Ask AdmissionsConsultants

[hmacneill]

Those certainly sound like they have the potential to be good letters of recommendation – but the strength comes from what they say about you. It sounds like you are applying with good grades – all of these things will help you in the review process. The part that is difficult to do at this point is identifying the qualities that will help you stand out from the rest of the applicants. That is where the essay and the letters come in. Good luck.
Heather

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Originally posted by LaUntamedShrew

Thank you for the advice/information. I have an undergrad GPA of 3.48 and a Praxis I score of 543. I didn’t know how important each factor is in the admissions decision. I know you stated the importance of essays and letters of recommendation. One of my letters is from the head of my University Museum, where I helped implement an educational summer art program and taught a variety of classes. I mention this experience in detail within my essay as being a big part of my inspiration to continue teaching. The other letters are from my undergrad professors.

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Originally posted by hmacneill

Thanks for you post. Graduate teaching programs are consistently competitive because of the number of applicants each year. It’s good to have a diverse and sometimes long list when submitting applications. I do think you have a pretty diverse list but I can’t say that any of them will be “easy”. I would typically advise applying to at least 5 programs. Showing the admissions committee, through your essays and letters of recommendation, that you have a strong passion for the profession along with a unique set of goals upon graduation, can often help you stand out amongst a large candidate pool. Good luck with your applications.
Heather

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Originally posted by LaUntamedShrew

Admissions Consultant,

I am a recent college graduate (May 2011) from Ole Miss applying to Master of Arts in Teaching programs in the state of Maryland, through which I hope to gain Maryland teacher certification. I have taken off a year and worked as a freelance photographer and graphic designer. I was an art major and English minor as an undergrad. I hope to become certified to teach secondary English. Most MAT programs require either a major in desired subject or at least 24-32 credit hours. I have 30+ hours of English courses. I have applied to 4 programs presently (Notre Dame of Maryland, Goucher, Loyola, and Johns Hopkins). I have been unable to find out a great deal about how competitive each program is. All my material has been sent, with the exception of one rec letter. I send a friendly reminder to my professor and have been guaranteed it will be sent out this week. Any advice for possible interviews or insight into MAT program selectivity would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

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AdmissionsConsultants
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AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

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[cjohn1524]

Dear Admissions Consultants,

I am an undergraduate student attending Eastern Illinois University, unlike most of these posters, an lower ranked University. I am a psychology major and have a 3.8 G.P.A, an 1100 on my GRE, very strong recommendations, and research and internship experience along with many extracurricular activities. I was just going to apply to masters programs until I sat down with a professor of mine who convinced me to apply to PhD programs as well. At this time I was taking finals, working, and applying to programs so I wasn’t able to put 100 percent into the programs like I had wished. Unfortunately my transcripts were sent to the wrong department at one school and didn’t make it to another which left with me no consideration for 2 schools and rejection to one. I am now left with only masters programs, which I am fine with, but I’m confused on where to go from here. I mostly only researched PhD programs and now that I’m looking for masters its a bit more difficult to figure out what school to go to due to transferring credits etc. I want to go into clinical psychology and eventually receive my PhD, but there are not many Masters programs in clinical psychology that I have found. The question that Im asking is do you recommend me taking a year off and applying to PhD programs again in the fall or going into a Masters program in clinical or general psychology. Eastern has a good clinical program, but I feel as though I can do better. Ive proved myself at this University and want to explore a more prestigious university. Any feedback would help!

Thanks

[hmacneill]

Thanks for the post. It’s hard to make this determination without a thorough examination of your experience and transcripts. I do think that if your ultimate goal is to get a PhD it might make sense to take the year off to prepare to apply to such programs. Typically, I suggest Masters programs to applicants that need to improve their grades or gain more experience. If you do take the year off – I suggest you make sure that you spend that time gaining more experience in research – show the admissions committee that the year off was productive. Good luck with your search.
Heather

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Originally posted by cjohn1524

