w8inggame

I was wait listed at my top choice school last week after no notice for 3 weeks post-interview. I emailed them back telling them that it was my first choice. I got an acceptance today! I'm so happy. I thought it was the best fit for me and I'm so glad they had faith in it as well. I think as long as you fit the school, it should happen. =) Good luck everyone!

I have sooo many regrets. I went into this a bit flippantly. I chose schools based on rank and location. I tried to get a range of ranks instead of a range of programs that fit me. I also didn't write a personalized SoP for each school. Once I found this site I pretty much obsessed over it, so much so that it affected my work. I hated my job, and that was one of the main motivations for the obsession. I'm happy to have gotten the interviews that I did, but I definitely could have done better (awkward and socially anxious). At this point based on the history of my schools, I think I am wait listed at most, if not rejected. I just really want another acceptance to have a choice, and the fact that the ones I'm waiting on, I wouldn't mind going to at all.

Ditto on the good deal, I spent significantly more than that on 6 apps. Anyway just retake the GRE and reapply next year. So many people can overcome average GPAs on this forum, with your experience it shouldn't be too hard.

I just met someone who was in your predicament a few years ago, where he graduated with a degree in an unrelated field to what he found himself wanting to do. He however figured it out while getting his BA, so I really think you need those courses to even be competitive. He then found a job as a lab tech for a few years before applying to PhD and has made himself very competitive. Biology is a tough field to get into if you don't demonstrate the capability to learn and think. Also it's hard to get funding for research, now especially. I don't know if people will invest that money in someone who seems to have gotten this on a whim (not that I'm saying you do). Look for low-level jobs in the field you are interested in first, if they don't want you, it's likely grad schools are the same.

Tooth PIck

Like many of the posts before me, you really should get counseling. The moment you start to have suicidal thoughts, even if it's followed by "but I'm not going to do it." It's a cry for help. You're still in school and it might feel like the end of the world now, but in a few months time, you'll look back and think you're crazy for worrying so much. Also, graduate school is going to be even more stressful than the wait to go to graduate school. Even if you think you might be ready for it academically, maybe maturity-wise you aren't. You can always preoccupy yourself with finding a job, just because you don't want to do it, doesn't mean you shouldn't. Just take care of yourself and finish school with good grades, so you don't close the door on applying again to similarly ranked schools.

22 right now, but 23 right before I start...if I get in...

barbecue chicken

I've gone to two so far, and from what I gather it varies. At NYU, 47 were attending the interviews, not including phone interviews. We were told 25 would be offered admissions for 12 real seats. At Stony Brook, the admitted class the year before was around the same as the number of people invited for interview. However interviews don't seem completely necessary for admittance, so who knows.

throw away

I was thinking about the same thing! A painting of each of recommender's model organism! I think it would be a nice personal touch.

I am doing a gap year job, but I specified in my CV that it would be temp, so I didn't get many offers. The one I did get, was a high turnover position under an awful PI, so be careful. There's a reason these people can only get temp employees. Usually you would not mention that you are only going to work short term, since many places want at least 2-year commitments.

Wow you're so positive. Relieved there are so many people in this limbo with me. You really are this forum's cheer leader =D. We live in the same place, lol. It's weird that we're a few miles from each atm.

Hi everyone, so I went on an interview and my POI told me to email him for review papers. I did. He responded really quickly and said to email him back with any questions to help me make my decision. Does that mean there's a good chance I'm in if it's my decision or am I overthinking things? The Adcom won't meet for another few weeks, so I'm just dying to know.

Yesterday I finally had an admissions dream, where I was accepted to Rensselaer Polytechnic. Too bad I didn't apply... It was very weird.