Going from masters to PhD within same school/program

[ahimsa000]

Hi all,

I've posted in here many times in the past when I was applying to masters programs. I got accepted to Brown University for the Masters in biotech program, and I've been here for almost 2 full semesters now! I really love the research I'm doing here, and it's been a great experience overall.

Something really great happened yesterday when I was in the lab...my PI/thesis advisor approached me after reading my most recent progress report, and she said we need to apply for funding ASAP because she wants me to do a PhD in her lab! It was all very exciting, but then I got to thinking seriously about it. I would love to do my PhD in this lab at Brown, I'm just not familiar with the logistics of it. My PI is the director of the biotech program at Brown, and she is very established in her field. Would they look at my undergrad GPA even if I'm applying as an internal applicant? I have some school-specific questions that I can ask other people, but my main concern is my undergrad GPA which was pretty bad (2.76). My graduate GPA is a 3.75 so far, and my thesis work is really extensive and I've gotten a lot of feedback saying it's like a mini-PhD already.

I really would need to think it through, but I hope that since I'm already a part of the lab, and already have a project I'm actively working on, I would have an advantage in getting accepted to the PhD program. If anyone has experience in this matter, please let me know. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

SR

[.letmeinplz//]

Most schools I've looked at just require your adviser say yes to continuing on with some needing a recommendation to do so from your committee. It isn't the same as the external process of letters + scores + gpas. If your adviser is wanting you to do it, go talk to her. She knows the process.

[Marst]

Most schools I've looked at just require your adviser say yes to continuing on with some needing a recommendation to do so from your committee. It isn't the same as the external process of letters + scores + gpas. If your adviser is wanting you to do it, go talk to her. She knows the process.

In my case, it was very similar to applying from the outside. The differences were that I did not have to pay an application fee, could resubmit my letters from the masters admissions (plus one new one from my course supervisor), and I had with a lot more know-how of the process. Undergrad GPA (or actually class rank) was an important factor in securing funding, as well as graduate class rank. Admission was indeed rather easy, but funding was another thing entirely.

[MOR_embryo]

I considered doing the PhD at my current school. My MS application would not roll over. I had to reapply, get new letters, write personal statement. On the plus, I think they already had my GRE scores and definitely had my undergrad transcript (BS and MS same institution).