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Although I wouldn't put much stock in rankings, Rockefeller is consistently ranked as one of the top graduate programs in the U.S. Although the program itself is on the smaller side and not as well-known to the lay public as other schools that have undergraduates, the faculty are top-notch, the funding/amenities/facilities are spectacular, and you really can't beat the location (if you like living in a city). On the "cons" side, the institution has a (somewhat well-earned) reputation as a pressure-cooker, and the relatively small faculty means you might not be able to sample as broadly across different fields. It is also, as you pointed out, extremely selective - in my application cycle I saw several people who ended up at Harvard, MIT, Stanford, UCSF, etc. get rejected. I got an interview/offer in part as a result of my time there as a Research Assistant, so I know the place pretty well and would be happy to answer questions. Generally speaking I highly recommend applying, although, as with many top schools, acceptance/rejection can sometimes just come down to chance, even among top tier applicants.

Cancer Bio

It seems that most of the acceptances (regardless of home program? I could be wrong about that) went out last week. I got the waitlist email this week, but I'm not Immuno so dunno if that's helpful to you at all. Had a lot of fun at the interview weekend there, so I'm pretty bummed, but not giving up.

Congrats! Are you going to the second visit at Sloan?

Wear what makes you feel comfortable (since they did specify casual attire, after all). I went slightly more formal than jeans, but not a suit and tie like I saw others there wearing. People were all over the spectrum.

I heard back on the 13th, so it seems the decisions are coming out in a trickle rather than one big wave. I also got the decision in a phone call from one of the profs I met with, so it may be dependent on various faculty's schedules.

I met with 4 faculty members. Strangely enough, three of those were 45 minutes long, the fourth was scheduled for 30 minutes. I didn't get any information about who I'd be meeting with until I arrived on campus (actually kind of nice, since they can't expect too much in the way of interview prep).

I can't say enough about the benefits of taking some time off between undergrad and grad school. First and foremost, I think it put me in a better mental place for the grad school application process - I applied to some fellowships right out of my undergrad, but my applications were weak not just because I lacked the experience I have now, but because I've since gained a lot of clarity about my strengths, weaknesses, and goals. It's also just a lot of fun! You can pick a project you find interesting and work on it for a couple years in an environment that is (relative to grad school, at least) pretty low-stress. You'll probably meet some really interesting and fun people. Maybe it's in a city you've never spent much time in, but want to explore. Maybe you'll even have some time to explore your interests outside science. Not all of these reasons, strictly speaking, relate to strengthening your application. But for me, they made the experience well worth a short two-year delay in starting grad programs.

Agree with this - I've sent thank yous to each PI, even the ones I didn't really click with during interviews. Doesn't really take that much effort (unless you go for the handwritten note - seems extreme, but I know some people who have) and it can't hurt. I've certainly gleaned various things from the replies (about the program, my chances, or even just the PI him/herself) and it's not a bad habit to get into.

OK great, thanks.

Can anyone who's interviewing with the Harvard BBS program this weekend say whether they've gotten a list of faculty they're meeting with? Not sure if I've missed an email somewhere or if they just haven't sent anything yet.

Going for an alternate weekend - would love to hear how it goes, though, or whether there's anything special this weekend I'm missing out on. Good luck!

Hm didn't get anything from them... bad sign? haha

I'll be at GSK tomorrow! Won't be able to do lunch unfortunately; I'll be at work giving anti-anxiety drugs to mice (which is... ironic, to say the least). Excited to be kicking off my interview season, though - good luck to you and everyone!

Hate to be "that guy," but technically that assumes that each school chooses the 50% they accept from the pool of interviewees by completely random chance... hopefully that's not how they make admissions decisions haha