Pre-Grad Frequently Asked Questions

Most schools/programs are using websites more and more and printing less and less, so check out their website first. If a program does not have a website, I would call or email. To find the URL for a given university and any of its departments, go to Yahoo's College and University section.

To find programs in your area of interest, consult Peterson's Guide to Graduate/Professional School and the Graduate School section of this website. These are good starting points. Then, talk to the faculty and graduate students in those areas to get their views. While there are rankings in publications and websites like US News, you will want to look at them with some skepticism. The National Research Council ranks departments every ten years. That is usually considered a good rating system.

Your faculty is your best source of reliable, up-to-date information about the relative strengths of different graduate programs - especially when it comes to their specific fields. Some departments are good in one area, but not others. You will get lots of opinions, and they may not match. You will want to go to a given department's website, email the departments of interest and even specific faculty to acquire the kind of information necessary to determine a good fit. Visiting may help. A lot of variables factor into the decision about which program suits you best.

I suggest going directly to the websites of the schools in question and seeing what you can find. The British Consulate in San Francisco or Los Angeles and/or the Embassy in Washington DC can be of assistance in locating websites. I also would look at the Berkeley Catalog to find names of our faculty who have attended places like the London School of Economics. Look at the Economic Dept and Faculty who teach in Development Studies. Look at the Career Fairs section of this website and you will find the International Affairs Graduate School Day with links to the schools that attended. Those links should lead to lists of faculty at those schools, some of whom probably studied or taught at the schools that interest you. The Education Abroad Program at Cal will have some information of interest. Ask faculty in your area of interest in several departments for their ideas.

Graduate schools often do not state precisely what they seek in candidates rather relying on a variety of factors in selecting students. Hopefully, by emailing admissions people at the schools that interest you it will be possible to get a feel for what they desire in candidates. You can ask them for a profile of the kinds of students they have accepted over the past few years.

Graduate schools place considerable weight on the GPA especially that in courses related to the intended field of study. Letters of recommendations are important too as the schools really like to hear from those who have taught you and who know you and your work well. You can be working on this as you go along through Cal. The schools usually ask for a statement of purpose in which the applicant indicates the intended field of study, reasons for attending, plans for the future and how he or she is prepared to study the field. So, knowing what one wants to do and why can be helpful.

I don't think that you are going to find such a list. The schools sometimes will say that they expect "about a 600 GRE," but as a rule, they do not get very specific. Grad schools want good grades and scores but often put a great deal of weight on the letters of recommendation and the applicant’s research experience. They know that interest and skill in research are very crucial to future success. Someone could have wonderful grades and scores and not be very creative in problem solving etc. Solely numbers does not predict productivity in research.

I think you can email the schools that interest you and ask them if they can give you an idea of the grades and scores of those they have accepted in recent years. You likely will find that they are going to talk in general terms rather than getting very specific. Again, what your professors say about you will be very important.

All this said, I suspect that at top ranked grad schools the entering students will have above a 3.6 on average. But, there will be a good range of grades and scores. Talk to your professors and to graduate students in your area of interest to get their ideas.

While there are rankings of many graduate fields, one needs to ask which programs is the best for you and your interests. Since Environmental Sciences cover so much territory from the social sciences to the hard sciences, I recommend that you discuss your graduate and career plans with professors who are focused on the area of Environmental Sciences that interest you. These people should know what is out there and the people you should work with to reach your goals.

Graduate work usually leads toward research and/or teaching and is too long a process to enter into lightly. Most of your friends will be making significantly more money and getting started on their careers while you remain a "student." This is especially true for the PhD. This degree is for someone who wants to spend a career in teaching and research. While some do other things with a PhD, especially in the current academic job market, the purpose for one to get a PhD in biology would be to go into teaching and research.

If you're thinking about a PhD, you should have undergraduate research experience (in a lab, as a part of an independent study, honors thesis, etc.) and know that research is a realm that engages and brings out the best in you. Current graduate students are a great, easily accessible resource for learning more.

