Applying for Fall 2017 PhD programs - Do I have a chance?

[Stephylococcus]

Hello!

I'm applying for graduate school starting in Fall 2017. My current GPA is a 3.3, and although I haven't taken the GRE yet I've been studying and plan to take it within the next month so I can have time to study more and make sure my scores are ready to send to schools in December if needed. I tend to perform well on standardized tests though, so I'm reasonably confident in my ability to perform well. I've also had 2.5 years of research experience from two different labs. Both were long term, but my original PI moved to a different university so I went to a different lab with a really well known PI. I currently have my own project in my lab and have been awarded a grant to continue my work on it. I also expect to be on two different publications by the end of the calendar year, one from each of the labs that I've been in. I want to study either genetics or developmental biology for my PhD and am thinking of applying to the following schools (this includes my reaching schools):

University of Colorado - Anschutz

University of Utah

University of Texas - Austin

University of Oregon

University of Washington

University of Wisconsin - Madison

University of Pennsylvania

Duke

Stanford

My main question is: do I even have a chance? And are there other programs that come to mind for you that I should look into in my preliminary considerations for application to grad school?

[pharmacantstopwontstop]

Saying this as someone with a 3.36, ya, you have a chance. I've been calling up directors of all the neuroscience programs I'm interested in and, amongst other topics of conversation, asking them about my chances at their programs. The feedback I've gotten from all of them, other than UCSD, has been very positive. Now, I do have more research than you, but my impression is that your 2.5 years is well good enough, especially if you can get those manuscripts in review. Perhaps genetics or developmental biology will garner a more competitive field of applicants than neuroscience, but I doubt it.

I don't know abut the quality of any genetics or developmental biology programs, but maybe Emory would be good to look into? They seemed the least concerned about my GPA of anyone. As in, they viewed it as a total non-issue. On the top end Harvard, Stanford, Yale, and Johns Hopkins were all very encouraging of my chances. With that said, other than Emory, they all said that my LORs, SOP, and GRE would be important, and perhaps more so than usual. Most said that I would need a GRE in the 70th to 80th percentile for them to feel truly comfortable with my low GPA. So, keep that in mind.

[Bioenchilada]

I think you have a chance of getting into some of the grad schools you posted, the most uncertainty being on the reach school. Your research experience, LORs, and SOP are far more important than your GPA/GRE, though I won't say they don't matter. Nail your GRE, and your chances will be a bit better. Also, make sure that your statement of purpose is superb, it will make a difference.