I think Karl has identified a crucial point. Students need to do what they can in whatever way to connect their interests with the interests of a particular and specifically identified faculty member at the institution at which they are applying. That has generally been the most successful approach that I have seen. That being said, a few years back I had two students who were applying to graduate school at the same time who both had near 800 scores on their GRE's and all of the schools were scrambling to get either one of them. There is a portfolio of the generally desirable student who doesn't have to be specific in her interests. Really good GRE scores in my opinion turn everyone toward the applicant. Of course these students have good grades and good letters, but they don't have to be showing research interests that match with potential faculty members.
Bill Scott >>> "Wuensch, Karl L" <[email protected]> 03/20/10 9:36 PM >>> We get a lot of applications from students who have great credentials but who apparently share no research interests with our faculty. We tell prospective students up front that their application will be rejected if they have not arranged for a member of our faculty to sponsor the application, but many just go ahead and apply without first arranging such sponsorship. I consider such failure to follow instructions a fatal flaw for an applicant to graduate school. Cheers, Karl W. --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=1405 or send a blank email to leave-1405-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
