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Help with College & Grad School Applications/Questions Answered by Expert Jay Cutts
| Subject | Date Asked |
| GRE Scores | 2/7/2012 |
| Q: My daughter has received her scores on the practice GRE. The scores are as follows: Scaled Quant ... A: Kathy. The GRE scores are in flux right now. Many schools are not sure how to use the new scoring ... | |
| Business Schools - Admission | 1/13/2012 |
| Q: Sir, I am currently in my second year of engineering & am very keen on pursuing a post graduation ... A: Akshat. Your first two questions are outside of my area of expertise. Most MBA schools require the ... | |
| Med School Admissions for Liberal Arts Grad | 1/1/2012 |
| Q: Mr. Cutts: I graduated from UCLA in 1998 and have spent most of my career in the legal arena, ... A: Colleen. First of all, it would be a good idea for you to identify four or five of the schools you ... | |
| Medical School Admission | 12/24/2011 |
| Q: I am a freshman in college and I'm planning to apply to medical school in the future.I am also an ... A: Nalana. I'm the lead author for the Barron's MCAT book. We recently completed the book. It covers ... | |
| Medical School Admission | 12/24/2011 |
| Q: I am a freshman in college and I'm planning to apply to medical school in the future.I am also an ... A: Nalana. First of all, I happen to have a free premed email planning program that sends you an email ... | |
| Obtaining Letters of Recommendation | 11/21/2011 |
| Q: Mr.Cutts, Hi there! I am currently a senior in college at a state school. However, the program I ... A: Jessica. I suggest that you contact the graduate schools that you're applying to and ask them ... | |
| My grades | 11/9/2011 |
| Q: Will colleges care if I fail one class on my transcript if I make good grades in my other classes? ... A: Danielle. Don't you have an option to drop the class? You should talk with a counselor about how to ... | |
| Low GRE score | 10/28/2011 |
| Q: I'm a senior English major at Hollins University set to graduate cum laude in the spring. I was also ... A: Deirdra. Don't worry about the combined score. I doubt that schools will look at or care about the ... | |
| GRE Retake | 9/4/2011 |
| Q: I took the new GRE last week and received a quantitative score range of 750-800 and a verbal score ... A: The score range is a bit puzzling. I think what is happening is that they will not be able to tell ... | |
| College/Major Advice | 8/26/2011 |
| Q: my name is Carley. I am 19 years old and have lived in a small town my whole life about twenty ... A: Carley. Your question is outside my area of expertise, since I deal with admissions to graduate and ... | |
| Planning to take the GRE | 8/15/2011 |
| Q: I'm currently enrolled in a Master's program in Human Computer Interaction at DePaul University and ... A: Aileen. First of all, I don't think your undergrad GPA will be a big issue. I also don't think your ... | |
| Program Question | 8/8/2011 |
| Q: I am going into my second year of university. I am currently enrolled in an honour's specialization ... A: Brittney. I once heard an admissions committee member say that yes, it is nice to have well-rounded ... | |
| Graduate School Prospects with Low GPA | 5/20/2011 |
| Q: I just completed my junior year as an undergraduate studying psychology and biology (as a minor). My ... A: Ashley. I don't think the 3.02 will keep you out of grad school but you may have to work a little ... | |
| please help me critcise my response to the questions my the scholarship commision | 5/7/2011 |
| Q: STATEMENT OF PURPOSE FOR MA SCHOLARSHIP IN PUBLIC POLICY AND MANAGEMENT. State clearly your idea of ... A: Nneka. It is a bit difficult to give very much meaningful feedback on a personal statement in this ... | |
| Doctoral Program | 4/18/2011 |
| Q: I have a M.A. in Political Science and would like to pursue a Ph.d. What Doctoral programs, similar ... A: Jeffery. I would not know which programs don't require the GRE. Most such graduate programs do. I ... | |
| Med School | 2/22/2011 |
| Q: I am an international student who will is interested in getting a medical education from the US.I ... A: Naveeshini. If you have some exceptional activities during high school, such as outstanding ... | |
| Undergraduate Research and Graduate School | 2/12/2011 |
| Q: I am an undergrad currently doing research on a biochemistry project. Last summer I worked on a ... A: I am not too familiar with what exactly is covered in the two research areas you're talking about ... | |
| application to master degree | 1/29/2011 |
| Q: I would like to inquire about few things regarding applying for graduate study at a US universities ... A: You will have to contact the universities themselves to find out about this. It may vary from school ... | |
| GRE | 1/25/2011 |
| Q: I have taken the GRE 3 times and done poorly. I have ADD and it is difficult for me to finish. The ... A: Allison. I have done a lot of work with people who are not good standardized test takers, as well ... | |
| Change in GRE test | 1/24/2011 |
| Q: . They say that the GRE test format is set to change by August this year.I would like to know how ... A: Bobin. The main problem with the new format is that there is very little study material available ... | |
| How important are math grades? | 1/16/2011 |
| Q: I'm planning on applying for MSA (masters in accounting) programs for Fall 2012. I'm current junior ... A: CD. It doesn't sound like the math grades would be a big problem. You might want to address them ... | |
| CV/Resume | 12/24/2010 |
| Q: I am applying to MFA programs with a focus on poetry, but I haven't worked or really done any ... A: The purpose of the CV is to list your academic accomplishments, including publications, special ... | |
| How do American universities evaluate high school transcripts from Australia? | 11/8/2010 |
| Q: I'm an American living in China. I'm an English teacher and have a Chinese student who attended a ... A: Glen. Sounds like you are doing something interesting over there. I think the truth may be ... | |
