hmacneill

[hmacneill]

Thanks for your post. I’m sorry you had such a hard time with the GRE. Every school is different in regards to how much they use the GRE when making admissions decisions. Very few, use the score as a make or break point, though. It sounds like you have a strong academic background. Coupled with strong letters of recommendation and essays that clearly outline your goals, motivation and unique qualities should be enough for you to be considered at these schools.

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Originally posted by DonnaMB1223

So I just took my GRE and did horrible! I got 680(Q) and 630(V) – considering my major, Philosophy, I can’t believe I did no bad on the verbal section. The schools I’m applying to are posted above – what are my chances with a 3.9 GPA?

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AdmissionsConsultants
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[hmacneill]

Thanks for your post. You certainly have done well enough academically to be considered for admission to these programs. The areas you should be concerned about will be the work experience and research experience. You will, therefore, need to be able to show the admissions committee how the experience you have had so far is applicable and valuable in terms of preparing you for PhD study. You will also need to select strong letters of recommendation that will be able to speak for your maturity and abilities in the workforce/classroom. In addition, if you are able to provide the committee with unique qualities or experiences, that is always a plus.

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Originally posted by uscx1

Hello,

I will be applying for Finance Phd Programs this year. I plan to apply at the top schools (Penn, NYU, MIT, Duke, Stanford, Berkeley, Michigan, Carnegie-Mellon). My details are as follows:

Age: 23
GMAT: 780 (99%, Q:50, 95%, V:47, 99%, AWA:6.0, 96%)
UG Major: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
UG School: UC Berkeley (Graduated May 2005)
UG GPA: 3.54
Work Experience: < 1 year (1 year by the time I would enter phd program)
Job: Technical Marketing Engineer

I was wondering what my chances of admission are since I do not have much work experience (as I just graduated with a BS).

Thanks

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AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[hmacneill]

Thanks for your post. I think your biggest hurdle is going to be your grades and GRE scores. Your academics are strong but you will be competing against other applicants with similar grades and test scores so your biggest challenge is going to be setting yourself apart. Your research experience and publications will be a big plus. As long as you can distinguish yourself from the other applicants with unique experiences and qualities, you should be competitive for the schools you have listed. You will need to make sure that you have strong letters of recommendation that can identify your unique qualities and you will need to focus a lot of attention on your essays to make sure they provide plenty of insight into your skills and motivations. With these, you should feel comfortable in applying to the listed schools.
Heather

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Originally posted by Sylph

Hi
I’m applying to PhD programs for microbial pathogenesis at UC Davis, UCSF, UC Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon, and Yale. My undergrad GPA is 3.5 at Cornell, I’ve been published 4 times, and I’ve done 4-5 years of research. My GRE is inconsistent: 770V 760Q and 4.5 AWA. Are these schools in line with my record?

Thanks

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AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[hmacneill]

Thank you for your post. I believe your grades and test scores will put you within a competitive range at a school like Georgetown. They may not put you at the top of their applicant pool but you will likely be comparable to the majority of the applicants. This is good and bad, however. This kind of scenario will put more pressure on you to distinguish yourself from the rest of the applicants. Your research experience is one way, but you will also need to highlight your accomplishments and qualities throughout the rest of your application. Your letters of recommendation and essays will be crucial for this. Your area of focus and research will have a big impact on your ability to pursue a PhD in the future. If you are able to maintain good grades and develop an area of focus for research, you will be in good shape to apply to PhD programs.
Heather

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Originally posted by tsv1284

I am considering applying to a masters of science program in Biohazardous threat agents and emerging infectious diseases at Georgetown. I go to UPENN and I am double majoring in Biology and Anthropology with a 3.5-3.6 GPA, and I have 3 years of biomedical research lab experience. I took the GRE and got a 720 Q, 730 V. I was wondering how competitive these stats would be at a school like Georgetown. I am also curious how getting a masters degree in something like this would affect my chances of acceptance applying to PhD programs in a a pure science field like microbiology. Thanks

