Huw

Med school applicants cannot survive in graduate school, let alone one of your "dream schools." Do you even know anything about those schools, besides them being highly ranked? You sound like someone who just wants a way to get famous and/or rich.
 
But I want to give you some serious advice if you are willing to get real. First, to completely switch from medicine to research, you surely as hell need to spend time in the lab away from patients and anything clinical. This will help you see if you actually like research or if it's just some mildly interesting rabbit you are chasing at the moment. Do this for at least one year. Second, you need to get real and look at specific programs that fit into your interests from your experience. The school itself has nothing to do with your future compared to the individual projects going on and the PIs you might work under. Third, stop viewing the world as one fancy buffet all reserved for you. You can't just decide to get research experience. You have to work your butt off to find opportunities for it. If you somehow land a research experience position with some potential, but your motivation is getting into a "top tier program," then your research will be crap and your LOR will also be crap.
 
So the bottom line is, get serious about research or go back and try becoming a silly doctor again.

I don't know much about either, but I would say Duke. This is only based on who has the best old-looking pointy tower-like structure on campus.

My girlfriend got hired at her first nursing position, so I was waiting in the HR office for her while she did some computer tests. I pulled out her laptop and checked my email, and there it was. Couldn't tell anyone at the moment, so I just had to settle for one of those suppressed internal celebrations with just a smile on my face to show it. Then she came out and I told her about it. We also got engaged the evening before that, so it was a pretty nice weekend.

My girlfriend got hired at her first nursing position, so I was waiting in the HR office for her while she did some computer tests. I pulled out her laptop and checked my email, and there it was. Couldn't tell anyone at the moment, so I just had to settle for one of those suppressed internal celebrations with just a smile on my face to show it. Then she came out and I told her about it. We also got engaged the evening before that, so it was a pretty nice weekend.

My girlfriend got hired at her first nursing position, so I was waiting in the HR office for her while she did some computer tests. I pulled out her laptop and checked my email, and there it was. Couldn't tell anyone at the moment, so I just had to settle for one of those suppressed internal celebrations with just a smile on my face to show it. Then she came out and I told her about it. We also got engaged the evening before that, so it was a pretty nice weekend.

"Oh wow, you must be one of those smart kids."
 
Thank you for boiling down my whole life into one dismissive phrase. 

My girlfriend got hired at her first nursing position, so I was waiting in the HR office for her while she did some computer tests. I pulled out her laptop and checked my email, and there it was. Couldn't tell anyone at the moment, so I just had to settle for one of those suppressed internal celebrations with just a smile on my face to show it. Then she came out and I told her about it. We also got engaged the evening before that, so it was a pretty nice weekend.

I was rolling around on the floor playing with my daughter. I had given up hope because I had started seeing acceptances for half of the schools I applied to in the previous 2 days. I swore off grad cafe for the day, and was enjoying the day. Then suddenly, my phone rings. I looked down at it, and it was a number I didn't recognize. Then I see under the number it says Iowa City, IA. I immediately started hyperventilating and ran to get my daughter a snack so she wouldn't disturb the call!

My girlfriend got hired at her first nursing position, so I was waiting in the HR office for her while she did some computer tests. I pulled out her laptop and checked my email, and there it was. Couldn't tell anyone at the moment, so I just had to settle for one of those suppressed internal celebrations with just a smile on my face to show it. Then she came out and I told her about it. We also got engaged the evening before that, so it was a pretty nice weekend.

My girlfriend got hired at her first nursing position, so I was waiting in the HR office for her while she did some computer tests. I pulled out her laptop and checked my email, and there it was. Couldn't tell anyone at the moment, so I just had to settle for one of those suppressed internal celebrations with just a smile on my face to show it. Then she came out and I told her about it. We also got engaged the evening before that, so it was a pretty nice weekend.

"Oh wow, you must be one of those smart kids."
 
Thank you for boiling down my whole life into one dismissive phrase. 

My girlfriend got hired at her first nursing position, so I was waiting in the HR office for her while she did some computer tests. I pulled out her laptop and checked my email, and there it was. Couldn't tell anyone at the moment, so I just had to settle for one of those suppressed internal celebrations with just a smile on my face to show it. Then she came out and I told her about it. We also got engaged the evening before that, so it was a pretty nice weekend.

My girlfriend got hired at her first nursing position, so I was waiting in the HR office for her while she did some computer tests. I pulled out her laptop and checked my email, and there it was. Couldn't tell anyone at the moment, so I just had to settle for one of those suppressed internal celebrations with just a smile on my face to show it. Then she came out and I told her about it. We also got engaged the evening before that, so it was a pretty nice weekend.

Med school applicants cannot survive in graduate school, let alone one of your "dream schools." Do you even know anything about those schools, besides them being highly ranked? You sound like someone who just wants a way to get famous and/or rich.
 