Master's degrees are offered in many fields of study. Some are designed to lead to a doctorate degree while others are the "terminal" degree for a profession (e.g., Master of Library Science or Master of Business Administration). For full-time students, completing a master's degree usually takes 2 years. As a part of a Master’s degree, you may be required to write a master's thesis or complete a fieldwork experience.

Unfortunately, we do not have the type of records that you seek. There are statistics like the ones you seek for law school and medical school because all applicants for those types of schools must go through a centralized application process. The organizations that set up those application processes are able to compile statistics. Graduate applications are individual to each school; there is no way that we can realistically track graduate applicants' information.

But, to see where engineering students have gone to graduate school, check out the engineering majors on the "What Can I Do With a Major in..." list.

Yes, it is possible to go from a MS to a PhD at the same or at another graduate school. Such a plan may be wise for someone who is not sure about obtaining a PhD or for someone who may need to prove that he/she is PhD material or to move "up" in the ranking of schools, i.e., going from a less prestigious school to a more prestigious school. On the other hand, there can be disadvantages to such a two step plan as it may take longer, one could have to develop new contacts with faculty etc., financial aid might be less available. etc. Remember that some schools only admit for the PhD program; that is, they do not offer the MS.

There are specific programs in Art Therapy, and you can find them in the appropriate volume of Peterson's Guides to Graduate Study that can be found online or in Room 212 of the Career Center at 2111 Bancroft Way. The Guides will give you names, addresses, some information on admissions, etc. on the various schools. The field obviously calls for knowledge in both fields. I doubt that any specific major is required but rather that 'adequate preparation' in each field be gained before admission. As with many professional fields, no specific major is required as long as the person has the course work and experience to show he/she is qualified. I do not think you have to major in Psychology or double major---just be prepared academically. See what each school means by that--what courses they require. I suspect that there is a licensing exam to allow people to be art therapists and the way to prepare for the exam is by grad school with its requirements. Be sure to get some experience in the field to see that you enjoy it.

Will having the MS degree shorten the journey toward a PhD? Depends upon where you get your MS and where you intend to pursue your PhD I suggest you visit/contact PhD programs and get their advice on whether to get an MS degree from XYZ university, or to just complete certain (4-8 courses) prerequisites for admissions into the PhD Program.

As long as you have enough Psychology, I do not think the other major/minor choices are critical. I can see advantages with either or all of your options. The AS focusing on the family would be good as would the ES or education. I can really see this either way. I am not meaning to be evasive, but I really do not see a significant difference--certainly not one to affect admissions in any real way. Be sure you have good experience working with kids and have people who can write good letters about you.

You will need to do some research to determine what the different schools admission criteria are for graduate programs in biology. Go to the Online Resources - Graduate School Information and take a look at two links; Gradchools.com - A comprehensive source for graduate school information can search for schools by subject and region. Peterson's Graduate and Professional Schools - A comprehensive searchable database of graduate schools with many links to other resources on graduate school, both links will help you find graduate schools that have biology programs.

I suspect that many schools may have some undergraduate pre-requisites in the biological sciences area for graduate school admission. You can start by looking at schools in the state you would like to attend, then you can narrow it down to about ten schools and start looking at their pre-reqs. You should contact the school if you have any questions regarding the science courses you have taken to find out if they will fulfill the requirements for that particular school.

Many factors go into admission to graduate school. Grades, especially in the proposed area of graduate study, are very important. The GRE counts, but often not as much as letters of recommendation from those who have taught you and better yet, from those with whom you have done research. A PhD program usually looks for research and scholarly potential. Talk to professors in the area you are interested in with whom you might want to work and see what they have to say. Admission to graduate school is based on a broader range of factors than just grades and test scores.

You are going to have to do some research to see what the schools require of you. If you take the required courses and demonstrate proficiency through projects and internships, your undergraduate major probably will not affect your chances of getting into an EE program. So, you may want to identify some of the programs you are interested in, find their requirements, and also get in touch with their admissions folks and faculty for your specific questions. Take a look at Yahoo Programs - Engineering.