| will two classes taken pass fail senior year ruin my chances of grad school | 10/31/2010 |
| Q: studies. My top choice is the dual degree LSE-Peking University program but last year it only ... A: Ian. I just don't see that two specific classes could hurt your applicatation. Schools will look at ... | |
| Question | 9/19/2010 |
| Q: Good Day, I have two questions please: 1- Is it available to complete Ph.D degree in campus-based ... A: Sami. Your questions all depend on the online program and the campus program that you want to apply ... | |
| Letters of rec | 9/2/2010 |
| Q: What should I do with the paper letter of rec my professor is sending me ? How would I send it to ... A: Chris. Most schools have a formal way that they want to receive letters. Check with each school to ... | |
| website to confidentially hold recommendation letters | 8/26/2010 |
| Q: I had someone mention that there is a website service that professors can forward your ... A: Jackie. My suggestion is to have the professors write their letters now and give you a copy. You ... | |
| GRE preperation classes | 7/13/2010 |
| Q: I'm in the process of applying to Graduate School for Art Administration. I have to take the GRE, ... A: Jennifer. I actually offer private coaching for the GRE, so I'm not unbiased. My program differs ... | |
| UCLA/UC Berkley | 4/21/2010 |
| Q: I'm an undergraduate student hoping to attend a reputable California graduate school soon.I know ... A: Camille. I have a free booklet and email planning system (GradTrack) for you. That should help a ... | |
| hbs requirements | 4/20/2010 |
| Q: Cutts, I could not find the category to fit the question, so I went with the closest thing. What ... A: Jo. Since you are asking what 4 year college you should go to, I am assuming you are a high school ... | |
| Do Good Engineering schools Accept GRE scores older than 2 years? | 4/19/2010 |
| Q: I 'd like to know some crucial information . I am about to give my GRE exam pretty soon however, due ... A: Vic. I don't believe that schools will see a two year old score as being too old. You may ... | |
| husband and wife applying together | 4/19/2010 |
| Q: My husband and I have both done our masters from the UK, and are planning to apply to Ph.D. programs ... A: Fizza. I have heard of people applying to a university as a couple for advanced degrees. Often ... | |
| deadlines | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: .I just completed my BBA(honors) from Islamabad, Pakistan in jan 2010..I want to apply for MBA but ... A: For most schools it is probably past the deadline for Fall 2010 admissions to an MBA program but ... | |
| aerospace engineering | 3/30/2010 |
| Q: sir I am fourth semester student of aerospace engineering in India.My current gpa is 7.5/10.I was ... A: Akhilesh. Whether or not you have to take a GRE subject test depends on each school you apply to. ... | |
| low gre and medium level toefl score and low acedamics | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: i have completed my b.tech in 2008.i have a gre score of 830(600q+230v) and a toefl score of 81.i ... A: Sampath. I can't tell you about admissions to a particular school. Your math GRE score is a little ... | |
| Medical School Extracurriculars | 3/6/2010 |
| Q: Is it acceptable to put a high school activity down on a medical school application? I did a ... A: I feel it's fine to include some highlights from high school. For some more guidance on writing ... | |
| application to Ivy League MBA program | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: I'm applying to an Ivy league MBA program and the following paragraph is the introduction for my ... A: Judy. There are a lot of complexities to writing a good personal statement (the essay explaining ... | |
| Pass/Fail | 2/3/2010 |
| Q: I am currently a freshman biology major, and pre-med. This semester I am taking a seminar on ... A: I think your idea of switching to pass/fail for this class is a good one. Maintaining a high GPA is ... | |
| Learning Disability/ADHD, GRE scores, and Grad School Admission | 1/26/2010 |
| Q: I am currently in the process of wrapping up my applications for Graduate school, and I had a couple ... A: Hannah. You can certainly mention your learning disability in your personal statement. You can ... | |
| Law School- Transfer gpa | 1/8/2010 |
| Q: I transfered colleges after my junior year of college. At my previous institution I had a 2.5 with ... A: David. The other aspects of the admissions process that you have control over are the LSAT, the ... | |
| Medical School | 1/7/2010 |
| Q: I am an undergrad freshman right now, planning on graduating in three years. I have to take the ... A: You may have a good point for exactly the reasons you stated. On the other hand if your GPA is ... | |
| Medical School | 12/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a question as far as reputation of undergrad for graduate school. Right now I am a freshman ... A: I think this depends on how competitive a school you want to go to for grad or med school. If for ... | |
| Essay fo Graduate school | 12/23/2009 |
| Q: I am applying to either Molecular Biology or integrative Biology graduate school at lehigh ... A: May. The GPA shouldn't prevent you from getting in but you may have to do some additional work to ... | |
| Transfer Student - cumulative GPA for Grad School | 12/14/2009 |
| Q: I'm having trouble applying to graduate schools. I took the GRE, 760Q/660V; not great but enough ... A: Sam. Your cumulative GPA will be calculated by the schools. You don't need to calculate it for ... | |
| Graduate program | 12/11/2009 |
| Q: I am thinking of doing a graduate program in psychology, but as of now, my interests are not fixed, ... A: Ansel. It sounds like your first step is really career research, which means getting a better idea ... | |
| 9/11 and my gpa | 12/3/2009 |
