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My u-GPA is about 2.8 and GRE is 330, from now on is a hypothetical scenario as I haven't done my masters yet so if you could treat it as an actual case and give me subjective answers that would be great. For the masters I have found this growing researcher who is doing amazing work and is eager for me to join his lab from the start of the program. Assuming that by the end of the MS, I get ~3.7GPA, a couple co-authored pub and 1 first authored pub in reputed journals along with going to conferences to present my work, altogether getting strong recommendations from the advisor and his colleagues. Will this in any way offset my u-GPA. Also apart from research in masters I have had about 2 years of research experience during undergrad (in and out of school) and have published a paper in a peer-reviewed journal.

I am looking to get into the biomedical engineering PhD programs at university of chicago, northwestern university, university of pittsburgh, john hopkins university, york university, and university of pennsylvania. Do you think that I am aiming too high? If so, what else should I look to do to improve my chances? Also if I start MS this Fall should I apply for PhD at Fall 2022 or Fall 2023?

Additional Info:

  • I did a decent undergrad thesis (not great, 8 months), soon after I did a 2 month internship a another research lab. During my undergrad I worked w/ a prof for 1.2 years (Got two papers out - one in a conf and another in a journal). Currently I am working in a top research lab, now remotely due to covid-19 outbreak.
  • Some people have mentioned other questions thinking that those had the same information that I wanted. But, they did not as the questions talked about how to get into "a/some" PhD Program after a low U-GPA and maybe decent masters. The schools that I have mentioned above are ranked pretty high and would appreciate if you could tailor your answers to my specific question of getting into these schools.
  • I picked these school not to show of the "rank" or "prestige" which seems stupid honestly. I chose the because of the strength in the field (F1) that I'm looking to do research in. In one of my previous questions I had mentioned that I got a PhD offer from university of houston which does the research in F1 but it isn't very strong in other area such as: number of grants that they pull in to do amazing research on large patient populations, intellectual cohorts, and industrial connections and startup resources. I picked these schools as I believe them to be the best in F1 and NOT for the main purpose of prestige. So if you don't have anything to suggest I IMPLORE you to not ask me to look at other schools as I did not ask for alternatives but solutions or ideas
roaibrain
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  • Where are you planing to do your masters? – Nobody Apr 03 '20 at 05:14
  • Case western reserve university (it's ranked in the 50s for eng and 20s for med). Though I didn't mention this in the question as It may have looked personalized and possibly closed. Does the masters school make a difference? – roaibrain Apr 03 '20 at 05:27
  • last 4 questions you posted revolve around your low GPA... This question asks if you have an MS with 3.7 GPA, does it cover your low GPA.. how many years do you have till you finish your bachelors... Can your GPA go slightly high in the coming semesters? – Praphulla Koushik Apr 03 '20 at 06:58
  • @PraphullaKoushik Indeed my last 4 questions revolve around my low GPA but everyone that had answered seemed to have ignored that fact and did not include any explanation. I'm done with my bachelors, have been working in research labs (now remotely cuz of covid outbreak) and will be starting Masters this fall. So, I can't increase my GPA. I want to know the things, no matter how ridiculous or tough, that can increase my chances for a PhD at the mentioned schools. Before anyone mentions choosing schools based on research Interest; I picked out these schools cuz of strength in research. – roaibrain Apr 03 '20 at 10:00
  • @astronat Not really, they talk about compensating poor GRE, GPA and SOP. I have 330 GRE, low undergrad GPA, and hopefully a decent MS GPA; my SOP is strong to my knowledge. Also I don't consider myself to be a weak or borderline student, I excel in tough, competitive environments and in research. – roaibrain Apr 03 '20 at 10:08
  • The top answer to the linked question states "A low GPA can be offset by a strong research record highlighted in the SOP and letters of reference". If you manage to write 3 papers in your Master's and get strong references as you state, your low GPA is going to be offset by this research record. Can you explain how this doesn't answer your question? – astronat supports the strike Apr 03 '20 at 10:51
  • Please add those details in the question.. mention that you have already finished your bachelors.. I don’t understand how you are guessing that specific GPA of MS programme which you have not started yet... You said, you excel in tough competitive environment.. That is a nice thing but you should add that in the question body... Also mention you are working for some lab... Mention when did you finish your bachelors, what you have done from then.,, More details will be useful for answers.. If you want to keep your profile discreet, please ignore this suggestion. – Praphulla Koushik Apr 03 '20 at 11:18
  • @astronat The top answer mentions that a low undergrad GPA can be compensated with strong research (during senior-thesis) but it never mentioned anything wrt with Masters (but logically makes sense as you said). Though I don't want to get into "a" PhD program, but instead a select few as mentioned in the question and would appreciate inputs that can help me work towards higher admission rates. – roaibrain Apr 04 '20 at 03:35
  • @Anyon Again like astronat, these questions talk about getting into "a" PhD and not specifically one of the top schools. Can you please tailor your answer to my specific question. – roaibrain Apr 04 '20 at 03:37
  • This website it not a substitute for a graduate admissions councilor. Questions like this get closed as duplicates all the time. – Anonymous Physicist Apr 04 '20 at 04:24
  • @AnonymousPhysicist People have asked similar questions about getting into PhD with low GPA and good MS scores and research but none have specifically answered to get PhD in top schools w/ this situation. I'm not sure if those answers apply to my scenario but there has been no clear answer; hence not a duplicate. I have tried to make this questions as general as it can be with a few personal details but this is a question that people could benefit from. I would agree it to be a counselor type question if I actually included the intricacies of what I had accomplished and where I had done them. – roaibrain Apr 04 '20 at 07:10
  • @AnonymousPhysicist Come on, I don't get why my question has been closed. I've asked a clearly distinguishable question w/ general details. I have seen people ask these graduate counselling type questions which got closed but there were a few chaps out there that were helpful enough to answer the question or advise the person. In my past 2 questions I tried to seek out some advise through indirect and direct means but everyone kept ignoring the question or side-tracking it. I'm just a poor guy here trying to get some help and be helpful to others, would appreciate some guidance. – roaibrain Apr 04 '20 at 07:20
  • No point in debating me. I don't make the rules. The explanation is here: https://academia.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/1560/what-should-we-do-with-the-can-i-get-into-x-program-with-3-xx-gpa/1563 – Anonymous Physicist Apr 04 '20 at 07:43
  • Is there any way to appeal for a revoke in decision? – roaibrain Apr 04 '20 at 08:34
  • @Roshan flag for moderator attention. Ask them to see if they can open it... post a question https://academia.meta.stackexchange.com/ asking for support to open the question.. As far as I know it takes five votes of users with reputation (high enough) to open a closed question.. – Praphulla Koushik Apr 04 '20 at 16:08