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AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[hmacneill]

Thanks for your post. You have listed a wide range of schools on your list, which is good. You will have challenges with some of the schools given your GPA and GRE scores. Improving your GRE will help this situation a bit, however, most schools will not admit on a good GRE alone. In your case, they will look to the GRE to address any concerns they have regarding your academic abilities. They will also look closely at your letters of recommendation, to help answer these questions. Therefore, it will be crucial for your references to address your abilities in the classroom and to state their confidence in your work. The essay will be a great way for you to talk about some of your extra work and achievements. This will be your opportunity to separate yourself from the rest of the applicant pool as a unique and qualified applicant. I do think you should re-take the GRE, to show them you are serious and capable of a better score. I do not think, however, that the subject test will do you that much good. Unless it is required, I think your efforts will be better spent elsewhere.

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Originally posted by olansari

Greetings,

I would be very grateful for your reply.

I am graduating with a 3.3 GPA from Concordia in Montreal in the Biochemistry COOP program. My GPA is not very high, however I have 16 months of full time lab research experience and letters from three professors who have supervised my work during those months. I also worked part time throughout my under grad career and participated in many extra curric activities. I also speak French and Italian fluently.

I took the GRE today, and I screwed up a bit, getting a 610 verbal and 700 quant (I didn’t take it seriously, only 2 days study)

I am having trouble gauging how competitive certain schools are, and I am very attracted to Wisconsin, Illinois at UC, Indiana Bloom, Tufts, Mayo, John Hopkins and Arizona State. I had wanted to apply to Brown and Cornell but I was told to be more realistic and not waste applications. I also have not yet done the subject test and am even considering not taking it since it is not mandatory at these schools.

Should I take it? (I will take the general GRE again)

Are the schools I listed reasonable or should I look to less demanding schools?

A young man with the dreams of plans to make cream

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AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[hmacneill]

Hello and thanks for your post. Your situation is not uncommon. Most of your Masters programs will value recommendations from work related references. They will put much more value on your work experience and your 2 year hiatus should not make a big difference. You may run into some trouble with the PhD programs. They may require/value an academic reference. You will want to find out, for sure, what their requirements are before applying. One thing to consider would be taking some graduate level courses to “prepare” you for study again. This would show an admissions committee dedication and motivation. It might also provide you with an academic reference.
Heathera

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Originally posted by Mykinator

Hi I have a fairly straightforward question and I’m not sure if this has been asked before … I graduated from Michigan with a Computer Science UnderGrad degree and have been in the industry for nearly 2 years now. I would like to attend a grad school to attain a Masters and possibly a PhD.

However, since most schools require 3 letters of recommendation, I have found it difficult to select the right people. I have been out of the school for 2 years and so professors may not remember me so much. I could request recommendations from my current manager and director who know me at a far more recent time scale.

Question is: what combination of people to select at recommenders? And does my 2 year hiatus, directly or indirectly, affect my chances of acceptance? Thanks!

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AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[hmacneill]

Hello and thanks for your post. It sounds like you have a stellar background and are well poised to apply to many of these programs. Keep in mind that some of your work and effort will go into writing a strong essay that effectively communicates these qualities and achievements. With a strong essay, letters of recommendation, your strong GPA and test scores you should be competitive for these programs. Funding is a much harder thing to predict. Masters funding is harder to come by and it can change from year to year. So what is available one year may not be the next. I would not necessary recommend that you apply for a PhD and then drop out for the Masters. Part of a strong application is being able to communicate your desires and intentions. If you truly do not want a PhD, that may come out in your message and you may not be as successful with your application. With the right application you should be a very competitive application, and will likely be considered for the funding that is available.
Heather

