biochemgirl67
-
Posts
358 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
6
Posts posted by biochemgirl67
-
-
I posted this in the Biology thread but am looking for some final critiques. I've posted my Harvard statement below and will work the rest off of it. I appreciate any comments or suggestions and would be glad to do the same for anybody else! Just to note, it is definitely below all the word/page limits of all my schools.
I have not always wanted to be a scientist; as a child I sometimes dreamed of changing the world as an artist, a writer, or a doctor. However, as my scientific exposure increased and modern medical crises unfolded, I became interested in the research and study of the molecular basis of immune regulation during disease. As a result of my extensive academic and research experiences in molecular biology, microbiology, genetics, and stem cell biology, I am interested in the molecular signaling of the immune system in diseases such as cancer, pathogenic infection, and autoimmune disorders. Through graduate study, I will be able to learn deeply about the immune system and advance my passion for biomedical research. A doctoral degree in immunology at Harvard University will catalyze my career in biomedical research and expand my horizons through high-level training and exposure to current research efforts.
In order to explore science at a deeper level, I added minors in microbiology and genetics to my biochemistry curriculum. I also enrolled in graduate courses that focused on complex molecular topics and was able to familiarize myself with experimental practices and modern research efforts through critique of published literature. I also authored both an NIH proposal on T-cell receptor signaling during human T-cell lymphotrophic virus (HTLV-1) infection and a review on lymphopoiesis during human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection as part of the courses to develop skills necessary for graduate study. These academic projects have augmented my desire to continue participating in a high level scientific education through graduate school and have been enhanced by my research experiences.
At *** University, I joined the laboratory of Dr. J in January 2014. She and I generated a pilot project connecting past work on the histone JIL-1 tandem kinase loss-of-function mutations to an obesity phenotype in Drosophila melanogaster. I work independently and am responsible for designing and executing novel experimental set-ups for a mutant panel. Current results from the larval buoyancy assay, starvation assay, and a capillary feeder (CAFE) assay indicate that a severe loss of JIL-1 function leads to increased obesity, suggesting a role for chromatin organization in the disease state possibly through an altered metabolic profile and expression of cellular enzymes. The independent work, design of experiments, and connection to the biomedical problem of obesity bolsters my goal of the study of cellular regulation and signaling related to diseases.
During an NSF REU at the University of ***, I worked with Dr. W to connect diversity in the gut microbiome and resistance to malarial infection. I cultured Lactobacillus strains found in both resistant and susceptible mice and compared their 16S rRNA sequences to construct phylogenetic trees. I identified Lactobacillus rhamnosus as a potential candidate for future probiotic treatment of malarial infection. I also sequenced and phylogenetically characterized bacteria in a yogurt concoction made to inoculate gnotobiotic mice in future testing of resistivity. Both findings contributed to a manuscript currently under review at PNAS and resulted in my co-authorship of the report. My experience at the University of *** allowed me to become familiar with several genetic and microbial techniques as well as the scientific peer review process, further piquing my interest in a high-level research career.
I was named as a 2015 Amgen Scholar through Harvard University and worked with Dr. S at Boston Children’s Hospital researching the effect bone marrow niche cell TNF receptor signaling has on hematopoietic population recovery after chemotherapy. I received intensive training in flow cytometry techniques, genetic analysis, and preparation and staining of cellular samples. We treated TNF double knockout mice with a course of busulfan and cyclophosphamide nonmyeloablative chemotherapy for leukemia and analyzed the bone marrow and peripheral blood over time to quantify hematopoietic population numbers. Although the results indicated that the TNF receptors on bone marrow niche cells did not play a role in the recovery of niche cell populations, I was able to combine subject matter from my graduate level immunology and molecular signaling courses to use the published literature to hypothesize a role for niche TNF receptor signaling in myelopoiesis and design future stem cell localization experiments. This research cemented my long-standing interest in the contribution of the immune system and its signaling to diseases such as cancer, infections, and autoimmune disorders as a concrete direction for my future study.
My mentors and their research have motivated me to become a principal investigator of immunological disease regulation. My goal is to pursue a career path in scientific research that allows me to design experiments and projects investigating the molecular mechanisms and consequences of immune cell regulation through signaling. I am most interested in a position at an institution that focuses the role of the immune system grievous diseases such as cancer, microbial infection, and autoimmune disorders in order to participate in the next frontier of disease research focused on the dynamics of molecular regulation and signaling.
Graduate school will facilitate the necessary training for a career in scientific research. My summer at Harvard University has shown me that the Immunology Program is an ideal program for me due to the opportunity to research at the associated medical institutions at both the Longwood Medical Area and Massachusetts General Hospital campuses on major research topics that align with my interest in immune regulation and signaling. The laboratory of Marjorie Oettinger particularly exemplifies my choice due to her focus on immune system organization through V(D)J recombination molecular regulation shown in her recent publication on the significance of mutations in recombination Rag enzymes in Omenn Syndrome immunodeficiency. Dr. Oettinger is one of several faculty members with research applicable to my interests and career goals. By earning my doctorate through the Immunology Program at Harvard University, I will be able to build on the foundation of my academic and research experiences to achieve my goal of spearheading future research of grievous diseases.
