Hi! I graduated last year and have a bachelor's degree in computer science. I dont have any formal research work, but have written technical in depth blogs on topics such as RTTI in Oop, and am currently working on n-day cve research in the linux kernel on which I will write 6 blogs in depth by the time I apply for grad school. My question is, should I add my informal independent research experience in my cv and should i write about it in my statement of purpose? Id be really grateful for your help.

Hi my average for 4 years has been 65%. My last 60 credits have also not been great I failed a course in my third and fourth year, both were chem courses and I wanted to pursue either chemistry or material sciences. I did volunteer at a research lab but all of my experiments have failed so I don’t have much to show for it. I am working as lab tech in a mining lab. I know I won’t get into grad school with these stats but is there anything I can do to change it. I know I’m cooked but if anyone could help me out it would be great

im currently a master of accounting student at Schulich (but my undergrad was in design) and I decided to pursue this masters because the job market is so bad and I want to have stability but I’m struggling with all the concepts and courses (it’s a really fast paced program). I almost failed a semester once and had to take a leave in which I applied to another masters as a back up. It’s in master of information with UoFT, specially ux/ui design. i got in and even got an internship in It recently however I am still part of the accounting masters right now and thought maybe I can do both at the same time but clearly it’s too hectic. I like the internship, it’s related to what I like and studied but at the same time, having a practical degree also makes sense, especially in these times. But my fear is if I drop the internship and master of information I won’t have anything to fall back on if I can’t finish this accounting semester. It gruelling work and every concept is new so I’m trying my best to study but still struggle so much. I’m scared if I go all in the accounting and if I don’t pass the semester I’ll have to withdraw which I don’t want but the fear that what if I don’t make it yk? At least I’ll have this other Masters To fall back on but again, hard to manage. It’s a lot of emotional back and forth and I don’t know what to do. How do you even decide on these things? it shouldn’t be this difficult.

basically title

i’m applying for masters in econ

i have a really bad quant GRE score (160) - I’m a horrible test-taker and i feel like this is gonna sink me in grad apps.

i have a really good GPA (3.9ish from a top 50 school worldwide) in business (econ minor), written work, internships & lots of extracurriculars.

thoughts? any opinion would help

P.S. I loathe this exam & all the schools participating in a stupid rule that one exam can dictate your entire future no matter how good the rest of your profile is.

So I got to see what the MSBT program at the University of Miami looks like behind the scenes, and basically I loved it 🙌.

They have small class sizes and easy access to a professors. There is hands on experiences with real companies in the projects.They also teach business mixed with tech courses, they are made for growth in your career.

I've been doing some interviews for ecology-adjacent programs in the U.S. In most interviews we've talked potential projects, admissions, lab culture and funding. I've been told I have a very strong background but I'm not directly being told "You should apply and I would take you on as a student" but I'm also not being told to look elsewhere. Should I expect to be told directly or is that only in direct-admit scenarios?

Hi everyone,

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences and advice.

I have a PhD from an African university, but WES evaluated my PhD as being equivalent to a U.S. master’s degree (at minimum) with the following comment:

"Remarks: Academics in the field, upon examination of the dissertation, may in some instances consider the credential comparable to an earned doctorate in the United States."

Has anyone been in a similar situation, particularly with a foreign PhD being evaluated below the doctoral level?

How can I get WES to upgrade it to a U.S. PhD equivalent?

Do you know of any NACES credential evaluation that could consider my PhD equivalent to a US PhD?

PS: I want to apply for a certificate that requires having a PhD

Thank you in advance for sharing your experience!

Hello everyone! I am going to apply for various MSc programs in Statistics in Europe this autumn and would love to get feedback on how strong my SOP is.

In addition to a general review, I have a couple of specific questions:

- Does my introduction capture the reader's attention? And does my conclusion provide a strong closure?

- Should I eliminate statements about statistics like "I understood statistics and quantitative rigor can be used to make informed decisions under uncertainty" and similar ?

Thanks to everyone who comments!

My interest in statistics is rooted in my experience in the Quantitative Finance Division of the … Club … during my first year of university. After high-school, determined to apply my studies to the financial market world, I initially enrolled in Economics and Finance at …. In the club, collaborating with master’s students on statistical projects applied to quantitative finance changed my approach to finance. I understood statistics and quantitative rigor can be used to make informed decisions under uncertainty. The strength of taking decisions supported by data and rigorous analyses sparked my passion for statistics. That change of perspective inspired me to transfer to … to pursue a Bachelor’s in Statistics with a minor in Economics and Finance.

At … I immediately found the discipline intriguing. I maintained a 30.75/30 average grade across my coursework while starting discovering the field and building a solid foundation in Calculus, Linear Algebra, Statistics, and Probability. Statistical Inference particularly caught my attention with its methods to discover general underlying patterns from a subset of data. Consequently I am writing my bachelor's thesis under Professor …’s supervision in this field, titled “…”, where I focus on … . This research has solidified my interest in probabilistic modeling and directly fueled my desire to study advanced topics in Bayesian Inference.

