Ask HN: Rejected from masters programmes because of university reputation | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Rejected from masters programmes because of university reputation

2 pointsMrsPeaches5 comments

Hi HN!

I have a friend who went to a university in a developing country and is now struggling to get a place on a masters programme in western universities.

They completed a bachelors in physics at their country's top university, got pretty much straight A's and is generally very bright but is now being rejected by masters programmes in western universities, because the universities deem my friends qualifications to be below the required standard.

Is there any way in which they can help make clear that they are smart enough to get in?!

The other option they have is to study for a masters at the same university where they did their bachelors and then it might be enough to get into a master programme at a western university (but even then students have been rejected as their qualifications are deemed second rate).

It just seems really unfair when they are so obviously bright!

The solution is to study bachelors degree at western university first.

A lot of universities provide a flexible schedule and if they are so bright, they can finish much faster.

Also, Masters degrees in the US are very different compared to Masters degrees in Europe and other countries. So getting Masters from their home university may not help at all.

There isn't much here to go off of, but a few questions come to mind:

What type of masters is she/he going for? Which schools are they applying to?

Many schools / programs that you would know, in the US, especially coming from a developing nation, are very prestigious and very competitive. If you want to get a masters in business from Harvard, it's very difficult to get in no matter where you studied and what your grades are.

That being said, if your friend is willing to take classes or research / work at a university, that's a great way to get your foot in the door. Additionally, if your friend has relevant professional experience, those types of recommendations can help. Lastly, do they have compelling reasons to go to that specific school / program and is their admission packet otherwise strong. Finally, are the schools / programs they are applying to realistic, given their academic / professional performance.

Additionally, if they have existing relationships with professors / counselors from their previous school, I would start there. If the university is a credible research institution, they probably have the relationships / infrastructure to help students get into grad school in the US.

Best of luck!

I agree that US universities are very competitive. My partner was volunteering for two years in a research lab to get a foot in a door and eventually got admitted.

You don't mention which country or university they received their degree in, but I just want to say that, in certain developing countries, it's quite common to simply buy a bachelor's degree, rather than get the degree legitimately. And so the western university's skepticism may be well-placed.

Or it's just simple misfortune. Universities don't have 100% acceptance rates.

Many schools in the US accept a GRE test to validate your knowledge level is up to the needs for a masters. I believe there are profession specific sub tests, like CompSci etc. Do not know if there is an equivalent in Europe.

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