2016 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[GeoDUDE!]

I do find it hard to believe that if you are applying to PhD programs that your GRE scores are playing THAT big of a role. Yes, your scores are super low, and it becomes really easy to reject you over someone else, but top students aren't courted because they did well on their GRE. Letters and SOP are the core of any strong application. I'm only familiar with a few schools admissions process first hand, but all of them put very little weight on GRE when the student had made a strong connection with their POI.

I think it is possible to be considered a top student, even with your GRE score. You have spoken in the past about your application to UT, where you contacted many professors. I think that is very weird: most top students contact very few faculty even at large universities because they have a coherent idea of the problems they want to solve as a scientist.  I'd be willing to bet, that if this is reflective in your SOP, it could be holding you back.

Though, you did get an offer, which is really good, so you dont really have anything to worry about at all. 

Edited March 2, 2016 by GeoDUDE!

[sjoh197]

I was so lucky to have really great connections with my Letter Writers, with one of them being well know and friendly with other people at UH's EAS department. When my POI asked if I knew "so and so" and then said if I could get a letter from them it would be really beneficial... I was probably a little too enthusiastic about it all. Lol. 

@columbia09 I've also heard that for someone with a good gpa, which you have... the GRE scores really aren't as important as the other things. My gpa is pretty terrible, so I aimed for a higher score.... although I only got a 159 on the quant section. I'm not bad at math, or "math reasoning", I'm just slow. And it hasn't gotten better in all these years... so I'm pretty happy with that score I guess. But regardless... I don't think it much matters for you now. If you don't end up with any more offers, I think it would be unwise to turn down the offer you have now, especially since its your second application cycle.  

[columbia09]

14 minutes ago, GeoDUDE! said:

I do find it hard to believe that if you are applying to PhD programs that your GRE scores are playing THAT big of a role. Yes, your scores are super low, and it becomes really easy to reject you over someone else, but top students aren't courted because they did well on their GRE. Letters and SOP are the core of any strong application. I'm only familiar with a few schools admissions process first hand, but all of them put very little weight on GRE when the student had made a strong connection with their POI.

I think it is possible to be considered a top student, even with your GRE score. You have spoken in the past about your application to UT, where you contacted many professors. I think that is very weird: most top students contact very few faculty even at large universities because they have a coherent idea of the problems they want to solve as a scientist.  I'd be willing to bet, that if this is reflective in your SOP, it could be holding you back.

Though, you did get an offer, which is really good, so you dont really have anything to worry about at all. 

The professors I contacted do very similar work at Austin but the reason for that is because I have a wide range of interests and with funding being very tight I contacted as much as I could. My statement was looked over by faculty members at my college and they approved it. 

[columbia09]

26 minutes ago, sjoh197 said:

Nah... I only applied to UH, since my partner got a wonderfully awesome job in Houston and I'm not really able to go elsewhere now. Although, when I say it like that it makes it sound like a last resort... but its not like that. I really like the dept. and I really like my POI both as a person and his research. It lines up with my interests to a T.  It would be an amazing opportunity to go there. I don't really care for texas, and will be happy to move a few years down the road. 

According to the results search, the earliest UH has ever sent out a result for geology is March 7th and most years it was between mid march and mid april. So I'm not really worried yet. (That's a lie... I've refreshed the admissions portal 10 times a day since a month before the application was even due).

I also applied to UH and spoke to Jim Parker who said decisions Will be made this week. It's Wednesday already and still haven't heard anything. Who'd you apply to work for if I may ask

[GeoDUDE!]

I guess you have it all figured out then .

[sjoh197]

@columbia09 I applied to work with Peter Copeland. He mostly does thermochron work on Himalayan rock. All of the work I've done so far has been geochron work in 2 regions of the himalayas. But he more recently started doing work on He-thermochron on calcites... and its absolutely fascinating. Especially because he is basically helping narrow down the ability to date basin thermal evolution... since mudstones don't usually have a high concentration of U-rich or K/Ar rich minerals. I was so excited when I met him that I probably sounded like a complete buffoon. Or at least like a giddy 13 year old girl meeting Justin Bieber. Lol. 

I didn't know that results were likely to be made this week. That is helpful info to have I guess. 

