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tanaxurato

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    2015 Fall

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  1. Following suit, I suppose. I applied for computational biology and bioinformatics programs, as well as umbrella programs, straight from undergrad. But now I am unsure what my eventual mixture between comp. bio and experimental bio will be. This process has only decreased my certainty about what I want to study exactly (went in talking a lot about 'systems biology' with a more nebulous understanding than I should have). I am looking forward to beginning rotations and trying new things. I'll be doing an early rotation this summer before my program officially begins to get a head start on that. I am now considering neuroscience as a possible area of focus. I was unsure of which programs to apply for exactly. I decided early on that I liked living in NYC, where I am currently, and so applied for many programs there. I added to the list Stanford (specifically because of my summer fellowship there) and UC San Diego, on recommendation of my mentor. Undergrad Institution: Middle-of-the-road large state university Major(s): Biology B.A., bioinformatics specialization Minor(s): Computer science GPA in Major (undergrad): 3.95/ 4.0 Overall GPA: 3.97/4.0 Position in Class: Not sure, presumably high Type of Student: White domestic male GRE Scores (revised version): Q: 163 V: 168 W: 5.0 Research Experience: 2.5 years working with a home-institution comp. sci professor on computational biology projects, one summer National Cancer Institute fellowship at Stanford, presentations at home-institution undergraduate research conference, poster presentation at international bioinformatics conference (hosted at home institution). One review published (6th author, minor contributions), manuscript in preparation for 1st author work, another manuscript in preparation for summer fellowship work (will be 2nd author in Nature Protocols if it goes through). Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Honors college (full merit scholarship), nominated for Goldwater Scholarship by home institution (didn't win). I applied for the NSF GRFP at the same time as my grad school apps, and eventually got word of my Honorable Mention (but this obviously didn't play into my acceptances). --Results -- Rejections : Stanford (no interview) Columbia Integrated Biology C2B2 (after interview. Very annoyed to only receive word in April after a February interview) Interviews: Albert Einstein College of Medicine Weill Cornell BCMB and PBSB UC San Diego BISB (had to do interviews over the phone due to weather, never saw the campus or spoke with representatives in person. Definitely contributed to my decline of the eventual offer.) Columbia Integrated Biology C2B2 Rockefeller University Tri-I CBM training program (Cornell, Weill Cornell, MSKCC) Acceptances: Albert Einstein College of Medicine Weill Cornell BCMB and PBSB UC San Diego BISB Rockefeller University Wait Listed: Tri-I CBM training program (Cornell, Weill Cornell, MSKCC) Attending: Rockefeller University. Main factors in my decision: Location in NYC but still has a campus-feel, unlike Weill Cornell or Columbia medical school campus; flexibility of program in terms of course work and rotation schedules; great deal of attention, care, and opportunities provided to graduate students, and impressions of faculty as especially brilliant, interesting, and caring people who would serve as good mentors.
  2. I just sent my acceptance. I'll be starting some work there this summer to get used to the place and pick up some extra skills. I'm really looking forward to meeting the other members of my class!
  3. Yeah, that fellowship would have been really nice. The program I'm entering is very well funded though so I'm happy with an "honorable mention" though. Did you read your reviews? I got "excellent" in from all three reviewers for "intellectual merit", and one each of "excellent", "very good", and just "good" for broader impacts. I wonder what the general breakdown is for those who got the fellowship versus honorable mention versus neither.
  4. I had planned to study something in the range of bioinformatics/computational biology/systems biology. At this stage, my favorite offers are from UCSD (Bioinformatics & Systems Biology program), the Weill Cornell (PBSB, Systems Biology), and Rockefeller (umbrella program). To sum up: -I enjoyed my time at Weill Cornell and liked the research they do there generally. Location in NYC is a plus. -I really enjoyed my time at Rockefeller. The enclosed campus and location is appealing, the opportunities provided are exceptional, and the scientists I talked to were all brilliant. The only problem is that it doesn't seem like they focus on computational biology at all. So at this program I may have to compromise and focus more on experimental work, or work hard to find somewhere that I can fit in and do computational biology within a lab that focuses more on the experimental side. -I could not take my flight to San Diego due to weather and had to conduct interviews by phone! So I have only a very small sense of the program and environment overall. Moving to the west coast, and especially out of NYC would be a big change for me. Also, the stipend is about 30% smaller than at either of the NYC programs. But, the research and training seem stellar for computational biology and the beach is appealing. So, I am weighing my options. I plan to try to talk with additional faculty over this month before the decision is due, but I haven't made a move yet due to class work taking up most of my time.
  5. Thanks! Wow, getting to go to Cambridge sounds like an amazing opportunity, and that is no slouch of a second choice. Good luck with the scholarship interview!
  6. Yeah, I thought it was funny that they gave us all the stats. None of the other programs I've interviewed at bothered to include that information. I am still unsure about what my first preference is. Today I got admission to the Rockefeller University. Rockefeller's program sounds really, really good, and I loved talking to all the scientists I met there. However, the work they do is much more heavy on the experimental side, rather than the computational biology which I would prefer to pursue. If I get admitted to Columbia's computational biology and bioinformatics program as well it will be a really hard decision to make. I assume Columbia is your first choice? I hope you get it!
  7. I'm in the same situation, except that I interviewed at the second weekend. In addition, I believe they have an even smaller third weekend -- one of my friends interviewed for the Integrated Program around February 6. I felt that my interviews for this program were mixed in quality, but I really liked a lot of the research they were doing. Given that they only have ~50% acceptance rate after interview, I don't feel particularly strongly about my chances.
  8. I heard back in the affirmative from Weill Cornell PBSB today! Despite a *very* rough interview with one of the directors of my specialization of interest (out of only two faculty interviews, because this track was listed as an alternate choice, by my own mistake). I guess it didn't go as poorly as I thought.
  9. Which program was that for, if you don't mind me asking? I'm really looking forward to hearing back from PBSB.
  10. I just got an email indicating "unofficial acceptance" to BCMB. It says that official copies will be sent out next week. Good luck! I hope that means PBSB is also about to send out word.
  11. Yeah I did ( I actually only intended to apply to PBSB, but I think I made an error in my initial application, specifying both tracks instead of just the one ). It seems very cool, but I didn't get to speak to that many faculty. I'm going back next week as part of the Tri-I CBM though and the PBSB faculty probably overlap a lot with them. I also really want to hear decisions from Columbia Integrated Program in biomedicine, specifically C2B2 track. I'm not sure if all sub-programs release their decisions at once or what.
  12. I applied to computational / systems biology programs or umbrella biology programs with intent to study the former. I am finishing up my BA in biology with specialization in bioinformatics, along with a computer science minor. I go to a large state school and have done bioinformatics research there and at a summer fellowship program. I applied to seven programs, was rejected from my super-reach school ( I thought I had a good chance because I worked there for a summer, but oh well! ), and accepted to my safety school, and I'm waiting to interview with or hear back on a final decision from the other five. Good luck everyone! I wonder if I've met some of you already at interviews!
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