cleverfool

I never posted my stats, because, frankly, you all are pretty intimidatingly qualified ;o) But, I'm home sick, and since I've been getting way more interest from grad schools than I expected, maybe I can give some hope to some low-GPA'd applicants who read through this thread for next year. Undergrad Institution: State school in the midwest, well-regarded for STEM-field research Major(s): Pharmaceutical Science (Med. chem. concentration) Minor(s): English, Organizational Leadership, Chemistry GPA in Major: school didn't calculate, but Cornell required me to calculate my science GPA, and it was well under 3.0. Overall GPA: 3.08. I had a lot of fun in college. Position in Class: No idea. Probably not good. Type of Student: Domestic female, very very white GRE Scores (revised version): Q: 166 V: 168 W: 5.5 B: n/a Research Experience: 4.5 years in a (nominally) med. chem. lab, mostly doing cancer biochemistry. One summer internship in pharma manufacturing. Nearly 5 years in Big Pharma (yes, I am old). Titular pharmacologist, but mostly do structural/bioanalytical chemistry. Awards/Honors/Recognitions: National Merit Scholar, a freshman research fellowship, undergrad research award. Special Bonus Points: Three excellent LORs, from two work PIs and one undergrad research advisor. Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: I've been heading-up some cool new technology initiatives at work that make my CV a pretty respectable length, finally. Applying to Where: A bunch of biochem/chem bio programs. Sig. will continue to be updated as I receive more results.

@trickster, I would definitely keep calling. I had the same difficulty as @biohopeful trying to get ahold of someone (there was an issue with one of my recommender requests). No one seemed to know how the app. worked. The woman who finally got it fixed for me said it was the first year for this electronic system, and that it was really glitchy, so I'm sure they're expecting some issues. For reference, my final recommender got his letter in very late Dec., and I received an interview request from biochemistry and molecular genetics (which is within the GEMS umbrella...but the actual email was from the BMG dept. so I don't know that it will have any bearing on other GEMS programs) on Jan. 11.

UIC, definitely. After you submit the first part of the app., you get (eventually...) access to the document uploading system, where you send out recommender requests and upload transcripts/SoP/etc. It was pretty glitchy, and when I would call the university for help, everyone I talked to kept transferring me to someone else, until eventually I would get back to the original person I had called. They told me it was the first year for the electronic app. (?!), and it seemed like no one really knew anything about it. Also, it didn't have a way to recover your password, which I tended to forget pretty often, other than calling them.

I am having the same issue with UIC. There were two one-day options and I let the know that I had prior conflicts, asked about an alternate day, and expressed continued interest in the program, but I haven't heard back in over a week. I'm going to give them 'til the end of this week before I bug them again.

Just heard from UMich chemical biology. I was expecting a rejection, since I didn't get an invite to the interview and there are a few in the results, but it was just a notification that they never received my GRE score report, and they need it to "process my admissions decision". I'm not sure if anyone else here applied to that program, but it looks like they are still reviewing applications.

Congratulations!! I have a friend there who has nothing but good things to say about the dept. and the area.

@I_E and biotechie: Thanks for taking the time to summarize your experiences! It's good to have some details to think about; as my first interview gets closer, I am getting more nervous than I expected to be.

If they were planning on reimbursing you for mileage already, I can't imagine it would be a problem. The visit I am driving for specifically mentioned that they would do either.

From reading around old TGC threads, it seems like a email would be appropriate, and that letting them know you are still interested can only help you. I'd go for it; it isn't a situation that demands great formality. Good luck!

Not really, sorry! The communications from them (mostly email, and a phone call from Elyse Meuer to set up the travel stuff) have been prompt, but pretty brief.

I was surprised to see the comment in the Results that NW IBiS will be sending out invites for the next few weeks. Was that from someone around here? I thought their interviews were usually pretty early in Feb. I'd already marked them off my list as a rejection (sadly...the only school I applied to that wouldn't require me to move).

Yeah, it's definitely something to think about. My undergrad degree was very chem-heavy, but was actually administered through the school of pharmacy, so I think biology/biochemistry and chemistry departments will both be a bit of a change. Something I guess I will need to get a feel for during the visits.

Hi everyone! I mostly hang out in the biology forum, but I have a question you guys might be able to answer. I was just admitted to UWisc chem (to my great surprise). In my application I selected Chemical Biology as my first choice, with no second choice. However, I was accepted into the Analytical pathway. The prof. who sent the email was one I named in my application, and he does bioanalytical work. So, I guess I am assuming that this professor liked my app. and then I was admitted into his primary specialty. Does that make sense? Why else would they admit me to analytical? Honestly, analytical chem. was my worst chem grade in undergrad. I absolutely hated that class and the professor wasn't too fond of me, either. So, it would be a bit of irony if I were to end up doing my PhD work in it.

Thanks! I have no idea what I'd choose; several of the faculty I am interested in overlap. I hope the interview/visits will help clarify. Also, any funding differences would factor in, too. My applications were updated today, too, but they both still say "Under review..etc".

Just got accepted to UWisc chemistry! I applied concurrently with my IPiB app. because it was free they are doing some really interesting chemical biology work, but I really didn't think my application was very strong (I took the Chem GRE but didn't send in the scores because they were...terrible, and my undergrad chem gpa was pretty weak). Have to pinch myself a little bit. Good luck to everyone interviewing this week; stay warm!

Good luck, IE! I'm sure it will go fine, especially if you are really excited about the program.

It was a professor, and I'm pretty sure he isn't the program chair, but it seemed like a pretty standardized letter. And, I honestly don't remember if that app. had a place to designate faculty; I know I didn't name anyone in my SoP, nor did I get in contact with anyone ahead of time.

Is anybody else getting a ton of emails from programs they didn't apply to, trying to get you to apply (no thank you, have applied to too many as it is). They're mostly from lower- or un-ranked programs I think, but I just got a pretty creepy one with the heading "Accept My Invitation, [my name]". For some reason, it reminded me of a bad pick-up line.

Feb 14-17 or Feb 28-Mar 3, though it sounded like there aren't any events scheduled until Friday morning.

Invite from UWisc IPIB! Pretty excited. However, both interview options overlap with my current interviews. Hopefully I can work it out with Cornell; they had the fewest number of days overlapped (one). Chicago was all three days.

Pharmacology, though I'd put biochem as my first choice on the app.

No, you aren't alone! I've been out of school for several years, and my undergrad advisor is mostly retired and in another state, so I've been relying on my supervisors, whose only experience with this was at least a decade ago as international applicants. Thank goodness for this site, or I'd be completely in the dark.

Just got an email from Illinois MCB telling me...that my application is now complete, and they'll be reviewing them in the next few weeks. Way to toy with my nerves, Illinois. Seriously, the farther into January we get, the more of a basket case I become.

I woke up this morning having dreamed of interview at Cornell, which is apparently on my undergrad campus, and every interviewer asked for a copy of my resume. Of course, I couldn't find them, so they asked me to describe my work experience. When I started talking about my job (in pharma), they just started laughing hysterically. Of course, in all my real-life job interviews, not one person has asked for a resume (they already had it, for the most part), but I always came with several copies...

I applied to 16 programs at 14 schools, and have two interviews. I haven't heard back from two of the Dec 1 deadlines, and 1 of the Dec 15 deadlines. The rest were Dec 31st or later, and I was still completing apps right up to the 30th.