Hi all, just wanted to share that I got accepted to the Master of Social work program at my alma mater. I got my bachelor’s degree 8 years ago and then took a lot of time off to be a stay-at-home mom, so this is really a dream come true! Here’s to beginning new chapters! Onward and upward!

Hi , I am an undergraduate aiming for a PhD in Condensed matter physics. Just wondering the ideal GPA that makes you strongly eligible for grad school.

Hey, I am currently studying chemical engineering at Aalborg University (in Denmark), and I will obtain my bachelors in June 2025. I have been looking into the possibility to study my masters or potentially a Ph.D. in chemical engineering at MIT, but I am having trouble finding information regarding international students for masters/Ph.D., and I was hoping some of you know where I can obtain some information regarding funding/scholarships, requirements, test-scores etc..., or perhaps themselves is an international student at MIT at the masters or higher level. I have calculated my current GPA at my bachelors to 4.2, from my ECTS grades. I hope I am in the right subreddit, else feel free to direct me in the proper direction. Thank you for your time.

Regards

Hey everyone,

I've had the opportunity to work with researchers at top international universities, including but not limited to Harvard and UCL. I'm currently working as a part-time researcher in my senior year at a leading international institution.

If anyone is struggling to secure their first research internship to enhance their PhD or master's applications, or simply for experience, I'd be happy to help. I can address all your concerns, offer guidance, and provide you with resources such as cover letter and resume templates that I've used.

If you're interested, feel free to DM me.

Jpmc does not sign opt cpt docs, so does that mean international grad students cannot apply for it?

I did my bachelors and masters in International Development and was very interested in a PhD in Political Science from a T15, given how much overlap exists with International Development and Political Science. But my primary concern is the lack of maths training I had in my university. I formally has done only Calculus I,II, Probability and Econometrics as official stats/maths courses although I did around 7-10 other Econ elective that were standard & quant focused.

I also did my thesis using quite rigorous econometrics and currently working as an RA where most of the work is stat based/data analytics. I'm currently thinking of doing a PG diploma in Applied stats (alongside job) and also enroll via online in Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus classes (I will get a certificate with grades for these) offered by my former uni.

Would these be okay or my lack of maths courses badly affect my chances? I'm an international student as well (India) my uni is ranked #2 nationally.

What are my chances? My CGPA is almost 8.75/10 ~3.8 on 4 scale?. I see most people having MPP/MA from Top Unis in US when checked the grad-school page and it really made me doubt everything.

Hi guys, CS engineering major here. I’m having a hard time grasping the concept of one of my summer math class and rn sitting at a B grade. However, if I do not pass the finals or do well I might get a C sadly. Is it better to accept the C or ask for pass or no pass option? I have to ask the professor before the finals so I wanna know your opinions.

For context, I’m at a CC applying to transfer to a four-year university. I’m applying to SJSU and UCB which are very competitive for CS.

Current GPA is like a 3.7 ish and yes the math class is a requirement for transfer.

Also, is having a Pass/No Pass on your transcript negatively viewed??

Hello,

I don’t know much about private loans, but I live in CA and was wondering if anyone can share the best places to look when applying for loans. Thanks!

[For a Friend]

Undergraduate School: University of Wisconsin–Madison

Major: BS in Computer Science

GPA: 3.93

GRE: Didn't take

Extracurriculars/Internships (All as Software Engineers):

• Sophomore: Non-Profit Tech company (Part time) and NASA
• Junior: Tesla and Microsoft

Letters of Recommendation: 7-8/10

What are my chances of getting into an inorganic chemistry PhD program for Fall 2025? Specifically something with coordination chem synthesis or organometallic synthesis. I was majoring in engineering and hated it, then switched to chemistry and discovered that I love research so I’m a bit late to the game. What rank of schools should I realistically look at, if I can even get in with my experience? I’m graduating early (fall 2024) but will work full time doing research during the spring semester prior to PhD admission (praying I can get in).

