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Hey all, I sent my GRE score to the schools I'm applying to more than a week ago and only yesterday one school indicated in their system that they matched my GRE score to my application. Does anyone else have this problem? I know it's pretty unlikely that ETS missed some schools when they processed my request and since everything is done electronically now, it's more unlikely that the schools lost my score in their system... Does anyone know whether I should check/how to check to make sure my score is delivered? Also, for those applying to UCSF, does your score show up when you put in your registration number and test date? It says in the instruction page that "Your GRE and/or TOEFL or IELTS scores will be matched to your application to ensure delivery to the correct program." Does it only get matched after you submit your application?

Great! Just want to make sure I was doing what I was supposed to do before I wrap up. Thank you for your suggestions!

Thank you both so much! 4 of the places that I'm applying to actually require research statements. Some of them asks specifically for "experiences" in their prompt and others places such as Penn, like Bioenchilada said, give me the option of describing multiple experiences. I think I'll expand what I have on my most recent experience and make sure to really get that across, since it's also the most relevant and the one where I played the biggest role. For places that ask for an SOP, how detailed did you guys get with your research? I've heard some people saying that with an SOP you want the research section of the essay to show personal growth as a scientist rather than an actual description of your research work. What do you guys think?

Hey all, I have another question. For the schools that requires a research statement in addition to the personal statement, would you still talk about your growth as a scientist from each research experience? Or do you stick strictly to the science you've done and save all the rest for the personal statement. Thanks!

Hey all, thanks a lot for answering our questions! I'm in the process of writing my SOP and I'm wondering: how much did you guys write about your PIs of interest in each program? What I have right now is just a one sentence description of how their research fit in my broad area of interest. I feel like I should write more but really don't want it to come off as me telling them what they do in their lab... What do you guys think?

Thanks for your response! The Harvard one was a typo; I actually meant to write Immunology. The reason I wrote Penn CAMB is because it accepts more international students (due to funding issues, or so I was told) and most of the immuno faculty are involved in CAMB anyway. I will find out more about Penn immunology's funding situation for international students this year and then decide which program I want to apply.

Undergrad Institution: Top 30 ranked liberal arts college in USMajor(s): Biochemistry and molecular biologyMinor(s):GPA in Major: 3.98Overall GPA: 3.96Position in Class: Top 5%, most likely get summa cum laude when I graduateType of Student: International Asian femaleGRE Scores (revised/old version): revisedQ: 165V: 165W:4.5B: not takingResearch Experience: By the time I apply, 1 summer after freshman year in a virology/immuno lab in an Ivy. Got good data that ended up in a paper but my contribution to the project was not enough to get me a co-authorship in that paper. 2 posters. 3 semesters and 1 summer in a microbio/biochem lab at home institution. PI is trying to see whether we got enough data for a manuscript. If she decides to write up something, I will be one of the authors. 1 poster presented at 2 regional conferences. 1 semester and 1 summer in a virology/immuno lab in an Ivy (currently working in this lab and will be doing my thesis here). Just started working here officially. PI is very optimistic of my project. I will be 1st author on a manuscript if my project works out. Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Fellowships for summer research, nominated for a scholarship but didn't get it (won't mention this in my application). My school is very against any public discussions about students' academic performance before they graduate, so I won't have much in this category until I graduate. Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Dean's office peer tutor for 1.5 years. Lab TA for Biochemistry and Microbiology.Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Co-head of a student-run association that focuses on providing more resources for STEM majors (we are a liberal arts college after all and most of our resources are for humanity majors). Major rep for Biochem. Special Bonus Points: Maintained very good relationship with the all the PIs I worked with. Have some connections in the Ivy because of lab collaboration and classes I took there.Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: Um... I'm really good at math and programing besides biology and that might be helpful? I am not planning on going into biostat or anything though... Applying to Where:The first four programs I have looked in depth and absolutely love. I'm still looking at people from the other six programs and am not sure whether I'll actually apply... But here's the list. Yale BBS immunology UChicago Immunology UPenn CAMB Scripps Harvard BBS ?? Stanford Biosciences Immunology ?? Weill Cornell IMP/BCMB ?? Albert Einstein College of Medicine ?? Princeton ?? Tufts ?? Am I aiming too high here? I'm worried since I'm international and may not have any publication by the time I apply. I am tempted to not apply to safety schools since gap year is an option but I also don't want to take a gap year... Thanks a lot guys!

Hey everyone! I am a junior at a small liberal arts college and am planning on applying to molecular bio phd Fall 2017 (not taking a gap year). I have been doing research since summer freshman year and since the upcoming summer is my last chance of doing full-time research before I apply, I really want to spend the time wisely. I am currently working in a lab at my own institution but since my PI is fairly new in the field and spend most of her time teaching, I have been thinking about doing research elsewhere to build my connections. I have seen people on thegradcafe spending the summer before they apply at very prestigious universities or working for PIs who are well-known in the field. My question is, how helpful is that in terms of getting into good phd programs? I would really appreciate any comment/advice!