How to fill the next year

[floatingmolecule]

So, now that March has arrived without a single acceptance, I have to consider the very real possibility that I will be rejected everywhere and not be starting my PhD this fall.

Since I cannot rely on any information from the schools in question as to why I was not selected, I will have to theorize on those possibilities myself and figure out a way to make my application more competitive for next year. From what I have gathered, as an international student I am already at a significant statistical disadvantage and have to conceive of a solid plan that will let me stand out from the rest.

I have:  

A master's degree come end of the summer (Undergrad and current grad GPA is 4.0)

Volunteer experience (including research abroad)

An internship

Over a year of research experience

Employment experience, albeit in a remotely related field

 

I don't have:

Real teaching experience

Publications

Conference experience

Scores in the late 160s or 170 in GRE

 

I was thinking of doing a few months abroad teaching English to strengthen my application and taking online courses in programming to add to my skills. I will retake the GRE to get even higher scores. But how do I fortify myself in the areas of publications and conferences?  My current research is "in progress" and I have no idea whether or not it will amount to results worthy of publication or presentation at a conference.

As far as applications for next year are concerned - perhaps I should apply for master's leading to PhD programs? Will that increase my chances?

Any ideas that might further help me?  I have a year to fill and want to make the most of it. 

 

 

 

 

[peachypie]

Looking at your profile without any actual numbers on GRE I actually don't understand why you didnt get any offers of admission.  The possibilities are: the tier of school you applied to and how many, what your actual gre is, and most importantly what your personal statement looked like.  Based on the profile you outlined there is no reason for it.  Many people getting into phd programs do not have publications or conferences attended that is the minority not the norm.  i find it interesting that you didn't note that you should 1.  talk to the schools to get feedback, many programs would be happy to give you your weak points, maybe phrase it as What would you suggest to become a stronger applicant for your program? Also you should take a good hard look at your statement to see if you could write a better and more compelling statement, also I'd suggest that places you are interested in that you reach out to specific faculty prior to applying.  

[floatingmolecule]

Looking at your profile without any actual numbers on GRE I actually don't understand why you didnt get any offers of admission.  The possibilities are: the tier of school you applied to and how many, what your actual gre is, and most importantly what your personal statement looked like.  Based on the profile you outlined there is no reason for it.  Many people getting into phd programs do not have publications or conferences attended that is the minority not the norm.  i find it interesting that you didn't note that you should 1.  talk to the schools to get feedback, many programs would be happy to give you your weak points, maybe phrase it as What would you suggest to become a stronger applicant for your program? Also you should take a good hard look at your statement to see if you could write a better and more compelling statement, also I'd suggest that places you are interested in that you reach out to specific faculty prior to applying.  

 

 

GRE: 163 (V) 155 (Q) and 4.0 (V)

Not the best, so I am retaking it. 

I will definitely take your advice on asking for feedback - perhaps someone will reach out to me and offer some suggestions for improvement.  My schools were all public middle and lower tier institutions, as I was wary of spending precious application fees on universities that were too prolific and selective when it came to applicants.

I also had 5 letters of reference - three of them from faculty, two from professional sources, all of them very strong. One letter is from the professor who is currently advising me on my thesis and it was a very positive recommendation.  I did reach out to faculty in each of my top three schools, but aside from a lab tour, an interview and a brief indication of interest from one prof, I never heard anything further.

My personal statement was reviewed by a number of people (including faculty, business owners and a marketing director responsible for hiring people) and was revised several times.  I can let it go through the wringer again, but I doubt it was responsible for my downfall.

Is it possible that my GRE is solely the cause behind the lack of interest?  Or could it be that they disliked me after meeting/interviewing me?  If that is the case...... oh dear.

Edited March 1, 2015 by floatingmolecule

[expandyourmind]

Your quant score is rather low, especially for an international student. From my knowledge funding and competition for international spots are really tough, so you should make sure your GRE scores are rather perfect. But GRE scores are not the only piece to the puzzle!

 

I would really focus on your statement of purpose, as well. That can really do a lot for your application to show a cohesive narration of your interests and how the school plays into your ambitions. I personally worked on mine for months before sending it in. I'd suggest sending it to your advisors and your peers to crank out a perfect SoP!

