<p>From WilliamC, posted on another thread that basically sums up on how to get in grad school:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>whatâs a reasonable number of engineering graduate schools to apply to?</p>
<p>is 8 too many?</p>
<p>also, if iâm white, should i identify my race on applications?</p>
<p>Race is not a huge factor in graduate school admissions, so I wouldnât worry about correctly identifying your race on the application.</p>
<p>do ivies review applications holistically as they do with undergrads?</p>
<p>I canât believe you havnât learned that simply applying to the ivies is a really bad idea.</p>
<p>and no.</p>
<p>
Graduate schools in general review application in a somewhat holistic manner, insofar as numerical factors are not the only ones considered. </p>
<p>But the factors considered at the graduate school level are quite different from those considered at the undergraduate level. Undergraduate schools are looking for well-rounded students who will contribute to campus life, while graduate schools are looking for future scholars in a field. Accordingly, graduate schools emphasize academic factors like course record, faculty recommendations, research experience, and/or quality of written work, and are not concerned with extracurriculars, community service, or âpersonalityâ.</p>
<p>Hi!</p>
<p>Iâm applying to Ph.D. programs this fall, but I am concerned about two areas in particular. I received an F in a course my Freshman year, retook the class and received an A. My cumulative undergraduate GPA is 3.8. Will the F affect my admission chances? Do I need to explain it in my SOP or as an addendum, or should I not address it at all? I also have a W for one class my junior year (an emergency medical issue made me have to drop out at a late dateâthe class was an intensive five days a week language course and I couldnât attend every class due to health reasons; instead I signed up for an independent study and research to keep my semester rigorous).</p>
<p>Everything else on my transcript is rock solid grade wise (and challenging). So, do I need to explain the two anomalies or does it not matter?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Donât mention either at all. Your transcript will clearly show you tanked one class when you were 18 and then got straightened out.</p>
<p>The W is completely irrelevant with one âbutâ: if it was in a language relevant to your intended PhD field, you <em>might</em> ask one of your LOR writers to address it.</p>
<p>Look back over this thread - there are quite a few instances just like yourâs.</p>
<p>Now relax and write a great SOP!</p>
<p>WilliamC, </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>The language I got a W in isnât needed for my Ph.D. so I guess I wonât mention it either. The SOP is an entirely other, stressful, matter. I know what needs to be includedâdiscussion of research interests, background that will make me a good scholar, future plans, etc.âbut putting it all together, especially beginning it, is tough.</p>
<p>Hello,</p>
<p>I am working towards my dual MS in Financial Engineering and Mathematics at Claremont Mckenna College in Southern California. I currently have an internship at Merril Lynch and will be graduating in December '08 with a 3.5/4.0 GPA. I am applying to both Columbia and Princeton for their P.h.D. programs in Financial Engineering this Fall. I just got off the phone with an admissions officer at Columbia and she said that âthus far they have rejected all of their applicants but I am welcome to applyâ. She was not willing to disclose any of the applicants statistics. What are my chances???</p>
<p>DeidreR2009,</p>
<p>I would have to agree with William C. Both Junior and Senior year of the undergrad are the important years because those are the years in which you are taking the more advanced courses relevant to the degree you wish to pursue. Also, Kudos to your current GPA!!!</p>
<p>financialecon24 - that doesnât soound quite right to me. Most programs stack up their apps. until the deadline and only then begin making cuts. Columbia states as much on their website (assuming youâre talking about the B-School):</p>
<p>[Doctoral</a> Program : PhD Application Deadline](<a href=âhttp://www4.gsb.columbia.edu/phd/learnmore/deadlines]Doctoralâ>http://www4.gsb.columbia.edu/phd/learnmore/deadlines)</p>
<p>That said, the odds for admission look pretty slim. Finance and Econ admitted 5 of 219 applicants (last year presumably) - about 2.3%</p>
<p>Iâd suggest a backup plan or at least about 8-10 more schools. And of course, talk to your professors. Donât be afraid to ask âAm I in the 3% that will get in on the first try?â. </p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>I am applying to Journalism programs for the Fall of 2009 but I am in a bit of a bind: </p>
<p>I am halfway through my senior year of my second bachelors (in technical communications current GPA is 3.65) after doing terribly on my first one (2.58 GPA in Public Policy from a state school) </p>
<p>Though there is a four year gap between the two, how should I explain my predicament in my application? I am hesitant about mentioning this in my SOP and my current version completely ignores the fact that I am going for a second bachelors. I am thinking of including an addendum. </p>
<p>I am more interested in knowing how the Admissions Committees react to my case.</p>
<p>There is no predicament - although youâll have to send transcripts from all schools youâve attended, you donât have to mention the first one in your SOP. Remember, your SOP is more about where youâre going than where youâve been.</p>
<p>Definitely do not include an addendum - although this seems like a big deal to you, adcoms see applications like yours (and mine) every fall and can easily see that youâve matured into an excellent student. However, if you feel utterly compelled to mention it, ask one of your LOR writers to bring it up in the context of how youâve matured as a scholar and so forth.</p>
<p>My D just told me a sad news. The college just change an admission process to graduate school from the one that they had for her program prior her applying to college 4 years ago. Looks like her 4 years might go to waste since her GPA is lower than the new standards for admission for graduate school.
What can we do? Weâre in totally panic mode. SOS!</p>
<p>I am not sure that I understand what you are talking about. Your daughter is a senior in college applying to graduate schools and her GPA is now too low to be considered for admission at that program? Apply to other programs with lower required GPAâs.</p>
<p>JB 12- How much lower is her GPA? Grad schools look at much more than GPA. What are her research interests? How are her GRE scores? Does she belong to any honor societies? Make sure that she gets recommendations from A level professors. The better known, and more widely known the prof - the more valuable the recommendation. Have your daughter research some of the profs in the dept into which she will apply. Have her include her research interests, and what faculty she would be interested in working with in her personal statement. When a candidate researches the faculty and demonstrates that he/she has a clear goal and interest, it is a big factor in the admissions process.</p>
<p>How in the name of all that is holy does a college education âgo to wasteâ because a student does not go to graduate school?</p>
<p>LOL, nice, professor X.</p>