Admissions Overview
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Admission Requirements
A wild horse stallion defends his harem from an intruding stallion at Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range, Montana, during GDPE student Jason Ransom's MS research on the influences of fertility control on the behavioral ecology of horses.
NOTE: Application deadline for Fall 2010 admission to GDPE is January 15, 2010
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in any of the agricultural, anthropological, biological, biochemical, mathematical, or physical sciences from an accredited college or university
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
- Official scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test (verbal, quantitative and analytical writing). Subject tests are not required.
- Three letters of recommendation
- Personal statement
- Written commitment of a GDPE faculty advisor
Admitted students generally...
- Have an average GPA of 3.5
- Have GRE scores exceeding the 70th percentile
- Identify a faculty advisor who is interested in bringing a new student into his/her research lab and has the funding to support a new student
- Direct correspondence with prospective GDPE faculty advisors during the application process is strongly encouraged
- GDPE faculty examine the applicant pool to identify prospective students; however, your likelihood of acceptance is increased by advance communication with potential advisor(s)
- Faculty who have expressed an interest in new students for the current application period will be listed on the Finding an Advisor page
Many of our admitted students also have...
- Evidence of scientific productivity (particularly PhD students)
- Evidence of leadership qualities
Acceptance into the GDPE is competitive, with about 20 students accepted from an applicant pool of around 120 to 160 each year.
Your Personal Statement
Your personal statement is one of the most important parts of your application and will be one of the critical parts of finding an advisor. It should clearly describe your experience and your research interests in ecology. If you have identified and communicated with a potential advisor(s), your statement should also indicate how your interests overlap with the advisor's research being conducted at CSU. Highlight your experience conducting independent research and your familiarlity with field and laboratory methods and instrumentation. You should cite any publications or presentations from your past research.
Letters of Recommendation
We require at least 3 letters of recommendation, but more may be submitted. Your letter writers should focus on their assessment of your qualifications to successfully complete graduate studies in ecology. This can include your academic achievements, your work experience, your research, or all three.
What happens to your application after we receive it?
Applications are reviewed by the GDPE Director and the Academic Committee. Information on acceptable applicants is made available to GDPE faculty, but final acceptance to the program is based on acceptance as an advisee by a member of the faculty of GDPE.