<p>Please post your suggestions or experience with any such programs. Any feedback on admissions stats would be helpful. GREs are 750-800 Q, and likely 99th% verbal on the new GRE. GPA is just average (and this is a grade-deflating college program) but from a top undergrad program and shows a strong upward trend jr/sr yrs. LORs are excellent. Research experience 2+ yrs. Has made several poster presentations at national/international society meetings and should have at least one published article. Won an UG research fellowship and national UG research award. </p>
<p>Trying to narrow the list to reach/match/safety with best funding prospects. Thanks!</p>
<p>THis reads like its written by a well-meaning parent who is (understandably) out of touch with this world and thus should be stepping back and letting their student handle it. A student who really has the credentials for a PhD program should already be able to get this information on their own. </p>
<p>A general forum such as this isn’t the best place for this. The student should be getting all the information he or she needs from the faculty he or she has been working with on research (in terms of recommending schools and which faculty to work with, putting student in touch with faculty at those schools). As well as based upon reading journal articles and knowing where the key faculty reside (which would be assumed one can do if one has the credentials stated above). S/he will not be getting advice from their parents, or worse, their parents who asked around of strangers on the internet. </p>
<p>I think the idea of reach/match/safety doesn’t make a lot of sense at this level either. Very different than undergrad applications. </p>
<p>The notion of choosing a graduate school on the basis of the best funding doesn’t make a lot of sense either (assuming one is only applying to schools that provide funding…niggling over which package is better instead of which program provides the most outstanding research is crazy). </p>
<p>Statements such as “should have at least one published article” doesn’t make a lot of sense either in the time line of most research and the application process. It’s October when this is written, apps due in how many months? On what basis could one make such a claim? Is this a conditional acceptance?</p>