lorelei

I took a look at the NSF application... it's so involved! I'm probably going to wait until next year to apply so I have a clearer idea of what to write for the research proposal. It will be tough with lab rotations and all the business of being a first year student, but I think I'll have a better chance. Good luck with it!

Hi there. Well, I am working on applying to various biology programs, specifically developmental biology. I've been working the last year and a half in a fairly well known lab at UCSF. No papers, but lots of experience, great letters, and a recent completion of the general GRE (690V, 750Q). Hopefully I will do well on the Biochem subject test in a couple of weeks so that, taken all together, the "good" parts of my application will outweigh the "bad" GPA (3.1, 3.4 last two years from a top UC). I am slaving away on my SoPs at the moment... but my plan is to apply to about 9 schools which should end up being: UCSF, Stanford, UPenn, Duke/Northwestern, WUSTL, U Wisc-Madison, UNC-Chapel Hill, SUNY Stony Brook, OregonHSU. Hopefully I'll have everything ready by the end of November. The SoP is my biggest concern at the moment, but I think I'm closing in on a final draft. I think...

Hey tvn, When you say you usually got +700Q in practice, was that practicing on paper tests or with the PowerPrep software provided by ETS? The first time I took the test I had only practiced on paper and got a 640Q, probably mostly because I ran out of time since I wasn't used to taking it on the computer. However, I downloaded the software from the GRE website, and after some practice I managed a 750Q the second time I took the test (three weeks after the first). If you haven't used the PowerPrep practice tests, I highly reccomend them. I don't think the math itself is too difficult, it really is a matter of studying the test itself. A little more practice may help you raise the score. Good luck!