bsharpe269

Sorry guys... lots of application questions lately as I am starting to seriously get ready for applications. For those you had luck getting into phd programs, how well did you know potential advisor's research before writing SOPs? All of the departments that I am applying to are amazingly perfect research fits and I have identified potential PIs. There are many at each university doing interesting reserach so I am working through publications and taking some notes as I read them so that when it comes time to write my SOPs, I can refer to the notes on the potential PIs. Would you say that reading through 3ish publications (diverse ones that let you see a variety of their current reserach) for each potential PI is enough? How well did you know the research? I of course have a few dream PIs whose research I stalk and could rave about for hours but most of them are interesting and doing similar work. I guess I am just trying to get a sense for the norm here... did you just read research descriptions, or 1-2 papers, or many papers, or did you have lengthy conversations with them or what? I guess writing time is coming up soon... but I dont feel ready for it yet! Thanks for any wisdom!

Thanks for the response! I think your reasons for emailing make a lot of sense... I will be applying with an master as well which I think comes with having a better understanding of our reserach interests. I am pretty certain that none of the professors who I am interested in working with will have changed interests that would make the fit not as good. My PI has gone through my list of potential advisors for me and basically everyone who I want to work with is very well known in the subfield so I am 99% sure that none of them are going to completely change areas. Particular projects might change but I am really interested in biophysical modeling related to computational structural biology. The professors might change the protein they are working on or move on to a new project but it is still going to be under the same subfield and within my interests. Also, these departments are known for my subfield so if my favorite guy couldnt take me then that wouldnt change my decision about applying because the department is still known to focus on my area and there are lots of other people doing similar work. There are only like 10 departments that are super strong for my area and it seems that basically ALL of the academics doing research in the subfield are at these departments. I guess I feel like I am applying more based on department than on PI. Dont get my wrong, I am still reading lots of publications by the professors at my departments of interest but its more like the department/school is famous for this work not necesarily that one or two professor is known for it. Give this, does it still make sense to email? I agree that personality fit is VERY important in finding a PI but I think that it will be hard to get a sense for this over email anyway and I would get a much better feel for the fit at interviews/visitation weekends before making a decision. Sorry for all the info... I am probably thinking way too much into this but I just want to make sure that I make the right decision!

I was the exact same way... I was a math major in college but I reviewed a few geometry tricks that I hadn't looked at since middle school. I also studied those questions where they say "which of the following are factors of REALLY HUGE NUMBER" and then the choices are a)2^5, b)3^10 etc. For some reason those tripped me up at first but then I figured out that they just wanted you to factor the initial number down to primes to answer the question. That and geometry where pretty much the only concepts that I looked at for math. I used magoosh to study and those math questions are harder than the actual test so I came in very prepared. My first practice scores fell around 163Q and I ended up with 168Q on the actual test. For verbal, I did lots of practice questions because getting into the mind of the test creators really helped me narrow down answers. I memorized 250 vocab words with magoosh's app. Memorizing the words made a huge difference for me. My original practice scores were in the low 150s for V and I got 162V on the actual test. I have actually seen the words appear in research papers since memorizing them so the vocab wasnt a waste of time at all. For me, a slow and steady approach to studying was really beneficial. I really did not sacrifice much time studying... I looked at the vocab app whenever I was waiting for appointments or sitting on the couch watching TV. I'd say I looked at the words for 15-30 mins at a time, a few times a week, for about 4 months. Other than that, I spent a couple hours a week, on a Saturday afternoon for example, doing practice questions. I wasnt strict with a study schedule... I just studied when I had extra time or wanted a break from school work. You dont have to sacrifice a lot of time to study but consistantly looking at the questions over a few month long period really helped me get used to the types of questions that are asked. Also, the ETS practice tests were VERY accurate for me, within a couple points of my actual scores.

Well i would definitely retake the GRE and get that score as high as possible. Your GPAs are both low but you have good research experience. Its hard to predict what schools will overlook the GPAs but if you apply to large number (like 10 at least) then I bet you can get in with funding.

If you are trying to fix a bad GPA then it is better to give yourself a load that is slightly too easy than a hard one again. Putting biochemistry off until the spring or next fall will not hurt your shot at grad school at all but another semester of sub 3.0 gpa certainly will. Do you mean that you will be taking the courses listed next semester or just in general? I would strongly advice against combining all of those hard classes into 1 semester. I would slow down, take a few hard classes and a couple gen eds that will be easy As, and focus on getting an awesome GPA next semester. I did the exact same thing as you are trying to while I was in undergrad. I did way too much at once and started off with a bad GPA just like you. I ended up with a 3.3 in the end and had to do a masters to make up for the bad grades. You gain little by pushing yourself way too hard and can lose a lot! It is awesome that you are already involved in lab work. If you keep it up and raise that GPA then you should be in a great position to apply to grad schools!

I have been VERY confused about whether I should be emailing professors this summer/fall. I have specifically chosen departments with at least 3 (most more) faculty members in my subfield. There are one or two at each school who are my favorites of course but my PI has stressed that it often does not work out with who you initially want to work with anyway. I have a ton of research experience in my field and am applying to departments that perfectly fit my experience. If all goes well, I will have 3 papers in very well respected journals in the same subfield that the departments are famous for. I have contacted 1 professor so far because I wanted to read a paper of his but since it was published in a book, I couldnt without buying the $30 book. I asked him for a copy of the paper and he responded very positively and then later added me on a social networking site. I feel weird just emailing professors though if I dont need anything though. My PI told me that he gets annoyed by these emails and they dont make a difference in admission anyway so it isnt worth the time. He thinks that all of the departments I am applying to are a great fit and my application will find its way into the professor's hands during the process. What do you guys think?