 

You said your grad GPA is 4.0... are you already in a master's program?

 

I'm a firm believer in getting more experience in between your undergrad and your graduate degree. Personally I did a 2 year master's and wouldn't have changed a thing. Since you are international, it may pay to look for a research technician job at a leading institution in the US. It might give you a foot in the door with a letter of rec from someone notable/influential in the field you want to go into, not to mention increase your research experience. 

[floatingmolecule]

Your quant score is rather low, especially for an international student. From my knowledge funding and competition for international spots are really tough, so you should make sure your GRE scores are rather perfect. But GRE scores are not the only piece to the puzzle!

 

I would really focus on your statement of purpose, as well. That can really do a lot for your application to show a cohesive narration of your interests and how the school plays into your ambitions. I personally worked on mine for months before sending it in. I'd suggest sending it to your advisors and your peers to crank out a perfect SoP!

 

You said your grad GPA is 4.0... are you already in a master's program?

 

I'm a firm believer in getting more experience in between your undergrad and your graduate degree. Personally I did a 2 year master's and wouldn't have changed a thing. Since you are international, it may pay to look for a research technician job at a leading institution in the US. It might give you a foot in the door with a letter of rec from someone notable/influential in the field you want to go into, not to mention increase your research experience. 

 

 

Yes, I agree, the GRE needs a retake!  I am already practicing the quant section in preparation for next year.

The GPAs I listed are for my undergrad and the current status of my master's degree.  I will be done my master's in August, which means I can find other opportunities to add to my resume.  Is it easy for an international to find research tech jobs in the US?

I can work over my SOP again and have some more people look at it - certainly can't hurt!  Thank you for your advice.

What do you think of my idea to teach English to acquire teaching experience?

[kinkajou]

Did you apply to public or private universities? Since I'm not an international student, I don't know for sure, but from various forums on grad cafe seem to imply that state-funded programs tend to be even harder for international students to get into than private ones.

[BiochemMom]

I would suggest trying for a post-grad one year internship. Usajobs.gov has several available for military base r&d after master's degree completion. You can also try nonprofit R&D companies--I'm doing a summer internship at RTI Global in between MS and PhD and they offer one year ones as well. Or try for profit R&Ds--big pharma or cosmetic companies. Think outside the box.

Also lab/research tech positions in academia labs--my secondary PI is at a medical school and his lab tech is allowed to and encouraged to publish frequently.

Edit to add: several of these places will keep your visa going as far as I know. Not sure about the military but the PI I mentioned above has two international lab techs trying to get into PhD programs and they're here on visas that got renewed for their work after graduation

Edited March 1, 2015 by BiochemMom

[floatingmolecule]

Did you apply to public or private universities? Since I'm not an international student, I don't know for sure, but from various forums on grad cafe seem to imply that state-funded programs tend to be even harder for international students to get into than private ones.

I applied to public universities because I only had limited funds for application fees. I did not figure I had a shot getting into a private uni since they tend to be more competitive. My lack of pubs etc. and lower GRE would not have worked in my favor.

I knew that state institutions accepted less internationals but I was hoping the chance would be slightly higher than what awaited me with the private alternative.

[floatingmolecule]

I would suggest trying for a post-grad one year internship. Usajobs.gov has several available for military base r&d after master's degree completion. You can also try nonprofit R&D companies--I'm doing a summer internship at RTI Global in between MS and PhD and they offer one year ones as well. Or try for profit R&Ds--big pharma or cosmetic companies. Think outside the box.

Also lab/research tech positions in academia labs--my secondary PI is at a medical school and his lab tech is allowed to and encouraged to publish frequently.

Edit to add: several of these places will keep your visa going as far as I know. Not sure about the military but the PI I mentioned above has two international lab techs trying to get into PhD programs and they're here on visas that got renewed for their work after graduation

Thank you. As long as I am paid a stipend that enables me to survive, I am very willing to do internships. I don't, however, have a Visa and do not live in the US. Is it easy for a non citizen to get tech jobs? I am not with the military either.

