<p>I've been in close contact with a professor in geochemistry at a top 5 school who has enthusiastically supported my application to his research group. We talked throughout the last semester, and even met in person in November. He said that he was sold on my abilities and reasons for applying, and that it will just come down to funding. I finished the application, and although he assured me that I shouldn't worry too much about the application process, he mentioned that this university looks STRICTLY at undergraduate performance when determining which candidates will be successful. This is a problem for me. </p>
<p>I come from a slightly above average environmental engineering program, and while I have straight A's in all of my graduate classes, I only have a 3.42 overall undergraduate GPA, and 3.54 major GPA which isn't very competitive. I did poorly my first two years, then gradually did better and better as I got used to college life. I had a 3.6 semester GPA both semesters in my Junior year, then a 3.75 Senior year in the Fall, and 3.96 the following Spring. </p>
<p>I was worried about GRE's that are relatively low (Q: 730) and no publications. However, I was assured by professors at all the top schools I'm applying to, either in geochemistry or engineering, that if you're already a graduate the GRE isn't even looked at unless you score suspiciously low. Publications aren't necessary, especially since my research requires extensive preliminary experiments. Two famous graduate advisers help for recommendations, and I'm a very strong writer so my personal statement is solid. I also mention the meeting I had with this professor in my statement. </p>
<p>My main concern is that my application won't make the first cut. I just want my application to reach him, and if it does, then like he said it should just come down to funding. Should I be worried? Will the application committee take one look at the 3.42 undergraduate GPA and unspectacular class rank and throw it in the trash despite my communication with this professor (who is also chair of the department)?</p>
<p>My GPA is just floating at 3.5 and my major GPA is slightly lower (3.47ish). While I did well in my GREs, I think that your recommendations and essays can push you through in the top school admissions. I just got an interview at Columbia Biophysics and I’m sure it was more related to my recs and research experience than it was my grades or GREs. Also, I too have been speaking with a professor at Columbia, and it likely helped.</p>
<p>Having that kind of support from a professor is, honestly, at least as important as anything else in graduate admissions. They can pull an app right out of the pile and say “I want to work with this student.”</p>
<p>In general, graduate application committees are made up of faculty from the department you’re applying to - likely including the chair. So I’d say you’ve got a very good in :)</p>
<p>I should have mentioned that I’m currently a masters student, although you probably picked that up already from my mention of graduate advisers. I would think that geochemistry is also less competitive at top schools than say, Biophysics unless I’m mistaken, and out of all the engineering disciplines environmental engineering is probably the least or second least competitive. At least much less so than chemical, mechanical, or electrical engineering. Am I correct in making this assumption? I’m applying only to two schools for geochemistry, and the rest, such as UTA will be in engineering. </p>
<p>Thanks Polar, that makes me feel a little better :)</p>
<p>Don’t worry about it, I just got invited for an interview at Duke in Genetics and my GPA is pathetic 3.15…I did get an 800 Q though but still. I’m pretty sure my experience and recs pulled me through.</p>
<p>Thanks PiePie. Some professors at another school I’m applying to said that if a student’s GRE is low, AND the GPA is low, red flags are raised but if only one is lacking then it’s not considered a big deal if the program isn’t super competitive. </p>
<p>I figured it “should” be ok, but I have some anxiety issues and it’s easy for me to become a pessimist.</p>
<p>I am totally there with you, Kyle. I’m applying to natural resources/parks and rec master’s programs (a field where you’re expected to have an MS before applying for doctoral study). My GPA is only just scraping above 3.0 (with an improvement trend) but I have strong GREs, letters of rec and a research proposal that’s drawn a lot of interest from professors. Even so, that awful GPA is keeping me up nights wondering if I’ll get in the door.</p>
<p>My overall undergraduate GPA was the same as yours - major GPA a bit higher (around 3.6) - and I still not only got into a top 10 PhD program in my field and was funded through a training grant for my first 2 years, but I also got an NSF two years later. Especially if you are showing an upward trend and your last 60 credits are okay. Class rank doesn’t matter in college.</p>
<p>Everybody has at least one weakness in their application - nobody is perfect. It seems to me that your GPA isn’t spectacular - but it is solid, and indicates a trend of doing reasonably well in the majority of your classes; you’ve also gotten more As than Bs in your major classes, it seems. The rest of your application looks very strong (famous references, solid statement, the support of a PI at your target school). I doubt that they’d throw out an application that strong simply because of a solid but not awesome GPA.</p>