| Q: I am applying to some very competitive masters programs in International Development. My gpa falls ... A: Ren. If your GPA is actually below a specific minimum set by a program, they may simply discard ... | |
| GRE Scores | 10/29/2009 |
| Q: I just took my GRE test yesterday and I was curious about my score. I hit a 620 V and a 520 M, while ... A: Pablo. For a doctoral program they may want Quant (math) scores in the mid 600's. Your Verbal ... | |
| In dire need of help | 10/29/2009 |
| Q: I am permanent resident just moved to the US (aug 2009), I have completed my bachelor's in computer ... A: Husna. Many graduate programs only start people in the fall. You can give it a try for F10 ... | |
| MBA | 10/28/2009 |
| Q: I am currently attending Florida Institute of technology. I am doing the fast track MBA that will ... A: Caroline. This is also something that you need to check with various MBA schools. They would ... | |
| low GRE Scores and Grad Admission | 10/27/2009 |
| Q: Greetings, I am applying to several very competitive English PhD programs in December, but I did ... A: Nate. For an English program they will probably not care much about the math section of the GRE, ... | |
| MBA | 10/27/2009 |
| Q: I am currently attending Florida Institute of technology. I am doing the fast track MBA that will ... A: Caroline. I don't have any experience with the NYU program but I suggest you simply give them a ... | |
| PCAT and Pharmacy School | 10/26/2009 |
| Q: I did not score how I wanted on my PCAT and am scheduled to retake it in January. I need some advice ... A: Stacy. I work with the PCAT myself so I can give you some suggestions that should help. You didn't ... | |
| MBA certified programs | 10/21/2009 |
| Q: I'm thinking about going to graduate school in a year or two, I know my GMAT scores will tell me ... A: Joe. You should probably check with AACSB to find out the pros or cons of attending a ... | |
| want to go to grad school for engineering with low GPA | 10/19/2009 |
| Q: I'm currently a senior with a GPA of 3.05 studying mechanical engineering. I'm planning on apply to ... A: Patty. Your GPA is not that terrible, especially for a difficult field such as engineering. It ... | |
| grad school | 10/8/2009 |
| Q: I am in the process of getting my undergraduate degree in Speech Pathology and know that a masters ... A: K. When you say competition, I'm not sure if you are talking about competition for getting into a ... | |
| Law School Admission | 10/1/2009 |
| Q: Cutts, I am nervous about my prospects for law school. I am persuing a double major (philosophy, ... A: Richard. Are you still a couple years away from law school? Would you be starting F11? Your ... | |
| Letters of recommendation | 9/28/2009 |
| Q: Cutts, I want to apply for a master degree in fine arts at the University of South Florida. Among ... A: Alfonso. Of course you will have trouble finding anyone who can talk about your art skills just ... | |
| low GRE | 9/10/2009 |
| Q: .i am Shikha from India.I am interested in MS Engineering Management from US university for ... A: Shikha. The GRE math score is low for an engineering program. They probably want more like 650 as a ... | |
| GRE scores and GPA | 8/28/2009 |
| Q: Hullo, Thanks for answering these questions. I have high GRE scores (V: 760, Q: 770 and W:6) but ... A: NM. Your overall GPA is not that low and your GRE socres are excellent. I think you could be ... | |
| Graduate school despair | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: First of all, let me say thank you for answering these types of questions free; I realize you could ... A: Jade. Your Verbal score is quite good. With some expert instruction you can probably get it even ... | |
| GRE Taken Multiple Times | 8/5/2009 |
| Q: I'm currently signed up to take the GRE-General Test two times (once a week from now & once about a ... A: Shayla. Yes, grad schools will see all scores that are on record. Most schools do seem to consider ... | |
| chances of getting into grad school | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: I received my Bachelors degree in Speech -Language Pathology sixteen years ago with a 2.56 GPA. I ... A: Jamie. Your chances are a little borderline as things stand now. You may find a school that will ... | |
| Medical School Admissions (General) | 6/26/2009 |
| Q: I doubt you remember me, but I asked you a question a few months ago and I first wanted to thank you ... A: Conor. Med schools will see all of your grades from both schools and the GPA that they go by will ... | |
| business school | 6/23/2009 |
| Q: I am a current majoring undergrad student and i was thinking about going to grad school to get my ... A: You should probably expect an MBA program to be slightly to moderately more demanding than ... | |
| Getting into grad school w/ a low GPA | 6/18/2009 |
| Q: During my years as an undergrad, 6.5 years total, I was not very focused or driven and my GPA ... A: Jake. Schools will often look at a pattern of improvement in your GPA. So if your last couple years ... | |
| College? | 6/8/2009 |
| Q: I'm 13 at the time and I make straight A's,only for B's this year,I'm getting ready to go to high ... A: Corrina. There are not that many scholarships but if your grades are good you might get one. The ... | |
| College? | 6/7/2009 |
| Q: I'm 13 at the time and I make straight A's,only for B's this year,I'm getting ready to go to high ... A: Corrina. There are many ways to pay for college and for medical school. Lots of student loans are ... | |
| Med school personal statement | 6/6/2009 |
| Q: I am in the application process to medical schools, and I need someone to critique my personal ... A: Lina. Yes, I have done a lot of work with personal statements and would be glad to go over yours. ... | |
| College? | 5/22/2009 |
| Q: If you on low income but you make really good grades and you want to go to medical school,how could ... A: Corrina. There are plenty of student loans available to get through med school. Yes, it is a big ... | |
| Graduate Admissions | 4/1/2009 |
