jayelko

Just got back from my first interview! It was SO much fun, and way less stressful than I imagined.

Hey Superres, have you heard anything else about Emory?

Congrats everybody! *it's happening*

Interview invite from OSU's neuroscience grad program! SO early too, January 5th-8th.

Really glad this was posted, I've been wondering if a neuro thread would go up for this application season!

Ahhhh I also just got an invite from UNC-CH BBSP for January 21-23rd!! Submitted my application November 30th!

That's so exciting, congrats!!

When did you guys apply at Vanderbilt? And did they call or send emails? Also when are the interviews? I'm a big anxious mess haha

I can't believe it's happening so fast, congrats to everyone getting interviews!!

I don't have any advice unfortunately, but I can at least tell you that you're definitely not alone. I'm constantly mad at myself for not doing more or trying harder and I'm just so worried that I'm not good enough to get in anywhere. At the same time that I'm so worried about being rejected though, I'm equally terrified of getting in. What if I get there and I have no idea what I'm doing? What if I'm the joke of my lab and my PI regrets taking me in? There's really no solution to this whole process that I'd be totally content with and it's taking a huge toll on me mentally and physically. I just keep trying to remind myself that I can always reapply, but as I'm sure you know, anxiety is rarely rational.

Hey guys, would anyone be willing to critique my SOP for neuroscience PhD programs? I desperately need feedback from a fresh set of eyes. PM me if you're interested, I'd be more than happy to take a look at yours as well!

Undergrad Institution: UT AustinMajor(s): Human biology, concentration in pathogenesis and immunology GPA in Major: 3.71 / 4.0 Overall GPA: 3.73 / 4.0 Position in Class: Top 10%Type of Student: Domestic white femaleGRE Scores:Q: 163 (86%) V: 158 (79%) W: 5.0 (93%) B: Not taking Research Experience: This is what I'm worried about. August 2014 - June 2015: volunteered in a pharmacology lab studying the emotional responses to drug use and drug addiction in rats. This one was pretty cut and dry, I went in every night of the week to give them alcohol and end their recording sessions. Also did some analysis in excel. August 2014 - Present: Initially started off volunteering in a nutrition lab but I got hired and promoted when I graduated (in May), and now I'm in charge of our entire animal study, which looks at how macronutrient composition and timing of diet affects circadian rhythm and microbiome diversity in mice. I've got a ton of experience in lab work from this (PCR, DNA/RNA extraction and quantitation, cell culture), and I've also become really involved in the study's design and implementation (I wrote and designed the protocols for our experiments, and I'm responsible for all the planning and troubleshooting for them). However, I don't have any presentations or publications and I'm really worried about it. Awards/Honors/Recognitions: inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi; graduated with honorsAny Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Certified phlebotomist and pharmacy technician, if that mattersSpecial Bonus Points: My PI in the nutrition lab is the chair of the department and she's pretty famous in her field. My recommendation from her will be extremely strong, so that's a big plus. Also getting recommendations from my pharmacology PI and an old infectious disease professor; both should be pretty strong.Applying to Where: I'm applying to mostly neuroscience programs and I really want to study neuroimmunology and/or neuroendocrinology. All of these programs except UT have a lot of faculty whose research aligns very strongly with those interests: Emory - neuroscience Ohio State University - neuroscience Vanderbilt - IGP UNC Chapel Hill - BBSP UC Boulder - psych/neuro U Virginia - neuroscience U Texas - neuroscience What do you guys think? I'm really worried about the lack of presentations or publications and since I've only gained my research experience over the past year, I'm worried if it'll be enough. Any input or advice would be greatly appreciated, because I'm naturally in a bit of a panic