-
Keep in mind my corrections are only suggestions. For clarification on the whats and whys, ask away.
So in the first paragraph, I've been trying to say that I am interested in disease research of the immune regulation/signaling because I feel that it is the next frontier in biomedical research. I'm definitely not into epidemiology and am not sure I want to make sweeping statements about my creativity. I want to make a statement without being too cute. GRRRR
But I really really like the other edits. Thank you!
-
Okay, I updated it and would appreciate any further input! It is within the length necessary for all my applications.
I tried to tighten it up. Also, I would be 100% happy to trade edit for edit on your SOPs!I have not always wanted to be a scientist; as a child I sometimes dreamed of changing the world by being an artist, a writer, or a doctor. However, as my scientific exposure increased and modern medical crises unfolded, I became interested in disease research. Not only would my investigations have the potential to impact many lives, but I would also be able to spend my career teasing out the complexities of regulation at a molecular level. Completion of a doctoral degree in immunology at Harvard University will catalyze a career in biomedical research and will expand my horizons by significantly adding to my repertoire through high-level training and exposure to current research efforts.
In order to experience scientific topics at a deeper level, I added minors in microbiology and genetics to my biochemistry curriculum. I also enrolled in a significant number of graduate courses that increased my interest in the organization of the immune system in relation to disease. I became intimately familiar with experimental practices and modern research efforts through intense study of published literature and drafting both an NIH proposal on T cell receptor signaling during HTLV-1 infection and a review on lymphopoiesis during HIV-1 infection. These past academic projects have cultivated my desire to continue participating in a high level scientific education through graduate school and have been complemented by my research experiences.
At *** University, I joined the laboratory of Dr. J in January 2014. She and I generated a pilot project connecting past work on the JIL-1 tandem kinase loss-of-function mutations consequences to an obesity phenotype in Drosophila melanogaster. I work independently and am responsible for engineering, troubleshooting, and performing novel experimental set ups for the JIL-1 mutant panel. Current results from the larval buoyancy assay, starvation assays, and a capillary feeder (CAFE) assay indicate that a severe loss-of-function mutation in JIL-1 leads to increased obesity, suggesting a role for chromatin organization in the disease state. The independent work, design of experiments, and connection to biomedical problem of the genetic basis and control of obesity bolsters my current goals of both the study of cellular regulation and signaling and contributing to the larger scientific conversation through graduate study.
I participated in the NSF REU program in microbiology at the University of ***, working with Dr. W on the connection between diversity in the gut microbiome and resistance to malarial infection. I cultured Lactobacillus strains found in both resistant and susceptible mice and compared their 16S rRNA sequences to construct phylogenetic trees. I was in identifying Lactobacillus rhamnosus as a potential candidate for future probiotic treatment of malarial infection. I also sequenced and phylogenetically characterized bacteria in a yogurt concoction made to inoculate gnotobiotic mice in future testing of resistivity. My experience at the University of *** allowed me to become proficient in several genetic and microbial techniques as well as use published literature to explain results, further piquing my interest in a high-level research career.
I was named as a 2015 Amgen Scholar through Harvard University and worked with Dr. S at Boston Children's Hospital researching the effect bone marrow niche cell TNF receptor signaling has on hematopoietic population recovery after chemotherapy in mice. I received intensive training in flow cytometry techniques, genetic analysis, and preparation and staining of cellular samples. We treated TNF double knockout mice with a weight-optimized course of busulfan and cyclophosphamide to mimic nonmyeloablative chemotherapy for leukemia and analyzed the bone marrow and peripheral blood over a time period for hematopoietic population numbers. Although the results indicated that the TNF receptors on bone marrow niche cells did not play a role in the recovery of niche cell populations, I was able to combine subject matter from my graduate level immunology and molecular signaling courses to thoroughly scour the published literature and generate new directions for future study such as hematopoietic stem cell localization experiments and characterization of the role of niche TNF receptor signaling in myelopoiesis. This research cemented my long-standing interest in the contribution of the immune system and its signaling to diseases such as cancer, infections, and autoimmune disorders as a concrete direction for my future study.
My mentors and their research have motivated me to become a principal investigator of disease research in immunology. My goal is to pursue a career path in scientific research that allows me to design experiments and projects to seek answers about the molecular mechanisms and consequences of immune cell regulation through signaling. I am most interested in a position at an institution that focuses on the research of grievous disease including cancer, microbial infection, and autoimmune disorders in order to participate in the next frontier of disease research focused on the immune system as a dynamic organ.
