<p>Kleibo, I went to grad school in chemistry back in the dark ages, but more recently I was a mentor for students in an industrial summer internship program. Based on that experience - GREs and undergrad GPA are important, but even more important was the undergrad research experience: how much experience does some one have? What was the reputation of that research advisor? (<- this is huge) How well does the candidate understand his research and how well can the candidate communicate that knowledge during an interview? Publications are also a huge asset, and at the undergrad level, no one really expects the candidate to be the primary author.</p>
<p>Most areas of chemistry are still very much an old boy’s network - that is, who did you work for and how well-known is that person?</p>
<p>I don’t think there’s such a thing as match and safety schools when it comes to doctoral or even many master’s programs. Grad admissions are so highly individualized (see some of the posts above for some criteria) that every place is a reach. </p>
<p>My step-daughter recently got accepted to master’s programs at some top universities but was rejected from a school that would be considered 2nd tier at best. It all depends on fit . . . how does your kid fit their needs.</p>
<p>As far as GRE’s go, I believe my daughter researched what the average GRE was of accepted grad students in her field at every university in which she was interested. All that stuff is usually available online.</p>
<p>He does have alot of Research experience - has been doing it every year including summers since Freshman year. I have no idea about the reputation of the advisor. I will PM you some more information. </p>
<p>However, I did not think interviews applied with Chemistry. There are accepted student visits that are paid for, but most of the chem programs I looked at did not offer interviews. I wish they did - my son is very comfortable taking about his research. </p>
<p>Some examples:</p>
<p>Princeton:</p>
<p>Are interviews required?
No, we do not conduct interviews.</p>
<p>Harvard:</p>
<p>The Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology (CCS) offers a PhD in Chemistry and a PhD in Chemical Physics. </p>
<p>^^^All these programs are so different. In my D’s field, you don’t get accepted without one. Some of them are by skype, but all programs either granted her some kind of interview, or sent a rejection. I asked her what she would do if X school just accepted her into the program, and she said “I wouldn’t take it without visiting and interviewing the professor, seeing the lab, and meeting the other grad students.”</p>
<p>Nrdsb4 - exactly what I thought. I emailed my son about this just a month or so ago and he’s was like - Mom, no there are no interviews (or very few) in Chem PhD. I was really shocked. He said the students get invited (all paid for) to these accepted student days and then visit and then make up their minds. Kind of backwards I think.</p>
<p>When my son was applying to PhD programs in sociology last year that was how it worked – kids got accepted, then they interviewed the programs. In some cases, kids were put on a short waitlist and then invited to the accepted students weekend, and that was actually a two-way interview. But there was no general interview round anywhere before they extended offers.</p>
<p>My D is currently deciding which Chem grad program to attend. She went to accepted student weekends at most schools after decisions were out. At one school, she contacted a particular professor who had given a talk in her department to ask if she could come to his lab over the winter break, and she had a great informal visit. As for reaches/matches/etc. - I think the undergrad professors can give very good guidance.</p>
<p>Well, grad school has taken a bit of a turn. S went away (900 miles) for UG. He will be living at home for graduate school. He is not exactly thrilled at that prospect, but in this economy, I couldn’t agree with him borrowing for living expenses when graduate school is less than 20 minutes from our house. He has a GA position but that is not going to cover all of his living expenses and he would need to borrow extra. He was approved for $20k per year, and can live at home for $4k per year. He wants to borrow the $20k just so he doesn’t have to live at home. His UG is paid for (he graduated with no student debt) so he is content to borrow for living expenses for his Master’s. I’m so frustrated trying to talk to him, he’s being very hard-headed and pouty.</p>
<p>If he’s going to be so hard-headed and pouty, maybe you should pay him to live away from home, lol! </p>
<p>I think he’d be nuts to borrow money that he doesn’t have to for a MASTERS. But…it’s time for him to make his own decisions. I’m sure he could live on less than $20K a year considering that he’s got a GA position in the bag.</p>
<p>Hurricane mom, perhaps your son will meet people who need a roommate, so rent won’t approach the $20,000.</p>
<p>Grad schools in my sons field had him fly out for interviews. Often he’d meet with 6-10 profs, and spend time with the grad students. He had so many of these interviews, it was good that he had already graduated and was working in a lab. At his “safety” schools, they just did phone or Skype interviews. Usually he heard back within the week. MIT only offered one weekend, which coincided with his lab going to Japan. Fortunately , he finally gets to go there next week. Anyway, once he had a few acceptances in hand, he canceled some other interviews.</p>
<p>I don’t think larger programs are so interview intense. </p>
<p>My son never visited his colleges before accepted, tho he had spent time at a range of schools. When visiting grad programs, he paid attention to distance of lab from campus, if labs were spread out over the grounds, and the personalities of the profs and grad students. When you are going to be spending years in one lab, with one prof, one needs to be choosy.the name of the college doesn’t matter as much as the lab.</p>
<p>For the record, the worm fell in love far easier than selecting a P.I.</p>
<p>Maybe things have changed, but I would not have thought of asking my parents for advice on grad school applications! I didn’t even realize that students did that or that parents were very involved in the process. I have certainly heard of parents helping with finances but I had (wrongly!) assumed parents were out of the picture for applications. </p>
<p>As a college professor evaluating graduate student applications (which I have done in the past), I think I would have been annoyed to find out that parents helped a student with an application to the extent a high school student applying to undergraduate schools may need assistance (since those would be their first ever applications). It would really make me question that student’s independence and ability to figure things out, both of which are important life skills to be solid on in graduate school. I would certainly understand (and encourage) a prospective student to have an undergraduate faculty advisor read over the essay, and to have input into which schools to apply to, but parents? Way too much helicoptering in my opinion.</p>
<p>Maybe most students are aware of this, but in contrast to undergraduate applications, where a school receives thousands and they are read by admissions counselors, grad school applications are read by faculty of the department a student is applying to. It is a lot more intimate and a lot less anonymous.</p>
<p>I recommend anyone thinking about grad school (students and parents!) read Amanda Seligman’s “Is Graduate School Really for You” Although it may not answer discipline specific questions, it gives a lot of great info about all aspects of grad school (from applying, financing, through the thesis/dissertation process). I use it with my students.</p>