[kewz]

If you're an international student I would advise against applying to too many public universities. Their funding mainly comes from the federal/state government which usually limits the support to US citizens or permanent residents. Private universities, on the other hand, oftentimes have other channels of funding in addition to NIH/NSF funding (private donations, university fellowships, etc). In fact, my advisor told me out right that 'if a department boasts huge amounts of training grants of any sort, you're out' (oh forgot to mention, I'm international too). It might also be a good idea to ask the department you're interested in before applying as to whether or how many international students they plan to accept, if the department has not indicated already on its website. UW Genome Sciences, for instance, states very explicitly on its website that due to funding limitation it only takes in 1 or 2 international folks every year. Some private universities I applied to, on the other hand, despite having indicated on their websites that they have limited funding for internationals, offered me admissions and in one case an additional fellowship.

Edited March 1, 2015 by kewz

[floatingmolecule]

If you're an international student I would advise against applying to too many public universities. Their funding mainly comes from the federal/state government which usually limits the support to US citizens or permanent residents. Private universities, on the other hand, oftentimes have other channels of funding in addition to NIH/NSF funding (private donations, university fellowships, etc). In fact, my advisor told me out right that 'if a department boasts huge amounts of training grants of any sort, you're out' (oh forgot to mention, I'm international too). It might also be a good idea to ask the department you're interested in before applying as to whether or how many international students they plan to accept, if the department has not indicated already on its website. UW Genome Sciences, for instance, states very explicitly on its website that due to funding limitation it only takes in 1 or 2 international folks every year. Some private universities I applied to, on the other hand, despite having indicated on their websites that they have limited funding for internationals, offered me admissions and in one case an additional fellowship.

 

 

Interesting. I was initially "scared off" by the extremely competitive reputation of private universities, but in the end I would have had better chances if I'd applied there instead?  I kept seeing people rejected from some of these programs with very high GRE scores and even publications.  It did not inspire me to give those institutions a chance, due to the limited funds I have for application fees.

Are there any private universities you would recommend? (Just in general - of course I'd still have to see if the program fits)

[expandyourmind]

i know cornell weill has just an insane amount of international students. they are really well funded and they explicitly stated that international status means nothing to them. they have some great research, too!. 

[BiochemMom]

What are your research interests?

[TenaciousBushLeaper]

Try to apply for grants so that you can come in with your own money. If you can come in with some of your own funding from grants you'll be surprised by just how many schools will want you.

[kinkajou]

Interesting. I was initially "scared off" by the extremely competitive reputation of private universities, but in the end I would have had better chances if I'd applied there instead?  I kept seeing people rejected from some of these programs with very high GRE scores and even publications.  It did not inspire me to give those institutions a chance, due to the limited funds I have for application fees.

Are there any private universities you would recommend? (Just in general - of course I'd still have to see if the program fits)

I think if you improved your GRE scores you would be competitive at those universities. But like kewz said, private universities have tons of their own money and can spend on internationals, unlike public which might even put you in a separate application pool (and if domestic students fill up all those slots, apparently you might not even have your application looked at). For example, you can read this thread... top tier programs will probably have more money anyway, so it might be better to throw your lot in with them.

[kewz]

i know cornell weill has just an insane amount of international students. they are really well funded and they explicitly stated that international status means nothing to them. they have some great research, too!. 

 

Second that Cornell Weill seems to have tons of money, so does Sloan Kettering and/or Rockefeller. WUSTL also didn't seem to care (they don't even charge application fees ). 

[brainnetwork]

From my experience (I'm also an international student, but currently studying in the us) wustl has tons on international student and they don't care (free application like kewz said), also Baylor college of medicin and UT southwestern operate in similar manner. You should definitely consider private institutions. However, don't give up hope yet! There is rumor that internationals sometimes get acceptance later in the season.

[person5811]

I don't have:

Real teaching experience

Publications

Conference experience

Scores in the late 160s or 170 in GRE

 

Hello. I think out of this you do NOT AT ALL need teaching experience. Practically no one I met in any of my interviews has any, and it has not come up at all in any of my interviews. I'd say work on getting more research experience. That is the one single most important thing I think adcoms are interested in knowing you have, because that's what you're signing up to do for 5-7 years and they don't want you to be like "oh, actually, I don't think I like this that much."

 

I'm not sure if some of your letters are from US faculty, but I think having one could help you. I only submitted 3 letters to all my schools, and heard that faculty usually don't look at the 4th or 5th (because of time constraints). So pick the ones that you think can speak better about your potential to do science, and only send those. Also, private schools have more money for internationals than public schools (Harvard, MIT, Rockefeller for sure).

