| Sajha.com Archives | |
| Username | Post |
| kathmandu_updates | Posted
on 16-Apr-03 07:18 PM
with very high GRE score and very low GPA , do I have chance to get into a above average school? Or do I just get balanced out to be average. What weighs more GPA pr GRE? |
| bhedo | Posted
on 16-Apr-03 07:21 PM
Well, what exactly is your GRE score, and what's your GPA? Also, which college did you graduate from? If you graduated from say, an ivy league college(or any top 20 colleges) with terrible GPA, you don't have to worry...they'll take you in anywhere. |
| south | Posted
on 16-Apr-03 07:22 PM
if you got really good GRE and your percentage or GPA is low it should work fine but above average college, but not sure about top 50 colleges. how high is ur GRE? and what is your GPA or percentage? i can give u more suggestion after that. |
| Deep | Posted
on 16-Apr-03 07:30 PM
Lage haath ma pani sodhe halnu paryo... I have a terrible GMAT but terrefic GPA say 3.9 then how good shot would I have to an above average school? lau na! |
| south | Posted
on 16-Apr-03 07:36 PM
sorry deep bro, not much idea about business schools and GMAT but you can visit usnews.com for more information. |
| Kathmandu_Updates | Posted
on 16-Apr-03 07:39 PM
college ko naam chahi nabhanum kina bhane manche haru le chinlan, tara,n 680 verbal 730 math ma. GPA chahi lower 2..1 overall, ra major ma 2.3 . |
| south | Posted
on 16-Apr-03 07:46 PM
wow dude you areally got very good verbal score, how much are u expecting in analytical and whats your major? are you going for engineering? if you are then your analytical and quantitative score matters but in other schools they look for any two or verbal + quant. so looks like you have pretty good score and as you said low GPA. well you can try 2nd tier colleges, with good recommendations. good luck. |
| Kathmandu_Updates | Posted
on 16-Apr-03 07:48 PM
thank you man , actually I am Economics major and a female. ....not a dude!! |
| khimu | Posted
on 16-Apr-03 07:50 PM
hahahaha very funny kathmandu-updates |
| ashu | Posted
on 16-Apr-03 07:51 PM
To an admissions committee member, at a first glance, a combination of high GRE and low GPA is an indication that you have high ability but little or no (self-) discipline -- enough of a reason for rejection. Graduate schools, especially PhD programs, is not so much about having high academic ability as it is about being able to stick-to-the-finish with solid self-discipline no matter what the highs and the lows of being a graduate student are. Unless you can directly address the GPA issue (perhaps you had substantiated family problems during your undergrad years or suffered from an illness or fell in love and screwed up your studies or had a hard time balancing job and school or whatever -- all of these need to addressed directly and honestly) and then demonstrate a string of professional and other academic successes in which you exercised solid discipline and did well, most top schools will probably not look at your applications. But take heart. I have seen people -- Nepalis and Americans -- with low GPAs ending up at top schools. And so, you can pull it off if you are serious, sincere and can honestly show yourself in a positive light, as someone -- despite the low GPA -- who is brimming with intellectual/academic potential. Much of the time, grad schools are betting on your potential (to do research) than on what kind of student you were in the past. Hope this helps. oohi "have advised low-GPA Nepalis on how to get accepted by top schools, including MIT" ashu ktm,nepal |
| south | Posted
on 16-Apr-03 07:58 PM
yeah ashu is right, i know some guys who got really high GRE 2200+ but very low percentage or GPA, but still got good school. so try ur luck. well i said 2200+ is really high, but when i talked with chinese guys they said 2200+ is no big deal many of us has more than 2300+ hahha. but i also heard some professors dont believe in GRE score of chinese. |
| ashu | Posted
on 16-Apr-03 08:01 PM
I think your GRE scores are low for top-tier economics programs. But there are many other very, very good schools. Meantime, you may enjoy reading this article: Krueger, Alan B. and Stephen Wu. "Forecasting Successful Economics Graduate Students." September, 1998. Journal of Economic Education, vol. 31, no. 1, Winter 2000. [You can download this paper from http://www.irs.princeton.edu/pubsframe.html #403 Also, this Web page, maintained by a microeconomist at Stanford, has some relevant info. http://www.stanford.edu/~athey/gradadv.html oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| south | Posted
on 16-Apr-03 08:10 PM
subjective GRE pani de hunchha ni ta teso bhaye, ani impress hola ni professor. |
| Biruwa | Posted
on 16-Apr-03 08:43 PM
If you are seeking admission in economics then the Universities mostly ask for GMAT and not GRE are are you planning a career switch? GRE is for engineering and science subjects. But since you have already taken the exam there is no harm in trying with GRE too. Go to the American center at Gyaneshowor and search US universities. All the Best! |