Dear Admissions Consultants,

I am an undergraduate student attending Eastern Illinois University, unlike most of these posters, an lower ranked University. I am a psychology major and have a 3.8 G.P.A, an 1100 on my GRE, very strong recommendations, and research and internship experience along with many extracurricular activities. I was just going to apply to masters programs until I sat down with a professor of mine who convinced me to apply to PhD programs as well. At this time I was taking finals, working, and applying to programs so I wasn’t able to put 100 percent into the programs like I had wished. Unfortunately my transcripts were sent to the wrong department at one school and didn’t make it to another which left with me no consideration for 2 schools and rejection to one. I am now left with only masters programs, which I am fine with, but I’m confused on where to go from here. I mostly only researched PhD programs and now that I’m looking for masters its a bit more difficult to figure out what school to go to due to transferring credits etc. I want to go into clinical psychology and eventually receive my PhD, but there are not many Masters programs in clinical psychology that I have found. The question that Im asking is do you recommend me taking a year off and applying to PhD programs again in the fall or going into a Masters program in clinical or general psychology. Eastern has a good clinical program, but I feel as though I can do better. Ive proved myself at this University and want to explore a more prestigious university. Any feedback would help!

Thanks

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[CML55]

Hi!

I am currently applying to top ranked MPA programs (American is my #1 choice) for nonprofit management.

I worry that the winding road I took to get to nonprofits may be problematic. I have a BBA in Marketing from Univ. of Mississippi (3.65 GPA) and a JD from a third tier law school (3.85 GPA). I have volunteered and worked for various nonprofits since I was in HS, and even though I have always wanted to be an advocate, I was pushed into more ‘lucrative’ career paths (law), sadly unaware that nonprofit management was a viable and rewarding career path and where I could more effectively advocate based on my skill set (and where my heart is).

Now that I am on that path, I have done marketing, communications, and development freelancing and volunteering for several small and medium sized NPs for about two years (some while in law school) to get a feel for the work and learn more. But I worry that because I haven’t worked in DC or have any other fancy work experience, I will be discounted, esp because of my legal related internship and summer experiences.

Am I being irrational or realistic?

(Also, I am planning on taking the GRE soon, but am thinking I can get in the 160 range.)

Thanks in advance!

(also i posted this as a new topic by mistake, and do not know how to delete!!)

[hmacneill]

Thanks for your post. You are right – schools will look for a certain amount and kind of experience. A winding road is not problematic as long as you can show how the experience helped you come to realization that an MPA is the right decision now. You will want to show the admissions committee that the experience that you do have, has given you great insight into the field and has helped you better refine your goals. Continue to get experience and try to expand your list of schools to help better your chances. Good luck.
Heather

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Originally posted by CML55

Hi!

I am currently applying to top ranked MPA programs (American is my #1 choice) for nonprofit management.

I worry that the winding road I took to get to nonprofits may be problematic. I have a BBA in Marketing from Univ. of Mississippi (3.65 GPA) and a JD from a third tier law school (3.85 GPA). I have volunteered and worked for various nonprofits since I was in HS, and even though I have always wanted to be an advocate, I was pushed into more ‘lucrative’ career paths (law), sadly unaware that nonprofit management was a viable and rewarding career path and where I could more effectively advocate based on my skill set (and where my heart is).

Now that I am on that path, I have done marketing, communications, and development freelancing and volunteering for several small and medium sized NPs for about two years (some while in law school) to get a feel for the work and learn more. But I worry that because I haven’t worked in DC or have any other fancy work experience, I will be discounted, esp because of my legal related internship and summer experiences.

Am I being irrational or realistic?

(Also, I am planning on taking the GRE soon, but am thinking I can get in the 160 range.)

Thanks in advance!

(also i posted this as a new topic by mistake, and do not know how to delete!!)