 

I'm not sure if UT Southwestern is considered a public school or not, but it does not charge an application fee for applying and usually takes ~30% international students for their incoming class. They also don't care that much about GRE scores (according to faculty I've talked to). I've also heard good things about Baylor. And of the school I've been to, NYU seemed to be welcoming of international students as well.

 

Oh I should mention that I applied to cell molecular bio/ biomedical sciences programs, this might not apply to ecology or programs of the like.

[Cpt Jo]

Thank you Floatingmolecule.

Your consolation means a lot to me..

 

Your insight is certainly is right to some extent. It's true that especially state universities (unlike private institutions) are mostly lacking in funding so they are always very discrete in selecting candidates for funding. 

 

But in my case, I am a US citizen, but graduated from a university abroad (which in my opinion, has to do with lack of credibility, perhaps? I graduated magna cum laude in my school but that wouldn't strike them hard as someone with a high GPA in a well-known US undergraduate institution.  + Letter of recommendation by some professors largely unknown to US graduate schools would be very unlikely to impress them, compared to well-known US professors(not to blame it on my professors or anything)

 

 I applied to PhD in political science and out of the 11, 10 sent me rejection  I assume that the Letter of recommendation ( extremely important in PhD application process) and the international institution that I attended failed to outdo the rest of the applicants.

 

Nevertheless, I still have some hope left, so why give up already?

 

 

X

 

Continuing the discussion from the other thread, perhaps you two should have applied to EU schools. I have found that US grad schools make their choice on GPA and your college "rank"; therefore it will be more difficult for you to get funding. Moreover, as the US PhD starts with a master, you have less chance to improve your application with preliminary research during a master.

In Europe, the emphasis is put on the research proposal, and you can compensate an average BA with a strong Master's dissertation - as I did. I encourage you to look at UK (Russell Group) and Swiss unis (the EPFL and ETHZ give $50K stipends!). In addition, Biology there is not as underfunded as Humanities.

It's only if you have original research abilities though.

[floatingmolecule]

Wow, I don't even know where to start!  Thanks for all your input guys!

 

So, number one priority:  Improve those GRE scores, make them perfect enough for a place like Cornell and all the other private institutions you guys have been so kind to mention.

Secondly:  Get more research experience, preferably as a research tech.  Only question I have here is:  Is it that easy for internationals to just get a tech job in the States?  Isn't that the type of position preferably filled by qualified citizens?

Thirdly:  Try to get ouside funding, preferably after contacting a professor willing to mentor me and drawing up a research proposal.

 

AND I don't seem to need teaching experience or publications.

 

Next year might be my year after all, especially if I manage to secure a tech position and ace those GREs!

 

Cpt Jo:  Thank you for your suggestion, but I have been in Europe for a while now and am beginning to feel very alienated (my family is living in North America).  It pains me that I cannot take a cheap Greyhound trip to see them during the holidays, especially since my mother is no longer so healthy.  I do not think I could commit myself to another 5 years here, away from everyone I love.

Edited March 2, 2015 by floatingmolecule

[CarloGesualdo]

Secondly:  Get more research experience, preferably as a research tech.  Only question I have here is:  Is it that easy for internationals to just get a tech job in the States?  Isn't that the type of position preferably filled by qualified citizens?

 

I'm a US citizen who has been working in the states as a Research Assistant for the past two years.  I can't provide a first hand account of obtaining a Visa for tech/assistant work, but two of my coworkers certainly could.  One of my coworkers managed to convert her student visa (F1) to a work visa (H-1B I think).  My other international coworker obtained a J1 to do some work here in the states, although I think there are some more restrictive components of that particular visa since she's currently trying to convert to an H-1B.  I'll see if I can get them to create accounts to post their own experiences here.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that employer/institution sponsorship can make a world of difference.  Some research institutes are like mine in the sense that they actively try to help qualified international applicants obtain the necessary paperwork to work here.  From what I hear though, not all institutes are quite as willing.  It may be wise to look for positions in and around bio research hubs where the job market is a little hotter (and thus institutes are more receptive to international applicants).