| Harris | Posted
on 16-Apr-03 09:22 PM
Is the GPA an equivalent transformation of scores from Nepali college. If it is a case, then low GPA is not that much to be worried. (80% overall from Nepali college is just a 3.0 with US standard, and you can say how prestigious is it to have distinction in Nepal). In other way, being within top 5%, 10% or 20% in the batch does help for countries like Nepal. |
| Rekha | Posted
on 16-Apr-03 10:15 PM
GPA is more important then GRE (I think). I have high GPS score 4.1 so I got into good university even thought I didn't have such a good ACT and SAT. Depends on the college I think............ |
| Biswo | Posted
on 16-Apr-03 10:41 PM
I think it is unlikely that below 3.0 GPA in undergraduate is an acceptable score for ANY relatively good graduate school. A professor of mine told that explicitly to me in Auburn. So if you are a graduate of US college or university and you have a GPA of 2.*, there is a slim probability of getting accepted[with scholarship offer] in a mediocre or relatively good graduate program. On the other hand, these are very tough years to apply to graduate schools [as an international student]. I knew a girl who applied to about twenty+ Economics programs, and she had 2400/2400 in GRE (That's damn full mark), undergraduate degree from a very prestigeous foreign university, and she got offer only from the likes of Boston University, University of Colorado Boulder and Hongkong University.I gathered that personal connection, publications etc are also equally important. |
| isolated freak | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 12:57 AM
Dear all, Interesting and informative comments of you all, thanks much. Learned a lot reading those. As far as I know, your undergraduate GPA does matter. As Biswo said, below 3.0, in many cases mean rejection from the top tier schools/universities. However, there's no need to get disappoinrted. If you have bad grades but a really good GRE score, you still have some "chances". Another thing is, the admission commitee not only looks at your transcript and GRE score, but also your essay, your work experience and also the classes you took as an undergraduate . The diversity and the range of classes you took, a damn good application essay and the work you did after your graduiation too, sometimes help you get into good schools. Also, this world has now become a small place in which to live and study, and there are equally good colleges elsewehre, so why don't you look for your options in Europe and Asia because if you happen to be at one of the reputed institutions in Asia/Europe, and if you can demonstrate that you are SERIOUS with what you are studying and you are SURE about your future plans, you won't have a hard time getting into PhD or MPhil programs in the universities in the US or Asia/Europe. As an undergrad I chose to study what many Nepali students don't study, either because of the family pressure or their own lack of inetrest, and after graduating from a faily good school with a good enough GPA, I decided to look for schools in Asia and Europe. Last year I applied to two schools in Europe and got rejected because I didn't have the work experience nor the knowledge of European language(S). This year, after having a significant work experience uner my belt, I applied to one of the best schools in Asia and the world and I got in! I now think my rejections last year was a blessing in disguise. So, my friend, why don't you prove your worth by working in an area that directly relates to what you want to do/become in the future. Spend time researching for schools in the other parts of the World. Spend time writing a damn good application essay (and as Ashu said, if you can include the reasons for your bad GPA in that, the better). |
| _BP | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 01:03 AM
I would apply to programs where Nepali students have been before you and have done well. I would want to know how people from that part of the world perform academically in the US before accepting someone...if I were in the admissions committee. |
| isolated freak | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 01:35 AM
Biswo:I gathered that personal connection, publications etc are also equally important. True true. Publications and "connections" are also very important. |
| oys_chill | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 05:22 AM
"On the other hand, these are very tough years to apply to graduate schools [as an international student]." "I gathered that personal connection, publications etc are also equally important. " Biswo jyu, absolutely agree with you. huna ta grad. school ma jane tyam ta bhai sakya chaina..but applying for internships, i have got a feel for why international students are just international students......and honestly, like someone else mentioned, i think going to a prestigious college gives you that extra edge required. It is indeed discouraging to find yourself in a situation despite having good grades , good scores, research, conference, presentation..whatever experience......personal ties jus weigh more in the long run......and while you sit down and wonder what went wrong, the white classmate next to you, who doesn't really know how to program "hello world" gets an internship in microsoft or such...........usko uncle tyaha kaam garcha re kya! selection by merit (personal) hola criteria chai! |
