maggiemay

ajk21, FYI, I know two people who both applied last fall to the BBSP. One had a 157V and I think a 159Q (she got accepted and now goes to UNC), the other person had higher scores and did not get accepted (not even an interview). On a side note, the person not accepted was an international student. She had more research experience and higher grades/scores but was told that it would be too expensive to fund her

I am taking the GRE on November 2. The application deadline is December 3rd. Shoukd the score report make it on time? Any thoughts are appreciated.

Thank you all! So I guess I could go ahead and order the GRE score report to be sent now, that way I will have something there. If I do better in Nov. then I will submit that (plus if the nov scores don't get there in time, then my app will still be complete and I can submit the whole thing). I'm guessing that the admissions committee will go by whatever is the most recent submitted score report and disregard the other?????

My first deadline is Dec. 1st, however, the program is already accepting applications. Their website (phd program in bio FYI) says that once your application is complete then it will be reviewed. I am worried that if I wait and submit my application closer to December then there will be a lot more applications to compete against. On the other hand, if I submit my application now, then the program may think that they will get better applications in the coming months and deny me... Has anyone dealt with rolling admissions or have any advice for me. I planned on retaking the GRE in late October and figured my application would be complete by late November, but now I'm thinking that I should try and get my application complete by Oct.

I'm not sure if anyone has done this, but I thought I would ask. My first application deadline is Dec 1st. I have already taken the GRE and so I could send those scores now. I am re-taking it in November. My question is: if I go ahead and send my old scores, if I do better in Nov, can I send that score too?? So in other words I would be sending two score reports. I guess the only problem would be if my LOR writers upload their letters before Nov, then my application will be complete and so I guess sending the newer scores won't matter. Has this worked for anyone??

Thank you both for your responses! I have another question that you may have some advice on... So my program requires 30 hours to graduate. If I finish in Decemeber then I will actually have 38 hours. I have more than what is required because when I started the program it was really unorganized and I was told to take 2 classes that I really didnt need. Since I am a TA, I have to have at least 6 credits to be considered full time, so I can teach. So, if I stay another semester (graduate in spring 2014) and take the 1 credit thesis extension + 5 additional research credits (so I can have 6 and teach) this will put me at 44 credits. I have heard from other students and from reading online that it is frowned upon having more credits then what is required. I have heard that programs will question why you took so many classes. Has anyone heard that before? Also, is that something I should mention inmy SOP?

Hello all, So first of all, I am starting my third year as a masters student in biology. I was planning on graduating in December, so this would just mean that it took me 1 extra semester to graduate. However, due to some equipment failures and science problems in general, I think I should push back my graduation to the spring of 2014. I may be able to get everything done by december but it would be less chaotic and down to the wire if I push it back a semester. My questions is, do you think it looks bad to have taken a full extra year to get your masters. I am worried that phd programs will wonder why it took me a year longer than "normal". I go to school with a lot of people who are in their 3rd year or even 4th for their masters, so I wonder if this is common for masters students, especially those in the sciences, to take longer than 2 years for a thesis based masters. Do you think potential PIs at phd programs will think I am not a hard worker for taking an extra year? Or that it makes me look lazy... Thanks again!

If it makes you feel any better, I was told by the dean of admissions to a molecular and biomedical program, that they dont care what techniques you know or what you did in the past as "anybody can be taught how to do a PCR", but admissions committees want to see that you are "passionate and want to do science".

I have the same question as Persimmony. I am afraid that if I apply to two departments at the same school (say biology department and then the Ecology department) that professors who may be involved with both programs may question why I am so indecisive. If both admissions committees find out that I applied to both, then they may not like that I dont known fo sure what I want to do.

Hi everyone and thanks for your help, I will be applying to PhD in Biology/Biomedical programs this fall. I am very pessimistic and would love to apply to a ton of schools to be on the safe side. However, I dont want to ask my PI and other LOR writters for soooo many LORs. So my question is, how many applications is a good number to send out. Like 5...10...15...? I have been told be my professors before that "so and so" student asked them for 16 LORs and how that was WAY to many. I have heard that you shold apply to around 10 to better your chances? FYI, I plan to apply to mainly "normal" schools and perhaps 1 or 2 "prestigous" schools. I always doubt myself so I feel dumb even asking professors for LORs to the ivy league shchools, so we will see how many of those I actually apply to...

I am a 2nd year masters student and will be applying to phd programs this fall. I have experience in plant taxonomy and phylogenetics (as an undergrad research project) and currently my masters thesis involves Cyanobacteria in lakes (so mainly a microbial ecology sort of study using molecular techiniques). I am really more interested in the molecular side of biology as opposed to the ecology side. I have always used molecular tools and techniques for all of my research. I am worried that if I apply to Cell and Molecular or biomedical programs that they will not consider me to be "molecular" enough since my past reasearch has been on the edge of ecology. Any thoughts???? Also, I have never really worked with cell culturing of cellular pathways and I am worried that Molecular and biomedical programs will expect that their applicants have all kinds of cellular experience. Any thoughts or advice would be great!

Congratulations! I am going to be applying in thefall to that program. Wondering if there is any advice you could give? Does the admissions committee seem very interested in GRE scores and GPAs? Any advice would be great