| Q: I have been checking my admissions status online. If a graduate school declined an applicant would ... A: It depends on the school. It is probably ok to send an email to the admissions office and ask them ... | |
| Business School PhD Admission | 3/16/2009 |
| Q: I am an international undergraduate student at the University of Minnesota and will be graduating ... A: It might be good to talk directly with some of the programs you are thinking of applying to. They ... | |
| Business School PhD Admission | 3/16/2009 |
| Q: I am an international undergraduate student at the University of Minnesota and will be graduating ... A: Piyush. You may also have some concerns from the admissions committee that you are applying for a ... | |
| GRE | 3/16/2009 |
| Q: im from sri lanka i finished my 1st hons degree in chemistry (english medium), i want to study GRE ... A: I don't have materials to help you with your English skills. I think it is good to take formal ... | |
| Interview | 3/12/2009 |
| Q: how do graduate schools determine who to accept from interviews? Does it mean anything that (I) my ... A: You didn't mention what graduate field you are applying to. In general, programs don't interview ... | |
| Getting into grad school... | 3/5/2009 |
| Q: Jay. I hold a Master's Degree in Global Affairs, with a concentration in terrorism and global ... A: Samuel. I think you are asking for some feedback and wanting to know what could have gone wrong. ... | |
| Masters Degree | 2/25/2009 |
| Q: I graduate with my bachelors in Business and Organizational Leadership this August. I'm planning to ... A: Stephen. I had to do a search to see what an MSM is. Looks like it is a business degree designed ... | |
| Grad school application | 2/20/2009 |
| Q: I am curretly living in the US as a legal alien. I have a BA Hons from a UK University (in fine art ... A: Dominique. You should start by identifying grad school programs that you would like to get into and ... | |
| Graduate Admissions | 2/20/2009 |
| Q: I am currently a junior at the University of Mary Washington, majoring in Environmental Science. I ... A: Lyssa. I don't see any reason why you couldn't be a strong candidate for grad school. Even your ... | |
| medical school and military | 1/23/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if being in the U.S Marine Reserve would help me get into medical school. I know ... A: Pratik. I don't really see how it would make you a better candidate in any significant way, unless ... | |
| Low GRE scores | 1/12/2009 |
| Q: I'm in the process of applying to graduate school. My overall GPA in undergrad is 3.57, however, I ... A: Vanessa. Ok. Thank you. This helps. I wish I knew how the 800 broke down between the two. I know ... | |
| Low GRE scores | 1/12/2009 |
| Q: I'm in the process of applying to graduate school. My overall GPA in undergrad is 3.57, however, I ... A: Vanessa. You didn't say what your graduate field is, which can make some difference. You also ... | |
| GPA and GRE | 11/6/2008 |
| Q: Howdy. I graduated from College in 07. My GPA was a little below a 3.0 and my GRE was a little bit ... A: Chris. I suggest that you check out the free info available through my website. It covers all the ... | |
| GPA and GRE | 11/3/2008 |
| Q: Howdy. I graduated from College in 07. My GPA was a little below a 3.0 and my GRE was a little bit ... A: Chris. You say you are applying to a local university. Does that mean you are applying for a job ... | |
| PhD aspirations | 11/3/2008 |
| Q: Please let me know if this question is outside your realm of expertise and, either way, thanks for ... A: Kristin. As far as contacting professors, if you are expected to have a faculty member who is ... | |
| Biochemistry and molecular biology | 10/24/2008 |
| Q: I recently ave my GRE exam and landed on 1220 which is below my expectations. I am interested in ... A: Tripti. You did't say how your 1220 broke down. If you Quant is above 700, then you are in a ... | |
| Grad School application process | 9/13/2008 |
| Q: I have completed my undergraduation in India in Mechanical Engineering in June 2008. I will be ... A: Raghunath. Thanks for your note. I see that you also signed up on my GradTrack list. Your GRE ... | |
| GRE scores | 8/29/2008 |
| Q: I took the GRE recently and scored a 1220 (V 520, Q 700, AW 4.5) I am a psychology major at the ... A: Samantha. I prepare people for the GRE for a living, so there may be a bias in my answer. It can ... | |
| graduate school admission | 8/13/2008 |
| Q: I resently graduated with a Cumulated Weighted Average of 57.95% from a university in Africa and ... A: Hank, I'm not going to be able to help you much. First of all, I have no idea what a 57.95% would ... | |
| Getting into Medical School with a C? | 6/18/2008 |
| Q: my name's Samantha and I have a question. I'm 18 years old and I just graduated high school and got ... A: Samantha. One C will in no way disqualify you from medical school. Be sure to keep your grades up ... | |
| Letter of recommendation | 6/18/2008 |
| Q: I am a student in college, gathering letters of recommendation from professors for the optometry ... A: Elisa. This particular professor is telling you honestly that he is not able or willing to try to ... | |
| Course Selection | 4/13/2008 |
| Q: I know this is probably pushing the limits of which questions you will and will not answer, but I'm ... A: Zack. You're right, in that I don't deal with undergrad admissions. However, because I do work ... | |
| Business School application | 2/25/2008 |
| Q: I am a 2003 University of Pennsylvania graduate who has a been working in a bio lab for almost three ... A: Andrew. I don't think your early GPA should deter you. You have done significant advanced work ... | |
| Medical School Admissions | 2/19/2008 |
| Q: I just have a couple of questions regarding medical school admissions: If medical schools say there ... A: Lauren. I don't know what year you are in now but I actually have a free four year planning system ... | |
| reka3802@yahoo.com | 2/19/2008 |
