braaaaaiinnns

A little more information might be helpful for future hopefuls. Were you offered an in-person interview that you wanted to reschedule and got a skype interview instead? Or were you only offered a skype interview? Did other students have an option or was everyone given only skype interviews? From what I hear, an indication that they might not be your top choice (like attending another school's interview in lieu of theirs) can be a red flag for them.

I've received other offers that I am more interested in but would still go to this school if something went wrong with the other schools. UCSF did just have a fire in Mission Bay...which was where one of my offers is from!

If I already know that I don't want to attend a certain program, should I let them know now or wait until I've actually committed to a program and gotten confirmation? The paranoia of something going wrong is pushing me toward waiting, but I really want to let my spot go to someone on the waitlist if that's how the program is doing things.

Maybe talk to them and indicate that you'd love to work in their lab, but you are hoping to be able to do rotations. Stress that you would still be very interested even if you don't get offered the opportunity to do rotations so they know that you are still worth giving an offer if they can't offer you a rotating spot.

What do you think are the biggest differences between ucsf and Berkeley for grad students? Other than the cities and research, of course. I really liked the vibe I got from Berkeley but when talking to a student who ended up choosing ucsf over Berkeley, they said it was because ucsf seemed more relaxed and not as competitive. Thanks for your input!!! I actually didn't apply to USC, was that a general question or directed towards me? I applied to UCLA though so maybe that's where you got that idea? I attended the 2nd interview from 2/22-24 and heard back on 3/1

Anyone else trying to choose between UCSF or Berkeley? PM me!! It'd be nice to rehash the programs with another recruit instead of only asking professors and current students.

The attached letter itself was dated feb 28th so maybe they are slow on sending them out. My fingers are crossed for you!

Does the program have rotations?

I got an email from them today, interviewed feb 22-24 as well. It was from Michael Levine and was addressed to me, but definitely with the structure of a mass email. Hope you guys have one sitting in your inbox or one on its way!

I've only had one interview but the ones with adcom members were actually more geared toward answering questions about the city and the program. The only time I was remotely close to being grilled was when a professor wasn't familiar with my research and was genuinely interested, but he wasn't on the adcom as far as I know. I got the vibe that people were recruiting more so than trying to pick people off, but that will vary at different programs.

Anyone going to Berkeley this weekend?

I think Psychology is separate based on what I've seen in the Results section. Psych looks like emails have been going out but I think for Neuro under the Biosciences umbrella went out via phone call last Friday. No harm in contacting them though. I am glad to know rather than keep waiting. There's another weekend Feb 8-10 for folks that got invites in December. There may not be any bias between weekends but seeing as we got invites later and our interviews are later, they might have a preference for the people from the first weekend. Hard to say! Based on the pattern I've seen from other interviews, we'll likely be asked to arrive the evening prior.

Me too I emailed

I think I might just be instilling and promoting false hope for myself, haha. Maybe I will call to specify for neuro. I heard for neuro that people got phone calls, some got follow up emails, but to expect snail mail with details.

Did they specify mail or email? I heard that some official interview invitations were sent via mail on Friday, meaning that we might not get them until sometime this week.

Anyone who got Stanford invites via phone on here? Were they formal invitations or is there still hope of getting a mass email later?

No clue but they had us fill a questionnaire by next Friday. Maybe if there are sill spots left then they will send more invites out afterward.

The UCSD interview block is split 3/5-6 and 3/6-7.

For what it's worth I don't think UCSD Neuroscience is under the UCSD BMS umbrella because they appear to have separate interview dates. The Neurosciences program has their dates listed on their website as March 5-7 but according to some posters, BMS interviews are Feb 6-9 and Feb 27-March 2. This is hopeful since I haven't seen any UCSD neuro invites out yet and since their weekend is a little later, invites didn't really need to be sent out prior to the holidays.

For what it's worth I don't think UCSD Neuroscience is under the UCSD BMS umbrella because they appear to have separate interview dates. The Neurosciences program has their dates listed on their website as March 5-7 but according to some posters, BMS interviews are Feb 6-9 and Feb 27-March 2. This is hopeful since I haven't seen any UCSD neuro invites out yet and since their weekend is a little later, invites didn't really need to be sent out prior to the holidays.

The first one, I'm really hoping to get an interview at Stanford which is feb 26-3/2 or something like that so i wanted to space things out. Same with UCSF (which I see you got an invite to as well)! We may get to know each other fairly well this season if we choose the same dates!

http://healthsciences.ucsd.edu/education/neurograd/prospective-students/Pages/default.aspx "Invitations to interview for the fall 2014 application cycle will be sent mid-January. Our recruitment event will take place between March 5 thru March 7, 2014. Actual interviews will be scheduled on Wednesday, March 5 and Friday, March 7."

Classic song that makes me feel small...we are but a blip in the universe. Graduate school admission is negligible in the larger scope of life, existence, so on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKtk3bK5yTk And a go-to "i dont give a fuck what other people think about me" song: (Although I just found out by googling the song that it has been used in an iphone commercial so I apologize if everyone has already heard this song and is sick of it, haha!) Sleigh bells also has some more grittier songs that are good for running and getting angsty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLRnmQ-4Yp0

UC Berkeley (Sun-Tues): 2/2-4, 2/23-25 UC Davis: 2/6-7 UC Irvine: 1/23-25 UCLA: 2/8-10 UCSF: 2/14-15, 2/28-3/1(no bias for students on either weekend) Columbia: Jan 23rd-25th, and Feb 6th-8th. Duke CNAP: 2/6-9 Emory: 2/6-9 or 2/20-23 Harvard: Jan. 23rd-26th Johns Hopkins University: 2/10-11 University of Maryland (GPiLS-PiN): 1/30-2/1 or 2/6-2/8 Michigan State University: 1/22-1/25 University of Minnesota, Twin Cities - 2/14-16. UNC (BBSP): 1/23-25, 2/6-2/8 University of Texas Austin: 2/20-23 UPenn: Jan. 17th (all invitations sent), and Feb. 7 (apps still under review). Princeton: Feb 7th (with Feb 6th and 8th as travel dates) Vanderbilt (IGP): 1/9-11 (other dates unknown but available) UVA: 1/16-18 VCU (BSDP): 1/16-1/18 (many later dates available) University of Washington: 2/4-2/5 or 2/5-2/6 WUSTL: 1/17 or 1/31 From Websites: UCSD: 3/5-7 Stanford: 2/26-3/2

UC Berkeley sent out invites about 1.5 hours ago. There will be 2 interview dates (Sunday through Tuesday), feb 2-4 and feb 23-25. They said they have reviewed all of the applications but didn't say whether they were sending invites out in waves. The deadline to RSVP is January 7th, so I imagine another round of invites might go out shortly after. Best wishes to everyone who applied!!