| PREMpujari | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 05:33 AM
Dayummmmm!!! First time in sajha, Euta le arko lai lacharera-pacharera kura nagari kana, really talkin' about some issue. And I agree with all of them. Afno ta GPA probation hune bhanda .2 maathi cha.. ehh...!!! jen-ten-prakaaren graduate bhayera Nepal ma gayera Momo-pashal kholnu parcha!! I am all excited about that... ehh!! Aru chai tyastai ho!! Oys unusual time ma uthecha, I am tirimiri... ehhh. I agree about personal connections... Nepal ma matrai hola bhann thanya "naatabaad" ra "kripaabaad", america ma ta tyo bhanda ni charko rahecha.... Well... !!! tyastai ho!! |
| isolated freak | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 05:37 AM
natabad kripabaad and $$$$$$$ works everywhere, not only in nepal but also in the US or in other countries. However, you can still get into a good school even if you don't have any influential friend or relative or money.. all you need to do is BE good at WHAT you Do. la ta namaste |
| Aliciaa | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 06:53 AM
Can anyone tell me which are the good medical universities in US. My score weren't so good On GRE and my gpa 3.75. Now I am planning to give MCAT this summer( do you guys think that universities give priorities for MCAT).I had been selected for taking one month free MCAT preparation class but I am not being able to decide whether to retake GRE or try MCAT.Any suggestions from anyone. thanks hoping to hear some suggestions |
| _BP | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 07:04 AM
Check out this link:http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/CollegeandFamily/Savingforcollege/P36742.asp |
| ashu | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 07:21 AM
>>Nepal ma matrai hola bhann thanya "naatabaad" ra "kripaabaad", america ma ta tyo bhanda ni charko rahecha.... Well... !!! tyastai ho!! >>> In Nepal, people in power and with authority exercise naatabad and kripabaad even when the people they select are downright khattam, jhoor and really, really bad. Recommending certifiably jhoor candidates to a program/school/job etc apparently does NOT reflect badly on the recommenders here. In America, yes, knowing the right people helps a lot. But you have to be pretty good at what you do too. Therein lies the difference. In America or anywhere else, one way to achieve "success" is to hang around "successful" people. :-) oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| Nepali Kanchi | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 08:18 AM
Kathmandu-Updates, I am a similar position as you are. My Eco GPA is higher than yours but stilll bad, I failed Econometrics 3 times, its all Greek to me :)) But I am in the proces of applying with a 2250 score , and do not be discouraged. The whole " I am a female from Nepal" thing really works. Like someone said above, explain the ups and downs in your colllege life. I wrote this whole story of how I got a double promotion in Nepal and how it affected my elementary arithmetic skills and related to why I did bad in all my math related classes. I know it sounds corny, but once you start self-reflecting yourself, you can actually come up with a pretty good trend of behaviour vs why you screwed up in classes. You can email me at prerana@excite.com |
| isolated freak | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 08:30 AM
hehehe can I email you too? But, a great suggestion there. Being a token student has its own fun :-) |
| south | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 09:24 AM
hello aliciaa here are the top medical schools in usa. http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/med/brief/mdrrank_brief.php http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/med/brief/mdprank_brief.ph kathmandu_updates: i think kathmandu_updates should take subjective GRE test of economics as well so you can impress them with your good general and subjective GRE scores. i know GPA matters but strong recommendations and your good statement and purpose why you want to do masters in particular subject in economics (like Industrial Organization,International Economics, Macroeconomics ,Microeconomics , Public Finance ) and if you have some kind os research or project in it will definitely help. good luck. |
| prasnachinha | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 01:27 PM