| Q: I want to go to law school. I have an associates in criminal justice and a paralegal degree. Do I ... A: Shereka. You need a bachelors degree. If your paralegal is a certification, then you will need to ... | |
| CRNA programs | 1/23/2008 |
| Q: I am planning to apply for CRNA school at the end of this year. I already have 9 years of critical ... A: Karen. Since I'm not a specialist in nursing, I can't give you an expert answer on what courses you ... | |
| Law Violations | 1/21/2008 |
| Q: About 2 years ago I got a DUI, and while I wish I could take it back, it's still on my record. When ... A: Nicole. You have two courses of action. You can contact the grad school and ask them if it needs ... | |
| Question about personal statement | 1/7/2008 |
| Q: My question is this. Does your expertise extend into looking over a possible personal statement for ... A: Shannon. Yes, I do a lot of work with personal statements. You can email it to me at cutts at ... | |
| Graduate school admissions | 12/15/2007 |
| Q: I was wondering if Graduate schools look at your undergraduate GPA if you already have a master's ... A: Minnie. They look mainly at undergrad GPA. The masters GPA is not that meaningful to them, though ... | |
| Grad School | 11/29/2007 |
| Q: How much emphasis do graduate schools place on an applicants undergraduate college. ANSWER: Hi, ... A: Sounds to me like they would balance each other out. If you are concerned about being competitive ... | |
| Grad School | 11/28/2007 |
| Q: How much emphasis do graduate schools place on an applicants undergraduate college. A: John. Probably not that much unless the school is at one of the extreme ends. They will look at ... | |
| Letters Of Recommendation | 11/23/2007 |
| Q: I have a bachelor's degree in computer eng from a popular university.i am going to immigrate to US ... A: Shahriar. Hmmmm, interesting question. I'd ask them to write letters now for you. If possible, ... | |
| GRE and Grad School | 10/15/2007 |
| Q: I'm planning on applying to gradute school in biology / microbiology at the end of this year. I'm ... A: Your GPA is not terrible, though of course it is not super competitive either. There is probably ... | |
| grad school selection/gmat | 10/11/2007 |
| Q: Boy do i need your opinion here. ok here is the situation. 1) I scored a 510 on the GMAT and I have ... A: Tobi. Thanks for your note. In order to give you the most accurate advice I'd probably need to ... | |
| Chance at Grad school? | 9/19/2007 |
| Q: I am going to be applying to grad school and I was wondering if you think I could be accepted into ... A: Vanessa. You don't say what field you want to go to grad school in. A big part of your ... | |
| GRE | 9/16/2007 |
| Q: I'm thinking about applying to grad school within a year, so I want to begin to prepare for the GRE ... A: Kari. Actually I specialize in helping people prepare for the GRE and have been doing this full ... | |
| Grad Diploma | 9/10/2007 |
| Q: I am looking to go to Grad School to get an MBA in Australia. I received my B.A. in Poli Science at ... A: Jennifer. You will have to check directly with the schools there to see what their requirements ... | |
| GRE | 9/8/2007 |
| Q: I'm considering going to a MPH program. However, I have to take the GRE first. I believe that I ... A: Carrie. I'm a specialist in GRE prep. I've been teaching it for 17 years. There is no calculus on ... | |
| Law School Reference Letters | 8/21/2007 |
| Q: I graduated from McGill in 2004 and have been working in Calgary for the last 3 years. I am ... A: Jen. Check with the schools you are applying to. They may require that a certain number letters be ... | |
| conceptual report | 7/17/2007 |
| Q: I am a Ugandan and aspiring to join a university in Germany (via a scholarship), offering a course ... A: Stephen. Well, this is about outside my usual areas of advice! You might start by asking the ... | |
| Getting into college... | 5/30/2007 |
| Q: I Am 24 and have decided to pursue a degree. But my problem is I would like to attend a university ... A: Lee. I only work with admissions to graduate school, not undergrad. I suggest that you contact the ... | |
| University entrance regarding grades | 5/27/2007 |
| Q: I saw you went to university in the Caribbean. Sounds very exotic but I was just wondering about in ... A: Andy. Sorry to disappoint you but you must have my background confused with someone else. I never ... | |
| Bolstering graduate applications with GRE scores | 5/24/2007 |
| Q: I want to go to graduate school to become a social worker (I'm looking at Morgan State University, ... A: Yes, a strong test score will help balance out a lower GPA but only for schools that require the ... | |
| Bolstering graduate applications with GRE scores | 5/23/2007 |
| Q: I want to go to graduate school to become a social worker (I'm looking at Morgan State University, ... A: Jenesta. If the school does not require the GRE or MAT, you should contact them to see if they ... | |
| DECA/FBLA | 5/21/2007 |
| Q: I'm going into my sophomore year at high school, and i need do decide which clubs to participate in, ... A: Steve. I'm sorry but I don't have any info on FBLA or DECA, as I work with admissions to graduate ... | |
| med school | 5/21/2007 |
| Q: so my question is this. I graduated from undergrad with a gpa of 2.8. I'm currently a grad student ... A: Christen. Your undergrad GPA is a limiting factor. The grad school GPA is not counted in the same ... | |
| Grad School entrance | 5/18/2007 |
| Q: I have some questions, and I'd be glad to have your answers. I have a masters degree in Tax law from ... A: Albert. If you have the flexibility to relocate, there is no reason you shouldn't be able to get ... | |
| recommendation letter | 5/16/2007 |
| Q: I am 20 and I've been out of highschool[canada] for a year now. I've been taking independent courses ... A: Eunkyu. I'm a little confused about the LSAT. That's for law school and this would be way too early ... | |
| grades | 4/26/2007 |
