notJustin

It really isn't that hard. I majored in neuroscience, so I was quite knowledgeable for the cellular biology and molecular biology sections, but had never seen most of the stuff in the biochemistry section. I bought a prep book (which had so many mistakes...), and read it twice during the summer. My test was towards the end of September and I did not have time to study at all during the month preceding it. I still showed up without high expectations knowing that I would only submit my score if it were good. I scored a 97th percentile...
 
It does not test so much your memorization, but more your reasoning skills. It still is a multiple choice test, but you don't need to cram in 100+ hours of memorization to succeed.
 
This is a guess, but I would expect most students applying to top 10 programs to have 85th percentile and over. Most applicants to those programs would not submit anything lower as it can only hurt. That is what I was advised to and what I heard. I, of course, submitted it everywhere, even to program who did not ask for it lol.
 
Also, although many programs recommend or strongly recommend, few people take it. According to ETS's data, a little over 5000 people took the Biochem and a bit more for the Biology test between July 2010 and July 2013. Thus, I would not worry too much if you don't submit it.
 
I hope that helps.

Honestly the Biochem subject GRE is perhaps the toughest of them all. A score like yours could easily help you in top programs. Usually programs are understanding if you struggled when first arriving at college, as long as you show progressive improvement and excelled in most of your science courses. Also high general GRE scores can help you usually offset a lower GPA. Best of luck.

I'm trying to decide between Princeton's Molecular Biology program and University of Chicago's Molecular Biosciences program. I really like both programs--the research at the University of Chicago fits my interests more closely, I hit it off with multiple faculty there, and Chicago is closer to where my family lives. I also think that I would enjoy living in the U Chicago area more than Princeton. However, I'm kind of scared of the "where fun goes to die" stereotype--some of the grad students told me that it doesn't really apply to the grad school as much as to undergrad, but I still don't want to be miserable somewhere for 5+ years!

I felt really at home at Princeton and out of all of the "prospective classes", I felt like I got along best with the other people that I met at Princeton. Princeton also had the opportunity for a teaching certificate, and I think that I may want to go into teaching, so that's a big plus. The faculty all seemed great there as well, but the research didn't fit my interests as closely, and there were fewer faculty choices.

I've talked to students from both programs in person and over e-mail, but everybody seems to have solely positive things to say about both schools...does anybody have any thoughts on either place?

Thanks!

I'm in the same boat...I was so excited by all of the interview offers I accepted all of them.  I am also feeling the heat now and it is a struggle to keep up with all of my classwork.    But everyone I have spoken to has also insisted that not attending would be extremely rude.  And people in the academic community have very good memory...so it could likely come back to bite you.

I'm likely canceling an interview as well, but I would have been driving so they haven't purchased a ticket. I agree that you shouldn't cancel if they have purchased you a ticket if you're able to. Even if it's unlikely you won't be attending the school, these academic communities are small so you don't want to burn any bridges

No travel plans yet for one, the other just booked my flight last Friday. I do feel kind of bad because the coordinator has been so nice and working hard to accommodate me. But consider there is another person out there who would attend the interview weekend in my place? Canceling now would give the program time to let another attend the weekend.

See, my research experience is weird.  I transferred around quite a bit, and am now and a well-respected state school (though not quite as high as somewhere like UNC Chapel Hill).   I have worked in 4 labs since January, and am still working in two.  My first lab resulted in me submitting a publication as the first of four authors, an independent project in another lab, and I took over the main project of a PhD student who left in another lab (I'm hoping to finish it and get it submitted the Journal of Virology before I graduate in the spring)...I have been doing good work, but everything good about my application has been so recent, so I'm doubtful a top-notch place will take me.

I have good GRE scores.  with 166 V, 164 Q, and 4.5 A.  I have good Biochem Subject Test scores....93% overall.  I think I am getting really good letters and have some pretty good research experience.   However, my overall GPA is a 3.2 .... my last 66 hours is a 3.7, with straight A's last semester.  What is a reasonable school to apply to for a PhD in Molecular Biology or the Biomedical Sciences? (I have already applied, I'm just trying to gauge what my chances may be).

