kire01

I wouldn't worry too much about the presentation/publication stuff. It's very common for undergrads to have solid research experience that didn't result in a presentation/pub. Provided you can talk knowledgeably about your work, and your LOR says you did quality research, it's not really a problem. Those things are brownie points, not a be-all-end-all. A year of experience is a little on the thin side, but it sounds like your experience was pretty in depth.

Oh, don't worry, my application has it's weak points! I only have 7 years because I took some weird detours in getting around to applying, because of low GPA, and because I had some interesting opportunities come my way. It's frankly overkill to do this much research before a PhD, I don't really recommend it. Hah. And I'll be ancient by the time I finish.

Agreed. I don't think the Journal's impact score will have any weight in getting you in or not. Publications are not the be-all-end-all, and you can have in-depth experience and knowledge without ever publishing-- I've had a failed research project or two, and they probably taught me more than the project that got me my publication. If you do have a low GPA, you need a lot of significant research experience to prove you can hack it despite sucking at taking Gen Bio exams. If your research experience is solid (as evidenced by your ability to talk about it, and your LORs) then I really doubt the name of the journal will make any difference.

Well, I've posted in the 2016 applicant forum about having seven years of research experience (I'm 27), but honestly, I think you're solid from a quantity standpoint. The quality is very important-- and your PI thinks your experience is great, meaning you're not just doing someone else's minipreps. The posters here are a self-selected group, so it's really not representative of the entire applicant pool. Two years with independent projects, plus an honors thesis, sounds totally fine to me. I think going beyond that is great, but not always necessary. For me? Well, I have a 3.0 undergrad. It took a while for me to feel confident that my experience will keep my application out of the trash cans. Assuming your numbers are fine and your letters are good, I wouldn't worry too much about quantity.

Alright, I'll chime in, though I'm still finalizing my final list. I'm another non-traditional low GPA/tons of research/slightly older applicant, and I have a Masters. Undergrad Institution: Mid-rank privateMajor(s): NeuroscienceMinor(s):GPA in Major: 3.1Overall GPA: 3.0 Grad GPA: 3.7Type of Student: Female, domestic. GRE Scores (revised Version):Q: 159V: 165W: Waiting for scoreB: ain't nobody got time for that Research Experience: Two years at a Harvard Med School lab, lymphoma research, 2nd author pub in a high-impact journal. At my undergrad, one year in a zebrafish lab, one semester doing cell signaling/insect growth and development with an undergrad research grant and poster. For my masters, thesis project on autophagy in drug-resistant breast cancers. The past two years I've been in industry doing target validation (essentially 90% basic science) for the oncology division of a small startup pharma. At this point I work on my own project, largely independently (designing, executing, analyzing experiments without any supervision) and am responsible for presenting all my data for the group. Overall, about 7 years of research, 4 or 5 of which have been doing independent work rather than work for someone else. Awards/Honors/Recognitions: I made dean's list two whole semesters in undergrad! no, I won't be bragging about this in my application. Special Bonus Points: I have a teeny-tiny edge at one of the schools on my list due to some connections/collaborations, but I'm not convinced this will actually matter. My LORs should be very good.Applying to Where:This is where it gets tricky. I have no idea how low/high to aim, given my Meh grades (my GRE Q score also leaves a bit to be desired). My focus is mainly on cancer biology and stress & metabolic signaling. Current Definitely List: Albert Einstein Cornell - BCMB Scripps - Cell Biology University of Colorado Denver - Cancer Biology UPenn - CAMB Maybes, how much money do I feel like throwing away next month? Columbia - Pathobiology & Molecular Medicine Stanford - Cancer Biology. LOL, probably a waste. And I don't love Palo Alto anyway. Berkeley - Molecular and Cell Bio. My boss really wants me to apply. We'll see. Hopkins - Cellular and Molecular Med Wisconsin - cell bio. I love this school, but I'm not sure I want to live in Wisconsin until I'm 31-33.

Wow, gradapplicant2016, you've got an edge on me research wise! I'm in a very similar boat-- I'm a 3.0 GPA with 165V 158Q (no time to retake, I'm stuck with it!), and 7+ years of solid research experience. Much of it has been in industry, so just one publication. I can only believe that experience, LORs, and commitment to research will get us in. If you can't pull it off, there's no hope for me, either! But I think schools would be crazy not to admit you. Good luck.