DGChaos

Hey. I applied to computational/systems biology programs and was interested in a fair amount of experimental work, so maybe I could weigh in. Besides, most of my applications were reviewed by the biology departments. My GPA was about the same as yours when I applied (just at 3.0). Some schools don't really care about your GPA while some others compare applicant grades before they make the interview shortlist. Based on personal experience, the schools that didn't seem to care much about my low GPA were WashU, Harvard, Duke, Carnegie Mellon, and University of Pittsburgh. UC Irvine (which was one of my favorite schools and top choice) specifically mentioned low GPA when they rejected me. I suspect Columbia, Baylor College of Medicine, and University of Maryland also rejected me for similar reasons. We can't say if these schools would be a good fit for you as you will need to figure that out by looking at faculty webpages. It's also perfectly fine if you have a broad set of interests and would like to use lab rotations in your first year as an opportunity to explore different areas (that's what I am doing!) so long as you can relate to the research in those labs in your Statement of Purpose or cover letter. I didn't give the subject test, but many schools do recommend it. If you think you could do well, take the test. Penn State has a really nice pre-application form that can give you a good idea of where you stand. You can check it out here: http://bio.psu.edu/graduate-portal/PreApp. Please don't abuse it--I recommend not filling it more than once or spamming them with different profiles. It's a very useful resource for those applying to Penn State's biology department, or other programs. I couldn't find a good fit there, so I didn't apply, but the pre-application feedback was still very helpful. Ultimately, the universities that are good for you will depend greatly on how you perceive the labs. You'll need to spend 30 to 60 hours (or more!) reading about the research at different labs and narrowing down your choices. There are tons of great places out there--don't let our opinion or ranks cloud yours. Well, not to a great extent anyway. Good luck!

Yeah. I've heard the same. Just to bounce persimmony's question, which parts of Durham are sketchy or safe in your opinion? What do you think of the place north of Central Campus? Some people have also told me that the Belmont Apartments area isn't particularly safe and keeps getting broken into.

UC Irvine, which was one of my favorites and also one of the lower ranked among the universities I applied to rejected me for my grades. Other universities higher up admitted me. Likewise, I have been/expecting to be rejected by Maryland, Iowa, UCSB. But I think these had more to do with fit and my interactions with the faculty. But yeah, Irvine's rejection was completely unexpected as it was a great fit. Ultimately, I was interviewed/admitted by Duke, CMU, and WashU. I chose Duke.

Same here. I'm looking for a housemate too. I'll be going there for the first time this Fall. Check your inbox.

Thanks!

I am planning to go there too. Never been to Durham and I have heard mixed reviews. I'm from Bangalore, India. I love the folks at Duke, but I'll admit I am excited and a little intimidated at the thought of moving to a new continent and staying there for the next six years or so. Would any of you be interested in a private Facebook group so we can get to know each other better?

Hey there. Thanks got your replies. Check your inboxes. Cheers. Anyone else going to/in Duke?

Professor from my top choice, Irvine, said I probably won't be accepted this fall. I didn't think anything could hurt after I got into Duke, but this just reopened old wounds.

Hey. I'm looking for other folks who are going to Duke this fall. Would be great if I could get in touch with you guys and know more about the place and such. I've never been to the university, so any information I can get would be really useful. Thanks!

Got an informal reject from Irvine. It was one of my three favorite programs, so it does bother me a little. They specifically quoted my grades, saying it wasn't as good as other international students. Oh well, I guess this makes my choice easier.

Hmm. If WUSTL accepts me now, it will be really really hard to choose. Nevertheless, I think Duke is going to be my destination.

Urbana Champaign's Valentine's Day gift ensured I wouldn't be leaving her side for another year.

Well, sure UW may be miles ahead. But that doesn't necessarily mean that Harvard wouldn't be a better fit. I think it comes down to talking to faculty and figuring who are the folks you would most like to work with.

I don't think it can hurt to contact professors. I did that after submitting my application, and professors were nice enough to get back to me. And keep in mind that they won't be receiving a deluge of mails after everyone has submitted. If you express genuine interest, why should it come off as desperate? Everybody knows you applied because you want to get into the program. There's absolutely nothing wrong in expressing your interest. Write a nice cover letter. Talk a bit about their research. Politely ask if it would be possible to have a quick chat over Skype.

Yeah. I'm trying to find out about universities without actually visiting them. Google street view is invaluable to get a feel for the place. I'm going to contact a few students too to get to know the university better. There are also student clubs that can help you, so I'll be looking into those as well.