gillymon

Wait really? I've been clinging onto my email for the whole week for no reason then!

... Is it safe to assume that most interview invitations have been sent out now this week is nearly over? I NEED CLOSURE :/ Rejection emails actually sound great. (In other news, looking forward to meeting people TPCB and Weill interviews )

Undergrad Institution: UK Uni. Internationally famous for science (yep it probably is the one you think it is) Major(s): Biochemistry Minor(s): If only you could do minors...... GPA in Major: around 3.5-3.7 when converted Overall GPA: only do majors here. Position in Class: Somewhere around the top, but not quite. Type of Student: International. Asian. but female (though this no longer really gives me an advantage) GRE Scores (revised/old version): Q: 170 V: 165 W: 5 B: Nope. These only happen twice a year in England. Research Experience: 2 summers (as we can't do it during term times) - One back home (still top 100 university in the world I think?) and one at home institution. Will have another project underway before graduating (thesis one). Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Tutoring, volunteering at the science museum, other things that will be on CV but not relevant. Special (Bonus) Points: Two recommenders are both pretty well-known in their respective fields, are senior lecturers, though I won't be going in either of their fields. All letters of recommendations promise to be good~great. Also, I get a TOEFL waiver. Applying to Where: The definite ones! (ie. their research is amazing, and do line up very well with my interests so I will not give them up unless I really really have to) MIT Columbia Stanford U Michigan The maybe ones! Scripps WUSTL Cornell (Weill) Duke Please help me out! I really have no idea as to where I should apply & where I will have a chance. It also doesn't help that research in my area of interest all seem to happen at these top, highly competitive schools. The fact that I'm an international asian without external funding probably doesn't help much either. Anyone willing to recommend some places for me to look at (though I'm pretty sure I've went through the top 30 schools and their faculty list!), that would be great! Or even tips on how to find people. Generally all tips welcome. EDIT: Stupid me! Forgot to say my area of interest, which is proteomics, protein structure, protein folding, protein folding pathways, in sum proteostasis. Proteins, proteins, proteins, in general rather than a specific enzyme (though focusing on a family also fits my interest!).

Is it appropriate to list the techniques that you know? But is there a way to do this without making it a list? Or should this kind of thing be in your CV? Help!

WHY ARE THERE NO SCIENTISTS AROUND ME IN REAL LIFE TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS Firstly, here's the stats: Undergrad Institution: one of the top University in UK (UK undergrad lasts 3 years, not 4!) Major(s): Biochemistry GPA in Major: High 2i ~ 1st (which is around 3.5~4.0 US standard. I've heard however that the conversion differs with undergrad uni?) Position in Class: (No numbers needed, but are you top? near top? average? struggling?) Type of Student: (Domestic/International, male/female, minority?) GRE Scores: QR 170, VR 165, AW 5 Research Experience: 1 month last summer, 10 weeks this summer. My dilemma lies in my lack of research experience. I have done the maximum I could during Uni, as we cannot work during school in the UK (which I have read that many US undergrads do!). I feel however that I am comfortable working alone, and together as a team in the lab. If i apply this year, this is all the experience I will have. If I apply next year, I will be able to include my thesis research (which lasts for about 8 weeks), as well as another summer project (maybe). Also, if I apply next year, I will be able to get a LOR from my thesis research PI. I have 2 LORs that I know will be strong, or near strong. 1st LOR: from my academic advisor, who will be able to vouch for my exponentially increasing grades as well as positive comments from my small-group supervisors/tutors (they basically support our learning by going over lecture materials and our questions in really small groups, often 2-3 students per supervisor every week for every module) 2nd LOR: PI from my lab this summer. Though I only met him a couple times over the summer, I think we got along superbly well for the number of times we were able to sit together and talk. He also complimented me many, many times on my potential as a researcher, so I think this LOR could be great. 3rd LOR: THIS IS THE PROBLEM!! I've just emailed the PI from last summer whom I worked with for one month and saw a total of 5 times. We barely talked. He was also extremely moody when I worked (He and one of his grad students were in a feud resulting in the grad student quitting!). However, if I wait till next year, i can replace this one with my thesis PI, who I shall try to get along with and get to know better! He also will be closer to the field I want to work in. tl:dr - Applying next year means more experience (by a project or two) as well as a stronger LOR. Is it not logical to apply next year, or will I be able to overcome my one mediocre LOR and slightly lacking experience with other elements of the application like the SOP? What tier schools could I aim for this year, and how would that differ next year?