Pre-requisites (courses and work experience) vary with Public Health schools and the specific program of emphasis. I suggest you look at each MPH school on the Association of Schools of Public Health, ASPH website. On the side bar of this site is "request a brochure" and you can request "free" any of a number of career-related items. You can also make an appointment (642-1716) to speak with the Career Counselor, who works closely with students interested in careers in public health.

As you have found out through your research, many schools do not advertise the average GPA of their entering classes because they want to take the emphasis off of "the numbers." They are looking for well-rounded candidates whose experience is not always reflected by grades, but may be demonstrated through their statements and letters of recommendation. You can contact the "top ten" (a very arbitrary notion if you ask the Counselor) and ask them if they wouldn't mind sharing the average GPA (and GRE scores) of their entering classes with you. Suffice it to say, most "top" programs will probably be admitting many students with 3.5 GPAs and above (and they will look closely at your economics coursework).

Many factors go into admission to grad school. Grades, especially in the proposed area of graduate study are very important. The GRE counts but often not as much as do letters of recommendation from those who have taught you and better yet, from those with whom you have done research. A PhD program usually looks for potential for scholarship/research as that is what these programs are all about.

You have been in a tough major with the result that your GPA will be given weight. Hopefully, you can get good letters from the faculty you have worked with in your research. Your 34 on the MCAT is a fine score and suggests a strong GRE.

I would talk to professors in MCB with who you might want to work and see what they have to say. Admission to graduate school is not the straightforward thing it is in some fields that tend to use grades and scores in more of a formula fashion. On its face, a 3.4 seems a little low for Berkeley or other of the most competitive schools, but the factors noted above make that less certain. In short, one can not say in advance.

Yes, I think November will work for most schools. However, you should be in touch with the schools of interest to ask them to be sure. You will find that schools do things quite differently and may change from year to year as different people are on admissions committees. Same for MCAT scores---I doubt many will take them as they likely do not know how to interpret them. You may find some who will. Submitting MCAT scores might raise a question in some minds. Is this person really a pre-med at heart?

While graduate school application deadlines vary, most will be in the December-February period. Given the above, it is wise to have your scores by fall of the year in which you will be applying (some 10 or so months before entrance). This will give you time to ensure that your scores are available in advance of the deadline, and possibly to repeat the test if necessary. A good piece of advice is to assume that nothing will work right and plan for plenty of time to correct errors. Hopefully, your application will experience smooth sailing. Further, if you are applying for a fellowship, you may need to meet earlier deadlines. So, determine a time that will allow for some preparation free of other major demands to take the GRE.

Schools do different things with GRE scores--some average them, some look at the highest score, others look at the most recent score. We do not have information on what schools do with multiple scores--there are simply too many programs. What you probably should do is look at the schools you are interested in to see what their policies are. Feel free to call/email their admissions officials; that's what they're there for.

Similarly, different schools/programs put different weights on the GRE. Since you are applying to a bioengineering program, you can probably assume that your score on the quantitative portion of the test will be scrutinized most. But, if you really want to know, you should call/email admissions officials.

When it comes to graduate school questions, the common answer is, "it varies with each individual school." So, focus just on those schools that are of interest to you.

The use of the quantitative score is at the discretion of individual departments or campuses. Competitive programs may use it and/or may require you to take the Psychology subject test. It depends if the program is more research orientated. Call the department to find out. If they use it, then do some prep and do the best you can do.

Most likely, if items are missing, your application will sit in the admission office until it is complete. The top professional programs that receive many more applicants than they can admit may not consider applications that are late. How the application process is handled will differ with each school. Most schools require that you submit your application between January and March of the year in which you wish to start. Each school will state the date when all application materials (Test Scores, Transcripts, Letters, Statement, Application form etc.) must be submitted. So you should check each school application deadline carefully and determine if the December test scores that are mailed out by January will allow you to honor the school deadline.

