<p>what do grad schools look for? i am currently an undergraduate student who will start berkeley in the fall, and i am already thinking a little about grad school. what do they look for in applicants? i am sure it is different (EC's dont matter as much right? etc etc)</p>
<p>Same situation, uberbump.</p>
<p>sorry, can you explain a little more? what do you mean by same situation, uberbump? i am hearing that it is basically the same application as i filled out when i applied for undergrad, only it's just a higher level i am applying to.</p>
<p>I'm saying that you and I are in the same situation, and that i'm bumping you, but it's no regular bump- it's an uber (german for "super") bump.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>The most important parts of your application are roughly: 2 or 3 letters of recommendation (preferably from well-known faculty), research experience, and major GPA. After that comes your overall GPA, strength of classes taken (grad classes are good), and prestige of undergrad institution. The statement of purpose and GRE scores are the least important parts, but they must still be good for top programs. GRE score cutoffs are sometimes used at top programs, e.g. if you're applying for Engineering they might not even consider applicants with math scores under 700. Work experience and extracurricular activities do not matter at all unless they involved some kind of research experience. For writing-intensive programs like English and Philosophy, a writing sample is also very important.</p>
<p>Agree with Blue except that GRE's increase in importance in your application the less prestigious your college is.</p>
<p>Are you guys serious about EC's not mattering?? What qualifies as research experience?? What if you've never had any??</p>
<p>Haha, well, why would ECs matter? You're not applying to grad school so you can spend your time shining in ECs -- you're applying so you can be an underpaid departmental slave! :)</p>
<p>Facetiousness aside, grad schools want to see that you care about your chosen discipline enough to devote 4-several years of your life to it.</p>
<p>Research experience is pretty much any job you've had in your field, particularly one where you're doing research in an academic setting. And you're better off having some -- I'm sure it's possible to get into grad school without it, but I don't see how.</p>
<p>what are GRE scores? will SAT's matter when applying to grad school? can someone suggest how i can start doing research at berkeley? i am a transfer student, and i can't help but think that the students who have been there since freshman year have an advantage over me.....
on that note, has anyone here transferrred to a four year university then was able to get into a good grad school after that?</p>
<p>GRE is a test you need to take to get into most graduate schools. You can start research at your school by checking out a website that prolly has a list of reserach opportunities....or ask an academic advisor to help you get started.
also if you got in berkely as a transfer, or any transfers for that matter are accepted b/c the admissions think you'd still do just as well or even better than freshmens. dont worry :)</p>
<p>thank you amyya03. are you in grad school now?
do SAT's matter??? i would think not...since that's for undergraduate right?
i will take your advice about the research job. thank you!
oh yea, how do i prepare for the GRE? and what does the GRE consist of? as soon as you tell me, i'm going to start studying</p>
<p>You don't submit the SAT to grad schools, so they do not matter at all. The GRE consists of three parts: Quantitative, Verbal, and Analytical Writing. The Quantitative part is more or less the same as the SAT Math. The Verbal is similar to the SAT Verbal but with much more emphasis on vocabulary. The Analytical Writing is just a writing sample that gets graded on a scale of 6, while Q and V are out of 800. One big difference is that the GRE is taken on the computer, and it is an adaptive test. What this means is that for each correct answer you give, the next question will be harder than the previous one, and a wrong answer will result in an easier question next time. If you're aiming for close to an 800, as you should for example on the Q for any quantitative field, then you will get much harder questions than you're used to seeing on practice exams.</p>
<p>thank you for taking time to answer that for me. what do you suggest i study? will there be any classes at my university to prepare for this? maybe i'll buy a book on the GRE tomorrow or some time this week. anyone care to share their experience with getting into grad school?</p>
<p>Also for some fields, mainly in the Liberal Arts I would think, you are required to submit a sample of work. I think it is weighter fairly high.</p>
<p>If you're taking the GRE next year, I'd hold off on studying until the new test format comes out -- the books that are available now will prepare you for the current test and won't address the different emphasis on material that ETS swears is coming out in 2006.</p>
<p>Seriously, the GRE is not that hard with a little prep work.</p>
<p>cal girl, im not in grad school but i hope to be in two years :)
oh and i don't think SATs matter at all.</p>
<p>I am a grad student and here's my advice. Do well on the entrance exam (GMAT,GRE, DAT,etc) and have a decent undergrad GPA. Top grad programs will require higher test scores and will also have tougher entrance requirements. Some professional grad programs will require, or strongly recommend, work experience -- MBA and MPH programs are good examples. Work experience is viewed very favorably by grad programs and will often seperate applicants with similiar scores.
You can't go wrong with working after you graduate, especially in the same field as what you plan to study.</p>
<p>tritonbruin, where do you go to grad school? what field are you in? can you tell me more about YOUR experience?
i havent even started my upperdivision yet at Berkeley...and i'm already freaking out about grad school. has anyone felt like this ?</p>
<p>cal<em>gal</em>21,</p>
<p>I am doing my grad work at UCLA. I worked in the pharmaceutical industry for a couple years and gained lots of invaluable knowledge in the field. I definitely get a better understanding of concepts that I learn in the classroom because I can relate it to my previous job. There is a huge difference between learning in a classroom and learning in the workplace. I find that school equips me with general knowledge while work gives me specific and focused practical experience/training. </p>
<p>Like many kids, my original plan after I graduated from undergrad was to go to law school (law seemed convenient at the time because I really didn't know what else to do). After being admitted, I decided to defer for a year to go work for a non-profit law firm. This was one of the best decisions I have ever made. After spending a year there, I decided I had no interest in being a lawyer. This is one of the reasons why I strongly advocate working in the field in which you plan to study. You might find the industry unappealing. Working at the law firm saved me from 3 years of schooling and $100K in debt! </p>
<p>My advice to all prospective grad students is to do your research! Internships and work experience will give you a taste of what the industry is all about. Grad programs prepare you for work in a specific field so take all the necessary steps to ensure that you'll enjoy it. Remember that education is a huge time and financial commitment so make sure you're making the right decision.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Haha, well, why would ECs matter? You're not applying to grad school so you can spend your time shining in ECs -- you're applying so you can be an underpaid departmental slave! </p>
<p>Facetiousness aside, grad schools want to see that you care about your chosen discipline enough to devote 4-several years of your life to it.</p>
<p>Research experience is pretty much any job you've had in your field, particularly one where you're doing research in an academic setting. And you're better off having some -- I'm sure it's possible to get into grad school without it, but I don't see how.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>If EC's don't matter, then why do people do them?</p>