Graduate school will allow me to achieve my career and research goals by fostering my critical thinking abilities, scientific creativity, and immunological technique repertoire for scientific investigation. My summer at Harvard University convinced me that the Immunology Program is an ideal program for me due to the opportunity to research at the associated medical institutions on both the Longwood Medical Area and Massachusetts General Hospital campuses with major research topics that align with my interest in immune regulation and signaling. The laboratory of Marjorie Oettinger particularly exemplifies my choice due to her focus on immune system organization through V(D)J recombination molecular regulation. Although she is only one of many faculty with whom I am excited to work, she is a stellar example of an innovator directly involved in important disease research of the immune system. By earning my doctorate in immunology at Harvard University through the Immunology Program, I will be able to build on the foundation of my undergraduate academic and research experiences to achieve my goals of spearheading future research into grievous diseases such as cancer and infection.
-
You have a higher GPA than me, so my profile is below. I don't think you're aiming too high if you aren't attached to any one school. If you really REALLY want to go to one (and it's a "dream" school) you might be disappointed. But I 100% think you are competitive for these schools. OH and were are interested in the same type of research it seems like... so you can look at my profile and compare.
Undergrad Institution: Iowa State University
Major(s): Biochemistry
Minor(s): Microbiology; Genetics
GPA in Major: 3.86
Overall GPA: 3.74
Position in Class: Unknown (top 25%???)
Type of Student: Domestic, white female
GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 162
V: 165
W: 5.0
B: Not going to take due to graduate coursework
Research Experience:Iowa State University: January 2014 - present, fruit fly obesity related to heterochromatin organization; I am responsible for the project as if I were a grad student (pilot project for the lab), poster, 5 oral presentations
NSF REU in Microbiology: Summer 2014; Lactobacillus diversity in murine gut microbiome effect on resistance to malaria; 1 poster, 1 presentation; 1 publication under review
Harvard Amgen Program: Summer 2015; Effects of TNF-alpha signaling in hematopoietic niche in bone marrow in the context of chemotherapy/adhesive and migratory behaviors of HSPCs after inflammatory stimulation; 1 poster, 1 oral presentation
Awards/Honors/Recognitions:
National Merit Scholar
NSF REU Fellow
Amgen Scholar
Linder Fellow (research fellowship at my school)
Department of Biochemistry Scholar
Weber Family Scholarship
Marian LeFevre Scholarship
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Scholarship
University Honors Member
Univesity Dean's List (2012-present)
Pertinent Activities or Jobs:Biochemistry Undergraduate Club
Stupka Symposium Committee (Planning our undergraduate research symposium at ISU)
Academic tutor
Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:
Special Bonus Points:Female
Recommender from Harvard is a famous pioneer in the HSC niche/immunology, REU recommender is a top researcher in microbial ecology, home recommender is national authority on JIL-1 kinase
Connections due to Amgen Scholar status
Graduate Classes:
- Comprehensive Biochemistry I
- Comprehensive Biochemistry II
- Virology
- Molecular Signaling
- Molecular Genetics
- Immunology
- Advanced Developmental Biology
- Pathogenic Organisms
- Bacterial Molecular Genetics
- Microbial Physiology and Phylogenetics
Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: ???
Applying to Where:Harvard University (Immunology)
Rockefeller University (David Rockefeller Graduate Program)
Princeton University (Molecular Biology)
Stanford University (Immunology track of Biosciences)
UCSF (BMS)
University of Washington (Immunology)
Vanderbilt University (IGP)
University of Tennessee (Microbiology)
-
Also... is it really necessary to have an introduction and conclusion paragraph? I want it to be cohesive but also want the space to explain my experiences.
-
Thank you for the input so far! It really helps me focus my writing and cut unnecessary parts. I just want to get this thing over and submitted
-
I am posting my personal statement draft for my top choice, Harvard. I am having some serious issues knowing if it is compelling enough or too dry or not persuasive. I would really REALLY appreciate any feedback on it. It's a 3 pager, just for reference.
I haven’t always wanted to be a scientist; during my childhood, I sometimes dreamed of becoming a doctor, a writer, or an artist. I felt these professions could change the world. As I matured, I became more aware of the acute and chronic medical crises on a global scale and more specifically the lag in scientific innovation in treating grievous diseases. The continued plague of cancer, increasing chronic viral infections, and most recently the Ebola epidemic have demonstrated the need for scientists on the frontier of research and together with my academic and research experiences cemented my goal to position myself as a leader of disease research. I am excited to participate in cutting edge biomedical research and have worked to accumulate academic and research experiences during my undergraduate career geared towards allowing me to study the immune system’s role in disease. Together, my experiences have whittled my goals to become a principal investigator capable of changing our understanding of disease and have spurred and cultivated my overall desire to pursue scientific study at a higher level in graduate school.
My academic record shows sustained and exceptional achievement concomitant with intense research work, proving that I will be successful at a graduate level. In order to distinguish myself beyond a basic curriculum, I chose to add minors in microbiology and genetics as well as pursue rigorous graduate courses in preparation for a doctoral program. These graduate classes included biochemistry, molecular genetics, immunology, virology, and molecular signaling and increased my interest in the organization of the immune system in relation to disease. I was encouraged to expand my skill set beyond that of a typical undergraduate, becoming intimately familiar with experimental practices and modern research efforts through intense study of published literature and drafting both an NIH proposal on the dynamic relationship between T cell receptor signaling and HTLV-1 infection and a review on the relationship between HIV-1 infection and T cell biology and lymphopoiesis. My demonstrated academic success will undoubtedly continue into my graduate study and has deepened and focused my interest in the immune system and its signaling.
