[3 research experiences, but LOR from only 2 of them. Is this bad?]

Did you ask him/her if they would, and they said they can't, or are you just assuming? One of my LORs is coming from a prof who is on sabbatical, but he was still happy to write one. Since it's your only research (listed here anyway) in neuroscience, I think it would carry a lot of weight to have a good reference there.

 

edit: I didn't see your previous response when I wrote this. It sucks, but there's nothing you can do about it, so there's no use worrying about the impact of what you can't change.

 

Yeah. I was just trying to gauge whether I should expect it to be a detriment or not. My other LOR are very strong. 

[3 research experiences, but LOR from only 2 of them. Is this bad?]

Are you sure you cant get one from that PI? You worked for him/her for 2 years so it is pretty important that you have his/her letter.

My undergrad advisor was in sabbatical in Europe and he wrote me all kinds of letters. 

 

My PI is on an emergency family sabbatical and I cannot reach her. The department has directions to not give our her personal contact information and she is not responding to any contact I try through her university email.

[3 research experiences, but LOR from only 2 of them. Is this bad?]

Research Experience:

6 months in an ecology lab (undergrad, small school)

2 years in a neuroscience lab (undergrad, small school)

2 years in an entrepreneurship lab at Stanford (postgrad)

-----------------------------------

So, unfortunately due to personal family matters, my PI from my 2 years of neuroscience research is on sabbatical and wont be writing me a LOR. Do you think that will negatively impact my applications by not having a LOR from one of my research experiences? The other letters are strong, I know that. 2 research and one character, did well letter. 

 

I have letters from my 

PI that I worked with for 6 months (Also my academic advisor, very strong letter)

PI that I worked with for 2 years at Stanford

O-Chem prof and academic advisor who I knew well (this is unfortunately more of a "good person and did well in my class" type of letter. 

 

Should I worry that this will look like a red flag?

[Applying for Neuroscience/Neurobiology Ph.D. programs for Fall 2015]

Based on your research experience (most important), grades (somewhat important), and GRE scores (least important), you have a good chance of getting into anywhere you apply, as long as your research interests align well with the faculty there.

 

So, unfortunately due to personal family matters, my PI from my 2 years of neuroscience research is on sabbatical and wont be writing me a LOR. Do you think that will negatively impact my applications by not having a LOR from one of my research experiences? The other letters are strong, I know that. 2 research and one character, did well letter. 

 

I have letters from my 

PI that I worked with for 6 months (Also my academic advisor, very strong letter)

PI that I worked with for 2 years at Stanford

O-Chem prof and academic advisor who I knew well (this is unfortunately more of a "good person and did well in my class" type of letter. 

[Applying for Neuroscience/Neurobiology Ph.D. programs for Fall 2015]

Undergrad Institution: Liberal Arts University that isn't very well known nationally.

Major(s): Psychology & Animal Behaviour

Minor(s): Biology

GPA in Major: Not sure, we usually don't have that calculated.

Overall GPA: 3.52

Position in Class: I got inducted into Psi Chi last semester so at least top 35%

Type of Student: Female US citizen applying to mostly Canadian schools

GRE Scores (revised/old version):

Q: 161

V: 156

W: 3.0 (I really don't understand what happened here)

B: Not taking

Research Experience: Oh, boy. This one is always tricky because the university doesn't have "labs" that I can join.

I did an independent biology research project that lasted about 7 months. Preparing a manuscript (1st author out of three). Did two conference talks on this project (single author; one was a regional conference and the other was a university-wise conference)

Was an undergraduate research assistant for a probability learning project, but we only got preliminary results. We presented a poster at a state-wide conference (2nd author out of four).

Presented a poster at a Canadian national conference on a research course project (single author). This ended up being our research seminar for psychology project. Good results so far. I see myself being 1st or 2nd author on a manuscript.

Led my own small project at U of T last summer. I probably won't know until next semester if the results are publishable.

A research project in my behavioral ecology class might end up as a manuscript (1st author, maybe).

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Tri-Beta member, Psi Chi member, Dean's list, received a Tri-Beta research grant based on my proposal for my independent biology project

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Head rat caretaker at my university. Used to be a general biology lab assistant.

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: I can't think of anything else...

Special Bonus Points: The PI that I volunteered for this summer is my POI for my top choice school.

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: I had a poor first year due to adjustment problems. However, my grades shot up in second year and third year.

Applying to Where:

 

University of Toronto (top choice) - Psychology and Cells and Systems Biology (Collaborative program in Neuroscience)

 

University of Waterloo - Health Systems

 

University of British Columbia - Animal Welfare

 

I have an interesting list of schools, but I'm applying more for the lab than the program. My main research interest is behavioural epigenetics/maternal care and its implications in animal welfare.

