Chrissymisha

I'm in the same boat as you, so I can't really comment on the interview experience, but I also have migraines with aura (mostly extreme vertigo, but once I lost a large portion of my vision while I was alone on a bus). Thankfully mine are mostly hormone related, and being on the pill has helped reduce their frequency. If there is a risk of you losing consciousness, then I think it's more of a safety issue and you should definitely inform the people scheduling the interview just in case you're unable to communicate later what's going on (or have an emergency contact person who would know what is happening). I'm obviously not an MD, but are you on any medication for it? I take sumatriptan as soon as I feel a migraine starting. If you take something similar maybe taking a dose the morning of the interview date might help. They're not really preventative, but if you're already stressed the migraine may be starting then anyways. Again I would definitely talk about this with a doctor just so you have a plan.

Just submitted my first application! (I know; I'm very behind because of a family emergency) Sitting on the submit button for a few of them. It's terrifying to let these things go. I always feel like I could do more edits. Good luck to everyone else still trying to get done!

I think when they say "academic" recommendation they basically mean "not industry". If the post-doc works at an academic institution, then I would guess it would be okay. One question though...are you already getting a non-academic recommendation from someone else and that's why you need this one to count as an academic one? If not then I would suggest having both your previous professors and the post-doc write letters. That way you definitely have 2 academic, but also get the great letter from the post-doc, but maybe I'm reading your information wrong.

You're GPA is pretty good, but your verbal is a little low. I think it's kind of silly but I know one person who didn't get into the program at my university because her verbal was a little too low (she was 1st on the waitlist, but didn't get in). Unfortunately when it's this competitive even one little thing can make the difference especially for internationals. On my calculation you have about a year of research experience? It's an okay amount especially if you can stress what you've learned in your SOP and have strong LORs. With your interest in CMB, I would really focus on umbrella programs where you can move around different tracks and there are usually no departmental blocks for labs.

Numbers wise yes, but I also haven't ever applied for a job that I was in love with. It's always been a "well I have to make rent, might as well do something I like" situation. I can take that kind of rejection in stride, but grad school rejections feel more personal.

Uhh...this. I'm starting to wonder if I really want to open myself up to this level of rejection. I'm hoping once the first few applications come together that I'll gain some momentum, but right now I'm dreading it.

I assume by your profile you mean the one at Houston which I second. I'd also recommend the one at San Antonio. I know from PhD friends that they accept people with lower GPAs if the rest of the application makes up for it. It has gotten more competitive since then due to funding problems, but if you would eventually end up in cancer I think they have pretty decent funding right now. Internationals tend to be about 20-25% of the incoming class. Also the application is free, and you'd probably like it better than UTSA though there is significant collaboration between the two.

Okay so it's a little late, but I guess I'll join in. Really need help on whether or not I have too many "reach" schools. My interest is in Neurodegeneration specifically Parkinson's/ALS but because I come from heavily Cell/Molecular background I would be interested in getting any neuroscience training at all. I'm worried that never taking an actual neuroscience class is going to hurt me though, so any program where I can list a CMB specialization if I don't get accepted into the neuro program I will. Undergrad Institution: Small state school Major: Biology Minor: Chemistry GPA in major: 3.9 Overall GPA: 3.9 Position in Class: Top 1-5%? Graduated summa cum laude but I don't think my school does any sort of ranking. Graduate Institution: UT Health Science Center at San Antonio Degree: M.S. in Cell and Structural Biology (still attending/will finish in May) GPA: 4.0 Type of Student: Female, minority (Hispanic) GRE Scores Q: 162 (83%) V: 163 (92%) A: 5.5 (98%) B: 770 (78%) I took this stupid test too early and could probably due much better now, but I'm out of time. Should I only report this to schools that recommend this test? That way it won't hurt my chances at other schools that don't care as much. Research Experience: 1 year in undergrad doing basic molecular biology techniques: WB, cell culture, etc. Co-author on poster at institutional presentation. Will get a pretty good LOR though from PI. During summer in between undergrad and masters I worked as a research assistant in the same lab. By the time I finish my masters I will have an additional 3 years of experience again in a cell/molecular biology lab doing some more advanced techniques. 2 posters at departmental retreats. One LOR from my PI, additional ones from my committee members. All should be pretty good. Publications: one review as middle author published, one review as primary author accepted for publication Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Departmental scholarships in undergrad and graduate school. I also successfully applied for an NIH diversity supplement to my PI's R01 grant. I'm hoping this is helpful and shows that I can write successful grants and also that it is possible for me to get this again. Pertinent Jobs: Undergraduate Research Assistant, Graduate Research Assistant, Tutor at a Science Center and privately for molecular biology. Applying to: (not set in stone or in any order) Weill Cornell-neuroscience or Allied UPenn-neuro Baylor College of Medicine- Neuro or MCB UTSW UTHSCSA (this one is practically a guaranteed acceptance) Columbia- Neurobiology and Behavior Northwestern- DGP Georgetown University- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience UNC-Chapel Hill University of Virginia Emory Duke-neuroscience So any help on whether or not that list is too ambitious or not would be really appreciated. Since I was told I basically have a spot at my current institution if I want it, I don't think I need anymore safety schools, but I think I might not have enough "possible schools" and too many "reach" schools.