At ***, I joined the laboratory of Dr. *** in January 2014. She and I generated a pilot project connecting past work on the JIL-1 tandem kinase loss-of-function mutations consequences to an obesity phenotype in Drosophila melanogaster. I became the lead investigator on the project, responsible for engineering and troubleshooting novel experimental set ups for the JIL-1 mutant panel, including a larval buoyancy assay, starvation assays, and a capillary feeder (CAFE) assay as well as dissection and analysis of larval fat bodies. The independent work, design of experiments, and connection to biomedical problem of the genetic basis and control of obesity bolsters my current goals of both the study of cellular regulation and signaling and contributing to the larger scientific conversation through graduate study.
I participated in the NSF REU program in microbiology at the University of *** in the laboratory of Dr. ***, working on the connection between diversity in the gut microbiome and resistance to malarial infection. I cultured Lactobacillus strains found in both resistant and susceptible mice and compared their 16S rRNA sequences to construct phylogenetic trees to determine candidates for probiotic therapy. I also sequenced and phylogenetically compared bacteria in a yogurt concoction made to inoculate gnotobiotic mice in future testing of resistivity. My experience at the University of *** allowed me to become proficient in several genetic and microbial techniques as well as use published literature to explain results, further piquing my interest in a high-level research career.
I was named as a 2015 Amgen Scholar through Harvard University and worked in the laboratory of Dr. *** at *** researching the effect bone marrow niche cell TNF receptor signaling has on hematopoietic population recovery after chemotherapy in mice. I received intensive training in flow cytometry techniques, genetic analysis, and preparation and staining of cellular samples and was able to combine subject matter from my graduate level immunology and molecular signaling courses to thoroughly scour the published literature in order to interpret my results and generate new directions for future study. This research cemented my long-standing interest in the contribution of the immune system and its signaling to diseases such as cancer, infections, and autoimmune disorders as a concrete direction for my future study.
My mentors and their research have motivated me to become a principal investigator of disease research in immunology. My goal is to pursue a career path in scientific research that allows me to design experiments and projects to seek answers about the molecular mechanisms and consequences of immune cell regulation through signaling. I am most interested in a position at an institution that focuses on the research of grievous disease including cancer, microbial infection, and autoimmune disorders in order to participate in the next frontier of disease research focused on the immune system as a dynamic organ.
My research interests span several classical disciplines, including microbiology, genetics, virology, and stem cell biology and converge upon the study of human disease and disorder through immune regulation, organization, and signaling. Graduate school will allow me to achieve my career and research goals by fostering my critical thinking abilities, scientific creativity, and immunological technique repertoire in order to efficiently investigate problems. My summer at Harvard University convinced me that the Immunology Program is an ideal place to grow and develop into an accomplished scientist capable of generating important research questions. The Immunology Program boasts a robust faculty and research community in Cambridge and Longwood Medical Area in conjunction with major research topics that align with my interests including immune regulation, T cell biology, immune response to infection, and autoimmunity. The laboratories of Marjorie Oettinger and Roberto Chiarle particularly exemplify my choice due to their focus on immune system organization and regulation in connection to disease. They both apply non-traditional techniques to study immune regulation in the role of T cell development in resistance to infection to V(D)J recombination molecular regulation to the biochemical and genetic basis of lymphoma progression, respectively. Although they are only a fraction of the faculty with whom I am excited to work, they are stellar examples of leaders and innovators directly involved in important disease research of the immune system and represent faculty that define Harvard University’s Immunology Program as my top choice doctoral program.
On the basis of my academic achievement, extensive research experiences, and career goals, I intend to pursue a doctorate that combines important research and an exceptional environment. My previous experiences have cultivated a deep seated interest in immune regulation, organization, and signaling that applies to diseases such as pathogenic infection, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. The sustained success in research and academics I have demonstrated ensures continued success at a graduate level and underlies my overall desire to become a scientist spearheading new research frontiers. Harvard University’s Immunology Program is an ideal place to expand my education through its unbeatable community of researchers and intense focus on topics that capture my imagination and have the power to change lives. I was not always intent on being a scientist, but my experiences and passion for science will propel me into a meaningful career focused on the pursuit of answers.
