ilovelab

Some apps may ask for your class rank so that's one way you could let them know. I honestly don't know how much they will care about what undergrad you went to whether its a no name school in the US or India. Take a look at the class profiles for WUSTL/Vanderbildt/UW etc. Those are top programs yet the vast majority of the students didn't go to top ranked schools. Most schools don't use cutoffs.

It shouldn't be an issue for you. Some schools allow you to direct admit into a PI's lab. If you can't do that I would still apply to your home institution. Talk with the grad admissions for the program you want to join and explain to them that you would like to join your PI's lab. You most likely will have to rotate through other labs though. I know one grad student who had to do the whole process (apply/interview/get accepted/rotate through min 3 labs then join the PI's lab) because there was no direct admit. Since you wont automatically be accepted the adcom will still have to consider you, but they would be fools to say know considering your research track record and the fact that your PI will be paying for you. I suggest contacting the admissions coordinator for the program your interested in. If you don't mind staying at your current institution!

Is there a reason you don't want to direct admit into the lab you're currently working in? Your Phd would be easier if you stayed in your current lab. I don't think your school list is unattainable especially considering your research and publications. Your research and publications will be more impressive than anyone straight out of undergrad. Your GPA/GRE aren't that low. The only school that might reject you for low GPA/Gre is Rockefeller but they are weird with their decisions so who knows.

What do you want to study? What are your research interests?

How often are your studying? What practice material are you using?

If you're applying to the same schools again they will already have your previous application on file. There is no point wasting space in your SOP to talk about it since they already know you applied and were rejected.

Here's the link for the pre-application : http://biomedsci.ucsd.edu/apply/ Cornell takes a lot of international students each year. UTSW is an amazing school. Vanderbilt/WashU/Emory/Northwestern/MIT/Yale/etc. All good programs but I don't know about angiogenesis/apoptosis work. Take a look.

UCSD has a pre-application for international students that you have to fill out... so I would take a look at that and see when is the deadline. You've listed public schools which usually don't take a lot of international students. I would consider also looking at more private universities IF they fit your research interests.

Depends on how much clout your PI and how well the adcom knows the PI.

You may be in trouble if you have not taken the standard year of biology/chemistry/organic chem/genetics etc. Look up some programs that you would be interested in and see their admission requirements. Almost all of the programs will require lower division bio courses. If you haven't done any of those and the programs require it that's the first thing you need to do. The subject test won't compensate for not taking these courses.

Will it look bad if I have two letters of rec from the same research lab? My boss is the head of the department and is barely in lab so we essentially have another PI for the wet lab. Would it look odd if both of them wrote letters of rec? I already have 2 other letters of rec from labs I did research in (genetics lab and ecology lab). I wonder if the letter of rec from the ecology PI wouldn't hold as much weight since its from a different discipline?

Emailing potential PI's is a crapshoot. They either won't even see the email/ignore it/or tell you that they are down to talk with you during the interview. IF you hear no responses, don't worry.

Have you considered looking at OHSU? Their immunology department is smaller but its a great program.

DGP has more faculty than IBG, besides research topics that's the only big difference. They are both respected. One's through the university and the other is through NW's med school. Apply to the only that has more faculty you are interested in.

I would retake the exam if you have the time/money. The quant score is a little low. Usually schools use a combined Q+V score for cutoffs if they have them. Otherwise you have a great application. Good Luck!

What if you are at the school for 1-2 years for your post-doc? I don't see how you can claim legacy at that school. Most scientists have to do multiple post-docs (depending on their sub-field, its very common in neuroscience). You can't claim a legacy at multiple institutions where you would do a post-doc.

Undergrads in lab leaving the gas going on a bunsen burner. How on earth do you blow out the flame but LEAVE the gas on. Undergrads

Daredevil on netflix. Can't wait for season 2!!

I know they use cutoffs. There has always been the rumor that they won't interview people unless they are close to a 3.7GPA, but that could be complete crap. Don't send the admissions office your CV. Ask if they have GPA/GRE cutoffs and let them know what you scores are. Ask if they will review your application if you sent it in. I don't see why they wouldn't tell you the truth. They gain nothing by lying to you. Rockefeller doesn't need your 100.00 dollars or whatever the app fee is/if there is one. If you are interested in Virology: Emory, Scripps and Mayo Clinic have great virology programs. UCSD has great faculty who study HIV at the Salk.

If you have to take physics/calc take it at your local JC. Its going to be way cheaper than a full blow 4 year school. The adcom's not going to care where you took it. Plus maybe the JC has night classes where you can take it after work.

Do you have the time/$$ to retake the exam? If so then I would do it. IF not than its not the end of the world. You have a good amount of research experience. Are you applying to a program at KU or KUMC? The quality of programs is night and day. KUMC has the better program. NYU Sackler has a good micro program. Its a very competitive program but grades and GRE are not the most important thing for them. They care more about your SOP/LoR. I would personally look at large umbrella programs. They are going to be more forgiving with regards to your GPA than traditional Microbio programs. I would also look at places where the app is free. Vanderbildt doesn't charge an app fee if you submit the application early enough.

What do you want to study? Its hard to give you recommendations without an idea of what you want to study. The only unrealistic one in all honestly is Rockefeller. That school is notorious for having high GPA/GRE scores to weed out applicants. If you have the $$ and really like some of the PI's apply. I would love to be wrong, but Rockefeller uses cutoff's. I would email their admissions and see if you can get an answer out of them with regards to the cutoffs and see if your app will be read. They are usually honest about things like that.

What do you want to study in neuroscience? Neuroscience is a very broad field, we can't help with schools unless you narrow it down. Do you want to stay on the east coast?

No, your're not "mastering out". What the other poster means is getting a terminal masters degree and then applying to new programs. Essentially staring from scratch, but you have your masters from your previous institution. You would be "transferring" so you wouldn't get a degree form PENN. Also, double check as to whether you will have to do prelims/orals again. It depends on the program you are applying to. Some schools may have you re-take the prelims/orals.

Would you start as a 1st year again? That's the big question. Will they let you rotate again on the programs dime or are you going to have to find a lab as soon as your start?