katpillow

I agree with you on many points here, perhaps in that the overall narrative of the application should focus on the fit, etc, however I don't think it should be lacking the passion that brought someone to where they are now, or why they want to pursue a PhD for that matter. I think a healthy blend might be important- if there are reasons to explain obstacles and why they were overcome, then details like that should be shared- but in the spirit of what you wrote, the emphasis of the application should not be grounded in this either. I know you're not necessarily saying that personal gusto should be left out, I just don't want OP to come away thinking that it's wrong to have it in there, either. PhD programs want people who really want to be there, and they won't get a sense of that if all your statements do is just elaborate on what's already clear as day in your CV. Really, I'd rather be at a place that wants me because they think that the passion and drive that I've got from my research experiences as well as my life challenges is the kind of heart and brain that works for them. Getting a PhD is hard, and if anything, most programs want people they know can hang tough when it inevitably gets difficult. If they just want a kid with a stack of credentials and examples of how he/she is a good candidate because of the qualities that make him/her a special little seashell... that's not a place I want to be, ultimately. I know this is a pot full of ideals, but sometimes that's how you've got to do your cooking. I simply feel the need to say this because the entire reason I scored my MSU interview was because of how passionate I was in my application. I wrote the challenges I faced during my undergrad, about doing what I do now, and what I want to do going forward (this is according to the professors there, not me). I did so in as business-like of a way as possible, but at the end of the day, I had to explain myself, too (UGPA sub-2.5, may explain the shopping list of rejections in my signature). You gotta be short and sweet with that stuff nonetheless. Anyways, OP sounds like she's kicked way more butt in her decade-more of living than I've done, so I gotta tip my hat to her. @Nicole Gilbert I know how rejection feels, and I've worked long and hard to 'correct' my unconventional path as well (though not as long or as hard as it appears to have been for you!). I am mentally preparing myself to have to find a way to bounce back in the event that I'm rejected from all of my schools, even if ultimately I'm applying next year to all the same places without a whole lot of change on my CV between now and then. Maybe we do tweak our statements in a way like @nevermind kindly suggested- it's good advice, and it may be the ticket for you in the future. Don't be disheartened now, you've come too far and you've worked too hard. Your perseverance is your sword, and at this point I would say it is far from dull. In less than a year from now, you could be walking out on the other side of this application process with a smile on your face and a swell of pride in your heart. Have some wine, give your son a hug, and plot next year's victory as best you can.

It's ok, while its beautiful up at Dartmouth, at least you can [probably] be closer to the rest of us in civilization with your other options! @RCtheSS be careful what you wish for! That's where I'm at now...

Perhaps we're physics-immunology female-male mirror images of eachother?

Whelp, my last trump card I was planning on pulling out to send as an update to my applications has fallen through. First-author paper was rejected, and now have to resubmit elsewhere. Won't have a decision on it nearly in time any such updating. Oh well.

As someone with a MatSci degree... UIUC would probably have a slight edge, if that's the general direction you want to go in. Both schools will result in great career opportunities, though! In the end, it's what you make of it!

@Cat_Robutt thanks for the encouragement. I'd say my stance at this point is mostly pre-emptive self-protection in the event of a worst-case scenario. We shall have to see!

Well, at this point the decision I anticipate having to make is, "what bottle of wine shall I drown myself in at the end of the week?" Most of my programs have shown some form of interview or acceptance activity at this point. I'm just holding on for dear life hoping that MSU ultimately results in an acceptance... but I'll have to wait until the second week of March to know what happens there. I guess there's still a few more days left before the end of Februgatory, but at this point I'm just trying to be a realist. I just want to have a choice in where I go, instead of "Well, this is all you get! Take it or leave it!" (if that even happens!) Really don't want to put this off another year... a sentiment many here share. le sigh.

My employers are acutely aware of my intent to leave. It helps that I work in the field I'm trying to go to school for, and that pretty much everyone at my company outside of myself has an MS or PhD. Most, if not all, of them are supportive and have offered to do anything they can to help me get back to school. I gave them a window as to when I might expect to leave, should I get in somewhere, and I'll give an official two weeks notice when the time comes.

@Cat_Robutt I dig the username. Can only read it in Zoidberg's voice, though.

A great question, friend. I brutalized my GPA (very sub-3.0) as an undergrad due to a number of family issues that had my attention outside of class throughout the majority of my time in school. I would have loved to have pursued a masters to obtain a more robust record as soon as I got out, but my undergrad GPA also made that impossible. Alternatively, I could have tried to take some extra courses to show what I've got, but economically that has been very difficult to attain with student loans and no parental support. Instead I've been industry-side for the past ~3 years doing relevant pharmaceutical R&D. Pretty much everything on my apps is up to par with the exception of GPA, went to #10 undergrad, I've been published 2x (with one bun in the oven, too), 2 (soon to be 4) patents, have about 4.5 years of research experience, GRE scores are average (159V, 161Q), even got a rec from a previously Nobel-nominated chemistry professor). The unfortunate truth is that many programs will simply screen people out straight away based on grade point, so I figured if I increased the number I'd have at least a shot that a few might say "well his GPA is shit, but let's bring him in for an interview to see if he's the real deal or not". Worked for MSU, hasn't shown signs of working elsewhere yet. I'm hoping the first-author paper I've got cooking is accepted soon (might get it this week), so I might be able to shoot programs an email saying there's been a change on my end. Likely too late to help in many cases, but hey, why not? Also I'm about to turn 28, and I want to get moving onto the next step ASAP. I'm already about 4 years behind the originally intended schedule, but life happens.