-
If anyone has a chance to look over my profile on the first page and critique it (especially on stats), I'd greatly appreciate it <3
I think that if you've taken Calc I/II and Calc III/Diff EQ possibly with quantum mechanics/thermo (Physical chemistry), no one will look twice at your quantitative score. You're not applying for computational, chemistry, or engineering programs, so I don't think they will care. Although I completely understand the freak out, because I recently took the GRE and totally did not get above 90th percentile in quantitative (but killed the verbal) and proceeded to wonder if I should retake. I was looking at the dates on your profile; did you take a gap year or an extra year to finish school? If so, did you do anything in that time that underlined your desire for grad school? (SoP material if you did.) I wouldn't include the class-based research unless it shaped your thinking and then only if you did anything related afterward. I would, however, highlight your graduate coursework. I personally have taken 10 grad courses while in undergrad and each one of them shaped my thinking and scientific brain. It's something that made me sure I was ready for graduate school and it's what I wanted... if it's the same for you, tell them in your SoP.
I would say that your school list is long. Almost too long, simply because are you really going to write that many personal statements, making each one tailored in some way to that program? Could you cut it down to 8? You'll get in to at least one. But I would say that make sure you want to go to every school on that list. When you apply to the top schools, sometimes it's just luck and you don't want to get yourself stuck. The only reason I say that is because the locations/feels of all these schools are incredibly different. That's important, because you've got to live there for 4-6 years!
All in all, you're in good shape. Really, incredibly good shape.
If anyone has critiques over my profile (1st page), please feel free to share! I welcome any and all criticisms, especially since this application process is nerve wracking.
-
Personally, especially considering your V and Q scores, I don't think your AW score will matter unless you get something like a 1. It is seriously the absolutely least important part of your application and the rest of what you have looks great.
I also don't think there's any need for you to take a subject test. That's more useful for international students or if you have a deficiency such as a non-science major. Or, naturally, if a program that interests you explicitly requires it.
Instead, work on writing an awesome SOP for where you're interested in attending. It will be a better use of time.
@ biochemgirl67 - your GRE score is fine. There is no need to retake the general GRE or take the subject test (unless of course you got the money to burn or want the challenge). I would say focus on your SoP and save that money for the applications.
Thank you so much for your input! I don't want to take the GRE again and wasn't planning to unless people on here said in a unanimous way that the schools to which I'm applying require a higher score profile. And I certainly don't want to take the subject exam! (Too much work
)I really appreciate the responses!
-
I just took the GRE earlier today and was wondering if I could get some feedback on whether or not I should retake it. Especially in the context of my entire application. Also, what score on the AW part would be bad enough to retake the entire test? This was the first time that I've taken the GRE and really don't want to go through it again, so I will if it would make my application better for the schools to which I'm applying.
I posted before on this thread so this is an updated profile! Thank you so much for any help or advice!!!
Undergrad Institution: Iowa State University
Major(s): Biochemistry
Minor(s): Microbiology; Genetics
GPA in Major: 3.91
Overall GPA: 3.74
Position in Class: Unknown (top 25%???)
Type of Student: Domestic, white female
GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 162
V: 165
W: Unknown
B: Not going to take due to graduate coursework (Unless I should take the biochem one???)
Research Experience:Iowa State University: January 2014 - present, fruit fly obesity related to heterochromatin organization; I am responsible for the project as if I were a grad student (pilot project for the lab), poster, 5 oral presentations
NSF REU in Microbiology: Summer 2014; Lactobacillus diversity in murine gut microbiome effect on resistance to malaria; 1 poster, 1 presentation; 1 publication under review
Harvard Amgen Program: Summer 2015; Effects of TNF-alpha signaling in hematopoietic niche in bone marrow in the context of chemotherapy/adhesive and migratory behaviors of HSPCs after inflammatory stimulation; 1 poster, 1 oral presentation
Awards/Honors/Recognitions:
National Merit Scholar
NSF REU Fellow
Amgen Scholar
Linder Fellow (research fellowship at my school)
Department of Biochemistry Scholar
Weber Family Scholarship
Marian LeFevre Scholarship
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Scholarship
University Honors Member
Univesity Dean's List (2012-present)
Pertinent Activities or Jobs:Biochemistry Undergraduate Club
Stupka Symposium Committee (Planning our undergraduate research symposium at ISU)
Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:
Special Bonus Points:Female
Recommender from Harvard is a famous pioneer in the HSC niche/immunology, REU recommender is a top researcher in microbial ecology, home recommender is national authority on JIL-1 kinase
Connections due to Amgen Scholar status
Graduate Classes:
- Comprehensive Biochemistry I
- Comprehensive Biochemistry II
- Virology
- Molecular Signaling
- Molecular Genetics
- Immunology
- Advanced Developmental Biology
- Pathogenic Organisms
- Bacterial Molecular Genetics
- Microbial Physiology and Phylogenetics
Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: ???
Applying to Where:Harvard University (Immunology)
Rockefeller University (David Rockefeller Graduate Program)
Princeton University (Molecular Biology)
Stanford University (Immunology track of Biosciences)
UCSF (Tetrad)
University of Washington (Immunology)
Vanderbilt University (IGP)
University of Tennessee (Microbiology)
-
Predoctoral means prior-to-getting-your-doctorate, so predoctoral fellowships are for current graduate students. (Unless this is one of those weird English things where Americans and Canadians and the UK all have separate meanings
)Oh it's hard to even know... the American government websites are AWFUL. They don't work, are full of broken links, and way too confusing.
