<p>BTW ixington, congrats on your acceptance to UC Davis. I totally and completely agree you should go where the research interests you. In fact, I didn’t choose the grad school I went to because it is top 5, but because there was a guy doing research in organometallics that was totally in line with my interests. If he had been at the #35 rated school, I would have gone, because I wasn’t planning on becoming a university professor, which is where it makes the most difference if you went to #5 or #35.</p>
<p>Thanks! I wasn’t trying to be confrontational, but I just find rankings distasteful, as they’re partially based off of arbitrary metrics rather than something substantial such as the ability of the PIs at a university to pull in grant money. </p>
<p>Davis is actually an attractive school despite the moderate USNWR ranking… I toured a couple of laboratories there a few weeks ago and got to see some AWESOME laser laboratories, including a terawatt system.</p>
<p>I’ve still gotta visit the other schools to which I was accepted. It’s a hard choice, even though the rankings for the programs I’ve been accepted to span from #1 to #34 on USNWR.</p>
<p>I didn’t take it as confrontational. In fact, I largely agree with you. Again, just trying to be realistic with the OP as far as his chances.</p>
<p>I have been to Davis twice, and it is a nice place. I thought for sure you were going to tell me you were going to study the chemistry of wine, lol!! And hey, having been through the grind myself, if you want to have a sounding board for your choices, PM me. I’ll tell you what I can.</p>
<p>I would get in touch with the programs and see if they will talk to you about your situation before you waste any money applying. You really need to make the admissions committee at a PhD program think that you have changed your ways, and doing great in a masters program with solid GRE scores will do that convincing.</p>
<p>Do your best to get at or above a 3.0 mark. Most schools have this as a cut-off. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t do research while you are taking classes right now since you really need to raise your GPA.</p>
<p>collegealum314, but if I don’t have much research experience, is this going to be a huge downfall?</p>
<p>And also, who should I contact in the departments about my situation?</p>
<p>Maybe, maybe not. But given your past troubles, I would concentrate on school. People have gotten into top grad schools with only a summer’s worth of research experience. I would limit your research to the summer(s) and do everything you can to bring up that GPA.</p>
<p>At worst, you may have to do research after you graduate.</p>
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<p>I don’t know. Start with your advisor.</p>
<p>I see you’re at the University of Maryland. I would talk to a professor in the departments you are interested in for grad school. Given your academic troubles, you’re best bet may be to try to get into U. of Maryland for a masters. After that, you can shoot higher if you want a Ph.D.</p>
<p>The best way to go about getting into U. of Maryland is to start acing your classes (straight A’s or as close to it as possible.) Use your summers for research in the dept. you’re interested in and cultivate a recommendation. For research, if you work in a guys lab and he/she likes you, you generally will get into that grad school because the prof will want you for their lab. Profs always like known quantities.</p>