bsharpe269

You better believe I'll be wearing a skirt! I'm in a very male dominated field and don't mind being feminine anyway. I dress well every day and always wear skirts/make up to interviews. It's never hindered me before!

I think this question also lets them now how well you have researched your field. I will be applying to programs for Fall 2015 and have been researching professors who have the same intersts as mine. I have identified about 20 professors, half are at the top of their field and the other half are newer, but same line of work. When asked this by programs, I will just answer with the names of the other professors doing the same thing. There will be no surprise in my answer.. I think the question can come in your favor because it shows that you know about the field. Foe example, If you are applying to school X because you want to work with this specific professor and then answer that you have applied to school Y and Z, where there are no major people doing the same work then I think that would raise red flags. Also, there is a range of prestige in the schools im applying to bc I am applying due to research fit, not rankings. I think that they are looking to see they you actually care about the research you are discussing and not just trying to get into a top 10 grad school.

I suggest getting a masters if you are torn. I was really torn too since my interests are VERY varied (computer science, biology, physics, chemistry, anthropology, evolution, philosophy). I actually found a field that incorporates most of these things! look into interdisciplinary research and get a masters if you aren’t exactly sure, that will let you lean more about various subjects before committing to a phd. I think the above advice is awesome... maybe look into something realted to service dogs or horse therapy stuff. Combine your interests!

I am applying for Fall 2015 admission in the sciences so I will be working on applications this fall. I am currently working on my master's and have pretty specific research interests. I have identified people who are well known in my subfield and I am working on reading publications now to decide who’s interests fit best with mine. I have a couple specific questions related to contacting them (which I assume will happen this summer): 1) Is it a good idea to bold face words that I want to catch their eye in the email or does this come off too strong? My field is technology heavy and I have experience with specific software that their research centers around. They probably spend months - a year teaching their new students about this stuff. Some of them have developed their own related software that I have used or read a lot about and would be interested in using. So should I bold some of the main words to catch their attention and make sure they pay attention to my email? 2) Contacting professors who collaborate? Some of the professors who I want to contact collaborate extensively with professors at other schools... publish together frequently and share students (some students do a PhD under 1 professor and postdoc with the other). If Prof X and Prof Y are at different schools but doing very similar things then I of course want to apply to both schools and contact both professors. How do I handle that? Do I let Prof X know that I also contacted Prof Y and would love to work with either? Send an email to them together, saying that I would love to be part of their work, should I apply to both programs or jsut 1? My research interests are specific enough that if I cant work with the specific advisors then I am no longer interested in the programs so writing these emails is going to be a big deal for me. Any other advice is welcome!

Wow my stats are really similar to yours: 3.3 undergrad gpa, gre: 157V, 161Q, 4.5. my undergrad is in math and I'm getting my masters in bioinformatics. If it helps you make a decision, I'll be retaking my gre before applying to phd programs in biophysics. I'll also be taking the math subject test to help with the sort of low undergrad gpa. With a bit of studying g, I think I can get an awesome score to help my application.

What were the GRE scores exactly? I definitely dont think that it would hurt to contact the schools with the course list.

If you think that you can raise them then i would retake. your application looks good to me otherwise. goodluck!

mbiochem, Did you have really strong research experience that you think explain the interviews? I see a lot of people with perfect stats get way less interviews than you and don't quite understand how people are chosen. Congrats on all of the interviews and future acceptances!

Thanks for the advice guys... My intention in mentioning the ADD would be to explain my low undergrad gpa. I realize that 3.3 isnt horrible but it doesnt reflect my abilities either. I agree that it may be useless to mention that I could have done better than a 3.3 since that it obvious by my 4.0 grad gpa. I'll take the advice and leave it out. I think that my research experience is definitely the strongest area of my application so I will focus on that in the SOP instead.

Should this be mentioned or avoided? My undergrad GPA is 3.3 while my master's is 4.0. I want to apply to PhD programs in biophysics. The difference is GPA is related to dealing with untreated ADD during undergrad which is now treated. Should I mention the ADD in the SOP or avoid it? Thanks for the advice!

Thanks for the advice guys. Also, I didn't think mentioning ADD would be appropriate since I know most mental illness issues shouldn't be mentioned. ADD is a bit different but I thought it may fall into the same category. I'll make another post on that and get some additional feedback... thanks!

I want to apply to phd programs in biophysics and bioinformatics. My undegrad gpa is a 3.3 (in math) but grad is a 4.0 (in bioinformatics). Gre scores are 157V, 161Q, 4.5 but can take these again before I apply (they are from before masters). Lots of research experience starting freshman year of undergrad, including a top REU, 5 years of bio lab work, 1 year bioengineering lab work, biomath research(conference paper+ big award from my university). I am doing research now in structural bioinformatics and may publish before applying (but if not, I still have alot of knowledge in this area and a great LOR - this is the area I want to stay in for phd) Has anyone gotten into competitive (around top 50 at least?) phd programs with similar stats? I had diagnosed but untreated with ADD in college and am now treating it. This explains the change in grades in addition to a change in work ethic that came with maturity. I am guessing this shouldnt be mentioned though to phd programs though.

Hi all, Background: undergrad degree: math gpa: 3.3 gpa, mgpa 3.0 research: worked in a bioengineering lab for year,1.5 years of biomath modeling research and also a biomath REU at a fairly pretigous state school. I won a pretty big reserach award from my university and published a conference paper. Current: masters: bioinformatics. GPA: 4.0 this semester and should stay like that research interest: structural bioinformatics including protein folding and stability. I am in a research group (the professor is pretty well know) in this field. GRE: I am thinking of taking the math GRE to prove that I am strong in that since my gpa isnt great. My current general GRE scores are 158V, 162 Q which I will try to raise since those are old. It seems that the work I want to do sometimes falls into bioinformatics departments and sometimes falls into biopysics. Can I apply to either program or will my application look underprepared for a biophysics phd? With my background do I have a shot at schools like Colombia, U Maryland, Stonybrook, UC Berkley, UC Davis to name a few? I want to end up in DC, NYC, or San Francisco due to my significant other's job. Thanks!

Hi all, I went to a state school and graduated with a decent bit of research experience in biomath: 1 conference paper and year and half long research project + an REU at a top 10 applied math school + 5 years of bio lab work. Unfortunately, I graduated with a 3.3 gpa from your average state school, gre: 161 quant, 157 verbal. In a couple weeks I will begin my masters at my local state school in bioinformatics and hope to get a fantastic gpa and more research experience and will then apply to phd programs in bioinformatics. With my background, assuming I do well in the masters program, what sort of phd programs should I be looking at? Average state schools or could I have a shot at something better? Does anyone have any advice on what to do during the next year or two to improve my chances other than focusing on a really strong gpa? Thanks!