Hi guys, I’m a freshman from Texas A & M who is majoring in EnviroSci. My GPA is anywhere from a 3.33 to 3.5. I’m freshman, but technically a sophomore in credit hour status (AP credits). I’m trying to graduate early so that I can become a junior in credit hour status by Fall 2016, and possibly graduate in 3 years.
I have some questions and I need guidance.
What is a good GPA to have for graduate school?
Which are the best graduate programs for environmental science? I want to specialize in bioenergy I think, or marine biology.
What exactly do graduate schools want to see when you are applying? I would like some DO’s and DON’Ts.
If you want to go to grad school out of state, how do you find a place to live? Does the school pay it for you, or do you have to get a job and save up money for a place to live?
What type of scores should I aim to get on the GRE?
PhD programs are often fully funded through: outside fellowship (NSF etc), university fellowship, or getting a tuition waiver and a RA/TA job offer to pay a stipend you use for housing etc. MS are often self pay although some schools may offer scholarship full or partial and some schools may have a work for you.
you want the strongest gpa and gre you are capable of. Tis and research is what grad schools want to see, why you are interested in research what you have done and letters from professors who worked with you on research and can attest to your capabilities for that as opposed to getting good grades in class.
Out of state isn’t much different than in state. Grad students can live in grad housing if available, but just as often share houses and apartments and you find it through school listserves or BB boards or craigslist like anyone else.
The best grad programs is something you can google, but usually there is a best ‘fit’ for you in terms of the type of research interests you have and how that fits with profs at various unis and research groups there. Often there just isn’t an ultimate best but a group of them.
I’m primarily familiar with marine science. The following would benefit your application:
[ul][]Basic courses in biology (intro bio, ecology & evolution, genetics, molecular bio) and advanced courses in organismal biology
[]Intro chem and organic chem (2 semesters of each)
[]Calculus (2 semesters); a background in diff eqs is helpful for work in physical oceanography
[]Physics (2 semesters)
[]Stats (1 semester)
[]At least a couple years of research experience. Look for summer programs at marine labs and the REU programs such as SURFO at URI. http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/list_result.jsp?unitid=5053
[li]Good fit with at least two faculty members at the university you’re applying to [/ul][/li]A course in geography and/or GIS would also be helpful. If you’re more interested in marine policy, you should take an intro econ course (microecon especially).
The “best” programs are the ones that fit your interests…someone interested in marine biomedicine would have a very different list from someone wanting to study cephalopod cognition and behavior, for instance. You don’t need to be thinking about specific grad schools for a couple of years yet.
One other point. It might not be in your best interest to graduate early because that might not give you sufficient time to actually get significant research experience, a very important requirement for graduate school. You might wish to stay all 4 years and take a lot of graduate courses to better prepare you for a graduate program or even see if it is possible for you to get a MS along with your BS in the 4 year period.
Environmental science is tricky because it’s an interdisciplinary field, and sometimes the programs are ranked in different areas. The National Resource Council ranks [earth science PhD programs](NRC Rankings Overview: Earth Sciences), and there are some environmental science programs there. However, the best way to get an idea of reputation (and not necessarily hard numerical rankings) of programs in your area, especially in relation to your research interests, is to talk to your professors in your home department. Especially given that you are at a research university, your professors will be familiar with what departments are strong departments overall and are turning out good researchers that get jobs. Once you settle on an area, reading scientific journal articles in that area and noting where the professors who write them are teaching and doing research will also help.
But this is a bit premature now, because you’re a freshman and you don’t know what area you want to do research in.
Research fit, research experience, letters of recommendation, and high grades overall and in your major are the most important factors for applications. Research fit is demonstrated through a statement of purpose you write as well as interviews in some cases. You want to make sure that your research interests align well with 2-3+ faculty members in the department, and that you can write about that articulately in your statement (and talk about it in interviews). Research experience you will get through assisting professors in your own department at A&M as well as summer research programs, potentially at other campuses. For now, pay attention in class and use the TAMU website for your department to look up what research your professors do. If any of them seem interesting, you may want to ask the professors if they are looking for research assistants and how you could go about joining their lab.
You also may want to poke around looking for summer research programs; the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs funded by NSF are the most well-known, but many universities and programs sponsor independent ones. An Internet search for “summer undergraduate research environmental science” can turn up a lot. These programs are usually funded - they’ll cover housing and food, plus give you a small living stipend (usually around $3,000 for the summer). I would try to do at least one at a different campus, and cultivate a relationship with a professor there who can write you a letter of recommendation. Having letters from more than institution can have a big impact on your application - it says “this student isn’t just good by the standards of their own institution; they’re good in general.”
As was mentioned, out of state and in-state don’t really matter. Any PhD program you actually want to attend will cover your tuition and fees and health insurance and provide you with a living stipend - the stipend is usually somewhere between $25K and $35K, which is generally enough to live on if one is frugal. You use that money to pay rent and eat.
However, saving up some money ahead of time is always a good idea because moving is expensive! There may be some housing deposits you have to pay, as well as buying furniture. However, this is premature, too - worry about this later.
I’d say aim for at least a 155-ish on each section. But if the work you do is heavily quantitative, aim higher on the math - closer to a 160.