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bionerd

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  1. I've reposted this from the GRE subform hoping to get some more biology-related opinions-- As a bit of background, I'm a Junior seeking to apply to PhD programs in molecular biology/genetics this December. The top-tier snowball's-chance-in-hell "dream" schools I've looked at say they "don't require the GRE Subject Test, but strongly recommend it." Yet I've known people who got into their programs without having taken a Subject Test. I took the regular GRE last summer and somehow managed a 1500. (It was only after that that I first heard about GRE Subject tests!) I've been doing undergrad research throughout my college career - and if luck serves me, I'll have 1-2 pubs and some good rec letters at the end of my time here. Relative to that, just how heavily do you think the upper-tier schools (say, Berkeley or Rockefeller) weigh the GRE Subject Tests? Thanks for any input you have!
  2. My publications won't be in anything top-tier, but they won't be anything to sneeze at either.. that's if I get them finished in time! (Fingers crossed!) Thanks for the input, I'll definitely think about your suggestions! I think I may also repost this in the Biology subforum for more opinions from my field.
  3. As a bit of background, I'm a Junior seeking to apply to PhD programs in molecular biology/genetics this December. Many of the top-tier "dream" schools I've been looking at say that they "don't require the GRE Subject Test, but strongly recommend it." Yet I've known people who got into their programs without having taken a Subject Test. I took the regular GRE last summer and somehow managed a 1500. It was only after that that I first heard about GRE Subject tests. I've been doing undergrad research throughout my college career - and if luck serves me, I'll have 1-2 pubs and some good rec letters at the end of my time here. Relative to that, just how heavily do you think upper-tier schools (say, Berkeley or Rockefeller) weigh the GRE Subject Tests? Thanks for any input you have!
  4. I probably couldn't have helped you if I'd seen this yesterday, but... sorry nobody replied. How did it go??
  5. Thanks for all the really great and kind advice, guys! I feel a lot better about going and just ordering a soda or 'mocktail' as one of you called it. I come from a big party school, but have never been a partier myself, so my biggest fear - for those who didn't understand why I would be concerned - is that if I don't try something alcoholic during the evening, I'll be seen as a wet blanket or someone who doesn't want to have fun. But it sounds like that's much less of a problem in grad school than it is in undergrad... or at least, it will be among a cohort I'd be comfortable joining
  6. After that eye-catching title, I should explain a bit: I'm thinking about applying to grad school this coming December, and I've been looking through some posts describing campus visits to various universities. Often, people mention that grad students took their cohort to bars or on a pub crawl, etc., as a way to show them the town and to make for some socializing. All well and good, but... I don't like to drink. I have no moral obligations to the stuff, beer or any other alcohol just tastes bad to me. If I end up visiting a campus and there are offers to go drinking, what should I do? I can think of a few possibilities-- 1. I don't go, and am a wet blanket. (Sounds like a bad choice) 2. I go, but get water (And, presumably, laughed at) 3. I go, and try not to grimace as I choke down one beer over the course of the evening (Won't be the most attractive sight) 4. I teach myself how to drink something, anything, to be social. I obviously won't overdo it--as hilarious as some of those stories are--maybe one drink, and that's all... what do you think? What's a good drink for 'beginners' to cut their teeth on, so to speak? Have any of you had experience with this sort of thing? I honestly have no idea where to start!
  7. I'm just an undergrad, so I can't speak for the graduate experience. But here are my two cents, just in case anyone comes by this thread looking for some info... Tuscaloosa is very much a small, southern town. Though the town is much larger than the campus itself, it is your stereotypical "college town." The campus explodes on game days. If you're a football fan, there's PLENTY of that to go around, and if you're not, it's entirely possible to avoid it altogether (I have!) There is not much to do in town if you're not a sports fan/drinker, but on occasion, the university's different departments host plays, concerts, art exhibits, etc. Birmingham is around an hour away, and a likely destination for more 'culture' (concerts, etc). The campus is constantly undergoing construction, which is both good and bad--recently, they have constructed BEAUTIFUL new facilities for Chemistry, Biology and some Computer Engineering. They are in the process of building two new Engineering buildings that will complete a "science quad" within 1-2 minutes' walk of the student center. I have been in both the Chemistry and Biology/Computer buildings, and the facilities there are fantastic--clean, new, plenty of space. The campus is gorgeous and often well-kept; if you're looking for green grass and blue skies, this is your place. As for the people, this is a rather diverse town--for the area. The grad programs attract a lot of international students as well as students from the region. It is overwhelmingly Christian and conservative here, and southern accents abound. If you aren't Christian, you probably won't encounter any problems from anyone. If you aren't conservative, there are some liberal-minded people around here for you to interact with, just not enough to make much of a difference politically. And you'll just have to get used to the accents. If you want a fast-paced environment full of people and excitement... this is not the place for you. At all. But if you want a friendly and slow-paced, somewhat secluded grad experience, with fairly cheap housing and some beautiful new facilities, you should check it out! Let me know if you have any questions.
  8. I know most of this board is dedicated to individual cities/towns, but I thought it would be interesting to have a more general thread. The topic: Transitions! Did you leave small town life for grad school in the big city? Or did you cut all ties to civilization to pursue your studies somewhere significantly smaller? I'm very interested in how you made your decision to change your surroundings, how you dealt with the changes, what your feelings are about the experience now. As for me, I'm still an undergrad in a sleepy southern college town. I've never lived in a city and have only visited them for short periods of time. At this point in my grad school search, I'm looking at both big cities and smaller towns, but I'm not sure if I'd like to live in a city, or if I could even handle it! So any perspectives from the "small-town-to-big-city" area would be especially appreciated
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