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AdmissionsConsultants
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[stringbeanjean]

I came across this forum when I did a Google search for information on the competitiveness of MAT programs in the Baltimore area. I feel as though I could have written the posts by LaUntamedShrew. I graduated in 2010 with a BA in English. I am currently finishing up an MA at Notre Dame of Maryland. Over the past two years, I have developed a strong desire to become an English teacher. I was accepted to an alternative certification/residency program but, after getting a few reviews of the program, I decided that I wanted to seek an MAT program instead. I applied to Hopkins, Loyola, and UMBC for the Fall 2012 semester for Secondary English and have a nearly identical undergrad GPA/Praxis I score. As a current graduate student at Notre Dame, I can tell you that its programs are not terribly competitive. It is a wonderful school but little-known and small. I would assume that Loyola is a slightly more competitive school due to its larger size and well-publicized program. Hopkins, I’d imagine, is quite competitive as they have a program that is known nationwide as being one of the best in the country. I hope that this information helps a little. It would be pretty neat if we were both accepted to the same school!

quote:

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Originally posted by LaUntamedShrew

Thank you for the advice/information. I have an undergrad GPA of 3.48 and a Praxis I score of 543. I didn’t know how important each factor is in the admissions decision. I know you stated the importance of essays and letters of recommendation. One of my letters is from the head of my University Museum, where I helped implement an educational summer art program and taught a variety of classes. I mention this experience in detail within my essay as being a big part of my inspiration to continue teaching. The other letters are from my undergrad professors

quote:

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Originally posted by hmacneill

Thanks for you post. Graduate teaching programs are consistently competitive because of the number of applicants each year. It’s good to have a diverse and sometimes long list when submitting applications. I do think you have a pretty diverse list but I can’t say that any of them will be “easy”. I would typically advise applying to at least 5 programs. Showing the admissions committee, through your essays and letters of recommendation, that you have a strong passion for the profession along with a unique set of goals upon graduation, can often help you stand out amongst a large candidate pool. Good luck with your applications.
Heather

quote:

---

Originally posted by LaUntamedShrew

Admissions Consultant,

I am a recent college graduate (May 2011) from Ole Miss applying to Master of Arts in Teaching programs in the state of Maryland, through which I hope to gain Maryland teacher certification. I have taken off a year and worked as a freelance photographer and graphic designer. I was an art major and English minor as an undergrad. I hope to become certified to teach secondary English. Most MAT programs require either a major in desired subject or at least 24-32 credit hours. I have 30+ hours of English courses. I have applied to 4 programs presently (Notre Dame of Maryland, Goucher, Loyola, and Johns Hopkins). I have been unable to find out a great deal about how competitive each program is. All my material has been sent, with the exception of one rec letter. I send a friendly reminder to my professor and have been guaranteed it will be sent out this week. Any advice for possible interviews or insight into MAT program selectivity would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

---

AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

Keep up with us on:

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[stringbeanjean]

Also, LaUntamedShrew, if you have received word on your acceptance to any of these programs, I would like to hear about it since we are quite similar applicants.

[gradschoolQ]

This thread is a great resource!

My questions is somewhat unusual compared to the normal questions on here. I have a 740 GMAT score, a 3.5 undergrad GPA from a top 25 undergrad, a solid job out of college for the past 5 years and a huge problem.

When I was a freshman, I was suspended in my first semester for the entire semester for getting into a drunken fight on campus. I have no criminal record, but the suspension is on my transcript. It’s been almost a decade at this point, and I still wonder whether its even worth it at all to apply to grad school as I’ll probably get shuffled to the bottom of the pile regardless of scores or GPA. My understanding is that ethical violations are a huge concern, but any hint of responsibility for violence is an instant black list. Is it worth trying to apply or is the possibility of getting into a decent program so slim that its a waste of my time?

[hmacneill]

It’s important to know the kind of program you are applying to – conduct issues can certainly have an impact on admissions. Your solid work history will certainly work in your favor – but the impact of the suspension will depend on the kind of program you are hoping to attend.
Heather

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Originally posted by gradschoolQ

This thread is a great resource!

My questions is somewhat unusual compared to the normal questions on here. I have a 740 GMAT score, a 3.5 undergrad GPA from a top 25 undergrad, a solid job out of college for the past 5 years and a huge problem.

