Caltech and mit graduate programs

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the requirements and strategies for gaining admission to graduate programs at Caltech and MIT, specifically for PhD and MS degrees. Participants explore various aspects such as academic performance, research experience, and networking with faculty.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant emphasizes the importance of achieving good grades (notably a 4.0 GPA), obtaining strong recommendations, and having research publications as essential components for admission.
  • Another participant expresses concern about their poor GPA due to a background in biology and seeks advice on improving their chances, suggesting that publishing research and connecting with professors might be beneficial.
  • A later reply challenges the effectiveness of reaching out to professors, reiterating the necessity of improving GPA and acquiring a solid foundation in physics through additional coursework.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that a strong GPA and research experience are critical for admission, but there is disagreement on the role of networking with professors and how to best improve one's academic profile.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note the need for a stronger background in physics, which may require additional coursework, but the specifics of what constitutes an acceptable background remain unresolved.

orthovector
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My goals are caltech and mit phd/ms programs.

What must i do at the very least? Besides the tests of course...
 
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good grades (4.0), good recommendations, a couple of acceptable papers and research here and there
 
Okay...my gpa is poor...but my major was in biology from berkeley. I'll probably publish some things... What else can i do to get into mit or caltech? Shall i get acquainted with a professor from mit/caltech?
 
orthovector said:
Okay...my gpa is poor...but my major was in biology from berkeley. I'll probably publish some things... What else can i do to get into mit or caltech? Shall i get acquainted with a professor from mit/caltech?

I don't see that pestering a professor will help.

You were told you need a good GPA. That should tell you what you need to go: get your GPA up. You'll also need to get the appropriate background in physics, which means more classes - so now you have an opportunity to get your GPA up.
 

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