1 Answers1

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It is good to aim high. It is also good to have broad target. If you apply to only a few schools with very similar profiles then being rejected by one will probably have a similar outcome at the others. So, I recommend a range of schools if you really want a degree and not just bragging rights about a top 50 school.

But, about your GPA. It isn't a plus, of course, but most (not all) people who evaluate your application will weight the more recent work as more important than the earlier work. Therefore, if your recent work is good and you have letters that attest to the quality of your work and your dedication, then the older numbers will be discounted by most.

But, the competition is still very strong and the slots are few. If someone has to make a choice between two candidates, the choice has to be made and lower priority things may bear some weight.

However, the only way to know whether you have a problem is to actually make application to some places and then evaluate the feedback. There are some questions, like this one, that can only be answered by actually trying. But, you will be more likely to get accepted somewhere if you don't target too narrowly.

Buffy
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  • Thanks that was sort of the answer I was looking for. Can you perhaps give me some advice on what to do to get into the mentioned schools even if it means working for a year in a research lab after masters. The reason that I am set on those school is because of a couple reasons: the research which perfectly matches my interests, the large number of grants that they get to perform amazing research on large patient populations, intellectual cohorts, and more industrial connections and startup resources. In my previous ques I mentioned PhD at UH, which has research that I like but not the others. – roaibrain Apr 03 '20 at 16:13
  • I doubt that taking a year away is a good strategy. – Buffy Apr 03 '20 at 16:15
  • It was a suggestion, I was looking forward to you advising some strategies apart from looking at other schools. And you did mention "weight the more recent work" so I thought the additional year could add additional value. – roaibrain Apr 03 '20 at 17:17
  • "being rejected by one will probably have a similar outcome at the others" Highly misleading, and even more misleading in lab-based sciences where need for PhD students with particular specialties fluctuates a lot. – Anonymous Physicist Apr 04 '20 at 04:23