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Originally posted by lefty

I’m a final year Electronic Engineering student at a prominent university in the UK with a GRE of 1450 (770-Q, 680-V) and 5.0 Analytical. TOEFL – 293. I’m keen to pursue an MS in the signal processing/communications area in one of the top ten schools (the likes of Stanford, Berkeley etc) , with full funding. I’ve consistently been in the top 2 % of my class and was a research intern at Siemens Corporate Research in the US this summer. Based on my final year project (still in progress), I am told by my supervisor (who happens to be from MIT) that a conference paper is in the offing. My reccomendation letters should all be quite solid. And if it counts, i’m 21 and have spent my life in 7 countries (x 3 years) !! I have a pretty good extra curricular record (Member of three university sports teams, Chief Editor of the hall magazine and a stint on the Student Council).
my questions:
1. My chances at getting admission for an M.S. program in one of the top ten schools.
2. I believe its difficult to get funding at the Masters level, so is it better to apply for a Phd and then drop out with a Masters ? Or do I stand a good chance of being fully funded for the masters program ? Any strategies towards maximal funding would be well appreciated.

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AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[hmacneill]

quote:

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Originally posted by lefty

I’m a final year Electronic Engineering student at a prominent university in the UK with a GRE of 1450 (770-Q, 680-V) and 5.0 Analytical. TOEFL – 293. I’m keen to pursue an MS in the signal processing/communications area in one of the top ten schools (the likes of Stanford, Berkeley etc) , with full funding. I’ve consistently been in the top 2 % of my class and was a research intern at Siemens Corporate Research in the US this summer. Based on my final year project (still in progress), I am told by my supervisor (who happens to be from MIT) that a conference paper is in the offing. My reccomendation letters should all be quite solid. And if it counts, i’m 21 and have spent my life in 7 countries (x 3 years) !! I have a pretty good extra curricular record (Member of three university sports teams, Chief Editor of the hall magazine and a stint on the Student Council).
my questions:
1. My chances at getting admission for an M.S. program in one of the top ten schools.
2. I believe its difficult to get funding at the Masters level, so is it better to apply for a Phd and then drop out with a Masters ? Or do I stand a good chance of being fully funded for the masters program ? Any strategies towards maximal funding would be well appreciated.

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AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[hmacneill]

Thank you for your post. I do think your Graduate GPA will be considered in your admissions decision. You do not have a “low” undergraduate GPA and paired with your graduate work I think you have proven your academic ability in the classroom. If you have not met the minimum score for the schools you are applying to then you may want to consider retaking the GREs. The GRE test is just one area of the application packet. I think if your score is part of a highly competitive application (great essay and letters of recommendation) you would be better served focusing on your thesis project. Your GRE is important but other elements of the application, together, are often the most important. We do hourly consulting or entire application packages if you are interested. Feel free to call if you would like to explore these further.
Heather

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Originally posted by umberto

Hello. I’m applying to Princeton, Yale, and the University of Chicago in the Humanities–among others. I know that I am an excellent interest match for these programs in particular and my recommendations should be really top notch. However, with so many people applying these days, I am afraid I won’t get past the first cut. I have a 3.7 GPA in my undergraduate studies at Columbia and the University of Chicago with a challenging but eclectic program. I am finishing a top masters program in my particular area are with a 4.0. My GRE scores are 740 verbal and a 5.5 analytic writing. My questions are these: 1) Can a 4.0 at a graduate level counteract a lowish undergraduate G.P.A.? and 2) Do I really have to retake my GREs? I have a masters thesis to work on and I really, really don’t want to if it doesn’t actually matter! Also, I would be interested in consulting someone privately about recommendations. Do you do person to person e-mail consulting?

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AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[hmacneill]

Thanks for your post. It sounds like you have worked hard and done well in your undergraduate studies. You are selecting some top schools where admission is very selective. A very important factor for PhD admissions is how well your research interests match those of the program you are applying to. More specifically, is there a faculty member there that is working in an area that you are interested in? For international students it is sometimes required that your transcripts be evaluated by an outside agency. They will translate your transcripts so that the admissions committee can get a feel for how they compare to a US standard. Assuming that your grades fall towards the top of the applicant pool and you are able to do well on your GRE test you will be in good shape. After that you will need to work hard on communicating your interests and abilities to study at any one of these schools. They will want to hear about what you want to study and what you hope to do with your degree. Some of their decision goes beyond the GPA and GRE. They will be looking for unique individuals that will help bring a good name to their program and University.

