Gradbioguy

Undergrad Institution: Big State School Major(s): Biochemistry and molecular biology Minor(s): Microbiology GPA in Major: 3.25 Overall GPA: 3.0 Position in Class: Average Type of Student: Domestic Male GRE Scores (revised/old version): Haven't taken them yet but I've been scoring around 80 - 85th percentile Q: V: W: B: Research Experience: I currently have 1.5 years of research experience at my school in a developmental biology lab. So far I have two posters that I have presented at undergraduate exhibitions, I will do a third in the spring. I will be doing a senior thesis and as a result be graduating with a "distinction in research" Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Deans list several times Pertinent Activities or Jobs: I tutored an ex-marine who took classes with me but this was not an official position. I'm also part of a society of biochemists, done close to 500 hours of community service and have held positions within groups that I do the community service through. Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: So I do have a bit of an interesting story. I was unofficially diagnosed with PTSD my 4th semester after dealing with it since the start of my second semester. My GPA from my second semester to my third was less than 2.0, but I sought help my fourth semester (same semester I started research). I improved that semester to get a 2.8ish, but then the next year (my junior year) I improved even more to get a 3.53 and a 3.58 my fall and spring semesters respectively. This was while taking the 400-level major courses, not easy fluff gen eds. At its worst, my GPA was a 2.3, and now I've improved to a 2.98. I plan on applying at the end of my fall semester (a semester during which, in addition to my normal coursework, I am taking a graduate level class - you need special permission to take these as an undergrad) to graduate school and given recent trends I anticipate getting at least similar grades to last year and being above 3.0 when I apply. As it stands now, my major GPA is a 3.25 and for senior level major classes (400 level) my GPA is a 3.45. I'm spending this summer in my lab, but last summer I spent it working on recovering, going to counseling, etc., so I don't have internships or anything exciting like that. I will have very solid and supportive LoRs from my PI, and two professors I know well and have done well in their classes. As a consequence of all of this, I am applying to mostly terminal MS programs in biology. I plan on doing one of those and succeeding there before applying to PhD programs. Any advice is greatly appreciated Applying to Where: Washington State Boston College William and Mary Virginia Tech UMD - Baltimore Temple Drexel Wake Forest

I figured the funded programs would be ideal. Generally speaking, will I be competitive for those programs (again, middle tier master programs)? I guess a more generalized question is what kind of applicant profiles do middle tier ms programs have?

So I had a very interesting undergraduate career. I am majoring in molecular biology at a public ivy. I had severe depression that started at the beginning of my second semester, continued through the third, and it was not until the fourth I seeked out help. By the end of the third semester I had a 2.3 gpa. My semester I started counseling I got a 2.88 and started research in a well respected lab. I continued seeking help over that summer and was doing significantly better by the fall semester. Taking upper level classes, I got just over a 3.5 gpa in the fall. My spring gpa (sixth semester) improved slightly to just under a 3.6 causing my cum gpa to 2.98. With my fall gpa, I expect to be at 3.0. I've continued doing research and have produced 2 posters thus far and will be doing a thesis my last semester. Completely the thesis means I will be graduating with a distinction in research. I will be taking a graduate class in the fall as well. My LoRs will likely be from my PI (who likes me a lot) and the professor I will take the graduate class in the fall (already taken a class with him and I hope to collaborate with him on my thesis. We are on very good terms). I anticipate doing well on the GRE, but so do everyone. For the sake of arguements, let's just assume I about the average for someone who gets about a 3.1, 3.2 gpa. I have no delusions about getting into a PhD program but I want to do a master's program so I can continue to work hard their and hopefully get into a respected program after getting a M.S. Because of my grades, I dont expect to get into super competitive programs, but I do want to go to decently respected programs. For example, I looked at william and mary graduate biology. They, like others, have 3.0 requirements. Based on the broad overview of my academic achievements, will I be a competitive applicant at such a program? Does anyone have admission data for similar programs?