3.5 gpa at high rank university, (3.9 gpa in last 45 credits after I switched my major to chem)

Work in corporate research lab at 3M (7 months)

Medicinal chem research group at school (1 month)

Senior capstone: 2/3 adv labs completed (inorganic, chemical biology) which are designed as little research opportunities to dip your toes in

Publications: assisted a prof in producing a textbook

I will have two great letters of rec and maybe one mid.

Thanks!

especially related to the elderly, neurodegenerative disease, alzheimer's disease. Thanks in advance!

Hi! I just finished my sophomore year at my undergraduate institution a month or 2 back. I'm planning to apply to aerospace engineering PhDs concentrating in space systems and satellite engineering at large during my senior year. I'm the first in my family to attend a 4-year college program much less grad school, so I don't have a great idea of where to go from here to best prep for my eventual application. Would appreciate any advice!

Undergrad Institution:

• T10-15 school in the US, but we don't have engineering degrees in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, etc. (this is mainly what worries me walking into admissions)

• Double major in Engineering Physics and Astrophysics

• GPA: 3.94/4.00

Academic Year Research:

• Co-founded my school's CubeSat lab (first dedicated aerospace lab at the school) as a freshman and became Chief Engineer at the end of that school year. Submitted a winning proposal to NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative to get our first project off the ground as a sophomore. Became Project Director at the end of my sophomore year. I run all engineering, grant writing, etc. for what's now a 50-person lab.

• Undergraduate Research Assistant in a lab which tests mm-wave superconducting detectors designed to measure the cosmic microwave background from a ground-based telescope. Basically work as an electrical engineer for the lab thus far, designing PCBs and methods to operate them so detectors can be tested. Joined at the beginning of my sophomore year and worked until the year ended. On hiatus until my summer internship is complete, then will return for the end of the summer.

Summers:

• Post-freshman year: worked for my CubeSat lab as Chief Engineer, took 3 anthropology classes for my school's general education requirements.

• Post-sophomore year: work for my CubeSat lab as Project Director, work an internship at a national lab doing software engineering which will help test telescope detectors.

• I hope to have an REU or similar experience in satellite engineering for my post-junior year summer.

Volunteer Experience:

• I volunteer for a non-profit which runs aerospace industry simulation competitions for high school students. I've volunteered for as many events as possible throughout my freshman and sophomore years just because I really enjoy working in education-related settings, and the events themselves are a lot of fun. In interactive settings, I teach high school students about principles of design across aerospace disciplines. This upcoming year, I'll be running 2 events at my university for the non-profit: 1 standard event for high school students, and 1 as the first-ever undergraduate event.

Anticipated LoRs:

• P.I. for the CubeSat lab

• P.I. for the detector lab

• Potentially my post-junior year summer internship mentor?

Any advice is appreciated, thank you in advance!

Profile:

Top 30 Undergraduate school, TOP 10 in CS

1. One and half years of research experience: first summer of doing just data collection; second year of being responsible of the whole process of literature review, model designing, and drafting of the manuscript.

2. Due to the nature of the discipline, it is not plausible to have it published before the application deadline in December (maybe next summer) , but did enough to have a recommendation letter from my mentor, whom of which I am applying to as well. TLDR; No pub.

3. No CTF.

4. 3.78 GPA

What should I expect?

Thank you guys!

Hi all. I want to go to a biomedical science program to get a PhD in pharmacology or virology. I was initially pre med and graduated, but after doing my REU, I’ve realized I loved research.

I want to see whether I’ll have chances of getting to decent grad schools based on my stats and extracurricular activities.

GPA: 3.68 at mid tier university in US in biochemistry

Research experience

1. Organic chem research for a year (didn’t really like it but gave me some insight on how being involved in lab works)
2. Survey based research regarding biology eduction (year as well and loved it)
3. 8 week REU program in virology/biochemistry (realized I want to be involved in a wet lab)

Other experience:

1. TA chem labs
2. Beer internship (involved in the lab aspect)

Other factors:

• No publications
• Did a poster on the bio education portion and won first place at my institution
• Will do a poster for my REU at event

I’ll likely get a masters in pharmaceutical science since I lack experience in it. I’m trying to look for lab positions as well in my local area. For now, I would like some comments about my current profile

One mistake that many students make after receiving a good GMAT/GRE/LSAT score is delaying the rest of their application work until close to the university deadlines.

