asaprocky

Don't fret. Northwestern (a top chemistry program) has an average of 694... meaning if you apply and there is someone who applies as well with an 800 or better, you could both get in and the average would actually increase. I could almost guarantee that there is someone who scored an 800 or above who got in and attended Northwestern. So you'll be ok. As long as your SOP and LOR are great, I'd still have confidence with the schools you're applying to. Also, if your schools don't require it...don't send it. I've also been told that for some schools, the chem gre is only a score that can help you (may not be the case with other "top" schools). Have confidence in yourself! You have a great resume from your former posts.

Organic synthesis/methodology GPA: 3.92 overall, 3.96 chemistry; will have completed 4 graduate courses by enrollment GRE: 157 (73%), 164 (89%), 5.0 (93%) [V,Q,A] Chem GRE: 830 (83%) Research: - Have been performing research in undergraduate lab since second semester of freshman year (synthesis, photochemistry) - 2 summers at pharmaceutical company; first summer was synthesis, second summer was organometallics - will be sending out publication for review by November - 4 poster presentations - Research from one summer presented at ACS nationals Other experience: - TA organic chemistry lab (1 year) - TA physical chemistry class (2 years) - organic chemistry tutor (3 years) - President of ACS student affiliates Recognitions: - Goldwater scholar - Dean's list every semester (I know this doesn't say much) Schools: Harvard, Princeton, Wisconsin, Berkeley, Caltech, Stanford, Scripps Good luck to everyone this year!! I just want this all to be over with and be in a school already...

Yes the ranges can be either more or less than what you initially saw in the workbook. It just all depends on the test taking pool when you take the exam.

It's different. Based on the score I got, I expected one percentile based on the workbook, but received a different one when I got my scores. Not too far off, just like 2-3 percentile ranks, but it is still different. Don't fret though, work hard and do well and you'll get the score you'll need

go to reddit

how would you go about writing a proposal for synthetic organic? Would you actually perform a retrosynthetic analysis? or would you just saw you would and talk about other methods needed? (ie methodology development, problem troubleshooting, etc.) I feel as if writing a proposal for a total synthesis is EXTREMELY hard to write in 2 pages unless you generalize a lot

look at the faculty at the schools you want to apply to, find out what they do their research in, and if it's something you like, then they can become a potential advisor. You need to do some research before you come on here. Learning about a professor's research interest is actually quite easy (their group website). Make sure you have at least 3 professors at each school who you are willing to work for. Don't get caught up on your GRE scores. Research experience, LOR, and SOP are infinitely more important and if they are stunning, then you'll be surprised where you could end up. I wouldn't say a school specializes in said research areas, but I'm sure you could find professors who do research in those areas at all the schools you've mentioned. As for safety schools, that's hard to determine. Maybe talking with your advisor at school can help you find some of those. Good luck!

what does that even mean? Make it up? if so, you shouldn't be giving any advice

bump to see if anyone else has constructive opinions. I feel as if this is a very important topic that isn't talked about as much as it needs to be. Eigen and tso123d gave some great viewpoints

You seem to have a pretty good resume. Your GRE scores are a little low but that can be circumvented with a great LOR. I would say shoot for middle tier (US news overall rankings can give you a starting point), but make sure when you choose a school, you do so based off of the professors at the university. I've been told that 8 schools is a solid number. Enough to give you a chance of getting into at least one or enough to give you a solid choice of schools, but not too many where you could be overwhelmed during apps/decision time. If you feel uncomfortable with your application, maybe 10? But I would absolutely not apply to more than 10. Good luck!

Inorganic chemistry by miessler and tarr will probably be your best bet. Not a lot of quantum to confuse you, but it covers the necessary areas that you'll be tested on and does so in a general fashion that won't overwhelm you with details.