[geophys]

Someone posted a PhD acceptance on the results page for UT's Geology & Geophysics program. Making me nervous; I applied for MS in geological sciences, but I expect that results are rolling in. I wonder if they're all sent at the same time.

[columbia09]

1 hour ago, geophys said:

Someone posted a PhD acceptance on the results page for UT's Geology & Geophysics program. Making me nervous; I applied for MS in geological sciences, but I expect that results are rolling in. I wonder if they're all sent at the same time.

I'm surprised that person wasn't a first choice with those numbers. It's making me nervious too. Only have one offer so far

[magnetite]

Only?

[zerozircon]

@geophys UT's prospective student weekend was a few weeks ago, so they should begin sending out the second round of acceptances soon as people turn down UT.  Good luck!

[geophys]

@zerozircon Thanks for the info! I would be absolutely thrilled if I can go to UT, I really like the professor I can potentially work with. Do you (or anyone else) know the statistics for how many second round acceptances they tend to choose/how it works?

Another thought: anybody know any trends with releasing acceptances or rejections with Rice?

Edited March 4, 2016 by geophys

[columbia09]

2 hours ago, geophys said:

@zerozircon Thanks for the info! I would be absolutely thrilled if I can go to UT, I really like the professor I can potentially work with. Do you (or anyone else) know the statistics for how many second round acceptances they tend to choose/how it works?

Another thought: anybody know any trends with releasing acceptances or rejections with Rice?

Rice sends their rejections out in April and UT in late March 

[geophys]

@columbia09 Thanks! Now we play this awful waiting game. Rice and UT are my top choices, and even having spoken with professors I would very much love to work with at both places, I am feeling extremely dubious.

[sjoh197]

OH MY GOD.... my status is still "application received."  I don't think they're actually going to change it until decisions are out. 

[Eita1989]

On 2/21/2016 at 1:25 PM, seismicsadie said:

I haven't received anything from anywhere I applied either and it's starting to stress me out  

I applied for 10 programs, most in California. Until now, 1 offer, 1 interview, 1 campus visit invitation (I think it's another interview). 

But I haven't received anything from the other 7 programs. I wrote emails to UW and UCSB since I saw someone has already been admitted on this website. No reply…… I feel anxious now

[sjoh197]

On 3/2/2016 at 5:00 PM, columbia09 said:

I also applied to UH and spoke to Jim Parker who said decisions Will be made this week. It's Wednesday already and still haven't heard anything. Who'd you apply to work for if I may ask

Well so much for decisions this week right? :/

[zerozircon]

To current grad students- what types of things do you wish you had known/ asked when you were deciding what school to attend?  Thanks!

[gelologist]

@geophys Rice accepts people as they cycle through visits and as offers get turned down, probably why they're still going through a list and not sending final words yet. Hope survives until a letter is received!

@sjoh197 lol don't worry, I was accepted to Wisconsin, and it still says "pending" there...not like I didn't hear back on Jan 24th  

@Eita1989 UCSB had a visit weekend last weekend for short listed people I think... :/ 

@zerozircon one thing I've really been glad I'm asking is how advisors can help me get out quickly (I already have a MS and don't want to wallow too much since I have a decent sense of what I want to do). Also does the POI plan on publishing often, or waiting for fewer but world-class papers? How much structure is there in defining projects? You want freedom but also not to be 3 years in still without ideas, for example. Etc. Not having been as proactive previously is honestly why I feel so lucky that I ended up with a good masters advisor who's got a good balance of advising and being hands off, and who's helping me get my stuff out there (published) and quickly so I can be out the door on to better things. Also the lab vibe and current grad students are key: you'll work most with them really, and they're you're future collaborators. Speaking of, make sure the advisor has a plan for you to define a new direction: you don't want to come out and fight them for money for identical problems solved by additional methods! (Yay marketability lol). Anyway, my $0.02!

[geophys]

@gelologist Thanks for the info. I didn't know that rolling offers were a thing. I'm just going to keep hoping!

[columbia09]

15 hours ago, sjoh197 said:

Well so much for decisions this week right? :/

I know but I got a TA offer from Oklahoma State ! So happy about that ? Anyone know anything about the school ?

[Tidus]

22 hours ago, Eita1989 said:

I applied for 10 programs, most in California. Until now, 1 offer, 1 interview, 1 campus visit invitation (I think it's another interview). 