I’ve seen instances where even a 760 in the old GMAT edition couldn’t reach the target universities. All top universities have 4-15 essays and interviews, highlighting their focus on a holistic profile.

👉🏻Some things that do wonders:

1. Engaging with the university via information sessions, CV reviews, and networking events;
2. ⁠They identify the gaps in your profile and undertake subsequent profile-building steps in volunteer work, entrepreneurship, investing, and research.
3. ⁠Getting started with recommender selection and drafting
4. ⁠Working on the essays (even the smallest of the blanks matter)
5. Connecting with your academic mentor at the early stage of the process.

👉🏻If you’re done with your GRE/GMAT, you have two solid months to prepare appropriately; hence, leverage this advantage!

Happy to help with any academic queries :)

Hi guys, needed some advice for my friend. He’s a 28M and an Indian student studying MS in Data science at RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology). He has BTech in mechanical engineering from IIT Delhi and 4 years of experience in data science. He pursued MS only to learn and isn’t atisfied with the rigour of his current program. He has a perfect CGPA (4/4). He’s finished with his first year of the program and now is thinking of switching to a PhD program in a better university. Is it possible to transfer to a phd program in the middle of masters? Thanks in advance for all your help!

Hi,

I’m a third-year psychology undergraduate student. The dream is to pursue a masters and doctorate education in clinical psychology.

I understand that clinical psychology master programs are especially competitive (at least my current uni only accepts less than 10 applicants per year) and I am trying to set myself up to be a competitive applicant in terms of both grades and experience to have some shot. I wanted advice from applicants and current grad students regarding this.

My current experiences: -volunteering at public schools as a speech coach (working under a charitable organization) -volunteering in pharmacology lab as research assistant -enrolled into a theory and research course involved in substance use and addictions which involves conducting independent research and working alongside organizations involved in addiction as part of placements and making a change via partnered projects -work part time currently in administrative side of things at my uni and have a good reference

What I have lined up prior to graduation: -hopefully paid part time research assistant job -social science internship program acceptance (4 month, job has not been confirmed yet) -honour thesis (part of degree requirement) -practicum course -hopefully more lab/volunteer experience

Would this experience make me a competitive applicant? For positions I take on, I try to stay true to what I believe in, and not what I think will benefit me. Should I be doing more? Any additional advice is very much appreciated!

T5 LAC for undergrad, 3.95 GPA, major in biochemistry, PBK. I was in a cell biology lab for three years and completed an honors thesis in it. A few institutional poster presentations. I can get a solid LOR from my PI. Two awards, but not for my research—a writing prize and another for leadership as part of an advocacy group. A stint as an o-chem lab TA.

One summer at a lab at an Ivy—but it was an incredibly toxic experience and I’m unable to get an LOR from it.

I’ve been working as a tech in an immunology lab with a well-known PI for the past two years. Got third author on a high-impact paper, but no presentations or anything. I can also get a good LOR from here.

I’m a URM woman and US citizen. I’m really interested in labs at very competitive immunology programs like UW and UCSF, but my stats feel decidedly mid, especially for someone who’s been out of school for two years already. I also feel it’s a weakness that I didn’t do any immunology research or even take an immunology class in undergrad. It’s hard to connect that work to my interest in immunology now.

I also lack a real research project—all of my independent projects have mostly had to do with developing techniques for the lab to use, not actual investigation. I have no idea what I can do at this point to improve my chances. Everyone seems to have first author pubs and presentations at national conferences and I’ve got none of that.

For those who got accepted this past cycle into Yales MEM program what was your education/professional history. I’m interested to see how I compare as an applicant for this next cycle!

I am a rising senior CS major at a good private research university and my transcript is so horrific I don't know if I'll be able to recover from this. I don't want to tell the full story to those that don't care but to sum it up: I withdrew from school for a full semester a few weeks into class meaning a semester of straight W's, apart from that 2 W's in intro level classes, many C's C+'s C-'s, got a D+ in discrete math followed by an F in the same class the following semester, 1.5 semester GPA with 12 credits.

