Greenhorn looking for some much-needed advice!

[TheKingLives]

Hello Grad Cafe!

This is my first post on the forum and I am excited to start this maniacal journey called grad school. I'm still in college, and probably won't apply to any PhD programs until the winter after graduation in order to have the strongest possible application. I have sort of a tumultuous undergraduate experience, and I was hoping I could describe it to you and my plans for the future to get a sense of my chances for a good PhD program. Please be brutally honest!

I started college at a local University and got a 4.0 before transferring to a top-10 research university. I was doing really well until I was put on disciplinary dismissal for one semester. This was an honest mistake and I returned this past fall, fully aware of my mistake and accepting full responsibility for it. I declared a major in philosophy, and a minor in another humanities field, both of which I am very passionate about. I do want to go to graduate school and be accepted into a top PhD program.

I am a first-generation American/college student/graduate student, have a disability, and come from a low-income family, so I believe I bring diversity to any graduate program if I were to be accepted. I did research last summer in a history-related project and my work will be published in both an exhibition and a book in 2017. I have a 3.6 GPA at my current school and a 4.0 from Liberty, although I do want to bring my GPA up to at least a 3.8. I am writing for my school paper and plan to keep writing until I graduate. I will definitely be completing a senior thesis and have a faculty advisor in mind. I have applied to be a course instructor in the philosophy housing project that is starting up next fall and will also apply for the Mellon Mays Fellowship at my school. I plan to do some research this summer and will hopefully present at a symposium and get a great letter of recommendation out of that. During my senior year I'll finish up my courses, including at least one graduate-level course, finish my senior distinction project (thesis) and graduate in May of 2017.

I think it would be most advantageous to wait until January 2018 to apply, and spend the time between graduation and January studying for the GRE. Advice?

So, that's my plan. What do you think are my chances for PhD programs? Everything considered, can I still get into my top choice? Thanks for your thoughts.

[brush]

I don't think anyone can tell you admission chances given so little information. (If you want to know your chances ask your letter writers). From the looks of it, however, you're off to a solid start (though a 3.6 GPA is a bit low). The most important part of your application is your writing sample (or at least that is what they say), and so whether your application has a chance at top schools probably depends on that.

I think it is a good idea to wait till after you graduate to apply. (That is, apply in Dec/Jan 2017/2018 if you graduate in May 2017). Over the summer you can work on your writing sample and study for the GREs full time which will certainly improve your application.

Edited January 7, 2016 by brush