Ashu wrote ......Graduate schools, especially PhD programs, is not so much about having high academic ability as it is about being able to stick-to-the-finish with solid self-discipline no matter what the highs and the lows of being a graduate student are. ....... everyday we learn something. I always thought that PhD programs have something to do with the high academic ability. All those people who have big Dr. in front of their name always kinda intimidated me , their title having that intellectual aura. Today i realize its their workoholism (in nepali who works like a "gadha", and in sophisticated english as ashu said- their ability to stick-to-the-finish) that differentiate them from highly intellectual non PhD people. It must be a descrimination that nobel prize which appreciate the high intellectual ability and beautiful minds always go to the mediocre people who just happened to be a PhD. May be they have PhDs in that selection committee. Moreover since the most intellectual people are nonPhDs, we are missing a whole lotta thing in this world. May be this is the reason why every time some one thinks of an alien civilization, they are more advanced than us.Aleins must have realized the fact and non PhD people took control of the intellectual field. I am worried because a majority of generation and transmission of knowledge is done by these phDs.Think about all recent and not so recent advancement in nuclear physics to gene sequencing , they are possible because of these phDs who lack intellectual ability compared to a great intellectual mass which utilize and probably exploit it. May be its time to reverse it for betterment. In Nepal, planning commission is always headed by PhD. May be this is the time we autopsy our policy and appoint more intellectual people who have been spending most of their time in "jand gathering" and"hallai halla ko chautari" thinking about country and development. ( why dont some one nominate ashu?-hope he aint a PhD) Being close to some one who actually is in a committe which decides the fate of PHd candidates, i may be able to share this new truth with them. All years all they looked in a candidate was intellectual ability. Someone who knows, or who has an willingness to know and use(may be abuse) his/her brain. May be we can rescue these misguided people together. kaso ashu ji? |
| bhedo | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 02:38 PM
"College ko naam chahi nabhanum kina bhane manche haru le chinlan, tara,n 680 verbal 730 math ma. GPA chahi lower 2..1 overall, ra major ma 2.3 . " Wow, really? Your GRE scores I would say are top notch, but your GPA is very khattam. Well, in most colleges, minimum GPA of 3.0 is a requirement...so I don't think they'll accept you in that many colleges . You got better score in verbal than I did...I scored a 700+ ( I bet now I could get 750+..my vocab has soared up big time), but I scored a 770 in maths...back then we also had an analytical section...overall, let's say, mine was 2200+, but damn, I ain't getting accepted anywhere yo. I graduated from a top notch college, btw..my gpa is 3.4. I guess my recommendation letters sucked or something. I applied to MIT, Cal tech, Stanford, Harvard...that about it...I don't know why they rejecting me...I can wait though Bush f*cked up the economy..now everybody wants to study. |
| bhedo | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 02:56 PM
Oh, you got 680 in verbal...I thought you said 780, my bad. |
| Brook | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 03:35 PM
The clear dichotomy, (especially the implied inverse relationship) PrashnaChinna sees between hard work and intelligence is curiously appalling. My personal experience at graduate school thus far has been that no matter how smart and gifted you are, you will not get very far without that extreme will, determination, mental and physical capacity to work round the clock. I don't know about other fields but I know the above to be invariably true at the top Economics programs out there. So yes, some PhDs might lack the intellectual ability, pragmatism, and the willingness to get their own hands dirty-- perhaps the necessary qualities to lead and inspire Planning Commissions-- but just the fact some people have to rely heavily and often, disproportionately on plain old drudgery to get to a certain level of educational achievement, does not necessarily mean they sold their intellect somewhere along the way. |
| mack | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 06:23 PM
alicia, GRE and MCAT are apples and oranges cant substitute one for another. Without MCAT, medical schools wont consider your application. |
| ashu | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 06:42 PM
