123hardasABC

I'm sorry you don't have any bad memories of me lol

Glad I could help! Though now I need all the help and luck in the world! And I live here permanently now! I've devised a 6 step plan for not getting into graduate school: 1.) Cry. 2.) Drink. 3.) Netflix. 4.) Reflect on: Do I really need to go to graduate school twice? 5.) Drink again. 6.) Find work.

Omg congratulations! And now I'll anxiously wait, lol. About time a school I applied to showed up on these ridiculously early interview invite posts! Enjoy St. Louis! I'm also originally from LA but I moved to STL this month. I'm loving it!

I know it's early but I'm soooo jealous of everyone! I'll sit quietly and wait my turn now, lol.

UPitt's adcom works faster than my pharmacy Anyway, congrats and good luck!

Damn! They're more productive than I was when applications opened, lol.

It's only been a few hours since the applications closed and I'm already wavering back and forth between "Hell yeah I'm going to graduate school again!!" and "I'm fucked." This is gonna be a long winter, guys. Good luck to you all!

Oh no! I hope it goes well. That is like....graduate school nightmare come true!

If you want to stay in NYC, I recommend you look in to Mount Sinai's MPH program. It's a very forgiving program when it comes to academic history. I applied there with a sub 3.0 uGPA and will be finishing their program early. If you want, PM me and I can give you the contact info of some people in administration.

I'm actually not sure. I'm not super familiar with the neuroscience department since I'm here for the MPH. I did apply to the MPH program with a sub-3.0 uGPA but I don't know how much weight that holds considering the admissions process differs widely between each graduate program. But if you're willing to take the risk, I think Mount Sinai is a great school if you're willing to deal with the NYC life (I am not; I hate NYC). What I'm looking for in a PhD program is inter-departmental collaborations, where nothing is strictly defined by a field, and I see a lot of that at Mount Sinai. Even though I'm studying public health, I currently work closely with pediatricians, toxicologists, and psychiatrists.

I applied this cycle knowing full well that there's a fair chance I won't get in. In fact, with a low uGPA, no relevant research experience, and geographical restrictions, all odds are against me. But holy fuck the fear of rejection is still real. :|

Have you considered Mount Sinai?

Lol, no need for candy. I made a list about what I did with this person (classes I took with him, work I've done for him, how it links to my research goals, etc.).....and then handed it off to a close friend of mine. We sat down and wrote it together because I got paranoid that adcom could detect some kind of writing-style similarities between my SOP and the LOR. I just wish my writer would just submit what I gave him -__- Deadlines are coming up and it's too late to ask someone new.

If it makes you feel any better, the letter writer who knows me the best pulled this on me too. I wrote him a draft of my LOR and he still hasn't submitted the letter. So yeah. I take classes with him, speak with him constantly, remind him all the time, have sent numerous letter forms, AND wrote him the letter....but he still hasn't submitted it. This has been going on for just over a month now. I'm pulling my hair out.

https://i.imgur.com/64Pgcgl.jpg

I couldn't agree more. I wish someone had told me this during undergrad, honestly. I did my undergrad in the SF-Bay Area. To keep under $1000/month rent, I had to share a room (ended up to be $750/mo). Right now, I'm doing my Masters in New York and live in Manhattan. I got an absolute STEAL for my rent....at $1200/mo for a closet-sized room. This is just rent alone, not including food, utilities, and transportation. I don't want to sound like a downer but unless you commute far, it's really difficult to live within the means of your stipend. And before you start getting wide-eyed and optimistic about surviving by living far (because I was and did), it's really exhausting. But more power to you if you have the endurance for it! Anyway, I don't want to deter people from applying to schools in especially high cost-of-living areas (because sometimes it's unavoidable), but please be prepared to have a financial source besides your stipend. PS. For the love of all that is holy, keep your heater set to 68 degrees and just wear a sweater indoors. One of my former roommates wanted our house to be tropical during the winter. We racked up a $300 gas bill that month.

Kinda in a panic. My third letter writer went AWOL and I've asked three other potential people to replace him but I'm still waiting on confirmations. Damn. The final month to deadlines is coming up.

Okay. That's good to know. I've been panicking because one of my letter writers went AWOL and I'm in the process of asking different people. Thanks!

This is a dumb question, but is there any benefit to submitting early if you don't have all of your material in? I've finished my part and have 2 letters in, but my last letter writer decided to disappear off the face of the planet. I've asked someone new to take his part but I still have to wait.

Assuming the application doesn't ask for it anywhere else, if your CV demonstrates an interest in research (lab experience, internships, etc.), I would say it doesn't hurt.

I submitted on October 1st because I had everything done and read my essays so many times it made me physically sick. I say just submit when you're ready. So long as everything is in before the deadline, it doesn't matter. I think only a handful of schools accept on a rolling basis so just double check on that.

Yup! I got in. I currently attend Mount Sinai, will be finishing this December, and have already applied to PhD programs. I also got in Emory and Boston (supposedly good programs for MPH) but settled for Sinai because it was cheapest (not more terminal degree,gotta save $$). And no, I did not address my GPA in my personal statement.

Ugh. One of my letter writers decided to disappear off the face of the planet.......

It should be fine. From my understanding, the letter writers usually write one letter and just change the addressee according to the school it's meant for.

Posting this to make you guys feel better about yourselves and your stats... I'm applying small. I'm at a point in my life where I want to settle down for now. I will get my PhD and I'm aware I'll need to apply more than once. I did not retake my GRE because I've been working on my Masters. I'm applying with my old GRE scores that I used to get into my Masters program. Undergrad Institution: Public, large state school; okay place for biology; still somehow 5-0.....Major(s): Molecular Toxicology (BS)Minor(s): -GPA in Major: -Overall GPA: 2.85Position in Class: Owner of the Bay Area Struggle TransitType of Student: Domestic, female, Asian Graduate Institute: Big name hospital in NYC Major(s): Occupational and Environmental Medicine (MPH) Minor(s): - GPA in Major: - Overall GPA: 3.78 Position in Class: - Type of Student: Gender and ethnicity unchangedGRE Scores (revised/old version):Q: 159/75%V: 155/67%W: 4/56%B: -Research Experience: 1 year in a cardiovascular lab, contributed to one abstract and one poster (did not attend conference); 1 year graduate practicum/internship surveying community health clinicsAwards/Honors/Recognitions: -Pertinent Activities or Jobs: led a DeCal; volunteered 1 year at the American Cancer Society (planning committee); worked 1 year at a gastroenterology practice; school stuff: president of the Public Health Interest Group, on two committees in Student Council, graduate student mentorAny Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: taught art for a year (I know it's an unrelated subject, but I just like teaching)Special Bonus Points: I have a Masters degree? I have a LOR from an undergraduate professor who can vouch for me (I had a rough first two years in undergrad). Other two LORs are from my Masters advisor and my practicum advisor.Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: I've written a thesis on my research interests. Hopefully this shows that it's something I'm dedicated and passionate about.Applying to Where:Washington University in St. Louis -- DBBS (I'm aware this is a long shot but the application was free) St. Louis University -- Biomedical Sciences (Top choice) University of Missouri (Columbia) -- Biomedical Sciences