When I was a freshman, I was suspended in my first semester for the entire semester for getting into a drunken fight on campus. I have no criminal record, but the suspension is on my transcript. It’s been almost a decade at this point, and I still wonder whether its even worth it at all to apply to grad school as I’ll probably get shuffled to the bottom of the pile regardless of scores or GPA. My understanding is that ethical violations are a huge concern, but any hint of responsibility for violence is an instant black list. Is it worth trying to apply or is the possibility of getting into a decent program so slim that its a waste of my time?

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AdmissionsConsultants
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[gradschoolQ]

quote:

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Originally posted by hmacneill

It’s important to know the kind of program you are applying to – conduct issues can certainly have an impact on admissions. Your solid work history will certainly work in your favor – but the impact of the suspension will depend on the kind of program you are hoping to attend.
Heather

quote:

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Originally posted by gradschoolQ

This thread is a great resource!

My questions is somewhat unusual compared to the normal questions on here. I have a 740 GMAT score, a 3.5 undergrad GPA from a top 25 undergrad, a solid job out of college for the past 5 years and a huge problem.

When I was a freshman, I was suspended in my first semester for the entire semester for getting into a drunken fight on campus. I have no criminal record, but the suspension is on my transcript. It’s been almost a decade at this point, and I still wonder whether its even worth it at all to apply to grad school as I’ll probably get shuffled to the bottom of the pile regardless of scores or GPA. My understanding is that ethical violations are a huge concern, but any hint of responsibility for violence is an instant black list. Is it worth trying to apply or is the possibility of getting into a decent program so slim that its a waste of my time?

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AdmissionsConsultants
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Thanks Heather. By “kind of program,” I’m assuming you’re talking about tiers?

Given the situation, would it still be possible to get into any top 50 programs, or is that out the window?

Thanks.

[gradschoolQ]

Sorry that I didnt clarify, I was speaking about MBA programs. Would my chances increase if I looked at masters programs instead?

[hmacneill]

Thanks for clarifying. The reason I asked was because there is a specific board dedicated to MBA questions that would better address your concerns. Try reposting your question there instead.
Thanks.
Heather

quote:

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Originally posted by gradschoolQ

Sorry that I didnt clarify, I was speaking about MBA programs. Would my chances increase if I looked at masters programs instead?

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[ashif_it]

Hello,

I did my BSc in 2004 with very low gpa(2.4 out of 4)…but since then I have improved and published some of my research work and did Research based MSc in Computer science in 2011 with high gpa (4 out of 4), I have also relevant job experience of 8 years, so now what are my chances to get admission in PhD or MSc in Canada? BTW..I graduated from Bangladesh and a Canadian immigrant now.

Thanks
Ashif

[hmacneill]

Thanks for your post. Certainly, doing well on your Masters program and having research experience will help you be more competitive for PhD programs. Keep in mind, though, that a competitive application is more than a GPA and test score. You will need to show the committee that your research goals are in line with their faculty and that your experience has given you good perspective and helped shape your goals. Good letters of recommendation are important as well. Good luck with your search.
Heather

quote:

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Originally posted by ashif_it

Hello,

I did my BSc in 2004 with very low gpa(2.4 out of 4)…but since then I have improved and published some of my research work and did Research based MSc in Computer science in 2011 with high gpa (4 out of 4), I have also relevant job experience of 8 years, so now what are my chances to get admission in PhD or MSc in Canada? BTW..I graduated from Bangladesh and a Canadian immigrant now.

Thanks
Ashif

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AdmissionsConsultants
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[laura2013]

Dear Admissions Consultants,

I would like to do an IR degree in the US (dual MA/JD actually) and wondered what kind of school to apply to. Here is my profile:

undergrad Economics and Politics from the University of London; no GPA but first class honors (roughly 78% which is pretty good in the UK)
no major work experience though other than short term internships: one month at the German parliament, one month at the European parliament, three months as a research assistant to an IR professor at a Korean university in Seoul
languages: German (mother tongue), fluent English and French, elementary Korean

My dream program would be GTown MSFS, also considereing GWU, NYU, SIPA and Chicago. Do you think it is worth applying to those schools or should I look at lower ranked schools?

Thank you for your help!

[Author]

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