blc073

Well, you seem incredibly biased, and you give negative reputation when someone disagrees with you, so I am sure you are a class act.

I don't understand what you want from us. I didn't realize everyone had to tread lightly in order to avoid hurting feelings.

uwotm8??

As you make your application stronger, you will increase the chances of being pleasantly surprised in April. But I would still apply to a few Master's programs.

Is this an assignment?

Here is a nice article about the process as a whole: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4626050/

I'm a bit skeptical of your experience in Boston if you really hate it that much.

Some programs will view this as a problem while other programs will not care at all. Apply widely for a better chance to get into a program that does not care about GRE as much.

@simplybetter It sounds like you should look into computational biophysics. This field would allow you to use math and CS to create programs and algorithms to better understand the basic physics and quantum mechanics of complex biological molecules. You could do something like create a simulation program to study the physics that allow the proteins in Alzheimer's to form destructive plaques.

@DanniBoBanni At this point, you need to look for a job in biotech. Narrow down the exact research that interests you, then get a paid position in that area. If your goal is UW, then get a job in Seattle as a lab tech. This will give you solid experience and a great LOR. After a year or two of this, apply for a PhD. Apply broadly and be prepared to move again. With solid LORs and proper research experience, you will get into decent programs. Finally, do not go for a Master's at this point. A degree in epidemiology will not make you more attractive to research PhD programs. Get a job in biotech, then apply to several PhD programs when you and your PI feel like it is the right time.

I agree. This is a rare time in which I would suggest pursuing a Master's. You need to prove that you can succeed in difficult courses and that you can produce data worthy of a thesis. Unless you have an "in" at a doctoral program, I would not expect to get an offer this cycle. You should apply to a few PhD programs as well as a few Master's programs. You might be surprised by a PhD offer, but worst case you will be able to start a Master's.

Don't take advice from this guy, he has no idea what's going on!

Are you seriously asking us to do your homework?

Just study a bit on your own, then take the test. Kaplan will not make you smarter, they will only give you "tips" on how to approach each type of question. If you go over the topics covered on the exam and take several practice exams, you will be fine.

As difficult as this may be, you need to let her do her own thing. It is neither your job nor your place to get her where she wants to be. If it is important for her to take a gap year, she needs to figure that out. If it is important for her to get into a great graduate program, again, that is something she needs to figure out. You can support her emotionally and always be there for her, but you are going to drain yourself if you try to do the work required to achieve her goals. In short, let her live her own life. If she has goals, she needs to be the one who achieves them.

I knew someone would take issue with that comment. My general point stands: only take additional coursework if it will benefit your future work in some way.

The Behavioral Neuroscience program in the Division of Graduate Medical Sciences at the Boston University School of Medicine does rotations. It's a great place to study neurological disorders from a behavioral perspective.

I am not in this field, so take my advice lightly. It is my understanding that research in the humanities is more about aligning interests. When you apply, they will look at your research experience and future goals to see if you are a good fit. So I would not stay for another degree if it will not make you a better fit for the program in mind. If you are wanting to do bibliographic studies of Shakespeare, then an extra degree in History is worthless. But if you are interested in 16th-century England through the lens of Shakespeare, then having both an English degree and a History degree is probably required. In short, humanities degrees seem much more narrow. If your future work will employ the knowledge conferred by the additional degree, then it will be a positive addition. Good luck!

My feeling is that experience is key. You certainly have an interesting background, but I am not sure your background constitutes experience. People who are doing serious work at the schools you have listed are not going to be interested in teaching someone from the ground up, i.e., they will want incoming graduate students who have coded. It is important to note that CS and bioinformatics are not the same, nor do they really overlap. CS is going to be more along the lines of creation, while bioinformatics is going to be learning how to handle big data and make something out of it. If you are serious about making this career move, I suggest looking for a position in which you can do some of the stuff that interests you. Can you leverage your medical background into getting a low-level CS job? Once you have work experience in the fields that interest you, you will be a great candidate for the programs you have listed. Disclaimer: Take what I am saying with a grain of salt. This is out of my field, so I am simply applying my personal experiences to your situation. Best of luck!

Is it not super early to apply for Fall 2017? Many programs are still working on Fall 2016 admissions.

This is an interesting dilemma. Essentially, you would be trading 0.1 GPA points for an early application. My feeling is that you should apply as soon as you can for rolling admissions. Look at is this way: GPA alone will not keep you out of a school, rather it will be your application as a whole. An early application will look more favorable even with a lower GPA. In short, do not wait to apply just to raise your GPA from a 3.35 to a 3.48. If a 3.35 is too low, then so is a 3.48. Take an advantage of an early application. Good luck!

First off, your stats are great! Your GPA is more than adequate and you have plenty of research experience. Just keep up the good work, and you will definitely be competitive for many top schools. In my opinion, the most important thing for a strong application is three to four outstanding LORs. If you have just one bad LOR, that will tank your entire application. Make sure you are building good relationships with your PIs at every stage. You will need your current PI and the PIs from your two internships to write strong LORs for you. I would also have a professor with whom you took more than one course write one. If you do this, then theoretically you are solid. Now for the hard part: top tier schools are random. You can never be sure where you will get in. You might have the best application, but the person reading your application is in a bad mood, so you get a rejection from Stanford. This happens often. Because of this, apply widely. Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and Yale are good top tier choices, but also do mid-tier schools and a safety school. What you do not want is to be empty handed in April. Finally, do not do a Masters. This is a waste of time and money, in my opinion. If you do not get into a good enough school the first time, take a gap year, work in biotech, retake the GRE if necessary, then go at it again. If your GPA is around a 3.5 and you have as much research experience as you have, you only need around a 310 combined GRE to be okay. Relax. You will be fine. Keep up the good work and stay interested in your research. Good luck!

Two things: First, a LOR is meant to go beyond grades. A professor is not supposed to use your GPA as a talking point in your LOR. However, he/she may mention how well you did in a class for which he/she was your professor. In general, a LOR should focus mainly on how you work in the lab, what you are like as a person, how you interact with other lab members, what you contribute to the lab as a whole, and how likely you are to succeed as a graduate student (grades aside). Second, if a professor is anything less than ecstatic about writing a LOR for you, it's not a good fit. I would avoid risking the possibility of a bad LOR if the professor is hesitant when you ask him/her to write one. This rule is only invalid if you have worked with the professor for over a year, in which case you are nearly required to have a LOR from him/her.

You're right, I don't know. I am just always shocked when a field focuses on GPA so much. In my field, there will around 1000 applications for five or so spots, but a 3.5 GPA is fine as long as you have experience in the field and LORs to support your experience.

Since when is a 3.55 not a competitive GPA?