Statistical terms(precision, accuracy, mean, standard deviation), separations (TLC, normal and reverse phase HPLC, CE, Gas chromatography), fluorescences (excitation and emission), electrochemistry (general electrolytic cell, nernst equation), spectroscopy (Raman, IR, NMR, absorption, emission(ICP)), and different types of detectors. I would say know what all these terms mean. Also I would try and be able to, given a set of compounds and/or conditions, predict elution order or know what technique/detector would allow for the best separation. As a warning, this is just what I remember from when I took the GRE in april and there could definitely be other topics on the one you will take. It doesn't hurt to try and study for all the sections, not just analytical, like you're going to take a comprehensive final on it. The GRE asked some pretty random questions that I feel like unless you have a mind where you remember random facts or have studied intensively, you won't get right. Good luck! I kinda had fun with it when I took it

I was referring to the more PI options you have, not post graduate plans. Because I do agree with your argument as to it matters more with who you work for than where. It's just that a "higher ranked" program will inevitably have more research options that may or may not interest a person. I also agree with a lot that you are saying, I just think that we can't be naive to think that people are going to apply to schools for the "right" reasons and prestige does play a role. Let's be honest, UC irvine, wisconsin, illinois, and many other programs are fantastic, even if they don't carry the immediate name recognition. I can clearly see that you support and believe in the "PI over school name" argument, and to a high degree, I do as well. It's just that a school like MIT will have more high-quality research in let's say, materials, than a school like University of Alaska (totally random example). Even if they have one stud in the field, a person is most of the time, more inclined to go to MIT with their vast options and resources.

Interesting article for sure. Not really saying that you need to go to an Ivy league to be successful in life after you, hopefully, graduate (I hope you didn't get that impression). I am also fully aware that you go to a school for the PI, not the name. But let's be honest, the higher the school is ranked, the more options you PROBABLY have. Going to a lower tier school for one professor can also screw you if you don't get into their group. If you don't, then you're just SOL. Also, if the name of the school really didn't matter, then why do people apply to Harvard or Scripps? Because honestly, if you really didn't care about the name, I'm sure everyone could compile a list of "non-prestigious" schools with faculty they'd like to work for. In a perfect world, people would apply to schools for the PI's only. But in reality, people apply not only for the PI's but for the prestige. All I'm wondering is, is Princeton and Michigan more enticing due to their commitment

If you can get that chem GPA to above a 3.8 and keep up the research experience I think you'll be fine. Make sure you work hard to get that Goldwater. If you do, you'll be a shoe-in to almost any school you want to get into. Also, try and get above 75%tile for chem GRE and a respectable GRE score. Other than that I think you'll be fine. Your LOR and SOP matter more anyways. They just want to see your grades and scores to make sure you aren't a scrub. Worst comes to worst if you really feel uncomfortable about your first semester grades, you can maybe, BRIEFLY, mention it in your SOP. But I'd honestly just worry about getting a good LOR and an REU.

What are everyone's thoughts on Princeton's recent investment in a brand new facility as well as MacMillan's push to bring in (relatively) new faculty? (Chirik, Carrow, Knowles). Does this commitment to the organic chemistry faculty and their facility push them to one of the top organic chemistry programs in the country? Also, Michigan recently got a rising star in Corey Stephenson from BU. I believe they now have a solid list of organic chemistry professors, including Sanford of course. Does this also show their rise in the organic chemistry world? I always have Stanford, Illinois, Wisconsin and MIT in mind as top notch organic institutions but Caltech recently took Fu from MIT, Trost is on his way out, Illinois really only has Denmark and White (studs nonetheless), and Wisconsin lost Zimmerman and Reich is also getting there in age while the rest of their faculty is, although good, just not at the level of a Scripps, Caltech, or Harvard (Yoon is another stud I could see moving to a Harvard, Caltech, or Scripps in the future due to higher prestige....just my opinion....don't grill me over it). The rankings show Princeton at 13 and Michigan at 12, but do y'all think they could make a push into the top 10? I think they could since when the rankings were taken, Hartwig was still at Illinois, Trost was still taking students, MIT had Fu, and Wisconsin still had their legends. I'd love to hear everyone's responses, ideas, other questions. I know when you choose a school you're obviously suppose to look for PI's that you'd like to work for but if you want to get into academia, going to a top 10 school really helps. The rankings are extremely outdated (US News seems to like to re-rank everything except the sciences) and I'd like to hear what other people think as to how the rankings have changed throughout the years and how they can change in the future.