But I want to give you some serious advice if you are willing to get real. First, to completely switch from medicine to research, you surely as hell need to spend time in the lab away from patients and anything clinical. This will help you see if you actually like research or if it's just some mildly interesting rabbit you are chasing at the moment. Do this for at least one year. Second, you need to get real and look at specific programs that fit into your interests from your experience. The school itself has nothing to do with your future compared to the individual projects going on and the PIs you might work under. Third, stop viewing the world as one fancy buffet all reserved for you. You can't just decide to get research experience. You have to work your butt off to find opportunities for it. If you somehow land a research experience position with some potential, but your motivation is getting into a "top tier program," then your research will be crap and your LOR will also be crap.
 
So the bottom line is, get serious about research or go back and try becoming a silly doctor again.

Med school applicants cannot survive in graduate school, let alone one of your "dream schools." Do you even know anything about those schools, besides them being highly ranked? You sound like someone who just wants a way to get famous and/or rich.
 
But I want to give you some serious advice if you are willing to get real. First, to completely switch from medicine to research, you surely as hell need to spend time in the lab away from patients and anything clinical. This will help you see if you actually like research or if it's just some mildly interesting rabbit you are chasing at the moment. Do this for at least one year. Second, you need to get real and look at specific programs that fit into your interests from your experience. The school itself has nothing to do with your future compared to the individual projects going on and the PIs you might work under. Third, stop viewing the world as one fancy buffet all reserved for you. You can't just decide to get research experience. You have to work your butt off to find opportunities for it. If you somehow land a research experience position with some potential, but your motivation is getting into a "top tier program," then your research will be crap and your LOR will also be crap.
 
So the bottom line is, get serious about research or go back and try becoming a silly doctor again.

you are all over the place. i highly doubt that your non-research experience can compensate your lacking of research experience in academic lab setting. therefore, even if you'll write great SOP/PS and get strong LOR, you'll just need to start working in a research lab for at least a year before you apply to grad school, as I never heard of anyone got into any graduate school with research experience less than a year and a half, not to mention highly-ranked schools (not necessarily top-tier programs).
 
http://www.thegradcafe.com/survey/index.php?q=yale+neuroscience&t=a&o=&pp=250
 
http://www.thegradcafe.com/survey/index.php?q=harvard+neuroscience&t=a&o=&pp=250
 
looking at the list, you might be underestimating the competitiveness for getting into these programs.

hi all,
 
kinda like lmac.... i got word from the last school i applied to and i got in. waiting on funding information which seems like a big challenge. but note: i got rejected from the first 7 schools that i applied to. 
 
i recently talked to a co-worker who told me that his wife applied to phd programs for 3 rounds until she got in. if you want it keep going for it. it only takes one.

Ok I am just going to be 100% honest with my advice. The first thing you need to do is immediately quit thinking about suicide. Any life is better than no life.
 
Now, let me tell you what happened to me last year. I applied to about 5 schools, all of which were much higher goals than I could reasonably handle with my level of experience at that time. I had only 1 summer of internship experience. So, I got rejected from every school, except one, which I interviewed at. Then I got waitlisted, and then rejected from that too. So then, I moved to a random city and found a really awesome lab tech position (that I am still doing until this fall), which gave me loads of experience.
 
This application cycle, I've applied to about 5 schools so far, and have gotten interview offers at all but one (the longshot school). I feel like a pro now compared to the other applicants, who remind me of myself from last year.
 
Therefore, my advice is to just find something meaningful to do with your extra year off, and then aim high next year. You REALLY won't regret it, trust me. I am glad I was rejected from that one school, because my interests have changed greatly and I have much better goals in my career. It was really a great gift to be forced to find experience in the real world for a year.
 
You can mail me if you want more details, and I can give you more specific advice. But seriously, just stop thinking that going to grad school this fall and death are your only two options.

Ok I am just going to be 100% honest with my advice. The first thing you need to do is immediately quit thinking about suicide. Any life is better than no life.
 
Now, let me tell you what happened to me last year. I applied to about 5 schools, all of which were much higher goals than I could reasonably handle with my level of experience at that time. I had only 1 summer of internship experience. So, I got rejected from every school, except one, which I interviewed at. Then I got waitlisted, and then rejected from that too. So then, I moved to a random city and found a really awesome lab tech position (that I am still doing until this fall), which gave me loads of experience.
 
This application cycle, I've applied to about 5 schools so far, and have gotten interview offers at all but one (the longshot school). I feel like a pro now compared to the other applicants, who remind me of myself from last year.
 
