MassAppeal

I just submitted my decline -- hope you get my spot!!

I think of GREAT LOR as an applicable, relevant letter writer describing immediately translational skills/experience. A GOOD LOR to me is not directly applicable letter writer describing loosely translational skills/experience (such as genetics research experience for someone trying to get into inorganic chem, or something like that). I'm one of the people that noted my great LORs. Letter A was from my current boss, a very well-known PI in analytical chemistry. Several of my schools know him personally through collaborations and conferences. He's able to talk about my wet lab skills, personality on a 40+ hour workweek scale ("plays well with others, not a sociopathic nerd, can be dressed up and meet prominent figures without acting like an awkward fool"), and long-haul dedication to projects. Letter B was from one of the collaborators on an independent project I did, who works at a huge industry company you definitely know. Specifically, he does R&D in analytical chemistry. My schools also know him personally through collaborations and conferences. On top of that, he's an alumnus of one of the PhD programs I applied to. He's able to write about my short-term "push to gather data on a strict deadline" abilities, professionalism, and presentation/speaking skills (conference). Without those two letters, I really think my applications were pretty average. Average stats, no publications, nothing particularly special... EXCEPT that my current work is what I want to continue in a PhD. My letters were how I proved I can handle grad school because it's exactly what I'm doing already! .. with less pay, but with a PhD "bonus" at the end.

Nope, no word yet from there. I, too, applied as an afterthought! I think this is actually the longest I've waited between the application deadline and hearing back.. hmm..

Analytical

Just heard from University of Florida via email. Stipend is just under ~$23k which is the smallest I've seen so far.. but then again, Gainesville has a really low cost-of-living. Visitation weekend is March 20-23 for those who're wondering!

$27,696/year with the stipulation of 1-3 quarters TAship (if I read the offer letter right!) and a $5000 over-the-first-year Excellence in Chemistry Graduate Fellowship Award. From my other accepts and general Googling, ~$28,000 is about average for most programs. Keep in mind, though, that you have to pay taxes on it, so expect to lose, I dunno, maybe 25-30% of it in taxes depending on where you go (let me know if that's a wildly inaccurate estimate for fed+state tax average!)

@M4ss5pec -- I just got an email from a faculty letting me know I was accepted and the official accept letter will be coming next week! I'll be going during the March weekend, will I see you there to dork out about mass specs?! PM me, let's chat about super geeky stuff

Just got a phone call from a faculty member at UNC that I was accepted! Full disclosure, though, I had previously spoken in-person with this faculty at a conference earlier this year because one of his areas of research is very very close to the kind of research I was also presenting on at the conference, so my application had some "non-traditional" elements. Visitation is sometime in March, and he said they were actively going through applications now (applications were due today) so they're working on it!

dude, yeah, it's essential if you have an autosampler on your LC! queue up a few samples, go out for a beer or a coffee (or even just go home, ha) and watch the acquisitions remotely. So I guess, adding to the list: Software: --remote desktop access, like TeamViewer

@m4ss5pec -- I just splurged and bought myself a Windows Surface Pro 2. I specifically got the thing to be a Mendeley/EndNote machine ha I thought about just a tablet, but I really wanted to be able to remote into MS computers to check up on samples without having to be physically in the lab.

few others I was just thinking of! --huge whiteboard panels --dual PC monitors

Interview at University of Washington's genome sciences program! I think this one went out early ahead of most chemistry programs, though, so still waiting on the UDub chem admissions committee. aaaany day now, admissions committee, aaaany day...

interview for University of Washington's integrative Genome Sciences PhD program GRE: 160Q/164V UG GPA: biochemistry and molecular biology at a large public school, 3.46 Research experience: 3 years undergrad + summer pharm internship + 3 years employment at a large well-known research non-profit Research publications, patents, conferences: just one poster presentation! PHD intended specialization: chemistry, analytical University list: (see sig!) other: 2 years abroad traveling post-bacc, not science related

