biofreak

I'm sorry. It is for my cousin..he is using my log in information to get some help..I'm a PhD student in biological sciences..

I know it's kinda late..but I hope I will get some help from experienced folks out there. I did my undergrad from a small private college in mechanical and electrical engineering. Since my job hunt end up in a cloed alley, I decided to take GRE in the last minute and apply for masters program in mechanical engineering. My score was not great and my applications in most places were rejected. Now that I have to choose between Michigan Tech, University of New Orleans and Virginia Commonwealth University. I didn't find a lot of information on the last two while Michigan Tech sounds pretty promising since it is high in rankings. But the problem with it is it's rural and I will not be able to do any work for two years which would be pretty difficult for me since I'm international and it's hard to get loan. UNO and VCU, on the other hand, are in urban areas and I see the prospects of finding job while I am a student. Plus I don't know the job placement rate of any of these places after graduation. If anyone has any information or relevant websites of any of these places, please let me know. Thanks everyone in advance..

The decision deadline is almost here (APR 15). I haven't made any decision yet about where I want to go for my PhD. Washington University in St. Louis is really strong program on cell molecular biology- highly ranked. After visiting Sackler, I found that it's not bad either. I am accepted for neurosciences at NYU and Molecular cell biology program at DBBS. I have little research experience on both cell molecular biology and neuroscience and don't know yet what I want to pursue. City of New York is great and Sackler pays more stipend than DBBS. St. Louis is not a bad city either but I can't imagine myself being in the MidWest for 6 more years or maybe even after. However, I also don't want to lose great program of WashU. Anyone of you out there in the same boat too? What would do if you were in the same situation?

Hi, I had an interview last week. It went pretty good except the one with the first interviewer (it was my very first grad school interview and I was nervous and could not express my research well). However, the interviews with four other interviewers were pretty relaxing and comfortable since I came to know that interview was not that bad after all; you basically explain your research experience and listen to the interviewer's research. Unfortunately, the first person who interviewed me happened to be a admission committee member and the rest were my choice. I am now worried that my getting nervous with him will prevent me from getting into that grad school. I don't know how much weight the decisions of the admission committee member carries. Do you guys have any idea if the admission decision is made based only on admission committee member's interview? I haven't heard anything from them as of now and I am kind of worried if I screwed up big time. Please share your experience.

Hey AlexM51, Congratulations on your success!! Would you mind sharing an information on when you heard from Weill Cornell? I have not heard anything from them and don't know about their interview weekends for BCMB. Do you think I should give up hope now?

I am reading "On the Road" by Jack Kerauc- a superb read, "Satanic Verses" by Salman Rushdie, and Catch-22 by Joseph Heller- another classic. Just don't have enough time to read.....

Celebrate?? Will I? I am not sure.. I am sure I will be accepted in few places..but lately I am not looking forward to join a rigorous PhD program..but I have to since I don't have any other options as of now...I will mourn the official guaranteed exit from jovial undergraduate days:)

I don't have anyone that I can call dear.. so whatever is the outcome remains with me..

Thanks microman for sharing your insights.. So were you invited for any interview before being thrown out last year? What did you do during the gap year (work or research?) Care to share your experience? Thanks

I applied to 7 schools for the PhD program in cell molecular biology- WashU, Columbia, Cornell (Weill Cornell as well), Sloan Kettering, NYU and U Penn.. So far I have heard only from WashU and interview is next week.. What are the chances of being accepted after being invited for interviews.. and did anyone get any replies from other schools that I mentioned above? Don't you think it's time to hear from them? When should I give up hope? I was not very motivated on this grad school ordeal first and thus applied to few schools. Now I have started realizing that I should have applied to more schools and safe schools.. I really appreciate the responses from experienced folks out there. Thanks