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How important is undergraduate institution , when it comes to the chances of getting admitted into quality PhD programs?
Where did you guys go prior?
Where did you guys go prior?
I go to the University of Notre Dame. I definitely don't think it is everything, but I think the name is helping me out somewhat. I have good stats, not great stats, but given my numbers I am actually doing better than I thought I would. I don't know if I should attribute that to my research, my gender, my statement, or my undergrad institution, but it personally think it has helped. I will let you know if it comes up on interviews.
I am also worried about this. I am going to interview at U of Central Florida this friday. In an email to all the invites i could see everyones email address. I got very intimidated becuase alot of them are like Upenn, cornell, UICUC, Pepperdine and other well known universities. I did my undergrad at SUNY-Binghamton. It is a GREAT school but doesnt really have the notoriety or wow factor. Whether it matters or not it is still so hard not to be intimidated
At this point, interviews, undergrad certainly does not matter. The fact that you're invited to interview tells you that you're on par with the other applicants. The competition is over, just relax and look for your match. just my two-cents
I definitely wouldn't do anything as drastic as getting another bachelors until you have retaken the GRE. You're application sounds very strong otherwise - I would guess that you just aren't making it through the initial cut because of your GRE.
I have a friend who is in a fairly similar situation - she only started speaking English when she was 18 and, although she now speaks it perfectly and is an excellent writer, she just hasn't had the time to build up her vocabulary in order to score really well on the verbal section. She ended up pulling up her score to a 500 and scored very well on the math (which is a much easier section to study for). She also really played up her ESL experience in her personal statement, treating it as a strength. So far, she has interviews at four clinical PhD programs, all very good schools.
Also, did you check the out the changes to the GRE? I know a big one is they are trying not to place as much emphasis on vocab words out of context - this might be helpful for you.
In regard to the GREs.....have you tried taking a course, hiring a private tutor, getting more study guides? Everything else looks good. It stinks that they are often used as a cut-off point (before an in-depth review), but that is just how it usually works.
-t
Its sounds like you have a great resume and that the only thing that may be holding you up are those GRE scores. Perhaps taking it over would greatly help out. I applied to 13 Ph.D programs last year and only had 3 interviews and 1 acceptance but what I am finding out is that my matches for those schools just weren't good. So now this time, after applying to only 5 schools I am already where I was last year and the only thing I changed was my selection of schools.
Although, you said that you are limited to one location?? So, I guess that could be a problem as well. I can only suggest taking the GRE over. I do not think you need to get a second degree if you already know what you want to do. Keep on trying.
I think the reputation of your undergrad institution is less important than the reputation of your mentor/ the lab where you have volunteered or worked. A lot of the big research institutions have less prestigious undergrad programs but simultaneously have some very powerful/ famous researchers. Dont get me wrong this is not the be all and end all but having a well known mentor really helps.
Ass or not... good LORs (from prof) and publishing rep (of your prof) are all that matter. Plus Blindblonde is right...nothing you can do about it at this point.
Also- Blindblonde- I've heard of Olgalthorpe plus I know someone coming from a similar situation who got into a top 10-15 clinical program. No worries.
That might be right, but I wouldn't ask an "ass" to write me one, since we did not like each other. Would be a bad idea. I asked other prof's. I only spend time in her lab, because no other lab spaces were available; probably because she 's an ass, lol.
Aww that sucks, never a fun situation to be in . At least you know what to avoid when looking at grad programs. I didn't know if you meant ass in general or nasty to you in particular...you were deff smart to avoid a rec from that one.
Get this, because I knew she was having some issues, I asked her to send a letter, stated that I did not need to see it, yet asked for a duplicate to my house, since one school wanted me to collect all material.
Well, of course, I opened it...believe me..I found what I was looking for. Prior to that, she had stated that she would be delighted (yes, delighted) to send a quality letter for me. So much for being an insecure, backstabbing bitch.
I wrote her an e-mail, after having read her "nice" LOR, and stated that I had a problem with a "prof" who did such and such , naming everything she had written, so she would know exactely that I meant her. I asked her what she would think my chances would be to file a lawsuit due to misleading, and screwing with a person's life. She said , she'd think, as long as I did not have anything in writing it would be a waste of time, to which I respondet , it would not be a problem since I had enough e-mails that would confirm my claims. I never heard from her after that. But at least, she knows what I think about her.
Nice story, huh?
Real nice--hope you didn't sign a LOR waiver for that school and they find out about this later.
How would they?
You can never tell what an admissions committee may dig up about you . . . including your posts on SDN.
Anyway, point being, IF you signed a waiver and then purposely tricked your professor into sending you one, then it doesn't seem like you're acting too professionally. Just my $.02
Well, I think it was necessary , since I suspected how "professional" that prof would act. However, digging up some info from this board? Boy, you really think you live in an open society, don't you?
That's why I don't become a citizen.
Well, I think it was necessary , since I suspected how "professional" that prof would act. However, digging up some info from this board? Boy, you really think you live in an open society, don't you?
That's why I don't become a citizen.
Actually, I was watching a Dateline or some similar show where they mentioned that both employers and Uni admissions boards are hiring tech services to dig up facebook, myspace, and other forum postings of people they're considering.
As for the letter thing, I know that universities take the waivers VERY seriously, that's why profs have to sign and date the envelope seals and everything. I would have just not asked her to write one for you if you thought that would happen.
I wonder why students should sign waivers like those anyway. If a prof is not willing to write a letter, he or she should just say so, if they are too wussie, that's too bad. Why put it on the student who depends on some of these people with the next five to six years of their lives?
Therefore in that case, I look out for myself.
I think it's because if you sign the waiver, the school knows that the prof is giving his/her honest opinion. If you don't, then they can't be sure of it.
It does suck. I know that when I picked up my stack of letters from my profs, there was nothing I wanted to do more than read them. But I trust the system, etc.
I don't. Comes with experience, I guess
Yep, I would have deff felt guilty if I read my letters.
Also, I agree. I would be careful what you put online...if your prof isn't into facebook/online forums- you can bet their Grad Students are. They look...I promise.
On a side note- some sharp kids on a band trip at my high school went crazy doing shrooms & other drugs while the chaperones werent looking. Brilliantly one of them recounted the events of the trip on their blog. Sure enough some parent ran across it and about half of the band got suspended from school etc. This is a true story... (sadly) I actually knew these people.
Don't be dumb and air your dirty laundry on the net. It will come back to bite you.
Yep, I would have deff felt guilty if I read my letters.
Also, I agree. I would be careful what you put online...if your prof isn't into facebook/online forums- you can bet their Grad Students are. They look...I promise.
On a side note- some sharp kids on a band trip at my high school went crazy doing shrooms & other drugs while the chaperones weren't looking. Brilliantly one of them recounted the events of the trip on their blog. Sure enough some parent ran across it and about half of the band got suspended from school etc. This is a true story... (sadly) I actually knew these people.
Don't be dumb and air your dirty laundry on the net. It will come back to bite you.