Hi everyone! I couldn't find a post like this anywhere else, but if it exists, please redirect me there! I'm looking to put together a list of things that make a graduate student's life easier, especially things that you wish you'd had or thought of before you started. For example, here's what I've thought up so far: Software for lit organization and mining --Evernote --Mendeley/EndNote Wet lab: --Egg timer --Multi-colored sharpies --Speakers (for music in the lab) --BlueTooth wireless headphones Presentations/Conferences: --Laser pointer --Poster tube --Business cards, business card sheath Coping: --Large coffee mug --Travel mug/thermos --Emergency food (oatmeal, trail mix, stuff for those days you end up missing meals)

The chair of FSU's chemistry graduate recruiting and admissions committee did a public interview ("Ask Me Anthing"/AMA) on Reddit.com today. http://www.reddit.com/r/chemistry/comments/1rwwqf/i_am_the_chair_of_fsus_chemistry_graduate/ Thought it was pretty cool of him to do this. He answers a lot of good questions from general admissions to the chemistry PhD job market.

Woo a fellow anal chemist interested in mass spectrometry! And even interested in instrument/method development! Hmm, same research interests, we're both biochem majors with 3 years undergrad research, similar GRE scores... you've got me beat on GPA by far though! We're only applying to one similar school though, interestingly. I just saw today that someone from my dream program (UW genome sciences) was checking out my LinkedIn...

I'm reading everyone's amazing stats and god damn I'm glad I didn't apply to many of the same schools that you all did because my app would probably be tossed at first sight. haaaa It's December 1st, which is the first official due date for some of my apps, so ANY DAY NOWWW

To quote a great scientist in my current lab, "You don't have to beat the best. You just have to beat the average."

How I felt as I submitted my last app for my top-choice program, after agonizing over every word and punctuation point for the past week: But now that I have nothing to do but wait:

Granted I'm not applying to the Ivy-league type schools, but I didn't even take the chem GRE because none of my programs required it.

Research interest: analytical chemistry, specifically mass spectrometry instrumentation/method dev GPA: 3.46 in biochem/mol bio @ large well-known public undergrad institute (graduated 2009) Research exp: 3 years of undergrad research experience, 3 years post-bacc research experience (2/3 in my area of research interest) Applying to UF, UNC, Vanderbilt, UWx2 (analytical and genome sciences programs) hope to see some of you guys at interview weekends?!

Since I already have a powerful PC, I'm on the market for a small portable to use primarily as a Mendeley/EndNote machine for reading, marking up, and organizing scientific journal articles. Sounds like a tablet for just those functions, but I'd also like to use it for TeamView-ing into my main PC, instrument PCs, and writing up chapters for the thesis. So that kind of rules out tablets. The Surface Pro 2 looks amazing for those two functions but.. dat price tag.. hnng...

The scientific world no longer recognizes merit. In my grandfather's day, a chemist could hold a bachelor's and -- so long as they did good science -- they would be able to rise up. Now, your experimental designs, your analysis, your thoughts, hell even your job title and paycheck depend entirely on what letters follow your name on your CV. I love what I'm doing now, but after just two years I've already "maxed out" the options with just a BS. I'm getting a PhD because, really, I have no choice.

I'm not sure how relevant this may be to your field in particular, but some solid advice I got for the sciences is that your CV is a resume for the research group you want to work in. Thinking about applying for a "job" with the research group you want to work with might help you figure out what kind of things should be on there. Sections like "Relevant Coursework" or "Skills" for wet-lab techniques might be nice for a research group to look at. Things like PCR, cloning, 2D gels, DNA extraction, cell culture work, SDS-PAGE, things like that. Another section you may not have thought about is a "Teaching" section. Any kind of tutoring or educational outreach you've done might go in there.

Oh Lord, I'm reading these and noticing a lot of things that've fallen out of my mouth lately. Glad I saw this before the holidays and annoyed everyone!! D: I guess it's a good time to start rehearsing my speech for the inevitable questions.. hmm...