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USM Forum -- Message Board -> AAUP-USM MESSAGE BOARD -> USM as a "regional" II
Post Info TOPIC: USM as a "regional" II
Seeker

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RE: USM as a "regional" II
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Admits grad students wrote:
Student wrote:
If (when) I get a degree from USM, how will that affect my getting into grad schools elsewhere? How would having a good GPA and a decent GRE score come into play? There are probably a host of other factors I'm leaving out but I was thinking that maybe having a high GPA and GRE score would better my chances of getting into a good grad school, despite where I get a BA.
Quality and rigor of the undergrad degree definitely is factored into admissions to competitive grad programs. A 3.8 from UC Berkeley would get more points than a 3.8 from USM, all other variables held constant (e.g., major, courses taken). However, in most fields, a solid USM grad (high GREs, good scholarly activity and rigor, high GPA) will be competitive at some pretty darn good grad schools. However, at the really superb doc programs (e.g., law at Michigan; Econ at Chicago; Psych at Minn), a USM student will have a disadvantage compared to Ivy and Tier I grads.    


I would venture to say any grad from a public university in the GulfSouth would be at a disadvantage going against an Ivy grad.

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From Maine to California

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Seeker wrote:

I would venture to say any grad from a public university in the GulfSouth would be at a disadvantage going against an Ivy grad.
Many very good graduate schools seek a geographically diversified graduate student body. At some schools and under certain conditions being from Mississippi can be an asset in the admissions process.

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Texas Ex

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Seeker wrote:

 I would venture to say any grad from a public university in the GulfSouth would be at a disadvantage going against an Ivy grad.
The University of Texas and Louisiana State University are both public universities in the GulfSouth. Their qualified undergraduatges can pretty much stand their own in competing for graduate admission anywhere.

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Horticulturist

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We know about the "Public Ivy's" but who on this board used the term "Public Kudzu's?" That term is deserving of an award.

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Yes and No

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Texas Ex wrote:

Seeker wrote:  I would venture to say any grad from a public university in the GulfSouth would be at a disadvantage going against an Ivy grad. The University of Texas and Louisiana State University are both public universities in the GulfSouth. Their qualified undergraduatges can pretty much stand their own in competing for graduate admission anywhere.
UT Austin yes. LSU less so. Don't forget Tulane. It isn't the region, as much as the quality of the undergrad program. Here's a reason why. A letter from me or someone at LSU, along with research experience in my discipline (I know LSU's program), will not bring the weight that will come with a letter from a heavy hitter at Stanford or Yale or UT Austin (I know UT's program). When a grad program gets 300 apps for 3-4 slots, every little advantage helps.

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Texas Ex

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Yes and No wrote:

Don't forget Tulane.
Tulane is not a public university. Seeker specified public.

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.390 batting average

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Yes and No wrote:

 a letter from a heavy hitter at Stanford or Yale or UT Austin
How about a letter from a heavy hitter at USM? (Or have most of them been driven away)

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Mister Rogers

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.390 batting average wrote:

Yes and No wrote:  a letter from a heavy hitter at Stanford or Yale or UT Austin How about a letter from a heavy hitter at USM? (Or have most of them been driven away)

I can give you an anecdotal answer which pre-dates the Thames administration, but only by a year.  A member of my immediate family is a summa cum laude grad of the USM Honors College. This individual majored in a discipline formerly thought to be among USM's finest, though now in ruins thanks to Thames reign of terror.  Applications were sumbitted to a number of prestigious doctoral programs (including one "ivy league" school), with the support and assistance of two distinguished USM scholars, both now departed.  As best I can recall, acceptance letters and offers of assistantships were tendered by all but one of these universities.  There was, at that time, no disadvantage to having completed undergraduate studies at USM. I'd guess this would not be the case today.



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stinky cheese man

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i think if you've got the grades, the GRE scores, the letters of recommendation a USM undergraduate can do pretty well in grad school applications. the phi kappa phi bowl award winner this year got an assistantship in comparative literature (i think) to Wisconsin-Madison. another good undergrad got an assistantship to UT-Austin. i'm sure there are others.

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Historian

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stinky cheese man wrote:
i think if you've got the grades, the GRE scores, the letters of recommendation a USM undergraduate can do pretty well in grad school applications. the phi kappa phi bowl award winner this year got an assistantship in comparative literature (i think) to Wisconsin-Madison. another good undergrad got an assistantship to UT-Austin. i'm sure there are others.


The same holds true for History. We've done a good job of placing our students in leading graduate programs and getting them funded.

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Third Witch

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But what will happen as the heavy hitters continue to leave? Who will write the letters and use the contacts to help students then? It'll take a long time for new asst. profs to gain that sort of stature.

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12345

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RE: USM as a "regional" II
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Seeker wrote:

Totem Polecat wrote: Seeker wrote: Am I the only USM grad that competes and beats out graduates of schools like UVA, Univ of Maryland, Richmond, Va Tech and the like? I do not wish to be unkind, Seeker, but my guess is that your supervisors are probably graduates of schools such as you mention. You are correct, he is a Wake Forest grad, but he also is 43. On the other hand I am 27. There are three of us here at the firm that have the same position, Tim is 36 and Rick is 39. If that is the best you can do for a slam, please reload and try again. I think that it gripes many of you that I choose to put more stock on personel accomplishment and hard work than on academic heirachy.

The word is properly spelled "hierarchy" - and spelling is important when you make arrogant boasts about the quality of your degree.


As someone who chose USM over other job offers, I came to Mississippi with the belief that its bad press was unfair and unwarranted (blind optimism on my part).  Most people outside of the state, however, do, indeed, associate Mississippi with poverty, ignorance and racial hatred, something that will adversely affect any Mississippian's future career opportunities.  There are, to be sure, quality programs at USM, but West Florida will always sound better than USM to the ear of someone not familiar with the schools. 



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2+2=22

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RE: USM as a "regional" II
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12345 wrote:

The word is properly spelled "hierarchy" - and spelling is important when you make arrogant boasts about the quality of your degree. 
I learned the "i before e except after c" rule in elementary school. But the public schools are not like they were way back then. Be gentle with Seeker. He is evidently a typical product of the contemporary system of public education.

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