clickclick

I was rejected from all the programs I applied to last year. I continued research in my lab and worked as a TA between rejection and the next application cycle.. This year I have been accepted to three programs so far. Just keep getting experience and it will pay off!

So despite being rejected from all the schools I applied to last year...... I was just accepted to UT Austin and U Washington!!! These were both my top picks and the emails came within 20 minutes of each other during my lab's group meeting. This is the happiest day of my life so far!

Your stats look good! This late into the application process I wouldn't worry about retaking the GRE but rather that you submit your applications earlier. Also, please post your stats in your signature or profile to help everyone reading this thread

Welcome! Please post your stats in your profile or signature to make this thread more convenient for everyone. thanks

Yea I noticed after I posted that your sig said "stats in my profile". I would be nice if everyone who posted in this thread displayed their stats in either their sig or profile. Its close to useless for everyone to post their stats as a comment.

Since this thread is just starting lets move our application stats to our signatures so everyone doesn't have to go back and search for someone's stats when decisions start rolling around

bsharpe269, thanks for the advice! yea I planned on having an energy drink ready in the locker, I couldn't believe how worn out I was because every time I took a practice test I felt fine. I need to adopt your mindset that it is just a practice test, because that was the killer for me. I was so stressed that it was like all the strategies I had ingrained in my brain were completely non-existent. Using magoosh I was able train myself to do each problem in less than a minute on average in the powerprep tests, leaving me 15 minutes to go over each problem and check my work, but during the actual test I had just enough time to answer each question without looking them over. Congrats on your great scores btw! What was your study strategy to achieve them other than using magoosh?

Also, I'm a firm believer that you are only limited to what you limit yourself too. With the mindset that further studying will not improve your scores, then you likely won't improve your score. However, if you approach studying with a strategy to recognize why you are not improving and learn how to fix those issues then you can only be limited by the highest score. Of course that also depends on the effort and time you are willing to put towards studying. The GRE isn't testing math and verbal skills, its testing how well you can take the GRE.

I took it last year and did poorly because I did not study AT ALL (definitely not suggested). I took it again after 2 months of studying. Breaking down the schedule, the first month I studied about 1-3 hour a day on average, the second month I studied anywhere from 6-10 hours a day from the moment I woke up to the moment I went to sleep. First I focused on how to answer certain problem types then once I was getting them right all the time I focused on timing. Then I focused on the problems that I was consistently taking too long on or getting wrong because I was getting tricked. On my practice tests I was getting 164-166Q, unfortunately when I took the real test I had a lot of test anxiety and felt tired half way through the test. This is actually a major thing that I didn't consider enough and will prepare myself for next time around. Had I taken another month to study I would have been prepared more for the verbal section, which I barely studied, and been more confident during the real test.

I second this, especially about the vocab section. I took the GRE this week and got almost identical scores to yours: 162Q and 156V. I barely studied vocab and only memorized the first 50 words on magoosh. Sure enough about 5-10 of those words were on my actual test. I also have the exact same GPA as you and research experience! In addition, my plans are also to apply as early as applications open including several of the schools you listed, although in a different field and have contacted several of the professors in my field that I am interested in working with. Basically, from these points of our application we are exactly the same! I planned on retaking the GRE next month to boost my scores enough to get my goal which is 165Q and 160V. I don't want to sound like I am trying to compete with you by any means, as I hope we are both accepted to all the programs we apply to, but since our applications are so similar that does give me motivation to improve my GRE scores. If it came down to it I wouldn't want a slightly lower GRE score to be the reason for rejection. Its the one of the only things in the application process that we still have control over.

RETAKE and improve. I applied this last year with what many people on here, and the POIs I contacted, considered great research experience including a 1st author pub but was not accepted to the programs I applied to which I can only attribute to my poor GRE scores. I listened to everyone saying not to retake them, that they were not a big factor but it looks like they were. I've heard this enough times: good scores wont get you in, but poor scores will keep you out.

Rejected from UIUC, that was my dream school. Email said "We cannot accommodate all who apply, and our Graduate Admissions and Appointments Committee has recommended other applicants more strongly." Feeling defeated at the moment. I'm going to start preparing to reapply for next years round by improving my general GRE and Subject GRE scores. Quite disappointed but I should have at least one, maybe two more first author publications by the time a reapply.

Called UIUC today, lady I spoke with said they were still in the reviewing process.

Does that mean that acceptances are already out and if we havent heard we should expect a rejection?

Anyone know the deal with UIUC? Seems like they havent sent out many acceptances yet but have sent out a few rejections.

While I agree with your argument and believe I would like to work with someone just starting off their career, I think Tristan Lambert was denied tenure at Columbia recently (confirm?/deny?), which highlights the risks of working with a new PI. I was disappointed to hear this as I thought Lambert's work was quite interesting and was one of my POIs.

Same, except a rejection from U Mich :/

how many students does berkeley usually accept? and how many positions are available?

hey Academics, I'm not sure if I can answer all of your questions because I'm not too sure myself. Its a medium sized program but I only ever interact with the organic graduate students (auditing some advanced organic classes). I would say there were probably 15-20 organic first years? I can't comment on the other disciplines because there are fewer or more 1st years for each. As far as McQuade goes, I haven't seen him around and I would have if he was back because professors are required to attend seminars. He has been thinking about coming back but I haven't seen him. Anyways his chemistry is great if he is back, I would go with him or Dudley if you are into synthesis.

Congrats on your acceptances! Where did you apply if you don't mind me asking? Seems reasonable to me, although I can't comment on it from experience. What did they tell you when you called? I emailed the professor I had been corresponding with there to see if all decisions have been made but I am still waiting on his reply. I am getting especially nervous because I haven't got an acceptance yet. I thought I had a great chance at UIUC because my POI there basically said that they looked forward to speaking with me during visiting weekend, but no reply yet... Then again I haven't seen that many acceptances from UIUC and there are several rejections so maybe I am still in the running? The anticipation is killing me :/

Also do you think this would have any negative effects on my application if I were to do so?

So I know I already asked this question but one of the professors I have contacted previously at Berkeley is in his 1st year and currently only has a few students (from his website). Should I contact him and ask about admissions? I would really like to work for him and he expressed his interest in me. I guess this would be my way of reminding him to check out my application and hopefully speed up the process. I'm getting a little nervous, I'm not comfortable with just sitting around and waiting... :/

My friend, your gpa, scores and experience is very similar to mine! In fact your chem GRE is exactly the same as mine. You have given me hope thank you. Was there anything special that you think contributed to your application?

Rejected from Michigan today :/

But I'm awesome when I'm drunk.