 

I hope someone stops by with actual experience in this area because from what I understand it isn't a walk in the park.  However, I know that it's certainly doable and it sounds like it would be a great next step for somebody like you in case the acceptances don't work out this year.  Good luck!

[floatingmolecule]

I'm a US citizen who has been working in the states as a Research Assistant for the past two years.  I can't provide a first hand account of obtaining a Visa for tech/assistant work, but two of my coworkers certainly could.  One of my coworkers managed to convert her student visa (F1) to a work visa (H-1B I think).  My other international coworker obtained a J1 to do some work here in the states, although I think there are some more restrictive components of that particular visa since she's currently trying to convert to an H-1B.  I'll see if I can get them to create accounts to post their own experiences here.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that employer/institution sponsorship can make a world of difference.  Some research institutes are like mine in the sense that they actively try to help qualified international applicants obtain the necessary paperwork to work here.  From what I hear though, not all institutes are quite as willing.  It may be wise to look for positions in and around bio research hubs where the job market is a little hotter (and thus institutes are more receptive to international applicants).

 

I hope someone stops by with actual experience in this area because from what I understand it isn't a walk in the park.  However, I know that it's certainly doable and it sounds like it would be a great next step for somebody like you in case the acceptances don't work out this year.  Good luck!

 

Thank you so much!

I would really appreciate any information I can get on the subject and I have no idea where to start.  I would specifically need to get an RA job that realizes that I am a foreign national and just a transient worker (ie. waiting out for a PhD.), trying to obtain experience.  Since I already have extensive lab experience and am familiar with most common procedures, however,  I would not be a burden. 

It would probably be ideal if I could RA in a lab that also takes on PhD students, so that they could essentially do a "test run" on me.

If your friends can give me tips on where to look and what to do, I would be very grateful.

If anyone else has info, I would love to hear it!

[TenaciousBushLeaper]

Wow, I don't even know where to start!  Thanks for all your input guys!

 

So, number one priority:  Improve those GRE scores, make them perfect enough for a place like Cornell and all the other private institutions you guys have been so kind to mention.

Secondly:  Get more research experience, preferably as a research tech.  Only question I have here is:  Is it that easy for internationals to just get a tech job in the States?  Isn't that the type of position preferably filled by qualified citizens?

Thirdly:  Try to get ouside funding, preferably after contacting a professor willing to mentor me and drawing up a research proposal.

 

AND I don't seem to need teaching experience or publications.

 

Next year might be my year after all, especially if I manage to secure a tech position and ace those GREs!

 

Cpt Jo:  Thank you for your suggestion, but I have been in Europe for a while now and am beginning to feel very alienated (my family is living in North America).  It pains me that I cannot take a cheap Greyhound trip to see them during the holidays, especially since my mother is no longer so healthy.  I do not think I could commit myself to another 5 years here, away from everyone I love.

I suggest you make "Thirdly" , "number one priority". The main reason schools sometimes don't admit international applicants as much as domestic is funding. Show them you have your own money and you'll be considered at the very least as much as any domestic applicant. 

Edited March 5, 2015 by TenaciousBushLeaper

[Crucial BBQ]

I know that NIH brings in people from all over the world for short periods of time; 3 months, 6 months, etc. They are usually brought in by an individual at NIH who sponsors their visa.  Those coming in typically have a speciality in a particular area that is of interest to the PIs research.  I can think of two right now doing this, one from Europe and one from Thailand.  They both also found temporary residences through Air B&B, if that helps. 

 

 

I applied to public universities because I only had limited funds for application fees. I did not figure I had a shot getting into a private uni since they tend to be more competitive. My lack of pubs etc. and lower GRE would not have worked in my favor.
I knew that state institutions accepted less internationals but I was hoping the chance would be slightly higher than what awaited me with the private alternative.

Well, now you have a year to save up to apply to even more schools.  

 

Interesting. I was initially "scared off" by the extremely competitive reputation of private universities, but in the end I would have had better chances if I'd applied there instead?  I kept seeing people rejected from some of these programs with very high GRE scores and even publications.  It did not inspire me to give those institutions a chance, due to the limited funds I have for application fees.
Are there any private universities you would recommend? (Just in general - of course I'd still have to see if the program fits)

Typically, public universities in the U.S. are more difficult for International students to gain admittance into because these schools are largely subsidized by resident tax dollars.  But don't give up on publics:  the top public universities would still be worth a shot and definitely do not be afraid of applying to private universities, in particular the HYPSM's. 

