Hi everyone!
I'm a senior from a small liberal arts institution and I'm starting to look at graduate schools for next fall. I constructed a list of schools based on a couple of different factors, but I'm just wondering if I have an actual shot at getting into some of these programs. Also, I want to try to shave down my list a bit, and any advice of which schools I should cut would be appreciated. I'm planning on applying for either Neuroscience or Biochemistry PhD. Stats below:
Major: Biochemistry
Cumulative GPA: 3.99
Major GPA: 3.98
GRE Scores: Scheduled to take GRE in August - scoring in the 85-95% on practice exams. Also planning on taking the chemistry GRE in late September/early October so as to get in some more inorganic chemistry and PChem.
Research Exp: Two summers at the Cleveland Clinic with a very well known PI, should get a publication from this by the time I apply. Manuscript is in revision at the moment. Not first author.
One summer and four semesters of undergraduate research at my home institution. Applied and accepted for Departmental Honors upon graduation. Planning on submitting first-author publication in mid-October if last few experiments of a side-project go well. This is not a guarantee though unfortunately.
Recommendations: 1) Very strong rec from the PI at the CC
2) Very strong rec from my research adviser at my home institution
3) Strong rec from Ochem and biochem prof - I also TA'd Ochem for this
letter-writer
Other EC stuff: Poster presentations - 1 at the Cleveland Clinic, 1 at the national ACS meeting this year in Denver, CO, 1 at spring symposium. Am planning on attending the ACS meeting in San Diego in spring 2016.
Presented two research talks at the annual spring research symposium at my home institution.
TA for general chemistry (1 year), TA for organic chemistry (1 year), TA for biochemistry (1 year), shadowed a neurologist for a month (~100 hours).
Treasurer for chemistry club on campus, member of an on-campus organization that tests and implements water filters in developing countries where access to clean water is a huge problem, member of the ACS, member and VP of the math and science honors society, member of the honors program.
Where I want to apply:
Stanford
Johns Hopkins
Berkeley
Caltech
Penn State University
Cornell
Mayo Clinic
Baylor College of Medicine
UNC Chapel Hill
I'm just worried because the college I go to is small and not super well known. Will my high GPA and research experiences help that? Also, I need to shave down the list above and add some fallback schools - I know most of the one's above are super competitive and I probably won't get in. Anyone have good suggestions of fallback schools for me or advice on which one's to cut? Thank you all so much for your help!