It makes sense to get your application in as early as possible. Generally an early application demonstrates strong interest and motivation on your part, especially when a program uses rolling admissions. Even more important, if you are considering funding from the department, applying early means that the department or program will evaluate your application when it still has a full budget of funding to award.

Since you have attended college in the US for a year and will graduate from Berkeley, I do not think that you will have to take the TOEFL. The schools want to be sure that students can handle the English language, and since you have shown that by your studies in the US, you should be okay.

Each school and or department can have its own policy on these matters. Thus, I suggest you look at the web site of each of the departments and schools you are considering and see what it says about TOEFL.

We advise you to take the test only once because it varies from school to school how they view or handle multiple scores. Some schools will take only the higher score, others will average the scores. The only reason you should consider taking the test more than once is if your scores are not indicative of what you can do. Consider retaking it for the following reasons: When you took the test ...

...were you sick?

...were you going through something emotionally stressful?

...were you not able to give your preparation 100%?

. ...knowing what you went through (and all the things left to do still)...do you want to do it again?

Yes, to one/any/all of the above may mean you need to re-test.

If you are applying to a competitive program (and not all programs are competitive) and your grades are low, your chances will be enhanced by your ability to provide additional evidence that your GPA doesn't accurately reflect your abilities and potential. Some programs, for example, will place substantial value on work experience in the field. Or you might be able to overcome a relatively weak overall GPA by undertaking a demanding independent study or research project that demonstrates your true abilities and generates a strong letter of recommendation.

Some schools will list a minimum GPA, but that figure reflects the minimum as opposed to the typical thresh hold figure or average GPA of those admitted. Schools are often reluctant to list average GPA and GRE information because they are only part of the package examined in the decision making process. You may be able to get more concrete information by contacting a department or program and asking, "In the past few years, what kind of grades and scores have your accepted students presented?"

I am assuming that you are applying to graduate school? Most schools require that you submit official transcripts of all college-level work including transcripts from every post secondary school that you have attended, including community colleges, summer sessions, and extension programs. Yes, you should include your community college grades in your overall GPA calculation. Some schools place considerable weight on grades in the intended field of study or in related fields instead of the overall grades. If your grades in the intended field of study were much better than the overall grades, the grad school might well tend to overlook the total overall grades. Remember that you will be submitting transcripts of all college-level work, and each graduate school may differ on how they view grades.

Having strong grades in your major and minor will always help your applications for competitive graduate or professional school programs. So the "C" option will not help you. Dropping the course, gives you a second chance to start it over and do well in the course. So speak with you school advisor about the "drop" option, and commit yourself to getting an "A" in the course. If you would like to take a closer look at your career interests, there are several computer based assessment tests at the Career Center. A few minutes can produce suggestions regarding career directions major decisions.

Graduate schools differ on their requirements for admission. Some state they want at least a 3.0; others state a 2.75. Also, some may not hold to their stated minimum. That is, they may take applicants below their stated minimum if those people have other significant strengths to offer. For example, they may have gone to a good school like Cal or have very strong letters of recommendation or test scores. Grades in the intended field or in related fields will be looked at more carefully than overall grades. For example, if a person's grades in the intended field of study were much better than the overall grades, the grad school might be willing to overlook a lower total GPA. For some schools, a 3.0 indicates that you are not likely to possess the academic skills and motivation necessary to successfully complete their program.

If you don't believe your undergraduate record reflects your true ability, postgraduate work offers a fresh start with a clean transcript. If your grades are low you may not be able to get into the graduate program of your choice, but a strong performance in getting a Masters (or in the case of medical school, a post-baccalaureate program) may provide entrée to a much more competitive PhD program. It may also be possible to enhance your credentials by taking demanding courses outside a degree program. Take classes related to the graduate field that you want to enter to demonstrate your ability in that field. If you want to go into grad school in English take more advanced courses in English, not biology. These courses usually should be taken at the best four-year institution you can attend.