 

Some applicants are just over achievers and you never know what any specific program/lab/PI is looking for with new students, and what is looked for can change year-to-year.  I believe there is such a thing as being too perfect, especially if you are expected to answer questions that no one yet knows the answers to.  Grad school is the wrong place to experience failure for the first time.  Here are some other things to consider:

 

1.  Some people can afford to spend $Thousands on GRE prep and most GRE prep teaches you how to take the GRE and not necessarily how to do the math (in case of QR, for example).  The GRE is a standardized test, which means it is predictable, ...which means it is coachable (standardized tests in the U.S. meaning that everyone has an equal shot at acing it regardless of school, major, age, etc.  Hence the term "standardized". Keep in mind that the art student from 3rd Tier University You Never Heard Of and the engineering student from MIT take the exact same test). 

 

And yes, some people test well on the GRE without dropping $$$$$ on test prep. 

 

2.  The publications could have been published in 3rd rate journals (some journals will literally publish anything if the author is willing to pay the fee), the university's/department's own on-campus publication, on a friend's website, and so on.   I spent four years writing for my undergraduate student newspaper; was published in every issue sans three.  If I listed "published" on my profile I would be misleading for sure but not lying. 

 

3.  Conferences.  The conferences could have been some small time event at a local university.  Or they could be significant for a particular area, and still small time.  I presented at a GIS conference in one of the New England states.  It was actually a pretty big deal, for the State, but since it was by the State for the State it was a rather small gathering by comparison to even a mediocre National GIS conference.  My name is in their archives (and on the website).  This event is also listed on my CV but I don't go around bragging I attended a GIS conference because even though that is what it was I know that at the grad school/academia level it most-likely would be assumed to have been a more prestigious event. 

 

There are those who truly do attend big-name conferences, publish in legit journals, and so on but when I think of my experiences through undergrad I know that I can honestly say that I have presented at conferences (six total), had articles published that went through a submission, editing, and selected-for-publication process, to name a few, but there is nothing really "wow" about any of that and I know I cannot be the only one.  

 

Wow, I don't even know where to start!  Thanks for all your input guys!

 

So, number one priority:  Improve those GRE scores, make them perfect enough for a place like Cornell and all the other private institutions you guys have been so kind to mention.

Secondly:  Get more research experience, preferably as a research tech.  Only question I have here is:  Is it that easy for internationals to just get a tech job in the States?  Isn't that the type of position preferably filled by qualified citizens?

Thirdly:  Try to get ouside funding, preferably after contacting a professor willing to mentor me and drawing up a research proposal.

 

AND I don't seem to need teaching experience or publications.

 

Next year might be my year after all, especially if I manage to secure a tech position and ace those GREs!

 

Cpt Jo:  Thank you for your suggestion, but I have been in Europe for a while now and am beginning to feel very alienated (my family is living in North America).  It pains me that I cannot take a cheap Greyhound trip to see them during the holidays, especially since my mother is no longer so healthy.  I do not think I could commit myself to another 5 years here, away from everyone I love.

No.  Your number one priority should be to gain more research/industry experience. 

 

You will get so many opinions on the validity of GRE scores it will make your head spin.  Some profs/adcomms believe them to be vitally important, others may not even look at them.  At best you can surmise the use of GRE scores in admissions as more of a formality.  Since the opinions will vary amongst the "experts", I suggest you get into contact with prospective programs and ask them.  Program directors are extremely helpful and generally forthcoming with info not found on the website.  So your number two priority should be securing outside funding. 

 

Great research/lab/industry experience combined with low GRE scores looks better on an application than does little research experience and high GRE scores (if even perfect).  The GRE says nothing of your potential as a researcher. 

 

I think you should retake the GRE but perhaps a better thing to do might be to take a subject test.  If you have good grades in undergrad and/or grad school math/quant/analytical courses your GRE QR score could easily be overlooked.  

 

No, you do not need teaching experience, though mentoring neighborhood kids or tutoring (college students in math) would look really good in your applications.

