phD with rotations question

[reid1234]

Looking for some advice. 

 

I have found a lab that i'm a perfect fit for, where I would love to do my phD thesis. It aligns perfectly with my research interests and I have the relevant knowledge and skills to work there.  However, the lab is at Havard University and I would have to apply through their BBS program. This program has rotations, so identifying one specific lab that I would be a good fit for isn't good enough for my application. I believe I have subpar stats to get into the BBS program at Havard (3.45 GPA, lots of research experience but nothing published, Canadian). Is it worth applying to this program or would it be a waste of my money?

 

I would like to thank everybody in advance.

[Bioenchilada]

It's your money, so if BBS is a program you're really interested in, you should apply, though you should look for more people to potentially work with since 1 person is just not enough. 5 people is a good baseline number, and people typically list 3 in their app. 

[Bioenchilada]

 

38 minutes ago, reid1234 said:

Looking for some advice. 

 

I have found a lab that i'm a perfect fit for, where I would love to do my phD thesis. It aligns perfectly with my research interests and I have the relevant knowledge and skills to work there.  However, the lab is at Havard University and I would have to apply through their BBS program. This program has rotations, so identifying one specific lab that I would be a good fit for isn't good enough for my application. I believe I have subpar stats to get into the BBS program at Havard (3.45 GPA, lots of research experience but nothing published, Canadian). Is it worth applying to this program or would it be a waste of my money?

 

I would like to thank everybody in advance.

I guess if you wanted someone to "chance you", your GPA is kind of on the low-side. Who's writing your rec letters? How many years of experience do you have? What's your GRE score? Have you considered taking the subject test? 

Also, you'll need to have a great SOP, but that applies to every school you apply to lol

[reid1234]

8 minutes ago, Bioenchilada said:

 

I guess if you wanted someone to "chance you", your GPA is kind of on the low-side. Who's writing your rec letters? How many years of experience do you have? What's your GRE score? Have you considered taking the subject test? 

Also, you'll need to have a great SOP, but that applies to every school you apply to lol

2 years experience

160/160 GRE

rec letters from current PI, PI in organismal biology lab I worked in for a summer and the chair of biochemistry at my school who I work with occasionally

signed up for biochemistry subject test but that got cancelled unfortunately 

[Bioenchilada]

5 minutes ago, reid1234 said:

2 years experience

160/160 GRE

rec letters from current PI, PI in organismal biology lab I worked in for a summer and the chair of biochemistry at my school who I work with occasionally

signed up for biochemistry subject test but that got cancelled unfortunately 

Your GRE is fine. Your amount of research experience is okay, I wouldn't classify it as lots-unless you're talking about full-time research. Will your letters be strong? Idealy, you want to have three PI's vouche for you since the person is supposed to assess your research capabilities. 

[biotechie]

1 hour ago, reid1234 said:

Looking for some advice. 

 

I have found a lab that i'm a perfect fit for, where I would love to do my phD thesis. It aligns perfectly with my research interests and I have the relevant knowledge and skills to work there.  However, the lab is at Havard University and I would have to apply through their BBS program. This program has rotations, so identifying one specific lab that I would be a good fit for isn't good enough for my application. I believe I have subpar stats to get into the BBS program at Havard (3.45 GPA, lots of research experience but nothing published, Canadian). Is it worth applying to this program or would it be a waste of my money?

 

I would like to thank everybody in advance.

You should NEVER apply to a school just because you're interested in a single PI, especially in biomed-related fields. They may not even be taking students into their lab next year, and then you're out of luck! You want there to be at least 5 PIs that you're interested in at a school.

In addition, don't go to grad school to work on your dream project. Go to grad school to learn how to be a great scientist, and then you can make a career out of your dream projects later on if you're lucky. Pick a PI based on your rotation and how they teach you, how you get along with everyone, and the prospect of being able to generate publishable data. The project should be one of the last reasons you pick a lab! 

I joined a lab doing something completely different than what I wanted to do, and I love it. While I don't recommend going as far out of your comfort zone as I did, it helps you in the long run to do something a little different. The PI I thought I would want to join wasn't that nice and wouldn't have given me good guidance. Instead I joined someone who does, and I may even graduate early.

That said, I had a slightly higher GPA than you when I applied (3.69), and 6 years of research experience, all of it greater than 30 hours a week. I would say 2 years is average for most schools, but probably the minimum you need for a school like Harvard. Consider some other schools as well. Don't limit yourself just to that one or you may be disappointed and not have anywhere to go to grad school next year!

[biochemgirl67]

Um, just... don't apply to a school and get your hopes and dreams all pinned up in working with someone.  There's a lot that goes into that decision, not even counting the whole funding aspect.  (For instance if you and Student A both love it in the Lab of Dreams but the professor can only take 1 student and Student A has an NSF-GRFP or a departmental training grant that assures ~2 years of study, they might be very VERY tempted to take the person they don't have to pay tuition, health insurance, stipend for.)  I know people say minimum 5 people of interest, but I would posit that number needs to be closer to 10.  Simply because professors aren't always taking students and many won't commit to telling you either way before you're even in the program.  Not because they're mean or whatever but because grants and things come in all the time.

Also, your stats are low for schools like Harvard and such, and I'm not just talking GPA.  Your research, unless it's been full time AND productive, is really just at the minimum for top tier schools.  (Not just Harvard, but I'm talking the entire top tier.)  I'm not trying to put anybody down, but I and the other people on here want you to realize that you should apply to 1 or 2 of these top schools and focus on a more diverse school set for the bulk of your applications.  Really, going to grad school in the biological sciences with your hopes pinned on something sets you up for a lot of disappointment.  Please, apply to Harvard but realize that it is a very long shot and that you should be focusing that enthusiasm at other schools as well.

Edited September 19, 2016 by biochemgirl67