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Originally posted by Barranquillero

Hi,

I am from Colombia. Recently, I finished a degree which is equivalent to bachelor in Computer Science. I am interested in applying to PhD in the top 5 universities in computer science in USA; those are MIT, UC at Berkeley, Stanford U and CMU. I would like to know what you think about my chances in these Universities.

My Background is:

– I receive a golden medal which accredits me as the best student of all graduates in all the programs (Which is top in my country).
– I got a scholarship from the University of South Florida, to participate in Research Experience Program for Undergraduates the last summer.
– My principal research experience was a project which last a year and was part of my requirements to graduate.
– I think I will have strong recommendation letters.
– I have not done the GRE yet, I hope to do well in the Quantitative but in the verbal part I don’t sure how well. I project getting more than 750 in quantitative and more than 500 in verbal.
– I have some extra curricular activities, besides them: I was part of advanced math research group, I was selected to represent the students of my program at the student’s council, I participated in program to form research, I was vice president of the student chapter of IEEE.

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AdmissionsConsultants
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[hmacneill]

Taking classes in your chosen field and performing well in them is always a great way to show the admissions committee ability and motivation. It will depend on the program you are applying to, whether they will allow you to “transfer” or “apply”. But having the classes on your transcripts (especially if they are A’s) can help.

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Originally posted by kenypowa

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Originally posted by hmacneill

Hi and thanks for your post. A strong application will always need to include strong letters of recommendation and personal statement. This is even more true when you are coming in with a low GPA. The admissions committee is going to need to know why and how you will succeed academically in their program. Your letters and essays will need to explain your academic history and provide reasons/examples for why you will do well at the graduate level. With a low GPA even these things may not be enough. The committee will probably look to see how well you did in your science classes or ask for a “major GPA”. Since you are almost done with school, at this point you will need to focus a lot on your GRE tests + subject test and supplemental application materials. You may need to expand your list of schools that you plan to attend to in case they won’t consider an application with a 2.0 GPA (some will have an automatic minimum GPA). I do think your applying to your chosen programs is worth a shot but you should keep your goals realistic and think about expanding your options.
Heather MacNeill

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Thanks for the reply. I really appreciate it.

I have another question regarding grad school admission.
I’ve talked to a councillor in NYU and she recommended that i could apply as a non-degree student first. After i have completed some courses , then i can apply into their graduate programs (assuming i do well and meet the transfer requirement) and that i can transfer some, if not all the credits.

Do you think it’s a good alternative to get into graduate school for some people who don’t have a very good GPA?

thanks!!

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AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[hmacneill]

Thanks for your post and sorry for the delay in getting back to you. You certainly have a great background with a lot of unique experience. This will be very valuable to an admissions committee. Your lack of engineering classes and GRE will likely impact your chances, though. Working on improving your GRE score is a good place to start. This will show the admissions committee some improvement and ability in this area. The reason they will want to see coursework in engineering is 1) to see your proficiency in the subject and 2) to see your determination and commitment to the subject matter. I do believe your work experience is a good indicator of your determination as well but it just might not be enough. That said, I don’t think your application to this kind of program is out of the question. I do think it will take outstanding letters of recommendation and a great statement of purpose to have the admissions committee overlook the lack of engineering academics and GRE. You certainly do have some positives in your background to base your application on.
Heather

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Originally posted by winvers

Hi,

I’m trying to figure out my chances for Stanford MEng in Management Science & Engineering. I am applying to do a dual degree between the MEng and the MBA at Stanford GSB (I already got feedback on MBA in the relevant section so just want MEng feedback).

