ERR_Alpha

Did anyone here get the Tufts ISP interview and mind sharing the dates?

Fireball solves all emotional problems. Fact.

When I was at Penn State for my interview I was underage. Their campus is dry so none of the big group events on campus had alcohol. When we went to dinner, I just ordered soda instead. They invited us all to the bar and I told them. Yeah, I got some "are you one of those prodigies?" (No, in NY you can go to kindergarten at age 4...) but overall no one seemed to mind. I just hung out with the other people who went back to the hotel instead of going to a bar.

I'm one of those straight from high school to undergrad then straight from undergrad to grad school. I think it's really all about your level of maturity and knowing what you want out of life. My boyfriend took a year off because he was in England when applications were due and he wanted a year to figure out exactly what he wanted. For me, I know graduate school is what I want and that I would be bored and miserable on a gap year. It's really up to you.

For BU PiBS? I'm so confused with them. A bunch of people got invites in December, and the interview is Feb 10th... I feel like i should just assume it's a no.

Also does anyone have another update on BU PiBS? I would email again but I don't want to look annoying... I know they've gotten a ton of snow so maybe that delayed them. Last Friday I was told I "shall be hearing shortly"... is a week and a half shortly? Haha.

I'm getting so antsy about my ones in limbo... Figured the madness would be mostly over by now

I'm going to the Feb 6-8 Interview but I haven't heard anything yet either. I also just confirmed a week and a half ago.

How so knightrunner?

The places I looked at recommend you take whatever subject test you could do the best on. My problem was my degree in biochemistry is VERY chemistry heavy. I would have bombed the Biochem but who wants a Chem GRE score for MCB programs? It could have hurt me for the Ivy League schools, but who knows.

Haha or I could show up wearing sweatpants looking frazzled and overtired, play the role of stressed out grad student!

I think you'll be fine. Honestly I think as long as we don't wear skirts too short or boobs hanging out no one will notice anything. I'm just worried about my feet either being hurt or freezing. In my experience black flats don't support me enough, so I wind up in pain after a bit. I'm so horrible at dressing up.

trap door

I'm not sure how your program would work, but since I'm in science I would go to the gym on lunch / when my experiments were running. When I was working in the lab full time, everyone would take an hour lunch, and I'd hit the elliptical for 45 minutes and eat at my desk instead. It was nice because it gave me a boost of energy midday and when I went home at night, I could relax. It was also the summer, and my energy tends to slump in the heat. Also a lot of the grad students were in softball, soccer, football, etc. leagues. It's a fun way to make friends and keep in shape!

If I've learned anything this interview season, it's that...I really should've thought about what programs fit me best BEFORE I applied. As I've gone through the process, I've realized that I like smaller, more umbrella-type programs better with lots of solid faculty options. (Aka, schools that you do not need to know exactly what PI you want to work with when you apply.) Because I was going in blind, I applied to the big programs (Yale/Harvard BBS). I didn't get an interview, and I'm sure it's because my SOP talks about how I wanted to use my first year to figure out what exactly I wanted to study. So either 1) figure out what you want to research or 2) apply to better-fit schools. When I applied, I was like, "WTF does fit even mean?" I only realized from applying. Woops.

Yup I feel ya, I tried on half a dozen boxy blazers today. Also apparently I'm lopsided and dresses don't fit me well Finally found a decent one. Now I have to find shoes, that are comfortable, dressy, and not too high of a heel. Impossible? Maybe.

I'm jealous of all of you who have casual interviews. Spending the day shopping for clothes has been hell. Settled on a long dress, a suit jacket, and nice blouses if I choose to wear pants.

That's a great option! My dad keeps reminding me that all I need is to get into one great program. congrats!

People say the same when I tell them I didn't get interviews at top schools. "But you're awesome! You're super involved and smart!" Clueless people.

My SO still has hopes for Yale for a masters but for me it's looking pretty hopeless, trying to remind him of that is hard when he's like "but you haven't been officially rejected yet!"

That's what I'm wondering... No idea if anyone got a rejection from BBSB or just the other disciplines. Only one we know for sure was immuno. At this point I just want to know... My SO is starting to hear back from his applications so the whole process is getting more complicated.

People keep getting rejected from Yale via website but nothing on mine has changed... Confusion.

LMAO YES. If I had a dollar for every time my dad has asked, "So, wait... do you get a masters? Oh, a PhD? Don't you need a masters first?"

I'm with you on the brand name rejects. However, I had an interview at a great school in a great location. To keep positive I've been clicking around their website and reminding myself that I might not have liked being in the "brand name" atmosphere. Also if you're religious or believe in fate or whatever, my dad keeps telling me that things will work out for the best. I don't exactly buy it but some people do!

I think it is for most of them. Unless you can write a killer SOP. Without my REU I would be freaking out about whether I'd actually enjoy working full time in the lab. Working an independent study is completely different than engrossing your entire life into lab work. I feel like a lot of people reach the end of undergrad and go, "Oh s%^*, now what?" And just try for grad school because there isn't much else out there nowadays.