| Q: I am currently an undergrad at college (Loyola in Maryland) and i am pre-med, chemistry major and ... A: Dave. No, this certainly doesn't ruin your chances, as long as your overall GPA is still good. It ... | |
| Grad School | 4/21/2007 |
| Q: I am currently a senior in high school and I am looking around to apply to an undergrad college and ... A: Justin. In general I don't think a med school will mind where you went to undergrad school, as look ... | |
| preparatory course | 4/18/2007 |
| Q: i've been looking at several colleges to apply to this fall, and several of them require that i take ... A: Jenna. I don't have experience with undergrad admissions, which it sounds like you are talking ... | |
| Applying to grad school in US with a Swedish degree | 4/12/2007 |
| Q: My wife is moving to the United States from Sweden and she will be completing her BS equivalent ... A: Ryan. Sounds like you are saying she will complete her degree in Sweden. Most schools here are set ... | |
| letters of reference | 3/26/2007 |
| Q: I am starting to apply to graduate schools and some of the schools provide forms for letters of ... A: Josh. Actually the best thing is to contact the school and ask them that. They probably have a ... | |
| Grad School | 3/22/2007 |
| Q: I am about to get my bachelor's degree and already have an associates and want to pursue in life ... A: James. I think for the kind of business management you are talking about, you can probably get a ... | |
| GMAT Prep | 2/14/2007 |
| Q: Can you tell me some good free site I can use for GMAT preparation? A: Tina. I have a lot of free helpful information available for you through my MBATrack email list. ... | |
| grad school resume | 1/12/2007 |
| Q: I have to send a resume for my grad school application. I got my bachelor's degree in 2003. Given ... A: Lamika. Most grad programs are looking for more than just a resume. They usually want what is ... | |
| Admissions | 11/3/2006 |
| Q: I am a parent/school administrator interested in the possible benefits of sending my child/students ... A: Dan. I primarily deal with graduate level admissions, so I can only conjecture on undergrad ... | |
| admission grad school | 11/1/2006 |
| Q: I am getting ready to start applying to graduate school, but my GPA is not very high. Right now it ... A: Shannon. 3.4 is a decent GPA. Of course if you are applying to very competitive schools, you will ... | |
| GRE Essays | 10/18/2006 |
| Q: I'm graduated last spring with a BA in Psychology and Cognitive Science and I'm just about ready to ... A: You're right. It is pretty unimportant to most schools. They usually expect that you get at least ... | |
| Help with GRE'S | 10/17/2006 |
| Q: I need to take the GRE's and I want to go into programs with ABA and Psychology. Do I need to take ... A: There is the General GRE and there are subject tests. Subject tests are only in certain specific ... | |
| Admission to Law School | 10/1/2006 |
| Q: Well, I just took my LSAT yesterday and I feel like I did horrible. I was thinking about canceling ... A: Lori. If you are only applying to one school and you know that they don't average the scores, then ... | |
| Graduate School Outlaw? | 9/26/2006 |
| Q: The following question has been asked already. I am hoping, however, that mine will come through as ... A: Calvin. You've got some good ideas for how to be competitive. Most schools require the GRE, which ... | |
| statement of purpose | 9/17/2006 |
| Q: I am applying for theatre grad school in the us and I am truly unsure what is meant to be included ... A: Danielle. It is also called a Personal Statement or letter of intent. I have an entire free ... | |
| Grad school | 8/18/2006 |
| Q: I would like to go to grad school some day to improve my chances of getting paid more over the ... A: James. There are so many factors that influence getting into grad school. It might be good to do ... | |
| General questions about graduate admissions | 8/18/2006 |
| Q: My major is industrial engineering and I am planning to apply for graduate studies for industrial ... A: I'll address your points below. 1. You should find out the deadlines for each school. Most ... | |
| gre or gmat | 7/13/2006 |
| Q: sir, i am dielema about wheather to take gre or gmat. i have 2 years exprience as engineer. i am ... A: Whether you need the GRE or GMAT is completely up to the gradute programs you are applying to. Most ... | |
| Information about internships | 4/20/2006 |
| Q: I believe that you maybe the more close to the question I have at hands. I'm a Portuguese undergrad ... A: Antonio. I'm sorry I can't answer your question personally, as I don't know. I suggest that you ... | |
| Application to Grad Schools | 1/27/2006 |
| Q: I am a South African honnours student in psychology, finishing my B.Soc.Sci(Hons) (Psychology) at ... A: Japie. I think you will find a good start to answering your questions at my website. I have a ... | |
| LSAT preparation | 1/25/2006 |
| Q: My son Aaron will be taking LSAT next year. he is in his third year of college(SUNY) Albany State ... A: Dale. I do have quite a bit of free info for you on the LSAT and prelaw admissions, as I've been ... | |
| Master program | 1/21/2006 |
| Q: i am looking for a master program in E-learning under the English dept or the languages dept in USA ... A: Abdalla. I am not familiar with such programs myself, unfortunately. I will have to recommend ... | |
| Graduate School | 1/18/2006 |
| Q: If someone wants to apply to a school like Caltech or MIT(i.e. really competitive schools) for ... A: I doubt that retaking a class would look bad. It would be a lot better than just having a "D" on ... | |
| Graduate School | 1/18/2006 |
| Q: If someone wants to apply to a school like Caltech or MIT(i.e. really competitive schools) for ... A: John. Overall GPA is really important. If you've already finished your freshman year and your ... | |
| college admission | 1/11/2006 |
| Q: I´m writing from Havana, Cuba on behalf of my daughter, Liz Anet Jimenez-Martinez. She went to the ... A: Jesus. Since I work with students going into graduate programs, I'm not sure I can answer your ... | |