I mean, I don't know what I expected.
-
The F31 is a very different fellowship than the NSF GRFP. If you are not currently a graduate student in a lab you shouldn't be applying yet for an F31, you need an advisor and preliminary data to prove your proposed project is feasible, and preferentially be completely finished with all your classes by the start of the fellowship. Typically grad students don't apply till they are in their 2nd year or later when they have enough data (at least in my program).
Thank you so much. It somehow popped up when I typed "predoctoral fellowships" into the NIH. I'll blame their bad website. And I couldn't find anybody who had applied for one, so thank you so so much!
-
Hi guys,
I am looking into applying for a predoctoral fellowship this fall and was trying to figure out the NIH F31 grant. I know the NSF predoctoral fellowship does not actually require you pursue the project you propose. Is this the same with the NIH F31? I looked on their awful website and couldn't find anything other than a large list of instructions that don't even apply. Any insight into the F31 at all would be helpful. thanks!
-
Your GPA is a little low for an international applicant and definitely low for top tier schools (Harvard, Stanford, etc). But with strong recommendations and a good score on the subject GRE, you'll be fine. I think that you SHOULD take the subject GRE in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology to compensate for your GPA. You'll just have to study like crazy! But if you apply to a large number of schools and don't limit yourself on the basis of prestige, maybe you wouldn't have to take it. I would also consider looking outside of MA and TX. International students can have a hard time getting funding, so you'll want to increase your chances.
-
Has anyone applied or interviewed at Rockefeller???
-
Thank you for your advice! I really appreciate it. Living in the Midwest has somehow cut me off in some ways from knowing about things like Rockefeller.
-
Undergrad Institution: Iowa State University
Major(s): Biochemistry
Minor(s): Microbiology; Genetics
GPA in Major: 3.91
Overall GPA: 3.74
Position in Class: Unknown (top 25%???)
Type of Student: Domestic, white female
GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: Practice exam --> 95%
V: Practice exam --> 97%
W: Unknown
B: Not going to take due to graduate coursework
Research Experience:Iowa State University: January 2014 - present, fruit fly obesity related to heterochromatin organization; I am responsible for the project as if I were a grad student (pilot project for the lab), poster, 5 oral presentations
NSF REU in Microbiology: Summer 2014; Lactobacillus diversity in murine gut microbiome effect on resistance to malaria; 1 poster, 1 presentation; 1 publication under review
Harvard Amgen Program: Summer 2015; Effects of TNF-alpha signaling in hematopoietic niche in bone marrow in the context of chemotherapy/adhesive and migratory behaviors of HSPCs after inflammatory stimulation; 1 poster, 1 oral presentation
Awards/Honors/Recognitions:
National Merit Scholar
NSF REU Fellow
Amgen Scholar
Linder Fellow (research fellowship at my school)
Department of Biochemistry Scholar
Weber Family Scholarship
Marian LeFevre Scholarship
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Scholarship
University Honors Member
Univesity Dean's List (2012-present)
Pertinent Activities or Jobs:Biochemistry Undergraduate Club
Stupka Symposium Committee (Planning our undergraduate research symposium at ISU)
Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:
Special Bonus Points:Female
Recommender from Harvard is a famous pioneer in the HSC niche/immunology, REU recommender is a top researcher in microbial ecology, home recommender is national authority on JIL-1 kinase
Connections due to Amgen Scholar status
Graduate Classes:
- Comprehensive Biochemistry I
- Comprehensive Biochemistry II
- Virology
- Molecular Signaling
- Molecular Genetics
- Immunology
- Advanced Developmental Biology
- Pathogenic Organisms
- Bacterial Molecular Genetics
- Microbial Physiology and Phylogenetics
Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: ???
Applying to Where:Harvard University (Immunology)
Rockefeller University (David Rockefeller Graduate Program)
Princeton University (Molecular Biology)
Stanford University (Immunology track of Biosciences)
UCSF (Tetrad)
University of Washington (Immunology)
Vanderbilt University (IGP)
University of Tennessee (Microbiology)
-
I've been asking this question all summer! (I'm at Harvard Amgen program.) Every single person at the Amgen conference (Caltech, Stanford, Washu, UCB, UCLA, Harvard, MIT, NIH, UCSF, and Columbia --> I talked with EVERY school just to be sure) and Harvard said the same thing. They aren't necessary and don't usually do anything for you unless you have a bad GPA or limited coursework. (I have a lot of grad classes, so they all said that I wouldn't have to take it.) BUT then they said if you DID take it and did poorly, it would be detrimental to your application. In the words of every person, "It would be really really bad." Maybe the schools will throw out the score if it's over 6 months between them receiving it and your application?
I don't want to say you've ruined your chances because I don't know. But it definitely will be a stain on your app if you can't remove it. UGH. I feel so bad. I'm sorry.
-
Why don't you just punch me in the face while you're at it? Haha.
