PeterPanComplex

True that. Issue #1 is definitely funding issues. Also, having a US undergrad degree sets you apart from other internationals when they are considering you... and living in the US and being able to interview in person is also an advantage (relative to other internationals). My recommendation though would be to make good use of your OPT year before applying and work in a research lab. If you are able to get your name in a publication before/while applying, do it! If you can go present an abstract at a research conference, do it! Find those resume boosters because they will matter A LOT for you as an international. I'm also a fellow international student who just applied for Fall 2015 and I think those qualifications set me apart within the international applicant pool. The other important thing would be to start making connections with PIs at institutions where you will be applying (research conferences are great for that), show them how awesome you are even before they are evaluating you! It pays off in the long run. Good luck! PS: I also had the same freakouts you did! PM me if you want to talk about it more or have additional questions!

Cliff Ragsdale also knows anything and everything about all topics neuroscience! So smart! And who doesn't want to play with octopuses?

It's only 2 weeks before the deadline. If I were you I would email right away! Good luck!

I don't know, I am not sure. They have not sent acceptances or rejections yet!

When I think about fit I also include things outside research fit. Mostly how I interact with the professor and current students more than other interviewees (for all I know they might end up attending other schools). I think about things like, could I find myself trying to work or collaborate with them? Would these people be good mentors? Are the professors concerned with the students' development as much as (or more than) producing data no matter what? etc etc etc... Hope this helps!

Hey, sorry but yeah UChicago's interviews ended a week ago Good luck with the rest!

Congratulations!! Out of curiosity, how much time passed between your interview and hearing back?? Thanks!

I am going there this week too! I am also nervous but excited and unfortunately I have no advice to give you though... See you then!

Geez that's great, congratulations on your acceptance! I'm headed to Univ of Michigan tomorrow, not Harvard, so unfortunately it seems like we won't be crossing paths... Thanks for the summary of how it went for you! I am expecting all of these questions but for some reason I am still super nervous... Hope that once I go through the first interview the rest will go better or more smoothly! PD: If anyone is interviewing for Univ of Michigan PiBS this weekend feel free to PM me.

Hi all! My first interview session starts tomorrow.. I am a bit of a train wreck! Anyone who has a recent interview, do you have any last minute advice? Or did anything unexpected happened to you in your last interview??

haha yeah, I think open house = interviews (it's the same schedule as interviews for others schools...) good luck with your applications though!

Maybe the invites were for Neurobiology and Behavior: http://neurosciencephd.columbia.edu/prospective-students/application-process "Applicants selected to visit Columbia will be invited to either of two open house events. Open house dates for 2015 are January 22-24 and February 5-7. Prospective students who are invited to attend an open house are encouraged to arrive in time to participate in an evening reception on January 22nd or February 5th. The next day, applicants typically have a full day of meetings with faculty, students, and program representatives, visits to student housing, and an evening event to familiarize students with the some of the many social and cultural offerings of New York City. Open house events are a critical part of the application process. They are designed to provide students with essential information and contacts that will allow successful transitions to graduate school at Columbia University and to life in the vibrant city of New York."

Congratulationss!!!!

Yuangyang I was under the impression that all schools have interview sessions. I am also under the impression that if someone is not invited to interview, then it's extremely unlikely they will get an acceptance from that school... I wish I was wrong though! If anyone thinks/knows differently, please let me know!!

Out of curiosity, did any international applicants get interview invites from Stanford??

I'm not sure what's going on there but I think their first interview session for is coming up! (I think it might be next week?). I would just call/email them and ask at this point. Especially if you are abroad and have to make specific travel arrangements!

Congratulations! Also, look at you getting interviews everywhere! You must be fr**** amazing! I was worried because at this point I assume that most, if not all invitations have been sent out by now. I did email 2 programs asking if they were done sending invites. Will update the forum if they are still sending them...

Thank you!!

Congrats on moving!! I don't really love NY, but I applied because the program seemed great and I have family nearby. Now every time I see an email on my inbox I think it's a rejection from them, lol. Do you mind me asking, was it a generic email? Thanks in advance!

Has anyone heard back from NYU Neural Science (or even applied to)? I saw in the Results page 1 invite to interview and 1 rejection. Nothing else.

lol. No, but that would have been awesome!

I took advantage of the holidays and made them baskets filled with things catered to them (i.e. chocolates if they like chocolates, gluten free things if them or their SO can't eat gluten, etc) and notes accompanied each item explaining why they had made it to the basket! I also included a card from SfN that had a neuron-inspired print by Greg Dunn (awesome artwork btw http://www.gregadunn.com/).. FYI, One of my recommenders definitely said "you didn't need to do that!". I also purposely gave them these thank you gifts before I had received any invites, because whether my applications were successful or not, they had put in the work and I was grateful for that...

One more results post for Stanford!

Someone shared this with me, and I thought I would share it with you all! it's an article on "how to pick a graduate advisor" http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0896627313009070/1-s2.0-S0896627313009070-main.pdf?_tid=c45e98e4-94ee-11e4-ac0e-00000aacb361&acdnat=1420471574_15bedfa0eccf3eefb7bc81cf1177ba5e

For those interested, it looks like Stanford started sending invites to interviews... There is someone who posted in the results page for Neuro. Congratulations whoever you are!