genotype

Thanks! I'll keep you updated as I hear back.

Hi All, I'm applying to two genetic counseling programs in my area (I am geographically limited), and I would like to hear from any of you that are thinking of going into the same field. Here are my stats: GPA undergrad (biology): 3.5 (Ivy League school) GPA Master's (biology): 3.6 GPA PhD (genetics): 4.0 (graduating Spring 2015, hopefully!) GRE: V: 170 (99th percentile) Q: 168 (95th percentile) AW: 5.5 (98th percentile) I have about eight years of lab research experience and 5 years of teaching experience at a number of levels. I shadowed three genetic counselors, but only for about a week total due to my commitments as a PhD student. I have very limited advocacy experience, which I'm sort of worried about (I did some volunteering organizing a holiday party at a women's shelter for several years). Any input would be very welcome! Thanks!

I'm sure the adcom would appreciate hearing your enthusiasm for the school -- if anything you will have an advantage if it comes down to you or another applicant that hasn't expressed such interest.

Wow, I'm so sorry! I can't even imagine what happened here, but I agree that you certainly deserve to get some answers. Are there any other schools in the area that your husband would be interested in attending?

Congrats!

Don't they legally have to give you until April 15th to decide? Can you convince the school at which you have an acceptance to give you a bit more time? This is a pretty important decision, after all, and I would hope they would understand your situation.

I find it really hard to believe that calling would actually lead them to reject you, unless you were somehow unbelievably rude or obnoxious. I think it is more likely that, if you call, your file may be looked at a little quicker, so if you are on the reject list, you would find out a bit sooner. However, I highly doubt that it would cause any problems, unless perhaps they are on the fence about you and you say something incredibly insulting to the department rep. I would give them a call and just politely ask when you can expect to hear back about your application. To give you details on my experience, this is my second time applying to grad school. This time I only applied to one program and have been in touch with the program administrator throughout. Last time I applied (to 8 schools or so), I received very helpful responses when I checked in, with the notable exception of an Ivy league school that shall not be named. In that case, my POI sent me back an extremely rude e-mail telling me I wasn't admitted. Everywhere else, the replies were courteous and they didn't seem to mind at all. I also doubt that me checking in with that specific POI caused my rejection; I think they had made up their mind already at that point. Best of luck!

Maewest, I am not in the humanities so definitely keep that in mind. However, what I have heard is that the school itself isn't necessarily as important as the advisor you end up working with. Some of the other important factors appear to be networking and having great letters of reference from your committee members when you finish. As long as the school is reasonably ranked (i.e. in the top 50 or 75), I would think that it makes sense to go for it. Consider why you applied to the school(s) that accepted you in the first place. Was it simply so you would be assured of getting in somewhere or did you actually consider these to be places where you would want to spend the next 5-7 years (I'm assuming you applied for PHD programs)? Did you visit and find the schools to be good fits for you? This is my second time around starting a doctoral program. The first time, about 10 years ago, I ended up leaving mostly for family reasons. However, being in a program for three years underscored the importance of research fit and being in an environment where you are happy and supported (I did have the "happy and supported" piece, just not the research fit). So I would keep these things in mind as you make your decision. Best of luck!

I'm in the same boat. I applied to one program both because of the good fit as well as other reasons. I have a family and going elsewhere would require selling the house and relocating. This will be what I'll look at if I'm not admitted this year, but why move when there's a great program locally?

Well, my interests at this point lie in two main areas of genetics. As an undergrad, I worked on the function of an essential tubulin gene in yeast, and was involved in generating several point mutants to help elucidate this gene's function in spindle pole body assembly. This led to a publication and several presentations. At this point, I'm particularly fascinated by how gene families influence development (epistatic interactions as well as differential expression in various tissues etc.) as well as by the genetics of tumorigenesis. I am lucky enough to be applying to a program with a number of faculty members who do research in these areas, and this institution also offers a rotation program. I have found from past experience that the environment of the lab (in terms of whether people get along, how supportive the PI is of grad students, etc.) makes a big difference in terms of research productivity, and so I certainly intend to factor that in before deciding on a permanent lab placement. That is, if I am accepted to the program, of course. I'm ready to get started!

Hi! I know you are not in the same field as I am, but I believe Stony Brook is one of the later institutions to notify. I got an interview invite for the upcoming week, but that's in a science field. Good luck!

I would think that there are more professors who would get annoyed at a student attaching a whole bunch of stuff to an e-mail (i.e. transcripts, etc.), calling, etc. than there are profs who would enjoy this approach. Also, the "peaked" thing really bothered me for some reason....

I did this and got a reply with an interview invite -- so it's not always the worst thing .

Since I'm assuming there's no guarantee that you'll be able to switch, you would definitely need to consider whether you'd be happy with the advisor you've been assigned. I am guessing this relates to your other post, to which I just replied.

Based on my experience being in a grad program during a previous life (Ha! - about 10 years ago), I would say that the advisor is by far the most important factor. Think of it this way: If you were working with someone at Top School whose interests were only remotely related to yours, who was a total jerk and didn't provide you with the type of mentoring that you required, would you be happier there than if you were at Good School with an advisor who was a nice guy, knowledgeable, and working on something you really enjoyed? For me, I can't stand the idea of spending 4+ years in a lab with someone who doesn't acknowledge my existence or works on something that I find only marginally interesting. Of course, the school should be decent -- I wouldn't trade Top School for School Nobody Ever Heard Of -- but the advisor for me would definitely be the deciding factor. Also, keep in mind that, from what I've heard, only about 60% of PhD students finish. There are multiple reasons for this, I'm sure, but I am guessing that being miserable with one's advisor is on the list someplace.