Therefore, my advice is to just find something meaningful to do with your extra year off, and then aim high next year. You REALLY won't regret it, trust me. I am glad I was rejected from that one school, because my interests have changed greatly and I have much better goals in my career. It was really a great gift to be forced to find experience in the real world for a year.
 
You can mail me if you want more details, and I can give you more specific advice. But seriously, just stop thinking that going to grad school this fall and death are your only two options.

Ok I am just going to be 100% honest with my advice. The first thing you need to do is immediately quit thinking about suicide. Any life is better than no life.
 
Now, let me tell you what happened to me last year. I applied to about 5 schools, all of which were much higher goals than I could reasonably handle with my level of experience at that time. I had only 1 summer of internship experience. So, I got rejected from every school, except one, which I interviewed at. Then I got waitlisted, and then rejected from that too. So then, I moved to a random city and found a really awesome lab tech position (that I am still doing until this fall), which gave me loads of experience.
 
This application cycle, I've applied to about 5 schools so far, and have gotten interview offers at all but one (the longshot school). I feel like a pro now compared to the other applicants, who remind me of myself from last year.
 
Therefore, my advice is to just find something meaningful to do with your extra year off, and then aim high next year. You REALLY won't regret it, trust me. I am glad I was rejected from that one school, because my interests have changed greatly and I have much better goals in my career. It was really a great gift to be forced to find experience in the real world for a year.
 
You can mail me if you want more details, and I can give you more specific advice. But seriously, just stop thinking that going to grad school this fall and death are your only two options.

Ok I am just going to be 100% honest with my advice. The first thing you need to do is immediately quit thinking about suicide. Any life is better than no life.
 
Now, let me tell you what happened to me last year. I applied to about 5 schools, all of which were much higher goals than I could reasonably handle with my level of experience at that time. I had only 1 summer of internship experience. So, I got rejected from every school, except one, which I interviewed at. Then I got waitlisted, and then rejected from that too. So then, I moved to a random city and found a really awesome lab tech position (that I am still doing until this fall), which gave me loads of experience.
 
This application cycle, I've applied to about 5 schools so far, and have gotten interview offers at all but one (the longshot school). I feel like a pro now compared to the other applicants, who remind me of myself from last year.
 
Therefore, my advice is to just find something meaningful to do with your extra year off, and then aim high next year. You REALLY won't regret it, trust me. I am glad I was rejected from that one school, because my interests have changed greatly and I have much better goals in my career. It was really a great gift to be forced to find experience in the real world for a year.
 
You can mail me if you want more details, and I can give you more specific advice. But seriously, just stop thinking that going to grad school this fall and death are your only two options.

Ok I am just going to be 100% honest with my advice. The first thing you need to do is immediately quit thinking about suicide. Any life is better than no life.
 
Now, let me tell you what happened to me last year. I applied to about 5 schools, all of which were much higher goals than I could reasonably handle with my level of experience at that time. I had only 1 summer of internship experience. So, I got rejected from every school, except one, which I interviewed at. Then I got waitlisted, and then rejected from that too. So then, I moved to a random city and found a really awesome lab tech position (that I am still doing until this fall), which gave me loads of experience.
 
This application cycle, I've applied to about 5 schools so far, and have gotten interview offers at all but one (the longshot school). I feel like a pro now compared to the other applicants, who remind me of myself from last year.
 
Therefore, my advice is to just find something meaningful to do with your extra year off, and then aim high next year. You REALLY won't regret it, trust me. I am glad I was rejected from that one school, because my interests have changed greatly and I have much better goals in my career. It was really a great gift to be forced to find experience in the real world for a year.
 
You can mail me if you want more details, and I can give you more specific advice. But seriously, just stop thinking that going to grad school this fall and death are your only two options.

Ok I am just going to be 100% honest with my advice. The first thing you need to do is immediately quit thinking about suicide. Any life is better than no life.
 
Now, let me tell you what happened to me last year. I applied to about 5 schools, all of which were much higher goals than I could reasonably handle with my level of experience at that time. I had only 1 summer of internship experience. So, I got rejected from every school, except one, which I interviewed at. Then I got waitlisted, and then rejected from that too. So then, I moved to a random city and found a really awesome lab tech position (that I am still doing until this fall), which gave me loads of experience.
 
This application cycle, I've applied to about 5 schools so far, and have gotten interview offers at all but one (the longshot school). I feel like a pro now compared to the other applicants, who remind me of myself from last year.
 
Therefore, my advice is to just find something meaningful to do with your extra year off, and then aim high next year. You REALLY won't regret it, trust me. I am glad I was rejected from that one school, because my interests have changed greatly and I have much better goals in my career. It was really a great gift to be forced to find experience in the real world for a year.
 
You can mail me if you want more details, and I can give you more specific advice. But seriously, just stop thinking that going to grad school this fall and death are your only two options.