Hi, I am looking to go into grad school with the eventual goal of completing a Ph.D. How should I go about it?

Question

Ok, so currently I am a senior at a state university. My upper division gpa is about 3.67 but my overall gpa is lower, around 3.2. Do you think I should apply directly into a Ph.D program, or go to another state school, with a professor that I really enjoy working with and do a masters degree before applying? Doing a masters first would allow me to improve my gpa, develop my reading comprehension in German (already fluent in French), and possibly increase my chances at getting into a much better university then I would currently be excepted by.

Will doing a masters outside of the university where I finish my Ph.D look bad when applying for jobs later? Would it be better to get into a Ph.D program that might not be as impressive or with the faculty I want just so I can stay consistent?

Any help from people who have been through this process would be appreciated.

Ok, so currently I am a senior at a state university. My upper division gpa is about 3.67 but my overall gpa is lower, around 3.2. Do you think I should apply directly into a Ph.D program, or go to another state school, with a professor that I really enjoy working with and do a masters degree before applying? Doing a masters first would allow me to improve my gpa, develop my reading comprehension in German (already fluent in French), and possibly increase my chances at getting into a much better university then I would currently be excepted by.

Will doing a masters outside of the university where I finish my Ph.D look bad when applying for jobs later? Would it be better to get into a Ph.D program that might not be as impressive or with the faculty I want just so I can stay consistent?

Any help from people who have been through this process would be appreciated.

EDIT: Sorry, I am a history major with a concentraion in British Imperialism

Answer 1

Here's how it works in History.

It depends on your GREs. If they are high, apply directly to PhD programs. Any cumulative GPA above 3.0 will do, but a much higher GPA in your intended field of study (all history courses) will be expected. Improvement over time is good.

You needn't have both French and German before applying to PhD programs. One language is sufficient for your subspecialization. You will, however, be expected to pass an exam in German, but only for reading. In other words, conversational German is not useful.

If your GPA is middling, then do apply to BOTH PhD programs and a couple of terminal Masters programs. In history, many terminal Masters programs are "feeder programs" to top PhD programs.

Keep in mind that your immediate goal is to study with top scholars in your SPECIFIC subspecialty area. I cannot tell you whether your current university would be an appropriate venue for you to do an MA, because I do not know if the professor with whom you wish to study is a top scholar in British Imperalism. To gauge his reputation, look at his publications. If he has a couple of books, lots of articles, and tenure, then he may be a good choice as a mentor at the MA level.

Here's what you must do to make yourself a good candidate for BOTH MA and PhD admissions:

Have a focus.
Have coursework in historiography.
Have great letters of rec.
Have an excellent writing sample that reflects your intended focus, as well as demonstrates facility with current theory and method in your field.
Put together a literate, focused, personal statement that delineates your qualifications, your goals, and highlights your SPECIFIC research interests.

And the higher your GREs (in verbal and analytic writing), the better your chances for a teaching or research assistantship, which generally carry full tuition remission as well as a small living stipend.

Best wishes to you.

Answer 2

It would have helped if you had told us the area that interests you.

First -- the quality of the school where you get your PhD is very important in getting an academic job -- but not as important for jobs in industry. Don't settle for a second tier school if you can go to a better one. If you get a PhD at a good school, no one will care where you got your masters.

Second -- you have the opportunity to explain your grades in your cover letter. My situation was similar to yours. I would have graduated with honors if I could have excluded my Freshman year -- but it dragged my overall GPA down to a 3.3. In my cover letter, I pointed out my improvement & was able to get into a top 15 PhD program in Math (University of Minnesota). I ended up studying Math and Philosophy there -- getting no graduate degree and having a GPA around 3.6.

Years later (16 years later) I went back to school -- getting an MBA at Duke (with a 3.8) and a PhD at Berkeley. I am proof that someone with your background can get into a top school and get a PhD.

The problem with getting a MA or MS at one school and transferring is that the top schools don't usually accept masters students (except for terminal programs like MBAs and MA in teaching). They will grant you a masters degree after you pass the written exam.

That means that you have to get an MA or MS at a second rate school. You are better off trying to get into a PhD program directly. If you can get into a good one, but not a great one, you can think about leaving after you pass your written exam & transfer to a better school. Every one of the people in my PhD program at Berkeley had a graduate degree from a decent school (I had the MBA from Duke, two had PhDs in other fields from Wisconsin and Brown, one had a graduate degree from the University of Paris, one from University of Chicago and one from USC. Note all were from PhD granting institutions.

Answer 3

What is your degree going to be in