<p>ccpsux- Of course both high gpa and research is desirable. But I think you overestimate the worth of high gpa, and underestimate value of okay gpa from strong institute/department, and you way underestimate research.</p>
<p>Demonstrated research shows much about how you work independently, how you work as a team, how driven your are, what your potential is, your intellectual capacity and thirsts, your interests. You can argue a point all you like, but you won’t get any points for it from people who know better than you.</p>
<p>Have you read this? If your field is CS related and you are not in grad school, do so now before posting further:
<a href=“http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~harchol/gradschooltalk.pdf[/url]”>http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~harchol/gradschooltalk.pdf</a></p>
<p>This paper was a good read for my grad student, when that student was an undergrad, and not a 3.8 one either, but still was accepted to 3 top 20 schools. I guess it gets a lot harder for top 4 schools.</p>