MS to PhD Admissions

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willf
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2014 11:22 pm

MS to PhD Admissions

Post by willf » Fri Oct 31, 2014 11:43 pm

Does any one know if there is a rule of thumb as to how PhD admissions committees weigh PGRE scores for applicants who already have a masters?

I'll graduate with an interdisciplinary masters in physics/math in the spring and am applying to PhD programs (applied physics) for fall 2015. My undergrad was in biophysics so I thought the masters might help me 'round out' my education. Course work is 1 semester of QM, 1 semester of EM, 1 semester of condensed matter independent study, 1 semester of optics, and several semesters of math (PDE's, FEM, numerical linear algebra, etc). My masters thesis is in applied CM (nano-manufacturing). Also wrote an undergrad honors thesis in biophysics. GPA is solid, 3.9 undergad/4.0 grad, both from a small state school. No publications (yet - still working on the masters thesis :/), but will have LOR's from professors I've done research with in the past and who have strongly recommended me before - so I assume my rec's will be great.

I took the PGRE last weekend and answered 90 questions, but I have no idea what my score will be (I was in the 800s on practice tests). Of course I've freaked my self out thinking I'll get a bad score.

So my question is, is it more likely that an admissions committee would expect higher scores from some one who's had graduate coursework or care less about the score since I've demonstrated the ability to do well in grad school?

I know that's difficult question to answer, but I'd love to get some opinions.

GPMF
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2014 7:13 pm

Re: MS to PhD Admissions

Post by GPMF » Sat Dec 13, 2014 7:36 pm

No idea, but being in the same-albeit a far less unenviable-situation, I'd like to hear too. I'd assume research counts more, especially since you have more of it.



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