[floatingmolecule]

I know that NIH brings in people from all over the world for short periods of time; 3 months, 6 months, etc. They are usually brought in by an individual at NIH who sponsors their visa.  Those coming in typically have a speciality in a particular area that is of interest to the PIs research.  I can think of two right now doing this, one from Europe and one from Thailand.  They both also found temporary residences through Air B&B, if that helps. 

 

 

Well, now you have a year to save up to apply to even more schools.  

 

Typically, public universities in the U.S. are more difficult for International students to gain admittance into because these schools are largely subsidized by resident tax dollars.  But don't give up on publics:  the top public universities would still be worth a shot and definitely do not be afraid of applying to private universities, in particular the HYPSM's. 

 

Some applicants are just over achievers and you never know what any specific program/lab/PI is looking for with new students, and what is looked for can change year-to-year.  I believe there is such a thing as being too perfect, especially if you are expected to answer questions that no one yet knows the answers to.  Grad school is the wrong place to experience failure for the first time.  Here are some other things to consider:

 

1.  Some people can afford to spend $Thousands on GRE prep and most GRE prep teaches you how to take the GRE and not necessarily how to do the math (in case of QR, for example).  The GRE is a standardized test, which means it is predictable, ...which means it is coachable (standardized tests in the U.S. meaning that everyone has an equal shot at acing it regardless of school, major, age, etc.  Hence the term "standardized". Keep in mind that the art student from 3rd Tier University You Never Heard Of and the engineering student from MIT take the exact same test). 

 

And yes, some people test well on the GRE without dropping $$$$$ on test prep. 

 

2.  The publications could have been published in 3rd rate journals (some journals will literally publish anything if the author is willing to pay the fee), the university's/department's own on-campus publication, on a friend's website, and so on.   I spent four years writing for my undergraduate student newspaper; was published in every issue sans three.  If I listed "published" on my profile I would be misleading for sure but not lying. 

 

3.  Conferences.  The conferences could have been some small time event at a local university.  Or they could be significant for a particular area, and still small time.  I presented at a GIS conference in one of the New England states.  It was actually a pretty big deal, for the State, but since it was by the State for the State it was a rather small gathering by comparison to even a mediocre National GIS conference.  My name is in their archives (and on the website).  This event is also listed on my CV but I don't go around bragging I attended a GIS conference because even though that is what it was I know that at the grad school/academia level it most-likely would be assumed to have been a more prestigious event. 

 

There are those who truly do attend big-name conferences, publish in legit journals, and so on but when I think of my experiences through undergrad I know that I can honestly say that I have presented at conferences (six total), had articles published that went through a submission, editing, and selected-for-publication process, to name a few, but there is nothing really "wow" about any of that and I know I cannot be the only one.  

 

No.  Your number one priority should be to gain more research/industry experience. 

 

You will get so many opinions on the validity of GRE scores it will make your head spin.  Some profs/adcomms believe them to be vitally important, others may not even look at them.  At best you can surmise the use of GRE scores in admissions as more of a formality.  Since the opinions will vary amongst the "experts", I suggest you get into contact with prospective programs and ask them.  Program directors are extremely helpful and generally forthcoming with info not found on the website.  So your number two priority should be securing outside funding. 

 

Great research/lab/industry experience combined with low GRE scores looks better on an application than does little research experience and high GRE scores (if even perfect).  The GRE says nothing of your potential as a researcher. 

 

I think you should retake the GRE but perhaps a better thing to do might be to take a subject test.  If you have good grades in undergrad and/or grad school math/quant/analytical courses your GRE QR score could easily be overlooked.  

 

No, you do not need teaching experience, though mentoring neighborhood kids or tutoring (college students in math) would look really good in your applications.

Wow, thank you for all of your advice!  I have been looking around for internships and it is difficult.  I keep finding opportunities for undergrads and US citizens, but my searches on paid positions for international graduates with a master's degree turn up pretty scanty. There are so many summer positions for American undergrads seeking to gain research experience and plenty of unpaid work,  but I have not specifically identified a program for internationals that offers a stipend yet. I have written to the NIH and Fulbright international and am going to do a more extensive search in the days to come.

It is an excellent plan.  I only hope that it is also executable. 

As before, any further tips on how to acquire such an internship would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Edited March 11, 2015 by floatingmolecule