<p>My mother went to a 4th-tier school for undergraduate and finished with research experience with around a 3.98. She had a family-contact at a top 10 school and ended up backdooring her way in, and her parents paid for her Ph.D. program–she got no funding. But, she did earn her Ph.D. in 3 years. (This was in a major department, by the way)</p>
<p>Of course, this was back in the late 70’s or early 80’s.</p>