- #1
jbrussell93
- 413
- 38
I recently read a very interesting article about graduate admissions written by an adcom. He says a few things that are the exact OPPOSITE of what I've heard.
I've always heard that a good GPA and GRE scores are probably the most important part of a good application besides recs and personal statement. Having thought this, the article definitely caught me off guard. As far as GPA, he says that it doesn't matter at all. Not only that, but he says that even GRE scores don't matter... WHAT?
"GPA? I don't care if it's 2.0 or 4.0. I won't even look at it. The school you went to? I'll judge you the same whether you went to Nowhere State U or a top-ten school. Transcripts? Never seen one. GREs? Irrelevant. Where you work/worked? Unless it's a research lab, it's not important. I don't think these items have much predictive capacity as to whether or not someone can complete a Ph.D."
While he doesn't seem to care about GPA or GRE scores, he definitely stresses the importance of undergraduate research which makes sense. I've often heard that it is good to get involved in undergraduate research. If nothing else, this will usually ensure at least a strong recommendation letter. The thing is, I've always heard that admissions committees could care less whether your research has been published or not, but he stresses that published work will give you a leg up. Is this really true?
Can someone help clarify this before I blow off all of my classes in order to publish 10 articles before I graduate
I've always heard that a good GPA and GRE scores are probably the most important part of a good application besides recs and personal statement. Having thought this, the article definitely caught me off guard. As far as GPA, he says that it doesn't matter at all. Not only that, but he says that even GRE scores don't matter... WHAT?
"GPA? I don't care if it's 2.0 or 4.0. I won't even look at it. The school you went to? I'll judge you the same whether you went to Nowhere State U or a top-ten school. Transcripts? Never seen one. GREs? Irrelevant. Where you work/worked? Unless it's a research lab, it's not important. I don't think these items have much predictive capacity as to whether or not someone can complete a Ph.D."
While he doesn't seem to care about GPA or GRE scores, he definitely stresses the importance of undergraduate research which makes sense. I've often heard that it is good to get involved in undergraduate research. If nothing else, this will usually ensure at least a strong recommendation letter. The thing is, I've always heard that admissions committees could care less whether your research has been published or not, but he stresses that published work will give you a leg up. Is this really true?
Can someone help clarify this before I blow off all of my classes in order to publish 10 articles before I graduate