The strong points (academics & work experience):

Graduated from an Ivy in just 3 semesters with 3.7. While there, did research with B-school prof, TAed 2nd year MBA finance course, founded an MBA club, organized large tech conference, got elected to another MBA club board.

Experience: Founded my first company at 14 with $500, grew to total sales of almost $400,000 over 2 years (opportunity dried up after). I currently just turned 20, have 18 months full-time experience (of which all but 8 were concurrent with my degree – yes, I had no life in college, in case you are wondering). Basically I founded a software company, grew it to 7 people with a number of customers, 2 offices in SanFran & NYC.

The weak points (lack of engineering background, poor GRE):

My major was Econ, and I had a very limited number of purely quant classes, none of them engineering (finance, math, econ). Expecting my GRE to be about 650 Verbal (OK), 720 Math (sucks).

As far as I can see, I can draw very compelling reasons for why I want to go, as well as very strong record of entrepreneurial/technology experience & leadership, as well as academics. But does that cover for lack of engineering background and for the awful GRE math section?

Thanks a lot!

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AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[hmacneill]

Thanks for your post. You’ve provided some good information but it is still hard to predict without a few more details. Admissions committees will be looking at the cumulative GPA and the grades within the major. Most graduate programs will also want to see high GRE scores. Equally important will be the letters of recommendation and statement of purpose. These will help the applicant communicate their motivation and unique qualities. If your friend is applying to PhD programs, then yes research experience is essential. Taking the job at Microsoft may help him gain good experience and contacts, so it would be valuable. He may also want to look into opportunities that will allow more research work. As long as he is spending his time since graduation on work that the admissions committee considers valuable, then the “rusty” in course work is not an issue.

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Originally posted by rich_acd

I have a question from a friend. He is an international student who is about to complete his Bachelor’s from India. His background is:

– University: Netaji Institute of Technololgy
– Aggregate: 80% (In top 20% of this department)
– 1 Summer Internship: Involved in Databases
– Various academic projects in Databases & Software Coding

My concerns are:
– The Univeristy above in not IIT
– He is in top 20%, not top 5%
– Does not have much teaching or research experience which to highlight how he has been prepared for Graduate School
– The fields (databases & coding) he does have experience in are not the ones he wants to pursue in Graduate School

He has also gotten a job in Microsoft in India. He is wondering whether he should opt for the job and earn some experience and thus may get into a better Graduate School, or should he directly go for Graduate School? I have been told that work experience in the industry is not considered equivalent to research experience, and is also seen as the person becoming rusty in course work. I am also not sure whether the experience he will gain in Microsoft will be in Networking (the field that he is interested in). What do you suggest he do?

Thanks!

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AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[hmacneill]

An applicant’s ability to finance their education is typically not taken into consideration when making admissions decisions. It is assumed the student will cover such costs. However, I think it would be worth while to let the schools know, your ability to finance your education.

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Originally posted by rich_acd

I am an international student, and thus I am required to complete a Financial Statement for each Engineering graduate school I apply to. I was wondering how much does my ability to cover the entire tuition cost affects my admissions probability? Would they not admit me if they see that they can’t provide me funding and the amount of money I have put into my Financial Statement is not sufficient to cover costs, even if they might have admitted me otherwise?

Thanks!

– Richa

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AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[hmacneill]

Thanks for your post. Admissions statistics change from year to year which is why you may not be able to find any specific numbers. Admissions standards are typically pretty high, but I can tell you that we have helped clients gain acceptance to the program in the past. I think age is usually not the issue for an admissions committee but maturity is. As long as the applicant can convey a certain level of maturity and experience, age should not make a difference.
Best of luck in you application.

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Originally posted by cugradje

I’m looking to apply to the Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government but I can’t find admissions statistics anywhere. What’s the acceptance rate? Is there a certain age under which they won’t seriously consider you? And so on…any information, even rudimentary stuff, would be very helpful. Thanks

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AdmissionsConsultants
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