But I haven't received anything from the other 7 programs. I wrote emails to UW and UCSB since I saw someone has already been admitted on this website. No reply…… I feel anxious now

Are you applying to atmospheric sciences at UW? I'm visiting now so might have some insight. The bad news is that I get the impression they sent out all their offers a while ago. A tiny possible bit of good news is that from personal experience it's possible to not be in that batch and get still an offer if something new develops with funding (I was accepted only around a week ago). Good luck

[magnetite]

@Tidus Are you visiting the earth science department? Do you know anything about their oceanography department?

[Eita1989]

17 hours ago, gelologist said:

@geophys Rice accepts people as they cycle through visits and as offers get turned down, probably why they're still going through a list and not sending final words yet. Hope survives until a letter is received!

@sjoh197 lol don't worry, I was accepted to Wisconsin, and it still says "pending" there...not like I didn't hear back on Jan 24th  

@Eita1989 UCSB had a visit weekend last weekend for short listed people I think... :/ 

@zerozircon one thing I've really been glad I'm asking is how advisors can help me get out quickly (I already have a MS and don't want to wallow too much since I have a decent sense of what I want to do). Also does the POI plan on publishing often, or waiting for fewer but world-class papers? How much structure is there in defining projects? You want freedom but also not to be 3 years in still without ideas, for example. Etc. Not having been as proactive previously is honestly why I feel so lucky that I ended up with a good masters advisor who's got a good balance of advising and being hands off, and who's helping me get my stuff out there (published) and quickly so I can be out the door on to better things. Also the lab vibe and current grad students are key: you'll work most with them really, and they're you're future collaborators. Speaking of, make sure the advisor has a plan for you to define a new direction: you don't want to come out and fight them for money for identical problems solved by additional methods! (Yay marketability lol). Anyway, my $0.02!

Thank you for the information. I sent two emails to the department admission officer and they haven't replied. It hurts. 

[Eita1989]

2 hours ago, Tidus said:

Are you applying to atmospheric sciences at UW? I'm visiting now so might have some insight. The bad news is that I get the impression they sent out all their offers a while ago. A tiny possible bit of good news is that from personal experience it's possible to not be in that batch and get still an offer if something new develops with funding (I was accepted only around a week ago). Good luck

Wow, first of all, congratulations! It's one of the top programs in our domain. In the application system, it says: The program to which you applied expects to make their admissions decisions by early April. And they haven't replied my email that ask for the application status. 

May I know your research interest? I wish to start my future research on Mesoscale Meteorology or Physical Climate. Would you like to share some information about these as part of the UW program? Thank you. 

[Tidus]

7 hours ago, magnetite said:

@Tidus Are you visiting the earth science department? Do you know anything about their oceanography department?

I didn't get to check out the Earth Sciences department, even though their building is attached to the Atmospheric Sciences building. I know a bit more about the oceanography department. Sharing a room with a guy who's visiting both Atmospheric Sciences and Oceanography right now. He seems to really like it and says the vibe is very similar to the Atmospheric Sciences department, which seems to be really social and have a good culture for the way students work with their advisors/other faculty/other students. I can try to answer specific questions if you have any. Might be better to pm me depending on level of detail.

7 hours ago, Eita1989 said:

Wow, first of all, congratulations! It's one of the top programs in our domain. In the application system, it says: The program to which you applied expects to make their admissions decisions by early April. And they haven't replied my email that ask for the application status. 

May I know your research interest? I wish to start my future research on Mesoscale Meteorology or Physical Climate. Would you like to share some information about these as part of the UW program? Thank you. 

Thanks  Perhaps there's a possibility that they would accept more students if enough people accepted offers elsewhere. I'd have asked for more detail on if there are waitlists or something similar if I was visiting the department again today, but I've just been exploring the city* seeing as it's the weekend.

My research interest is polar climate, primarily related to sea ice. I would be working with Cecilia Bitz primarily. Quickly looking through the faculty lists in the link below it looks like at least 4 people work on mesoscale meteorology, but by coincidence I didn't really talk to any of them in great detail about their work, so I can't really add much. Likewise, physical climate, as it sounds like a pretty broad topic. If you have some more specific questions I might be able to be of more help. Feel free to ask/pm me.

http://www.atmos.washington.edu/people/faculty.shtml

*Seattle's a really cool city for anyone who's not visited. Rainy...but cool.