 

You can calc your GPA in major on your own by using the grades your received in the required classes. Its interesting to know at least. 

 

As long as your 3.0 on the GRE writing doesn't eliminate your based on numbers screening, no one will care. Your SOP is much more indicative of writing that the GRE. 

[Applying for Neuroscience/Neurobiology Ph.D. programs for Fall 2015]

I know there is already a general biology thread for 2015, but it is a lot of cell and ecology applicants and us neuroscience people need a place to communicate. The general biology thread can be found here: 

 

Undergrad Institution: Small liberal arts school on the west coast - school < 2500 students

Major(s): BS - Biochemistry & BA - Biology
Minor(s): Mathematics
GPA in Major: Biochem - 3.65, Biology - 3.83, Math minor - 3.87
Overall GPA: 3.65
Position in Class: No class rank given, but top 25% for sure
Type of Student: Domestic male

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 164 - 88%
V: 161 - 87%
W: 5.5 - 98% 
B:

Research Experience:

6 months in an ecology lab (undergrad) - author on a poster presentation and grant proposals

2 years in neuroscience lab (undergrad) - Research proposal award (only 5 at my institution), poster presentation, we are preparing a manuscript but not submitted yet

2 years in an entrepreneurship lab (after graduating) at Stanford - Im interested in biotech, so it fit the theme 

 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions:

Awarded the highest academic honor my university grants - 5 total in the school across all disciplines. I was the only Math/Science person

Pertinent Activities or Jobs:

8 years of tutoring experience, including students with learning disabilities at my university and Stanford

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:

Varsity athlete for 2.5 years - I know I can suffer

 

Applying to Where:
UIC - Neuro

UIC - BioE

CU Denver - BioE

UMN - Neuro

Boston U - Comp Neuro

UW - Neuro

UMich - Neuro

UCSD - Cog Sci

Yale - Neuro

Dartmouth - Quant Biomed Sci

Cornell Tri-I - Comp Bio

Brown - Neuro

Brown-NIH - Neuro

 

Any thoughts or insights on my application and/or chances?

[2015 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results]

Shadowclaw - out of curiosity, are you finding these announcements on the ecolog listserv?  I subscribed for a while, but for me it was too much volume compared to my (relatively narrow) set of interests. 

 

I've submitted all my applications except one, which I'm on the fence about.  POI there does cool wildlife research in East Africa and encouraged me to apply, but said that she wasn't 100% certain she'll be taking new grad students this year since she's planning to retire in 4-6 years.  Plus they're the only school that requires a separate statement of purpose and personal statement...

 

If you dont apply, you wont know if she is taking any new students. The application cost and time needed to submit is negligible if you get to do something you really want to be doing. I would apply to the last program. If you get in and dont want it, all it takes is a NO THANK YOU. If you dont apply, you may be disappointed. 

[2015 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results]

So, I'm way late to this conversation, but I thought I would enter the mix anyway. My last letter of rec was submitted today! I am done applying and waiting for news. 

 

Any thoughts of insights on my application and/or chances?

 

Undergrad Institution: Small liberal arts school on the west coast - school < 2500 students
Major(s): BS - Biochemistry & BA - Biology
Minor(s): Mathematics
GPA in Major: Biochem - 3.65, Biology - 3.83, Math minor - 3.87
Overall GPA: 3.65
Position in Class: No class rank given, but top 25% for sure
Type of Student: Domestic male

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 164 - 88%
V: 161 - 87%
W: 5.5 - 98% 
B:

Research Experience: 

6 months in an ecology lab (undergrad) - author on a poster presentation and grant proposals

2 years in neuroscience lab (undergrad) - Research proposal award (only 5 at my institution), poster presentation, we are preparing a manuscript but not submitted yet

2 years in an entrepreneurship lab (after graduating) at Stanford - Im interested in biotech, so it fit the theme 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: 

Awarded the highest academic honor my university grants - 5 total in the school across all disciplines. I was the only Math/Science person

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 

8 years of tutoring experience, including students with learning disabilities at my university and Stanford

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:

Varsity athlete for 2.5 years - I know I can suffer

 

Applying to Where:
UIC - Neuro

UIC - BioE

CU Denver - BioE

UMN - Neuro

Boston U - Comp Neuro

UW - Neuro

UMich - Neuro

UCSD - Cog Sci

Yale - Neuro

Dartmouth - Quant Biomed Sci

Cornell Tri-I - Comp Bio

Brown - Neuro

Brown-NIH - Neuro