grazzle

I don't think the difference between a 3.38 and a 3.42 should be the reason that you drop a class. However, it does kind of sound like finishing the bio minor will be rough for you even after this class. Maybe you could drop it in favor of a minor that you enjoy?

I was wondering if anyone could tell me if the Randall/Regent St area is really noisy and full of undergrads. I'm thinking of renting an apartment in that area, maybe on Orchard St. I really like that it's close to everything I need and a bus stop, but I'm not sure if it's worth putting up with partying undergrads. Thanks!

I thought it was funny. I have no idea who George Eliot is, but I have had the same evil thoughts about other authors. Apparently English people take this sort of transgression very seriously. Who knew?

I currently have an HP elite book that I love. My husband has the lenovo equivalent, and he loves it. Both are about 12", which has never bothered me when using excel or spss. I'm thinking of getting a surface pro next, mostly just for windows 8. Also, I think it will be a little more portable than my 3lb elitebook. But I'm waiting to see if anything cool comes out between now and Augus before I pull the trigger.

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the input. It feels dishonest to me to go to an interview that I'm unsure about. I feel guilty that I might even have to fake enthusiasm. But my intuition here seems to be different than everyone else's. I wasn't sure about the plane ticket, that's why I asked here before asking anyone else. I thought of it as sort of a business expense. I mostly asked because the cost of this ticket has made my credit card statement hard to look at.

I'm about to go visit my top choice school. I'm 90% sure I will go here. The problem is that I have an interview scheduled for my second choice school in a couple weeks. I would rather not attend this interview. I'm not very good at faking enthusiasm and I'm worried that I would just appear unenthusiastic and tired and make the situation worse than if I just cancelled. The problem is that I already bought my plane ticket, with the understanding that I would be reimbursed. It was a lot of money for me. Can I count on getting my money back if I politely cancel the interview? Is it possible to politely cancel the interview? I feel bad, like the money from the plane ticket came out of my POI's pocket-- but of course it didn't. He's a very nice person and we got along OK, I just don't want to waste his time and my time with an interview that is probably going nowhere.

No interview, just a phone call and a lot of emails.

I don't know anything about engineering, but your stats aee so good that I have a hard time believing schools wouldnt love to have you, regardless of your undergrad gpa. Are you sure your SOP or LORs arent sinking you?

If I get accepted, I'm buying a Kelly Moore messenger bag (the chapel) and an HP elite book to go inside it. If I don't get an acceptance then I'll buy an apartment in a new city. But I'd rather have the Kelly Moore bag

I think it is customary. I just sent a short thank you note to my POI thanking her for speaking with me and showing me around campus.

That's probably what I need to do. Thanks, you're right.

This is the only school I'm still waiting to hear from. I would really really like to know what POI sent out an interview invite a few days ago. Sorry to start a whole topic for it, but I didn't get a response from my post on the POI thread and I'm gettting desperate. So if you're reading this, person who got an interview, please PM me. I would be very grateful.

Hey again, I was thinking about this a bit and I remebered that at one point I was really wanting to squeeze in Cal 1 before I graduated . I even tested out of precal so I could go straight to Cal 1. In the end, I took another bio class instead. I don't think the lack of calculus hurt me. But maybe it would be different if I were interested in MRI and other imaging studies. Then, I think a math/stats/programming background becomes more important. I do wish I had taken a MATLAB class. I think that would be useful in a variety of labs.

I think a lot of neuro programs within psych departments are prepared to teach you lab skills. I don't think many of them expect you to come in knowing a lot of bio lab techniques. That said, it might give you an edge to know some coming in to a program. Research experience in a lab that does the kind of techniques that you're interested in might be more useful than another biology class. Have you considered taking fewer classes next semester and using the time to volunteer in a bio professor'slab? An independent study is another option. As for bio classes, I think it depends on the type of research you want to do. Cell, mol, and genetics won't help you (much) if you want to do fMRI studies, but they'll help you if you want to look at what's going on inside cells. That said, I think psych programs are looking more for fit and passion than a specific list of bio classes. Edit: I just want to add that this is only based on my background and the response I've gotten from programs so far.

I would be really interested to know what POI sent out an invitation from U Pitt Bio and Health Psych.