They're projecting opinions that aren't true, personal experience. And 90% (okay I made that up, but I bet it's close) of everyone else I talked to at these interviews didn't go to prestigious universities, and they got interviews at many of the places you mentioned.
Yale was just not for me. Everybody else in our group was all aflutter about how amazing it was, and it was pretty cool, but I couldn't see myself there. Although the Cushing Center was amazing. (we told them we were Harvard students there for a visit and could we please see the brain and tumor registry
) And I bought an obligatory Yale sweater Oh thank goodness. Sometimes I would get the distinct impression they were a bit bitter but still... when it comes time to actually apply your brain can play fear games with you.
I did some digging on this site and someone said you had to have above a 3.8 to get an interview at Rockefeller. Or that they didn't know anyone who hadn't had that get one there. Is this true? My cumulative is 3.74 but my major GPA (and minors) is a 3.91 (biochem, micro, and genetics but includes basically all my other science classes too). Does anyone know anything at all about this dang school?
EDIT: The only reason I'm concerned is that other institutions have said/implied that as long as you have stellar grades, your research/research passion is what matters. And boy, do I have passion. 1 AM coming home from a night in the lab 5 days a week to get data to drive my pilot project forward in the middle of February in the Midwest (read: -40 degrees Fahrenheit) type passion. I just don't want to bother applying if a couple of GPA points is going to immediately disqualify me.
-
On 7/21/2015 at 9:21 AM, Chimeric Phoenix said:
Some PIs can get very prickly about not applying to their school. I wouldn't necessarily say you shouldn't apply to a safety school or just apply to appease that PI. However, you don't have to accept the interview and if you get interviews at any of those other schools you should probably decline. Nobody is looking for 5 publications. I interviewed at UDub Immunology a few years back, and most people had 0 publications. I also know people with interviews at Stanford, Princeton, Harvard, and UCSF. Most of them had stats similar to yours.
TL;DR keep the safety school, but decline the interview if you have a bunch of others from schools you like. If you don't have an acceptance offer before UofT interview weekend, it's not rude to still attend and just decline UofT acceptance later. These schools have a wait list for a reason.
Okay, at least I don't feel crazy for thinking that it might be best to just apply and see how the interviews pan out at the end of December. And the publication thing, I feel like students at my home institution have a disconnect with the other, more "prestigious" universities and think them an unobtainable goal. I actually had a couple of grad students straight out laugh at me when I was saying where I wanted to apply. They said that although I'll have the Amgen summer experience at Harvard, there's no way someone with a state school education will be acceptable there. Kinda thinking they're just projecting opinions that aren't actually true. (HOPEFULLY) Thank you for your helpful advice!
So I guess no one has experience with Rockefeller?
-
If you don't plan on attending then don't waste the space either. Yea $60 may mean nothing to you, but if you get into the program - you'd be taking up a spot that somebody else would like more than you. Also just because you told one of your recommenders you'd apply does not mean you signed a blood oath to do so. The application cycle will be hectic already without you adding unnecessary complications to your life by applying to a program you have no intention of considering. You would also be wasting the time of potential PI's that may be interested in someone with your training.
Take away message: Don't waste your time or the UTK PI's time by applying if you know you aren't considering the program.
I know. I don't look forward to it and honestly I'm 95% sure I'll get in, let alone get an interview. I don't look forward to going to the interview and wasting an entire weekend. I guess I've kept it on there because I've been confused by conflicting opinions. Graduate students from my home institution are on the team of "why wouldn't you apply to UTK because it's a good enough school and you know you'll get in?" I've also been told by the grad students there that the top schools look for at least 5 publications and a GPA near 4.0, neither of which I have. I can't decide if they are bitter about ending up at ISU (where the biochem grad program isn't very strong) or if they actually know what they're talking about. People here at Harvard are on the team of "Well you're an Amgen scholar and you can go anywhere so why would you waste your time at UTK if they don't have a high caliber of research?" It's two opposite worldviews and with my nervousness over applying to high end schools (which I've never done before), I talk myself down to the point of wondering if I don't get in anywhere else, what will I do? I say now I'll do a postbacc but what if I want to go to grad school right off? I simply get scared and then keep it on the list when I consider the possibility of going no where else and then of having my REU PI be insulted.
-
Actually I didn't want to get blasted on here but I'm not going to attend UTK. It's the school where one of my recommenders is from and I told him I would apply. I have no intentions of going there at all and if I get in no where else I'll do a postbacc and then reapply. Most people give me a bunch of grief but it's only $60 and I'll just do it. I don't want to bite the hands that feed me. My other recommender knows there is no chance of my going to my current home institution.
