Unsure about Grad School Admissions

[hanmelisa]

Hi everyone - this is my first post, so please le tme know if I'm breaking any rules and I'll try to fix this post asap. I'm an undergrad (finishing sophomore yr) at a top 20 school and doing econ & earth science. I'm interested in environmental stuff so was thinking of doing a phD in earth science. A few questions:

-I got involved in research early (freshman year), but the lab treated its students really poorly and also didn't relate at all to what I've realized my goals are. I spent two "semesters" (one during freshman yr, one doing intensive work during the summer) in that lab. I know I really should've done research during sophomore year, but I TA'd a class and it ate up all of my time (and the pay was better than lab work). I'm emailing profs right now to figure out research during the summer. How bad is it to only have ~2 yrs total of undergrad research? (If I get into a lab and work until the end of sr. yr). I can stick it out in a research lab; worked in one for 3 yrs straight (10ish hrs/week) in high school - just this first lab wasn't a good fit at all. (if it helps, I'm pretty sure I'll be able to work more closely with a prof in the earth science dept. since our earth science dept is very small: approx 20 students in each "grade", compared to bio, where it's ~400 kids each). How bad is it that I probably won't have any publications to my name?

-my GPA's gonna fall this semester. I'm sorry if this comes across as over the top bc of course I know it certainly isn't the end of the world, but I think it'll drop to a 3.6-3.7 and I probably will be able to pull it up to a 3.85-ish by the end of junior year if I work my behind off. I have a decent amount of extra math classes (compared to the other earth science kids I know) because of econ, but nothing significant (like not enough for a math minor)

Would it still be possible for me to get into a top school for my phD (I'm really interested in Stanford or UC Berkeley)? Would it be better to try for a master's first?

Thanks a lot!

[runjackrun]

Hi there, @hanmelisa It sounds like you are thinking ahead, which is great. As a fellow enviro person, here are a few of my insights regarding what you've outlined above (DISCLAIMER: I'm just starting grad school this fall and do not have intimate knowledge of admissions processes at all schools. This is just my reaction to what you've described):

1. You appear to have a strong research background, which is really important. I'm not convinced your freshman year lab work would harm you, unless you clearly burned bridges with the professor and it was closely related to what you wanted to do in graduate school. You spent two semesters in the lab, so it's not like you started and quit a week later. You can always use the argument that you were using your undergrad years as a time to explore different research possibilities and wanted to find the right fit. TA-ing is also a great resume-builder for grad school, as it is quite possible you will be obligated to TA. As far as publications, I may be wrong but I have never been under the impression that it was an expectation for undergrads to have publications going into grad school. It's obviously a great help to your application, but I think having positive research experiences and profs who can attest to your skills in letters of recommendation are more important. That said, having something to show for your research experiences is nice. In future projects, talk with your professor about working on a poster perhaps, or presenting in a lab meeting or one of their classes (if you haven't done these things yet). These kinds of things show that you worked in a professional lab, gained valuable experience, and have a good understanding of what the grad school experience will be like. 

2. Your GPA seems good, especially if you are at a top 20 school. Work hard to keep it strong, but other than that I would focus more on research experiences and building relationships with professors/letter-writers. 

3. If you are interested in Stanford or UCB, then start looking for the professors you would like to work with there and see what their research interests are. I didn't do this, and when it came time to apply, there simply wasn't the greatest research fit at some of the schools I thought I wanted to attend. It might be a little early to be contacting professors (others may disagree), but it will be good to have an idea of the type of work going on at your dream schools and where you might fit in. 

As for the masters first, I have no clue on this one. I heard mixed advice from people on this. One friend who isn't in the environmental field told me she thought a masters was a waste, and if you know you want to do the PhD then do it. But I had a prof in the enviro field who told me she wouldn't consider taking on a PhD student who didn't have a masters. I think it varies, but it did seem pretty common for schools to require you to start as a Masters student before going for the PhD, but that was for enviro sci programs, which may differ from similar earth science programs. 

Best of luck with the remainder of undergrad! Sounds like you are getting some great experiences, so keep it up!

[Navita]

Your subjects are awesome, environment and all. May be pursuing Masters would be a good choice. Good luck.