My original practice tests were around 163Q, 153V and after 4 months of studying with magoosh my actual were scores were 168Q, 162V. I did their practice questions around once a week for a couple hours and then used the vocab app a few times a week for about 15 min each time. I really liked it!

When people talk about auto rejections I'm pretty certain they mean more like 150Q, not a score over 160!

I think that having them looks amazing but that not having them is probably normal. Your level of understanding of your research area will be more important. Your SOP and interviews will reveal how well you know your area of study, regardless of publications.

I completely disagree that 164 is bad. It if fine. If you had low grades in your quant courses and had to prove your abilities with the GRE then that would be different but you have a proven record of success in quant heavy classes. I honestly dont think that a 170 will help your application over the 164. Both of those scores show that you arent bad at quant questions which is really all they use the test to see. I think that you would be wasting your time and money to take the GRE again. I would spend that time reading publications in your field instead so that you are as well informed as possible at interviews.

My advice is that it seems like you are trying to do WAY too much in a year or two. Instead of doing so many different things, I recommend getting involved with 1 lab and dedicating 20 hours a week to it. That will expose you to research way more than doing so many different things and only being able to dedicate a few hours a week to each.

I agree with ss2player. If your goal is to spend the next couple of years doing research then a masters is not a good route. You will be taking lots of coursework and will do alot less research than you could as a full time tech. Also, as a lab tech you would be getting paid for the research instead of paying to do it.

Your mood can affect scores significantly. Don't get depressed about a practice score. I didn't actually notice an improvement in my scores for a few months. A slow and steady study approach worked for me but trying to cram just frustrated me and didn't help at all.

I've heard really mixed into on this... My advisor told me that when students do this, he just gets annoyed.

Keep in mind that coursework will last 1-2 years at most and that the rest of your research career will be based off of the research you do for your phd. If you find professors in neuroscience then I would definitely not avoid the program just because you are more interested in the BME courses. I am in a similar situation... More interested in biochem than biophysics courses but will applying 100% based on research fit with professors, regardless of department. If the professors are connected to both then definitely apply through BME if you are more interested in it but if the professors are only affiliated with neuroscience then I would make sure you apply to neuroscience!

Is your experience in programming? If so, you might be fine. Otherwise, some masters programs are directed towards people without CS undergrad degrees. I would post in the computer science forum since they will be able to help more.

Maryland! I seriously see it as an easy choice. Georgetown is not worth the money and Maryland will have TONS of research options which should be your priority if you are considering a PhD. If they were the same price I think that I would even still suggest Maryland but the price tag makes it even more obvious.

I actually have an hour commute each way and this stay at school thing can be good or bad, depending on how you handle it. I was only going in the days that I absolutely had to (like 3 days a week) and would schedule everything (meetings, lab stuff, etc) on the same days so that I could make the drive less. it actually resulted in me feeling really lonely and not getting to know the other students as well. I have been making the drive 4-5 days a week and staying all day and it has opened up a lot more time to do study groups and get lunch with friends. I'm so much happier than I was sitting alone studying all day. I would be careful not to fall into that trap. Depending on your personality, sitting alone studying all day multiple days a week can really be tough emotionally. I'm shy so it makes it even harder to make friends at school so being there often and for long periods has been necesary and enabled me to start making good friends. Be careful not to fall into this trap! For me, this has by far been the most difficult part of living so far from campus.

Do you think this professor thinks highly of you? Would he consider you one his top students?

I just took the GRE today so i can finally comment on accuracy of practice tests! Power Prep 1 (5 months ago): 153V, 163Q Magoosh Practice Test 1 (4 months ago): 153V, 164Q I spent the next 5 months studying with magoosh and memorized 250 vocab words. These were all taken within the past month: Power Prep 2: 161V, 169Q Magoosh Practice Test 2: 164V, 160Q Power Prep 1: 160V, 166Q (I retook it since I never looked at the correct answers after the first take and had forgotten teh questions after 5 months anyway). Actual Scores: 162V, 168Q The Power Prep tests and magoosh verbal were very accurate for me. Magoosh Q consistanantly gave me much lower scores. Their questions in general are much harder than the actual test but they do prepare you well.

I agree with this. If research experience is what you lack in your application then why not get paid to it instead of paying to do it?

I graduated with only a 3.3 gpa and my science gpa was even worse. I have bad ADHD but didn't start treating it until after college. I'm using the MS to basically prove that the medical issue is taken care of now (my gpa is 4.0 now that my ADHD is treated).

I would either take the PhD offer or reapply next year, unless you have bad UG grades and think that the MS could make up for those.

Instead of a book, I recommend magoosh and I think manhattan also makes a similar product. I have seen great results with the magoosh online service. They have practice questions, videos to help with concepts, vocab app for the phone, etc. My practice scores have gone from around 153V, 163Q to 161V, 170Q. I take the actual test Thursday so I will see how it turns out but I am happy so far!

Do you think that Person A is in danger of committing suicide again?