I appreciate the honesty.  My last 70 hours are a 3.7 (80% of which are courses in my major); I got my stuff together....but my overall is still a 3.2.   I scored in the 93rd percentile on the Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology Subject test,  my Q + V GRE is a 330, but those first two years of college are still dragging me down.

I think 70% of people who interviewed at Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, etc were unpublished. And maybe 3-5% had first author papers. You're not really expected to have a paper at this point, from what I've seen.

Do you think a score above the 90th percentile could offset a low GPA (like a 3.2), for those top 10 programs?

What percentiles are good for the biology or biochem subject tests?
 
What do you think the average students accepted to top 10 programs score? - (for those of them who take the test)

The main problem is people getting drunk and making a fool of themselves. If you know you can handle your alcohol, getting a little drunk won't hurt your chances and may help you out with the grad students. However despite what you might think there are always a few recruits who do get drunk and act creepy/sleep with others/pass out or throw up everywhere/get racist and that will almost automatically ruin your chances.
 
But honestly, moderation is key with alcohol at interviews. It is offered a lot so be sure to curb your thirst.

Thank you so much for the advice!!!! 

At that point, it is all about fit. 

As someone who doesn't have a clue about your credentials or preparation I would say that it's not worth applying if you don't plan on improving them within the next year. Now if you want to truly go down the PhD path, then you can apply to a masters program in neuroscience (as for which ones - that is up to you doing the research). You can also apply to post bacc programs such as like the ones at the NIH or in industry in order to gain the necessary skills to succeed. A lab tech position is also useful if it is a similar setting to what you would like to get into. Taking a year or two to up your stats and really consider if this is the path you want to stay on shouldn't be a problem since you adamently seem to want to go into academia. Those are a few options but remember you only need one acceptance and the rest won't matter (if that one place is somewhere where you can see yourself living and researching for the next few years), but judging by your sig - you seem to have given up hope. Don't do that until you have confirmed rejections. And if that were to happen - it's not the end of the world. I know students who have gone through similar situations and are now loving their doctoral programs. 

Well, one thing I can say is that I see a lot of high prestige programs on your list of universities. Clearly they were not realistic aims based on your current credentials. Credentials which would be incredibly useful if we're to help you. Kind of hard to tell somebody how to proceed if we don't have things like your GPA, GRE, or work history.

Are you from Cambridge, Mass or Cambridge UK? If its the latter international admissions are much tougher than for domestic students. If you're not, then how were your GRE Scores and your SOP? The schools you applied to will most likely have GRE Cutoffs. They don't say it on the admissions page but if you're not above the cutoff then most likely your app isn't getting looked at. How was your SOP? If it wasn't very good, that could easily have been your KOD at these programs.

As an international student who will attend interview days at Harvard BBS & Stanford Biosciences, could you  guys give me some insights or comparisons about these two programs?      

That's the point of the interview.

I would agree with everything bsharpe mentions, and point out that schools can be very different in person than on paper. The interviews are just as much a chance for you to interview the program as it is the other way around. If you have not interviewed yet, I would recommend waiting till you do interview at both before worrying about choosing between the two.
 
If you have any specific questions about UNC feel free to ask here or PM me.

Have you visited already? It is hard (or impossible) to give advice like this really without knowing more info.
 
You need to consider questions like: Do both schools focus on your intended subfield? How many people are there who you would want to work with at each school? How well known are the people? Have their previous students gone onto jobs like what you want to do? How do the environments of each program compare to what you hope for? Are the stipends comparable?
 
I recommend listing out the answers to these questions as a starting place.

I'm torn between the two...does anybody know the pros & cons of these schools?
Molecular Biology at Princeton
Biological & Biomedical Sciences at UNC Chapel Hill
 
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! 

I'm torn between the two...does anybody know the pros & cons of these schools?
Molecular Biology at Princeton
Biological & Biomedical Sciences at UNC Chapel Hill
 
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! 

How much does your GPA or GRE scores matter after a school has invited you to interview for their program?  Is everyone more or less on an even playing field, or is there still a preference towards excepting people with better stats?