| Graduate School application process | 12/25/2005 |
| Q: I am about to apply to grad school in January 2006. Any tips on writing the personal essay? Most ... A: Jacob. I've got an entire free booklet on the subject, which you can access at ... | |
| LSAT tutoring schedule | 11/9/2005 |
| Q: how long do your individual classes run? Or are they based primarily on the needs of your clients? ... A: Maria. You can work with me as long as you need to (I'm assuming you are not in New Mexico. I have ... | |
| LSAT tutoring schedule | 11/2/2005 |
| Q: I would like to be tutored on the LSAT and I was wondering what your schedule is like and also how ... A: Maria. You can review my services at http://www.cuttsreviews.com/jcutts/lsat/ I'd also be glad to ... | |
| personal statements | 10/20/2005 |
| Q: I am in the process of applying for MBA school. I've noticed that many school applications give you ... A: Emily. It's an interesting question. If you want to avoid specifics, I see no problem with saying ... | |
| early high school graduation | 10/19/2005 |
| Q: I am currenty in 9th grader in Dallas, Texas and I want to graduate a year early from high school. ... A: David. You'll need to check with the advisor at your school. The requirements are different in ... | |
| international programs+ | 10/18/2005 |
| Q: I've got a few questions here, so, bear with me if you can. I've previously applied to anthropology ... A: Nick. Your GRE and GPA sound like they are in a range that would get you in to at least some ... | |
| Question on graduate school and professorship | 10/10/2005 |
| Q: I have a question about graduate schooling and professorship. My first question is this: 1. As far ... A: Shannon. I wouldn't be too worried about the undergrad GPA. You will have many years of masters ... | |
| personal statement | 9/22/2005 |
| Q: I am currently in the process of applying to pharmacy school I was just wondering what you think ... A: Sheila. Actually I've written a booklet about the personal statement that should be helpful. I can ... | |
| grad school and job | 8/17/2005 |
| Q: I'm a Canadian university student going to my 3rd year of study. I have a number of questions: 1) ... A: "d". A lot of MBA programs do prefer some work experience. You can check directly with the schools ... | |
| GRE-general | 8/17/2005 |
| Q: Jay, I am currently a sociology grad student embarking on the thesis writing part of my degree. My ... A: Monte. Well, I actually specialize in teaching the GRE. I would certainly hold off on the Kaplan ... | |
| LSAT Preparation | 6/12/2005 |
| Q: Sir, I'm taking the LSAT in October and was wondering if you had any advice on prep courses, ... A: Malcolm. Though this is not an unbiased opinion, I teach the LSAT myself. I'm an LSAT specialist ... | |
| Grants Loans Scholarships | 5/9/2005 |
| Q: Im 40, and considering going back to college (Ive got a BA in Communications). Money is tight, and ... A: Adam. There's kind of a glut on Inuit-Slavic-Hopi-Mexicans this year. Just kidding. You didn't ... | |
| admission | 3/20/2005 |
| Q: I have a huge problem. I had my bachelor degree in administration in 1996, i had a one-year ... A: Bintou. Your undergrad GPA is in an acceptable range. You will need to get a good GMAT score. ... | |
| Information about Harvard | 3/13/2005 |
| Q: Something about me: I'm taking a 5 years degree in psychology that include a 1 year internship in a ... A: Antonio. I understand your concern! I don't know the details of exactly what Harvard is looking ... | |
| Admissions essay | 12/21/2004 |
| Q: Below is my personal statement. I was hoping you could read through it and give me some feedback. I ... A: Rachel. It sounds like you are reapplying to a 4 year school to complete your batchelors, is that ... | |
| Nurse Practitioner Training | 11/11/2004 |
| Q: I am a 50 year old licensed acupuncturist holding a Master of Science in Oriental Medicine. I have ... A: Mike. Finances isn't my expertise, so please take this with a grain of salt, but it seems like the ... | |
| a good name?? | 8/29/2004 |
| Q: Hey there, How do I know if a university has a “good name”? I am looking for a terminal ... A: Nada. I wouldn't be able to tell personally which are the best schools. My suggestion is to talk ... | |
| us admission guidance | 8/19/2004 |
| Q: I got a gre score of 1220/1600 quant :750 verbal : 470. I wanted help on how to proceed from here. ... A: Venkatesh. Your Math score is excellent. Your Verbal score is probably fine for engineering ... | |
| Getting recommendations | 7/20/2004 |
| Q: I think that I will decide to work after undergrad before I apply to law school, and I was wondering ... A: Maggie. A lot of people wonder how meaningful a recommendation can be from a professor that you had ... | |
| GRE's | 6/25/2004 |
| Q: I took a Princeton review course for the GRE's last Summer but did not put my "all" into the course ... A: Abbie. I've been teaching the GRE to people for over 13 years. This is my full time work, along ... | |
| GRE prep; Personal statements; letters of rec and the whole application process... | 6/3/2004 |
| Q: I am looking to start my Graduate school application process. I am planning on taking my GREs in ... A: Jennifer. You certainly came to the right place. All of these things are my area of specialty. ... | |
| GRE test structure | 5/2/2004 |
| Q: I have a question regarding the structure of the GRE general test. When I took the test almost eight ... A: Maggis. The test is now computer adaptive. It can be taken only on the computer in most parts of ... | |
| GRE computer-based test dates | 4/3/2004 |
| Q: this is Naomi again. I did more search on the test dates for the computer-based test on the GRE ... A: again. Yes you can take it pretty much any day. You have no option. You can only take the test on ... | |
| GRE | 4/3/2004 |
| Q: Jay. After having taught as a school teacher since I graduated with a MEd in 1998, I'm planning to ... A: Naomi. The new Analytical Writing section consists of a couple essays. They count for almost ... | |
