tuckbro
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Posts posted by tuckbro
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At that point, it is all about fit.
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All of my schools required academic references with institutional email addresses.
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GPA definitely matters; when these top schools are getting 1000+ applications, it often comes down to a numbers game. If you have several mostly equal applicants in terms of research, GRE, rec letters, and interview quality, they're going to go with the higher GPA, pretty much always. You CAN get in with a low 3.0, but it's stacked against you, just know that. In smaller programs with less competition it might be less of an issue, but they're also taking less students to begin with. There are schools out there that are more holistic; my school is one, but I think our dean being a first-gen student who went through a lot of struggles herself has something to do with that.
If I had known this in undergrad I totally would have focused on class more, but I'm a late science bloomer and didn't decide on this until after working several years post-grad.
This was my experience in BME top 10 as well.
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Does anyone know some approximate stats about interviews? ie what percentage of people that get interviews are accepted? I got a request for an interview already and just wanted to know what my chances are once I get to the interview stage?
Really varies by school and program. In my field, BME, some schools Interview a ton of people and accept very few, others like MIT and JHU interview very few and accept most.
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Oh, also something else to mention. I was originally going to apply to just MS and MSE programs, but multiple discussions with faculty and a thorough examination of the results page here made me change my mind. There are many instances of people with GRE scores in my range and GPAs even slightly lower who have been accepted to my top choice schools. I don't think they throw out your application if you have under a 3.9.
I didn't say they did.....just sharing the experience at top BME schools.
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bumping for this year's candidates
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You can also check out last years thread on BME PHD applications and results under engineering and you can see what scores got interivews at your schools. No one started one this year, but it is useful also for seeing when you will hear back.
If you are thinking of any of the schools listed below I can give you my experiences.
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Hi, When I was applying I found that the actual GPA and GRE are MUCH higher at the top BME schools than on their website. Look at who is actually getting in on the results page. The advice I got, which turned out to be totally true, is you need a 3.9 plus GPA and 95% plus quant GRE to get an interview and then its fit after that.
I do not know one person I interviewed with at any of my schools, other than Rice & Syracuse, who had below that. I am sure there are exceptions, but that was my experience. For Rice most were in the 3.8 plus GPA range.
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And I just realized that I'm a complete moron. I had written down that Columbia's deadline was December 15. Taking my time editing my SOP. Check the application today and find that the deadline was December 3. Fuck.
LOL, I did that with Georgia Tech - already paid to mail my transcript and GRE's, stupid mistake. Move on, that's all you can do. NYC is super expensive anyway!
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Don't sweat it, it's not what you wear, it's what you say and how you interract that matters. Just look neat, clean, professional but be comfortable.
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Question for the guys: Are suits absolutely necessary? Or would a dress shirt, tie, slacks, and nice shoes work? And what about more casual wear--what would you suggest for cold or warmer places?
My wardrobe is very t-shirt/jeans based and I'd like to minimize the spending as much as I can (although I realize some nice clothes is a good investment).
I seldom saw anyone in a suit at my interviews. I brought the same two outfits. For day one when you are doing the most intensive interviewing, I did grey dress pants, dress shirt, tie and blue blazer with Sperry's. I took the jacket off alot and pocketed the tie a few times when I saw how casual things were. For day two where it is is less intensive, nice chinos and a nice button down shirt and Sperrys. For the outings at night and such I wore jeans and a buttondown.
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I had the exact same thing happen. Two recommenders were great, got them in before I submitted all of my stuff, one I had to nag and nag. Actually missed one of the deadlines all together so I ended up caling his Admin Assistant and she read him the riot act and he submitted it 10 days late - still got accepted however!
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I know I'm getting into the knitty gritty now, but if I choose to drive have you heard of programs providing rental cars?
They will generally reimburse up to a dollar level for travel related expenses, which would include your car rental bill.
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This is the hardest time I think - waiting to hear. Just focus on finals and the holidays, if you celebrate, and soon results will start to come in. By in large, inteview invitations came out from mid Dec to end of Jan. Many of mine were the first week in January.
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I assume that part of the confirmation process is that the email address you provide the school for your recommendations is their valid email at the school. This sounds very strange to me....
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Thanks everyone for the helpful advice -- sorry my reply is a bit delayed.
One other question that occurred to me: When schools begin sending interview invites, how soon are you expected to respond? What if two schools have interviews the same weekend and I were to accept my safety's invite first (because it arrived first)?
I looked at all of the schools that I applied to and it seems that in past years, invitations have been made between Dec 12-30. If I'm allowed a week to respond, then I could likely circumvent double-booking issues -- but I don't even know if I'm allowed a week to reply.
Generally you have to accept the interview within a few days. There will deifnitely be scheduling conflicts, but all of my schools were very accommodating and most had 2 or three weekends from which to choose.
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One of my letters to Columbia was recieved a week late, yet I was still interviewed and accepted. It happens.
I do think there are some schools that are very strict, but fortunately most give you a bit of leeway.