-
Hi guys! I just posted a few days ago concerned about the schools to which I am planning to apply in a few short weeks (!!!). However, over the weekend I visited New Haven, CT and Yale University and hated it. I mean, the campus was nice and pretty, but the medical school and research buildings were not the feel that I was looking for. In addition, New Haven is not somewhere I particularly want to live anymore. Anyway, I'm currently researching at Boston Children's Hospital through the Harvard Amgen Program and I absolutely love it. Longwood and Cambridge are both amazing epicenters of research and I've never felt unsafe. However, I'm not sure applying to only 7 schools would be the best move. Not living on the East Coast, I had only heard of Rockefeller University in passing and on "Author Information" on journal articles. But today I looked it up and it seemed spectacular! I haven't had an interest in applying to schools in NYC, but the research and environment here seems like it could be a top contender. At this point, I am interested in the cellular signaling of the immune system in the context of disease (cancer/infection) on a molecular level and they seemed to have a strong research presence in that field.
My question is has anyone been to Rockefeller? Is the research there comparable to more "traditional universities? Is the location decent? Is it worth applying to or should I stick to the seven schools? Would a student with a 3.74 GPA/3.91 science/major GPA, possibly 1 publication, 2 summer reserach experiences and 1.5 years of research in the same lab stand a chance? I got the distinct impression it was incredibly selective.
This would be my list now:
Harvard (Immunology)
Rockefeller (David Rockefeller Graduate Program)
Princeton (Molecular Biology)
Stanford (Immunology --> Biosciences)
UCSF (Tetrad)
University of Washington (Immunology)
Vanderbilt (IGP)
University of Tennessee (Microbiology)
I would be interested in anyone's experiences or impressions! Thank you!
-
I am applying to PhD programs this cycle and am trying to make absolutely certain I'm not being ridiculous in my choices. I really want an urban area with things going on and most importantly strong research with a biomedical slant. I find myself increasingly interested in immunology as a crossroads of cell biology, genetics, micro/virology, biochemistry, and medicine. So I've tried to choose programs strong in both basic science and with a medical center.
Here is information about me as a student:
BS in biochemistry
Minors in microbiology and genetics
Large public university in the midwest (I believe it is considered "R1" or something similar)
3.74 GPA/3.91 Major/science GPA
Coursework (including fall semester):
CHEMISTRY = Advanced General (+lab), Analytical chemistry (+lab), organic chemistry (+lab), quantum mechanics, chemical thermodynamics
BIOLOGY = General I/II, Genetics (+ lab), Molecular cell biology, neurobiology
BIOCHEM = Chemical Biology, Intro to Biochem (+lab), Comprehensive I/II, Biochemical Research Techniques (senior-level research course), Molecular Signaling
MICRO = General (+lab), Medical Micro, Immunology, Bacterial Molecular Genetics/Microbial Physiology&Phylogeny/Pathogenic organisms, Virology
GENETICS = Molecular Genetics, Advanced Developmental Biology
PHYSICS/MATH = Calc I, Calc II, Diff EQ, Classical Physics I, Classical Physics II
I will have taken 25 graduate credits upon application, all in my field:
Comprehensive Biochem I/II, Molecular Signaling, Immunology, Molecular Genetics, Virology, Advanced Developmental Biology, Bacterial Molecular Genetics/Microbial Physiology&Phylogeny/Pathogenic organisms (with 7 more grad credits by interview time: Molecular biophysics (+lab), biochemistry of eukaryotic gene expression, and cell techniques (a technique lab class))
Research at my home institution since January 2014 (same lab) --> Sole researcher on a pilot project that just earned a seed grant
NSF REU in Microbiology at University of Tennessee --> Publication under review at PNAS
Harvard Amgen Scholar
Letters of Recommedation:
1 from my PI at home (she was also my cell bio prof)
1 from REU PI
1 (hopefully!) from Harvard PI
I've presented a poster twice, (will have done it again in addition to an oral presentation by the end of the summer), as well as multiple othe smaller lab presentations.
Extracurriculars have included my department's biochem club, involvement in my department's undergrad research symposium planning, and a camp for girls in science. Although mostly now I'm in the lab if I'm not in class.
I am going to take the GRE in August and expect very good scores. (fingers crossed!!!) I test extremely well and have currently averaged 165V/166Q on practice exams. So hopefully that holds up. I do not plan on taking the subject GRE.
Here are the schools are programs to which I will be applying:
Harvard University (Immunology)
Yale University (Biological and Biomedical Sciences -->Immunology Track)
Princeton University (Molecular Biology)
Stanford University (Biosciences --> Immunology)
University of California - San Francisco (Tetrad)
Unviersity of Washington (Immunology)
Vanderbilt University (Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biosciences)
University of Tennessee (Microbiology)
I am really interested in immunological signaling as it relates to infection, cancer, or autoimmune disease in the context of immune development and mature immune cells. Basically I have it narrowed down to a general topic and am flexible on what I end up studying for 6 years. I am extremely nervous about applying to these top schools and getting my heart set and then disappointed later. I only applied to 1 undergrad institution, so the process is nervewracking. I appreciate anyone's input and wisdom! (sorry for the long post; I didn't know what info was necessary so I included everything)
SOP Help? (I'll edit yours if you edit mine!)
in Statement of Purpose, Personal History, Diversity
Posted
Haha thank you! If you see something needs attention, by all means, critique and let me know! I'm starting to hit the submit button and am freaking out just a tad.