| Grad school app affected by Undergrad GPA | 4/2/2004 |
| Q: I am considering communications programs in NYC. I am confident that my work experience, statement, ... A: (I tried to answer this before but don't have a record of it so I'm trying to duplicate what I said, ... | |
| Graduate School | 4/1/2004 |
| Q: I am currently a second year psychology student at a state university. Unfortunately, my college ... A: Marcus. Thanks for the note. It sounds like you should be able to get your GPA up to a decent ... | |
| Princeton Review Private Tutoring | 3/23/2004 |
| Q: I graduated college in 1991 and after 13 yrs in a successful career...I am now interested in going ... A: Paul. Actually I know quite a bit about this as I am a specialist in preparing people for the LSAT. ... | |
| Recommendations | 3/15/2004 |
| Q: I am applying to grad school. I was wondering if it is at all acceptable to have a non-professor for ... A: Kelly. Check with your schools you are applying to to see what they require. Most require a ... | |
| law school interest- at age 46! | 3/12/2004 |
| Q: i live in maryland (baltimore county) undergrad degree from 1979 dual major english ... A: Sandra. Age isn't a barrier to law school so I'd say go for it. Part-time is fine. Full time may ... | |
| GRADUATE APPLICATION PROCESS | 3/9/2004 |
| Q: I am planning to go to graduate school and i need some help with the application process, especially ... A: Olja. Your GMAT and writing sample scores are pretty good and should be competitive for a mid range ... | |
| Graduate School Application Essay | 3/1/2004 |
| Q: Below is a copy of my recent editon for of my graduate school essay. Its about 574 words and I have ... A: Janelle. First of all, I'd like to direct you to my free booklet How to Get Accepted to Grad School ... | |
| GRE | 8/11/2003 |
| Q: I have to take the GRE and score a minimum of 1000 to be admitted to a particular graduate program. ... A: Melissa. The "Analytical" section is now the Analytical writing. It has nothing to do with the ... | |
| GRE vocab | 1/1/2003 |
| Q: I have a terrible vocab probably because Im bilingual AND I havent read many books. The first time I ... A: Es-salamu 'alikum, ya-Nada. I've been helping people with the GRE for almost 12 years and my ... | |
| Hi, My name is Matthew,... | 8/14/2002 |
| Q: My name is Matthew, I am from India.I wish to do an MS in Computer Science. I got admits to a few ... A: I am sorry but this is not my area of expertise at all. I wish I could offer you some suggestions ... | |
| College Scholarships | 9/10/2001 |
| Q: I have a son who just started High School this year. He came from a private middle school and went ... A: Sharon. I don't know anything about undergraduate admissions. I only deal with graduate programs. ... | |
| Law School Personal Statement | 9/8/2001 |
| Q: I am looking for suggestions and examples of personal statements. I am having a tough time getting ... A: Alison. I actually have a site myself with a completely free booklet on the subject. It's ... | |
| Source for Grad School Programs and GRE Scores | 6/18/2001 |
| Q: I'm an Assistant Professor of Biology at Stonehill College, a small Catholic Liberal Arts College in ... A: Craig. Thanks for the inquiry. This is actually a bit tricky. Most programs actually are not very ... | |
| grad. school | 6/6/2001 |
| Q: I am trying to locate some list of average GRE scores for testers pursuing, or trying to, a Master's ... A: Beverly. The best way to find out what scores you need to be competitive at the schools you are ... | |
| College Application Process | 2/16/2001 |
| Q: My son is in his junior year. Could you advise on various steps in the college application process, ... A: Weckiewicz, I know little about college entrance, as I specialize in grad school. I recommend you ... | |
| How much honor societies count? | 2/1/2001 |
| Q: Mr. Cutts, I e-mailed this question to you yesterday, not knowing that my husband had changed the ... A: Christine. I answered this last night and don't remember what I said exactly, so I'll summarize. If ... | |
| Statement of Goals | 1/22/2001 |
| Q: I submitted my application matierials to John Carroll University's M.Ed. Program. I just recieved a ... A: Marianne. Well, it sounds to me like statement of goals should be the same as the letter of intent, ... | |
| statement of purpose | 1/5/2001 |
| Q: Hi--i'm looking for help on the statement of purpose section of PhD in English applications--do you ... A: Marcelle. I actually have a free booklet available on the subject. It is called How to Get ... | |
| University grades and GPA | 12/7/2000 |
| Q: I recently completed the final year of my BE/BCOM degree in Australia. I'm considering the ... A: Sometimes the conversion can be tricky and sometimes impossible. In the US, typically, an A is 4.0, ... | |
| law school admission | 11/26/2000 |
| Q: I will be getting a degree, but two of the four years where spent in a non-acredited college? A: The law school will look at your undergrad GPA. If you are getting your degree then the degree ... | |
Help with College & Grad School Applications
Answers by Expert:
Jay Cutts
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Preparation for LSAT, GRE, MCAT, GMAT. Personal statements, letters of recommendation, graduate application process, practice tests. No Questions about Undergrad Admissions(unless you are planning to go to law, business, medical or grad school eventually). Note that I change private questions to public so they are available to others. If you have something that is truly private, let me know.
Experience
Over 19 years full time graduate entrance exam prep with over 1500 students nationally and internationally.
Publications
Barron's MCAT Prep Book, Lead Author
Education/Credentials
BA, Linguistics with Honors and Distinction, University of Michigan
MA, Special Education with an Emphasis in Learning Disabilities and Giftedness, with Honors, University of New Mexico
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