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I didn't get any feedback so far, which would be really helpful - so I delete my old post and ask you once again
For me as an international student it is really hard to figure out, if my stats are competetive for the schools I am applying to. My univerversity is one of the best in Germany in life science research, so I figured I only want to apply to really good universities in the USA, which would equal an improvement over what I could get in my home country. I found research groups that do great and interesting work for every of the universities listed, so I would be happy to attend any of them
Undergrad Institution: Georg-August-University Göttingen (Germany)
Major(s): Molecular Medicine
GPA (B.Sc.): 3.55
Had a broad curriculum, ranging from phyisical, organic and anorganic chemistry and basic biology over anatomy, biochemistry and physiology to neurology, virology, cancer biology and cardiology.
Currently doing my M.Sc., will be finished by May 2015.
Graduate Institution: Georg-August-University Göttingen (Germany)
Major(s): Molecular Medicine
GPA (M.Sc.): 3.45
Position in Class: Not sure exactly, our program itself is already highly competetive with only 20 students being admitted every year. So a rank is not really meaningful here and we do not really get those numbers in Germany anyway.
Type of Student: International
TOEFL: 115/120
GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 163 (86%)
V: 159 (81%)
!!! The scores are from different test dates, but some schools consider the best combination in case of multiple scores. If not applicable, my Verbal is 157 (74%) instead.
W: 4.0 (56%)
Biochem: 670 (93%)
Research Experience:
- 1 Year in the lab (Neuropediatrics / Peroxisomebiology) where I've just started writing my master thesis, working with s. cerevisiae on targeting of peroxisomal proteins. Currently working on a publication, where I am going to be 2nd author. We are planning to send it in by the end of this year.
- About half a year in the lab (Molecular Psychiatry) where I wrote my bachelor thesis, working on a protein, which is mutated in rare forms of dementia
Two summerprojects:
- 5 weeks at Manchester University during my undergrad (2012), heart failure research (histological examination of mouse heart tissue)
- 10 weeks at the Cancer Science Institue Singapore (Part of NUS) this year, working on deubiquitinating enzymes involved in cancer pathways
Then numerous other, short lab internships in my home institution in order to get familiar with a wide range of methods in biological and medical research. My study program had a strong focus on practical experience in general, so during my 4,5 years of studying I was in the lab about 2 years full-time.
Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Stipend of the German National Academic Foundation (extremely prestigious in Germany and usually internationally recognized); Stipend of the Medical School of my home institution; Several small stipends for my summerprojects.
Pertinent Activities or Jobs: TA in my current lab during this summer for a few months
Applying to Where:
My main focus / interest lies on organelles and intracellular targeting of proteins, as well as on organization / compartimentalization of cells. Also pretty interested in signaling and cellular communication. As a result, most programs are in neurosciences or molecular / cell biology.
NYU Sackler umbrella program
Columbia U, Neurobiology an behavior; 2nd option: CMBS
Rockefeller U
Weill Cornell / Sloan Keithering BMSC
Harvard MCO
MIT Biology
UCSD Biomedical Sciences
UCSF TETRAD
Stanford Biosciences (Home Areas: Biochemistry, Neuroscience, Molecular and Cellular Physiology)
UC Berkeley MCB
UCLA Biosciences, Cell & Devel. Biol
Princeton Mol Biol
UPenn BGS, Cell and Mol Biol
UChicago Cell and Mol Biol
I think your stats are a bit low for many of the schools you have selected. Also, I htink most applying to top schools have around 3 years of research. To double check I recommend that you go the results tab and search by school and program to see who has gotten in in prior years and how their stats compare with yours.
Best of luck!
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I kind of thought they usd it to strategize. I feel like they know when the interview weekends are for the other schools and time their decisions accordingly. I received word from Rice a few days before heading to MIT and had a decision from MIT to ponder just as I was preparing to leave for JHU. I definitely viewed JHU very differently after getting an MIT acceptance. They weren't top choice after that.
Then again, it could be just random timing and not strategy at all. Haha
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Agreed. Luckily, GRE is lower on the list of things important to an adcom.
Caution, this may be true of the adcoms, however it has been my experience that in order to get to an adcom, your scores (GPA and GRE) will be used to determine if your application is seen. So make sure you are in the range that you see on the results page.
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A quick look at the results tab for this school and program, shows that very high stats are accepted in PhD progam ( 3.9 plus) and lower threshold for Masters (3.5-3.8), so you can make the assumption that the Masters is a bit less competative. I recommend you take a closer look at the results however and you can make a better determination.
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You know, my first instinct is to say " be who you are." However, you want the interview to be about you, your intelligence, experience, drive...if it is distracting you'll be the girl with green hair rather than the girl with the research experience in xyz.
Maybe do it but in a very understated way.
Afterall you do want to make sure you are a fit and they are open minded.
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Perfect scores will most definitely be a positive. You will make all cutoffs at every school. You will also easily qualify for fellowships if accepted.
it does not guarantee your acceptance however, interview performance, fit, funding and space in your area of interest etc... all play a role.
My impression is that GRE's are kind of viewed like the SATs and ranges are looked at - for instance, 165+ for quant in top engineering programs. I do not think it is seen as any difference between a 170 and say a 168.
PHD Bioengineering/Biomedical engineering applications Fall 2014 profiles
in Engineering
Posted
Probably depends on whether the school reads every application entirely or uses cutoffs - such as the top 10% GPA/GRE scores - to narrow down their detailed reviews. You will know about MIT soon as I recall they sent out invites Januray 4th last year.
Good luck!