score does not automatically disqualify, I don't see why you don't postpone the test 2 months and make use of the many excellent study aids provided by Manhattan, Magoosh, and a few others.  Many people on this forum who got accepted into PhD programs spent a designated period of time preparing for their GRE.  My math sucked also, but I was able to pull 160 by suffering immensely through daily practice.  Of course you will see people posting who either bombed their GRE and got accepted or did not study and aced the test.  These are the exception and not the rule.  

[Riotbeard]

Writing sample, LORs, and SOP are the most important things as long you hit the numerical cut offs for GPA and GRE.  What type of publications are you talking about?  Peer reviewed academic journal?  In which case that could be HUGE.  Undergrad academic journal, it would look good, but hardly be a determining factor IMO.

[dr. t]

 am going to have at least one published article (hopefully going to have at least one more by the end of the year)

What do you mean by "published article"? I don't know many professors who would encourage undergraduates to publish in a peer reviewed journal, nor many journals which would accept such an article - never mind two. If you don't actually mean a full peer reviewed journal, I would suggest that you are more precise with your phrasing so people do not think you are deliberately misleading them.

 

Your raw chances of getting into a top-tier program are, generally, 5-7%.

[Sigaba]

 

What do you guys think? 

 

Based upon your initial post, I think your focus on your stats (GPA, GRE scores, number of articles) needs to be balanced by an increased emphasis on you, the aspiring historian. What are your fields / areas / time periods of interest? What historiographical debates do you intend to advance? What type of academic do you want to be down the line?

 

Also,have you seen the thread?