Graduate FAQ Sheet

We receive a lot of email from applicants who have various questions concerning our graduate program. The most frequently asked questions and their answers are listed below.

1. When should I apply?
2. Do you admit students for the spring semester and do you offer financial aid to students who are admitted for spring?
3. How is admission decided?
4. When will I know if I will be admitted?
5. If I give you a summary of my scores and background, can you tell me my chances of being admitted?
6. After I have applied, can you tell me my status in the admission decision process?
7. If I give you a summary of my scores and background, can you tell me my chances of getting financial aid?
8. Can the application fee be waived?
9. Do you have recommendation forms?
10. Can I send photocopies of my GRE and TOEFL scores with my application instead of having the originals scores mailed?
11. Should I contact a faculty member that I would like to work with before I arrive at LSU or even before I am admitted?
12. When and how do I pick a research advisor/project?
13. What are the minimum GRE and TOEFL score requirements?

1.) When should I apply?

The deadline for fall admission is May 15, but we start admitting students early in February. Applications that are received after we have started the admission process have a reduced chance of admission because there will be fewer open positions remaining. For fall applicants, we recommend that the application be mailed no later than mid-January in order to have the best chance of admission.

2.) Do you admit students for the spring semester and do you offer financial aid to students who are admitted for spring?

The answer to both questions is yes. However, our program is best suited for fall admission, and the spring class is typically much smaller than the fall class. Occasionally, we do not even have a spring class.

3.) How is admission decided?

How is admission decided? A faculty Admissions Committee makes all decisions concerning admissions and assistantships.

4.) When will I know if I will be admitted?

That is difficult to say. The decision process usually begins in February (for fall applicants) and continues through the spring semester, as long as applications are received and positions are available. A decision may be made shortly after we receive your application, but a pool of qualified applicants is kept on hold until we have received as many acceptances as we have openings. The graduate coordinator informs each applicant by letter when a decision is made.

5.) If I give you a summary of my scores and background, can you tell me my chances of being admitted?

If you would like to be evaluated prior to formally applying, you should complete and submit our Graduate Program Applicant Evaluation form.

6.) After I have applied, can you tell me my status in the admission decision process?

No. You will be notified by letter if you are admitted. We do not respond to inquiries concerning admission status.

7.) If I give you a summary of my scores and background, can you tell me my chances of getting financial aid?

No. However, we can say that a large number of our students are granted financial aid. You will be notified by letter if you are offered financial aid. We do not respond to inquiries concerning financial aid status.

8.) Can the application fee be waived?

No. We know that the application fee is a significant financial burden for some applicants, but the University requires it, and we do not have the option to waive it.

9.) Do you have recommendation forms?

No. Just have your recommenders write regular letters (on professional letterhead if possible). They should then seal the envelopes, sign over the seal, and return them to you to send to us.

10.) Can I send photocopies of my GRE and TOEFL scores with my application instead of having the originals scores mailed?

Yes, but if you are admitted, you must then request ETS to send the official scores to LSU before the beginning of your first semester.

11.) Should I contact a faculty member that I would like to work with before I arrive at LSU or even before I am admitted?

Probably not. Most faculty members are deluged with emails from prospective students and will not commit themselves to work with a student based only on email correspondence and an application package. Matching students with projects is a complex process involving student competition and available funding. Therefore, most faculty members will want to meet students in person and see how well they perform in our classes before making a decision. However, most faculty members will be more willing to commit to advising a student if this commitment does not include a financial obligation to support the student. Therefore, if you are financially self-supported and do not require an assistantship, it may make sense to contact potential research advisors in advance.

12.) When and how do I pick a research advisor/project?

Shortly after the semester begins, faculty members offering projects will give short presentations on these projects. New students will then have most of the semester to talk to the faculty members they would like to work for. Each student must hand in a list of 3 or more desired projects, ranked in order of preference. Students are then assigned projects based on these lists, preferably in such a way that everyone gets his or her first choice. Obviously, this is not always possible.

13.) What are the minimum GRE and TOEFL score requirements?

The LSU Graduate School will accept TOEFL scores no lower than 550 (paper based test), 213 (computer based test), or 79 (Internet based test). NO EXCEPTIONS. Our department prefers scores of at least 620 (pBt), 260 (cBt), or 105 (iBt), but these scores are not required for admission as many factors are evaluated when considering admission of each applicant.

The Graduate School does not have a minimum GRE score requirement. It is only required that you take the test. Our department prefers GRE scores of 1200 or higher (verbal + quantitative).

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This page was last modified on February 5, 2007