Shamrock_Frog

Does anyone know what the turn around is for UT-Houston/GSBS after interviews? Do you hear right away or do they wait until after all the interview weekends are over?

Yeah I didn't get a response from any that I emailed.

Anyone going to the visitation weekend at Notre Dame this weekend? Just wondering who from grad café will be there.

My interview was in my hometown and I wasn't sure if I was going out. But we had dinner at the hotel with students and a few faculty then we had about an hour to go back to our rooms. I wasn't staying at the hotel so I ended up just going home, I had to let my dog out anyway. Plus I was born and raised in this town so I know all about what there is to do. I don't think it made a difference. I managed to meet and talk with pretty much everyone who was there, especially current students and a lot of the faculty.

I don't think it is likely because of having to make travel arrangements and schedule the interviews you would be having with multiple faculty.

They will be notifying through March about interviews? Wow.

Interesting. I was assuming rejection. I guess there is still a chance then.

I applied to 10 schools. I have interviews at 2 so far, and a few more haven't sent out invites yet. The 10 took me a lot of time and work and I don't know how people apply to more than 10 and really tailor their application to the program.

The school I am interviewing at next week actually asked for business attire for interviews.

Does anyone know what the post-interview acceptance rate is for Notre Dame? Biology PhD applicant, if that helps any.

Ah, I'm 5-7, lol. I applied for cell biology.

Looks like I'll see you at UT-Houston. I've got the same interview days.

Cool! I'm really looking forward to meeting people! I have a friend from undergrad who is there currently (in BMB) and I met a couple of his lab mates. I also work in the medical center.

Do you have any idea what their post-interview acceptance rate is?

I have heard nothing from them.

I have an interview at UT-Houston/GSBS on Feb 5-7. Anyone else going? Anyone have any experience of what the recruitment weekend for this school is like?

Does anyone know about the post interview acceptance rate at UT-Houston/GSBS? Thanks.

Hello, I graduated in 2010 with BA in biology (at that time the school only offered BA). I didn't know what I wanted to do at the time so I've been working since then. First at an emergency animal hospital (for about 5 years total, also worked there during undergrad) and then at one of the top medical schools in the country. I am interested in programs for microbiology/parasitology but would also like the opportunity to do some bioinformatics/comp bio type work too. Stats: Small, liberal arts undergraduate institution (but has like 90-something % acceptance rate to medical school. I'm not pre-med and never was.) GRE: Q-152 and V-158, AW-5.5. (I know this is low but it's the second time I've taken it). uGPA: ~3.3. I took a few post-back classes (physics, technical writing) and programming classes. (GPA might actually be closer to 3.5, but not over). I did undergraduate research (no publications. not many actually publish as undergrad from my university). I also work in a pathology lab at a well known medical school, doing parasitology (and other things: serology/pcr/cbc/chem stuff. I was hired because I knew parasitology) SUBJECT GRE: I plan on taking the bio one in October. LORs will be good. Schools I am looking at: University of Houston, Rice, UT-Austin. BCM. UTMB. (I currently live in Texas). U Penn (some the research there seems to be a really good match for my work experience/background). U of Iowa (maybe). U of Nebraska (maybe). I was planning on applying to phD programs and then if I'm rejected applying to MS. My low GPA is mostly a result of working full time while taking 16-18 hours a semester and supporting a parent who was unable to work at the time. It was a lot to juggle at once, for sure. Any tips or advice? Any universities you'd recommend or not? Thanks.

I currently work at BCM. For getting around Houston in general it's better to have a car. I personally take metro buses/metro rail because I don't like driving in the medical center. (I don't like walking there either, but you have to choose one!) I have no idea how the student housing is, everyone I know that works there or studies there has apartments elsewhere. If you are planning on getting a car here, it's very possible that you can buy one off someone else who just graduated/is leaving. There are posts here on all the bulletin boards in the hallways about people selling their cars. (also people looking for room mates or to sub let apts/condos etc). Getting an apartment nearby may be fairly costly, unless you are willing to looks at studios (and there are not too many of those). Many of the 1+ bedrooms go for over $1000 a month. Two or more bedrooms are much more, sometimes twice as much. Many people have roommates.

(Native Houstonian here. Note: I despise Houston with every fiber of my being). Apartment complexes in Houston, in general, are kind of a crapshoot. Usually due to poor management and widespread crime. I have never heard of the ones you mention specifically. But the Montrose area is an interesting mix of old and new. Apartment complex names can change several times in a year also.

Is it likely to hurt if you mention it? I can't imagine it would.

It isn't necessarily a strong correlation to my own interests. I basically learned how important/how badly needed a programmer/bioinformatics is needed in research. Despite the growth of the field there still doesn't seem to be too many people who can fit the bill. One of the other labs that uses our services had some comp sci guy doing some of their programming and data extrapolations but he didn't know what he was looking at so I basically explained it all to him..

What about working full-time in a lab? I work at a prominent medical school as a research technician. I mostly run hematology/chemistry/serology samples. But I also had a hand in designing primers for new PCR services we just started offering, writing (and re-writing SOPs). There's been talks of doing our own projects but nothing off the ground yet. I was just wondering about this because I have some undergrad research experience but it's been a few years. And I've been working full time since graduating (and while in school full time) to try and figure out what I really want to do school-wise since deciding my original plan (vet school) is not really what I want to do.

I have a 15" Asus and love it. I bought it in August of 2009 a week before classes started because my last laptop crashed and burned. Well it's August 2013 and the thing still runs like a dream. The only problem with it is that my cat didn't like all the time I spend on it and she stuck her nails in the keyboard and ripped out four keys. I'm just too lazy to replace them because it's from the number pad. If you plan on carrying it with you everywhere you go, I would recommend something a little smaller than a 15". It gets cumbersome.