Going into senior year with 2.74 which could be worse but this transcript is the biggest red flag of all time. It's gonna sound stupid especially after hearing my grades but since freshman year of college I have wanted a PhD. I did three research experiences by sophomore year but I kinda gave up on research after realizing how much my GPA would hold me back. I did 2 internships in product management and I truly feel like I need something more intense and PhD is still on my mind. I just don't know how to set myself up to get there.

International student..Bachelors of Science (information tech) - 3.9/4.0 GPA and work experience of around 5 years in tech for EY, Accenture and JPM Chase..lelts 7 and confident of getting GRE around 300…also if anyone has suggestions for courses in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science given my profile please do share…

I have received 170/170 in quant section of GRE and 147/170 in Verbal reasoning. I am an IIT graduate but avg GPA of 3.17/4. I want to pursue MS in ML/AI in US uni. Also I have one year of experience as a Software Engineer. Would I be able to get in good University?

How hard is it to switch your method at Hunter from Community Organization to Clinical Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups.

Has anyone faced this awkward scenario?? What are y'all doing for that LOR

What are my chances of getting in MSCS program in UMass Amherst?

I am from a non-CS major (Electronics and Communications Engineering)-Graduated on April'2024 from a tier 3 college, I am willing to apply to MSCS program for the spring'2025 intake. To support my candidacy to the MSCS program I have,

1. Research experience as an AI Research Assistant at another tier 2 college while pursuing and publishing a patent on a CS project(AI Enabled Computational Capabilities Enhancing Device), besides 6 other advanced CS projects.
2. Coursework on data structures, python, computer organization, java, dbms, operating systems, machine learning, calculus and linear algebra.
3. 5 month internships as a PYTHON DEVELOPMENT INTERN & INTERN from two different MNC's during UG years.
4. Currently working as Junior Engineer Trainee (IT Related Role) for Foxconn (Joined Feb'2024)

What Universities should I apply to?
Profile : GRE - 310(147V+163Q+3.5AWA)
IELTS - 7(7.5L+7R+6.5S+6W)
CGPA - 8.38

View Poll

Hello all. I am currently a final year undergraduate student pursuing Biomedical Engineering. My GPA is 9.5/10.00 which is 3.88/4.00 according to WES iGPA calculator. I have one conference paper and one literature review. I also have one internship and some great BME projects. But those papers and projects are not related to the field that I wanted to pursue my PhD in.

I want to apply for direct PhD programs in the US. I need your help to decide which universities should I consider with this profile.

GRE and IELTS not yet given. But I think I will get >320 in GRE and 7 in IELTS.

Please let know what more can I do to improve my profile and do I have any chance to get accepted in a Direct PhD program. And please suggest the universities also which you think I should apply to.

What are my chances of getting in MSCS program in UMass Amherst?

I am from a non-CS major (Electronics and Communications Engineering)-Graduated on April'2024 from a tier 3 college, I am willing to apply to MSCS program for the spring'2025 intake. To support my candidacy to the MSCS program I have,

1. Research experience as an AI Research Assistant at another tier 2 college while pursuing and publishing a patent on a CS project(AI Enabled Computational Capabilities Enhancing Device), besides 6 other advanced CS projects.
2. Coursework on data structures, python, computer organization, java, dbms, operating systems, machine learning, calculus and linear algebra. 
3. 5 month internships as a PYTHON DEVELOPMENT INTERN & INTERN from two different MNC's during UG years.
4. Currently working as Junior Engineer Trainee (IT Related Role) for Foxconn (Joined Feb'2024)

What Universities should I apply to?
Profile : GRE - 310(147V+163Q+3.5AWA)
IELTS - 7(7.5L+7R+6.5S+6W)
CGPA - 8.38

Hello, I'm an international student looking to apply to graduate schools in the US. Lately, I've been talking to alumni who have suggested I reach out to specific professors. They've also said that I can mention their name as a point of contact. But I don't know whatelse exactly to mention/ask/say and feel nervous about reaching out.