GradApplicant2016

Thanks! I guess everyone has been getting those update emails then. Not expecting anything, but yeah it does sounds like they may still be reviewing apps.

Has anyone else applied to UCLA (Cell and Developmental Biology) and received multiple application status emails? I received one about a month ago listing all the components of my application with CV flagged because I guess I did not upload it it. I emailed it to them and they uploaded it right away. Got the same email a week or two later, this time will all components accounted for. Just now I got the same email again, the only difference is the subject which now says "FINAL UPDATE: Status of your UCLA Molecular Biology IDP Application". It just shows that all components have been submitted and says if I'm missing anything then to email it to them and if the "documents come by the middle-end of January, then you should be okay." I saw that they already sent out interview invites in December so I assumed a rejection was forthcoming (from the grad survey it doesn't look like they do waves). But receiving the same email for the third time confused me a bit...it's making me paranoid that I'm missing something and they are trying to let me know, but I've read the email a million times and everything is accounted for. Anyone else receive this??

They offered Jan 28-30 or Feb 11-13. Jan 28-30 is booked for me, so I'm going to request Feb 11-13!

Got Northwestern (Driskill) this morning! Must be another wave, whew

Me too! U Chicago Cancer Bio!! Soooo relieved I got my first interview! Was afraid with my GPA I might not get any!

You might want to email them... I did today and they said they will add my name "to the spreadsheet" and that all the emails will go out this week. If they have a spreadsheet, sounds like there may be a technical issue.

Yes, I just noticed yesterday that none of my recommenders received the email notification from Weill. I'm going to email them today...glad to see I'm not the only one having this issue. Actually NYU Sackler also didn't send out my recommendation requests even though when I log in there is a date and timestamp from when they were supposedly sent. Anyone else having this issue with Sackler too?

Well my PI doesn't actually have an appointment in the grad school, just the medical school (although he only does research now and most people are surprised to find he never opted for a grad school appointment), so we don't have any students in our lab. He has suggested that it is easy to get an apportionment and that he could do so if I ended up staying. I haven't heard of anyone direct admitting though, not sure if that's possible where I am (or I guess it might be, but no one talks about it?). I know a lot of professors here and my PI has talked me up with one of the grad school deans, but no one has said anything about me getting in automatically, so I'm still expecting all aspects of my application (like low GPA/GRE) to factor into whether I get in or not. If only someone would offer me a spot without having to go through the stress/anxiety of the application process

Thanks for sharing your experience. Happy to hear you were in a similar boat as me and still got accepted into well-ranked schools. At least it sounds like they don't all have a strict GPA cutoff. I was envisioning a quick round of rejections after applying without any of the schools even evaluating my app because of GPA/GRE screening.

Undergrad Institution: Ivy LeagueMajor(s): Neuroscience & BehaviorMinor(s):GPA in Major: 3.11 Overall GPA: 3.25Position in Class: Not sureType of Student: Domestic femaleGRE Scores (revised/old version): revisedQ: 156 (64th%) -taking againV: 166 (96th%)W: 4.5 (86th%)B: Not takenResearch Experience: Lab tech doing cancer research for 6 years at a top 10 university. 5 publications in peer-reviewed journals: 2 first author papers (in journals in the top 15% of the field), 1 second author paper in a high impact factor journal that made national news, and 2 other 3rd author papers in mid-level journals (top 15% in field). 3 manuscripts are currently submitted and under review, but I doubt they will be accepted before apps are due. Gave an oral presentation at a major international cancer conference (less than 5% of abstracts were selected for oral presentation), presented a poster at an international cancer conference, second author on an abstract that was selected for oral presentation at a cancer meeting, and am listed as a co-author on several other posters/abstracts (second author on one and middle author on others) that were presented at major meetings. In college, I conducted a senior thesis for one year in a lab. Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Student Leader Award, Dean's list for one year...Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Research tech for 6 yearsAny Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: I gave an oral presentation at an international cancer meeting, I've been told by professors who have reviewed my CV that this is impressive for a grad school candidate. Special Bonus Points: Excellent LORs from widely known professors (one is my PI and the other two are collaborating PIs who know me well), all from top tier research institutions, including the ones I am applying to. Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: Although my title is "tech", I have essentially been working as a post-doc for the last several years (without the degree obviously). I work on my own projects, propose my own research, work independently, prepare manuscripts, train other members of the lab (students, post-docs and fellows), present at meetings in the institution and outside, and attend conferences at least 1-2/year. My PI and other LORs will address this. My research experience is really the only thing I have going for me... not sure if this can make up for my grades and low quant GRE (although I am taking it again and hoping it will improve). Applying to Where:Rockefeller Weill Cornell (BCMB) Sloan Kettering Gerstner NYU Sackler Columbia Stanford (Cancer Biology Program) OHSU USCF Tetrad UCLA Cell and Devel. Biol I should probably add more attainable schools, but I would have a hard time giving up my research now at a top tier school for a school I'm less interested in since my research now is going very well and will lead to several publications in the next year. If I don't get in anywhere I'm interested in (above schools), then I think I would rather stay where am I and work for another year while taking classes, improving my GRE score, etc and applying again next cycle. I'm wondering if anyone knows of people who have had low scores but strong research and still got into a top tier school?? I was told by some professors that aptitude for research (which my app will show I have) will win out, which is why I am even bothering applying. But still can't shake the feeling that I am wasting my time... :-/ Anyone have any thoughts?? Good luck everyone!