If you're planning on taking a masters and a phd in the

Just important enough to get into the program

but it is a predictor of future success

was talking with a friend who said that some of the teachers "preferred" a student who struggled but in the end passed, to someone who passed everything without problem, so that just got me thinking

some professors/lecturers have gone so far as to say that if youre not really prepared, dont take stupid risks, and just blow off the exam, and wait for the "re exam"

>>7980263
Why exactly do they supposedly prefer that?

>>7980236
/thread

>>7980267
Because they don't wanting a gobby little exam babby (aka 90% of /sci/) and would rather have a normie

File: 1442433464888.jpg (10KB, 249x249px) Image search: [Google]

10KB, 249x249px

>>7980263
>be me
>get withing top 10% of students in every exam
>tutor still calls me lazy
>for some reason thinks i'm incredibly gifted
>fucking sweat more than anyone when it comes to revision

>>7980285
That's exactly what they want you to think!
Wake up sheeple!

>>7980267
Because people who have never discovered their limits before crumple like paper bags the first time they reach them.

>>7980283
exam babbies are a meme that 'so smart but lazy' fags made up to feel better about themselves

>>7980311
No both of you idiots exist.

Exam babbies are basically those Chinese autists in the front of the Math lecture

>>7980283
They also expect to see research experience and great recommendations, so exam babbies aren't getting in anyways.

>>7980369

The valedictorian of my college class is an exam babby who also does a bit of research. He has a very good work ethic, despite the fact that he literally looks like he may have down syndrome.

Is research more important? I got like shit grades in the beginning (no Ds or Fs tho) and now consistently get As and a few Bs

>>7980796
It depends on the field. For applied sciences like psychology, it's probably the main determinant of your placement in graduate school. For a basic science like mathematics, I don't think it is as important.

>>7980267

GPA is an indicator of how good you are at taking tests and memorizing shit.

I have a good buddy I took all my M.E. classes with. He always said his memory was photographic and his grades were always like 90%-95% while mine was generally 75%-85%.

The end difference is that because I had to study harder and study more, I know the "what" and he know's the "how".

People that know the "how" work for people that know the "what"; in real like you can always look up how, but knowing what or why is what makes fora good employee/grad student.

As someone who just sucessfully went through the application process for a PhD.
I had a 3.3 gpa which is towards the lower end so i would say that obviously research experience is the most important thing by far along with solid letters of rec but as long as you keep a 3.3/3.4+ with good GRE then you dont need to worry. No one gives a shit about a 4.0 vs a 3.7 at the PhD level

>>7981272
Can you elaborate on this? I've always felt it was the exact opposite but I'm not entirely sure what you're saying so we might have the same idea.

>>7981299
How does one get letters of rec while working on their bachelor's?

>>7981448
TALK TO YOUR PROFESSORS. A LOT

I got into a biochem PhD program at a major university with a 2.7 GPA. But I did really well on the GRA and I had stellar letters of recommendation from professors.

I worked as a full time lab tech for 2 years after I graduated. I busted my ass and was very professional. The PI of my lab was very impressed and actually told me I should go for my PhD. When I told him about my shitty GPA he said not to worry about it. He would address that in his letter of recommendation.

I feel like I got a 2nd chance because of him. I didn't really have any vision for the future when I was getting my bachelor's degree. I was just content with passing classes and partying the weekends away. Then last semester of my senior year I was like "oh fuck, now I have to get a job..."

>>7981448
volunteer to be your professors bitch.

>>7981448
Volunteer in their lab as a research assistant. Many will pay you but offering to volunteer shows you really want to do it and will make you stand out compared to the kids that want to do it for money.

Even just 5 hours a week helping them in the lab will really help you get a letter.

>>7981299
This

I've met so many 4.0 students who are worthless in the lab. Memorizing material and passing tests is not the same as applying creative and original ideas to research.

Creating original, groundbreaking, and creative research is totally different than regurgitating memorized information on a test.

I'm the guy who said he had a 2.7 GPA.
>>7981567

I'm not really that great of a studen, but I feel I'm a pretty good researcher in the lab. I can think outside the box and I'm really good working with my hands and paying attention to detail when I'm doing actual experiments. I always loved my lab classes and hated lectures.

>>7981576
How do I volunteer if I have shit grades? Most of my professors are busy as fuck and don't even have time answering my emails that ask about lab assistance.

How to get letters of rec from these guys? I have a really shitty GPA, like 2.3, mostly due to my poor first year. I have really tightened up this year though (1.6 GPA first year vs. 3.8 second year). Do graduate schools view improvement like that favourably?

>>7981614
You don't email them. You walk in during their office hours and ask them face to face. Or you catch them before or after class and ask them.

It's the same with applying for jobs. You can send 1000 emails and 999 of them will jsut be deleted. But if you talk face to face with somebody they will remember you and you will have a much much better chance.

It shows initiative and drive. Sending an email is lazy as fuck. Same applies to asking out girls. So many idiots are like "I texted her and she didn't respond..." Ask her out to her face, coward.

>>7981614
And yes they do notice improvement. If you kick ass on the GRE, have research experience, and have a decent letter of reccomendation then GPA isn't that important at all. Especially if you show signs of improvement.

It helps to make the excuse that you were trying to work a job and go to school freshman year to avoid laons. Then say you realized that wasn't working and focused on school more. Nobody will fact check that shit and it sounds plausible. They believed it when I said it.

Say you were not prepared for the workload college demanded and working a job on top of school really hurt your grades.

>>7981622
>>7981635
Yes, I think visiting office hours is a good method. Was thinking of doing that next year and really getting my face embedded in most professors minds. I usually just have very little questions regarding the material but I guess I'll try to make shit up and go.

I also live in Canada so we have no GRE. I'll just try to work on my GPA as hard as possible and visit those profs. Thanks for the help.

>>7981586
>>I've met so many 4.0 students who are worthless in the lab. Memorizing material and passing tests is not the same as applying creative and original ideas to research.
>Creating original, groundbreaking, and creative research is totally different than regurgitating memorized information on a test.
But if you had to pick someone and neither (or even both) had meaningful research experience, the student with good grades is probably the better option. I don't know why you're claiming that all exams simply measure your ability to regurgitate shit when this is not the case.

>>7980233
>redditinanutshell.png
no one here likes tbbt

I managed to get into RWTH Aachen despite a 2.7 GPA with a letter of recommendation from being my associate Dean's bitch and effectively running all of the engineering department's student vehicle programs my senior year. I also had a CSWP certification and good recommendations from a paid internship.

>>7981815
How did you manage to get a paid internship with a <3.0 GPA? Mass applications? Good discipline?

What engineering major are you friend?

>>7981757
But most of them do. Like, 95% of them.

>>7981832

Mechanical. I used to build and compete successfully in combat robots (ie. Battlebots) so I had a very impressive resume and portfolio that also made it apparent I could operate SolidWorks at a professional level.

>>7981757
>with good grades is probably the better option.
blinded child.

What should a person that is studying pure maths do if they want to get accepted for a PhD. I'm only second year of my bachelor but I want to make sure I'm taking the right steps PhD. It's not as straight forward as being the professors lab bitch

inb4 someone posts the triple intergral video