I've got December 1st apps that have yet to say anything (I've pretty much counted them out at this point)

Don't fret, there's still another 28.5 hours or so until it's completely done!

Yeah, I know how that feels. Outside of the first program to respond to me (MSU, interviewed), I'm running on several rejections all in a row right now. It does wonders for self-confidence and anxiety. I wish I had someone to lean on where I am, but my ex broke up with me right when I was ramping up for applications, my friends are all extraordinarily busy working in law or doing grad school, my family moved away from Chicago, and just this past week my grandmother died. So it's been a whirl. I slammed almost 2 bottles of wine this past Friday, but I don't see myself doing that again in the near future after facing that hangover...

Advice from someone with a very sub-3.0 GPA: be proactive. If the POI is interested in you, they will remain interested in you regardless of GPA. They are going to find out about it most likely anyways, so it's better that they know in advance if they're going to bat on your behalf. The POIs I've sat down with in person both wanted to know what my GPA was anyways, and were supportive of me regardless. Jury's still out on whether that pans out, but hey, anything helps.

I applied to a heck of a lot of schools, and have only heard back from 4 so far. Several of them were Dec. 1st deadlines, though... so I'm a bit concerned to say the least when it comes to hearing back from them, especially since the survey has shown a fair amount of interview invites for some of them. I'm pretty much counting those out while holding onto the 'no news is good news' hope. Truth be told, I'm really just bracing myself for a wave of rejections. Undergrad GPA is no good, but was hoping what I've done in the years since then would be good enough to compensate. We'll all just have to see how these things go, I guess!

"My stellar academic record, conference presentations, and flight experience were apparently no match for the Academy's rigorous expectations." (Applied to The Imperial Academy's TIE Fighter Pilot Program)

I'm going to lose hope on several of my apps pretty soon. I've seen too many interviews pop-up on the survey, and nary a peep. I know that some of them may simply not have been reviewed yet, but I also know many schools are guilty of not sending rejections out until well after everything's been settled. Meanwhile, I'm just trying to stay distracted with RNA extractions. I feel like:

This is not a rare occurrence, the Lake loves stranding people.

Try to get at least a 165 on your GRE quant. To be perfectly honest though, the whole package matters. I've seen people with scores in the 150s on the quant still get acceptances places (although probably not top-end programs) because they likely had good rec letters and experience to back it up. It's hard to predict how your materials are going to be received by anyone in particular, but at least your GPA isn't the kind that they would just toss out as soon as they see it- so you're almost guaranteed to be under serious consideration at many schools.

I like doing that too, except when I try, it's on a frozen Lake Michigan and I either get all cut up from ice or get hypothermia.

GRE: V159, Q161, W4 Domestic/International (TOEFL/IELTS): domestic UG GPA: 2.40 (yes, awful, but was due to some pretty distracting homeside issues) MatSci Research experience: 1.5 years undergrad at JHU, polymer nanoparticle synthesis using microfluidics, polymer synthesis, and all of the fun that comes with it. 2.5 years (current) pharmaceutical R&D at a reasonably successful startup. Specialize in immunoengineering and antibiotics. Most, if not all of our therapies are nucleic acids-based. Project leader of a $1.7 million DARPA grant for the past year. Research publications, patents, conferences: 1 co-authored paper in PNAS with two big name scientists, 1 first-author paper currently under review. 2 patents, one for antibiotics, one for immunoregulatory compounds. PHD intended specialization: Immunoengineering, most likely. Either cancer or immune tolerance would be ideal. Anti-virals and antibacterials would be interesting, too. University list: See my signature. I'm only applying to a few BME programs, on the whole.

You and me both. I'm rolling in hot with a decimated undergrad GPA (one that makes people throw their hands up in the air and say "screw this!"), so I anticipate many, if not the vast majority, of my schools will automatically relegate me to the dustbin. But hey, Michigan State decided to look at my application as a whole, and I actually got to interview, which is great! So good things will happen, you just gotta BELIEVE, as they say.

I actually used the same three recommenders for all of them, but my recs were spread out from Dec 1st to January 1st, so at least they were able to do them in spurts. My PI/rec with the most clout actually had one of his postdocs do the act submitting for him, he just wrote it and signed it away. Needless to say, she'll be getting a bottle of wine from me, or something at the least. I've got running offers to treat them to a meal for my recommenders next time I'm in their area. I definitely felt a little guilty, but they were happy to help me out! I wouldn't feel too bad if you've only sent out about 7 or so apps ?

That was my facial expression by the time I hit 'submit' for the last time. Lately it's become more and more of a ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ as I wait for responses.

@7-11 Coffee I just want to say that I appreciate how many schools you applied to. That's a lot of work to put in!