Prasnachinha -ji, I think Brook has done a pretty good job addressing your concerns. Talent or intellectual ability is important, yes. But that's a given, isn't it? Without the ability to work very, very, hard and without the capacity to stick-to-the-finish, talent alone will not help one survive, let alone, complete a PhD program or a rigorous program. [In the US, or for that matter in Nepal, high achievers are also very hard-workers!!. Anecdotaly speaking, some of the smartest people I know are also very hard workers!] I would even say that talent or intellectual abilities are commonplace and way over-rated. Execution -- in terms of finishing a program, producing papers, adding new insights -- is all that matters, if one aims to have an influence in one's field. oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| Ghar jwaaii | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 08:34 PM
I never received high GPA nor do I expect to get my GPA highter than 2.5 though I still received a good amount of scholarship and continue to receive it from one of the good private schools in the nation. Thanks to strong practical side and very poor on my therotical side..after all that's what Art & Design as my major was supposed to be. |
| mountainmama | Posted
on 18-Apr-03 12:32 PM
I totally agree with Brook and Ashu. Generalizing a degree with certain individuals is not fair. Ofcourse, all PhD holders may not be gifted but they have the perseverance; endurance and they have come a long way to prove themselves. Believe me, its not easy. If someone is fairly intelligent, then he/she should thrive to utilize that gift. About grad school, I do agree personal contact helps. That does not necessary mean you have to know someone prior to your application. Proving the committee members that you are willing to take those long hours, and showing your effort counts. GRE scores are not always a sufficient measure for decision making as Chinese people were totally skewing the graph. Its test of test taking ability rather than your intelligence. Things might have changed after new logical section though. Personal experience I would like to share is to find professors who matches your research interest and communicate with them personally. Proving them your research abilities, academic performance and desire for grad school is very important. Setting up interview with graduate committee also works. It gives them opportunity to judge you and you will get an opportunity to prove yourself. Its always better to give face to the application. On top, you will get tour of your future school. Remember, school is also in need of good students as students are in need of good school :) Good luck! |
| oys_chill | Posted
on 18-Apr-03 01:27 PM
Mountainmama, very valid points.......but the thing that bothers is ...you only have one chance to prove to them (Whoever) and if u can't you hit rock bottom after that......i don't know what this "FAIR ADMISSION PROCESS" means anymore. hyaa......ajhai time ta cha! bekkar ma k ko tension! the thing that really really bothers me is..........how will a student from a mediocre university (despite grades, hardwork, research) will be judged when he has to compete with a student from a prestigious privated school.......where do u draw the line? who gives a damn about circumstances at those moments.....! well.......anyways good luck to those who are on the dilemma |
| prasnachinha | Posted
on 18-Apr-03 07:44 PM
Ashu wrote ......Graduate schools, especially PhD programs, is not so much about having high academic ability as it is about being able to stick-to-the-finish with solid self-discipline no matter what the highs and the lows of being a graduate student are..... all i wanted to do was contradict the baseless assumption ashu made separating the PhD program in a sub-ntellectual category. I agree the fact that intellectual ability is often over rated, however it is one of the most imortant criteria to be accepted in a pHd program. Having closely worked with these professors in the committee, that is what i have learnt so far. Yes graduate school is all about perseverance. Those who work hard and smart publish and rest perish. So when ashu implied that PhD applicants need not be "the cream of the crops" in theiracademic ability, i was apalled. This would be a misguidance to those aspiring student who want to be in a pHD program. What ashu missed here is , academic ability leads your way to a graduate school and perseverance leads your way to graduation. Since my previous answer did not clarify my point, i accept the fact that my ability to write a satire needs a massive improvement. -Hope i did not offend those so called movers and shakers who think PhDs are the loosers. |
| south | Posted
on 18-Apr-03 08:36 PM
hello prasnachinha, does GRE matters for PhD? how about thesis? does it matter if one has masters degree with thesis option or just course work? how difficult is it to get admission in PhD program in engineering with about 3.4-3.5 GPA. |
| thapap | Posted
on 20-Apr-03 12:43 AM
for PhD program [ if you are applying from Masters]; thesis would be the main criterion for admissions. in US, one can go for PhD directly with bachelors, which causes people to concentrate more on GRE score. I believe minimum requirement for PhD is 3.25-3.5 out of 4.0 in Masters. Anybody above 3.0 in undergraduate can apply and get accepted provided that you are not looking for any scholorship. |