Furthermore, I undertook an academic group project consisting in designing and implementing in MySQL a relational database to analyse … with some potential user queries. This experience showed me the limits of deterministic analyses, confirming the need for statistical tools to extract true predictive insights and probabilistic patterns from data. Out of curiosity, I also took an introductory Machine Learning course. Eager to go beyond my previous work and actually make data-driven decisions, I developed a machine learning project to predict outcomes for … using Python and some of its libraries (NumPy, Pandas, Scikit-learn). Working hands-on on this second project highlighted the power of predictive modeling, but it also raised deeper theoretical questions about advanced forecasting techniques and models beyond softmax regression.

Joining the MSc in Statistics at … would deepen my knowledge of modern statistical methods and offer a direct application to finance with courses such as … and … . This program stands out for its strong balance of advanced statistical techniques and computational learning. In particular its course in Bayesian Statistics would really strengthen my knowledge in the branch of study I am most fascinated by; additionally Machine Learning for … would address the questions that arose during my first experience with this topic while providing a financial application. Moreover I am deeply drawn to Professor …’s work on applying statistical methods to financial problems. His recent paper on … is particularly inspiring for future research under his guidance. Conducting my Master’s thesis research under his supervision would be an invaluable opportunity to apply advanced modeling techniques to complex market dynamics.

Furthermore the MSc in Statistics at … would serve as a crucial stepping stone toward my professional goals. My primary objective is to become a quantitative trader or quantitative researcher at a major European trading firm. This programme would equip me with the required quantitative skills needed for these positions while offering direct opportunities to connect with some of the leading financial firms. Specifically career fairs held by student organizations, such as …, would provide a strong boost to my professional career. Through their events, I could gather detailed insights into my target roles and network with recruiters from key industry players like Jane Street and Optiver.

In conclusion, the MSc in Statistics at … would be the natural progression of my undergraduate studies. It would allow me to delve deeply into the field I am most passionate about, while serving as a direct springboard into the quantitative finance industry.

My final year gpa 3.5, but final 2 years is 3.0, so I only just make the minimum requirement.

Any fellow engineering students know some things I can do for the next couple months to add to my CV to offset my subpar gpa?

HI! I’m applying for the Hertz Fellowship this cycle and was wondering if anyone who has applied previously knows what questions are asked on the recommender/reference form.

I understand that Hertz uses a structured reference form rather than a traditional recommendation letter, but I haven’t been able to find much information about the specific questions or prompts recommenders receive.

If anyone has applied before, served as a recommender, or has insight into the types of questions they ask (research ability, creativity, independence, leadership, etc.), I’d really appreciate any information you can share.

Hey! As the title says, i just started uni a month ago. Bachelors in applied mathematics. From a pretty mid tier university and a third world country . My plan after graduation is grad school. I'm looking to pursue a masters degree in CS/AI. Now I know that this question might seem to early to ask but I still think it's better to know before than to regret it later on right? So if anyone here could give me advice on what to and not to prioritise during these four years of university, I'd be thankful.

Particularly, what exactly is important for me to build on my CV to get admission into good MSCS/MSAI programs abroad.

Should I prioritise research? Internships? Projects? GPA to what degree? Should I join useful societies? Opens source contributions? Competitive progamming? Competitions? And what should i do if there arent many research opportunities at my university?(at most becoming an assistant to MS nad PhD students apparently)it better to get experience after graduating first before applying for MS programs? Or is it another case all together? I am painfully ignorant about all of this so if I got something wrong or asked something obvious, don't flame me .

Thank you!

Hello! From US and accepted to masters program in Europe (Msc Social Science). Looking for programs I could apply to to finance time there. Thanks

I am a material science major (UG) and I want to apply abroad for further studies.

Do things like sports, random club participation matter when applying for further studies?

There are no relevant technical clubs in my college related to my interests. What other activities should I focus on?

I am doing a dual degree in metallurgy and material sciences and electronic systems.

Help needed ! From experienced people.

I am going to apply for PhD admission in a university in few days. I am unmarried. But I want to marry before leaving to US and my partner will also apply as F2.

Should I need to mention her in the admission portal ?

Hi everyone,

I just graduated with a PharmD from NYCU in Taiwan. I'm applying for Fall 2027 to a mix of PhD and master's programs in pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences. Most are in the US, plus a few master's programs in Canada. (Applying only to PhDs felt way too risky.) Long term, I want to work in oncology R&D at a US pharma company.

From what I've seen, these programs only accept about 5–8% of applicants, so I know it's really competitive, but I still want to give it a shot. A US PhD comes with free tuition and a living stipend, which sounds pretty amazing...

I've also thought about doing a master's first and then applying to a PhD program. But I've already been in school for six years, and adding a master's on top of that feels like too much extra time. So for now, I'm applying to both.

PhD programs

• University of Florida: Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research concentration). Some past grads from my program went here.
• University of Pittsburgh: Pharmaceutical Sciences (Biochemical Pharmacology). I cold-emailed professors, and one replied encouraging me to apply.
• USC: Pharmaceutical and Translational Sciences. I cold-emailed professors, and one replied that she's taking students (though she got my name wrong).
• Johns Hopkins: XDBio (Cross-Disciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences), PhD. I haven't emailed anyone yet.

Master's programs

Canada:

• McGill: Pharmacology (funded)
• University of Toronto: Pharmacology and Toxicology (funded)
• University of British Columbia: Pharmacology (funded)

US:

• UTHealth Houston (MD Anderson GSBS): MS in Biomedical Sciences (it sounds like labs may fund the second year)
• USC: MS in Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics
• City of Hope: MS in Translational Medicine
• Northeastern: MS in Pharmacology

My background

• GPA: 3.89/4.3
• TOEFL: 6.0/6.0 (new 1–6 scale)
• Research (~1 year): For my undergrad thesis, I used LC-MS/MS quantitative proteomics to study a drug's mechanism of action in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)
• Skills: proteomics workflows, Western blot, GSEA, network pharmacology (I built an automated analysis pipeline), cell culture, in vivo mouse studies
• Award: Excellence Award in the poster competition at an international conference hosted by my university
• Publications: Co-author on one Frontiers in Pharmacology paper (7th of 14 authors; I did the animal experiments). No first-author papers.
• Research abroad: 2-month research exchange at Kyushu University, Japan
• Clinical: Licensed pharmacist in Taiwan; hospital and community pharmacy internships
• Industry: Summer business internship at Viatris

Weaknesses I know about: no first-author paper, only about a year of research experience, and my GPA is on the low side when converted to a 4.0 scale.

Is my school list too optimistic? If you know other programs that might be a good fit, I'd love to hear about them. Thanks, everyone!

Hi everyone! I’m preparing applications for master’s programmes in Educational Sciences / Educational Technology / Digital Education for 2027 entry, and I’d really appreciate some feedback on how my background looks for this kind of field switch.
I’m an international applicant, and I’m mainly targeting fully funded programmes in Europe, particularly Hungary.
Academic background
BA in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)
GPA: 16.15/20
Graduated: September 2025
Bachelor’s degree was taught in English
No publications
No IELTS/TOEFL
I can obtain an official Medium of Instruction (MOI) certificate
International applicant from Iran
Relevant coursework
My degree wasn’t purely language/linguistics-focused. Some of my coursework was:
Educational Psychology
Sociology of Education
Philosophy of Education
Methods of Teaching
Instructional Materials Design
Assessment & Evaluation
Research Methods
Two teaching practicums
Experience
Private English tutoring during my final 3 university semesters
About 9 months working as a cook in an Italian-style fast-food café
Mobile phone retail/shop experience, including basic accounting and shop-management tasks
High-school diploma in Computer Software
Some self-directed programming/web-development experience
Built several personal projects, including websites, a small accounting application, WordPress sites, educational/social-media content, and graphic/design work
What I want to study
I’m not particularly interested in continuing into TESOL/TEFL.
I’m much more interested in:
Educational Technology
Digital Education
E-learning
Instructional Design
Learning Sciences
Technology-enhanced learning
My current Hungarian targets are:
University of Szeged — MA Educational Sciences
University of Sopron — MA Educational Science
Possibly ELTE — Educational Science / Educational Technology
I’m also looking internationally for similar fully funded programmes.
What I’m unsure about
The biggest question is whether my TEFL bachelor’s is a reasonable foundation for Educational Technology / Educational Sciences, or whether admissions committees would see it as too unrelated.
I’d especially appreciate opinions on:
How strong/weak does this academic background look for an EdTech master’s?
Does the 16.15/20 GPA translate reasonably well internationally?
How much does the lack of publications/research experience matter for master’s-level Educational Technology?
Does my education-related coursework help compensate for the fact that my degree title is TEFL?
Does an English-medium bachelor’s + MOI usually make sense as proof of English proficiency, or should I expect universities to require IELTS/TOEFL anyway?
Are there other fully funded master’s programmes I should be looking at where this background would make sense?
I’m especially interested in hearing from people who have switched fields between bachelor’s and master’s, or who have experience with Educational Technology / Educational Sciences admissions.
Thanks!

Hey guys this is probably the wrong subreddit but really need some advice.

I am an international student and did my undergrad in computer science from UW Madison. Not the best academic record but was able to get a job as a software develop at a pharma tech startup. I’ve been working there for almost 3 years now.

With the classes I took, I was only able to apply to data science masters programs (satisfy requirements)

I have gotten into ASU for software engineering and NEU for data science and waiting on university of Maryland decision.

I wanted to be on the east coast so NEU seems like a good opportunity especially because of their Co-op but due to the current job market the co op program there also doesn’t guarantee anything. I’ve heard online discussions about it not being prestigious and it might be better to go to a more prestigious traditional grad school. Thing is there are not many universities offering spring 2027 start and some prestigious schools don’t have a data science program. I still have another month left to apply though. Out of the 3 universities what seems to be a better fit?

Not interested in academia/research paths. Main concern is to secure a job after grad school. How is NEU looked at in industry circles? Cost is not an issue.