Kaede

Just got an interview from BBS as well!! Now waiting to hear back from MCO...

Anyone know when Stanford Biosciences/Harvard BBS+MCO typically send out interview offers?

Congrats to everyone getting interviews so far!

This entire process has been so frustrating with how out of your control things are. One of my letter writers still hasn't submitted a LOR to one of the programs and I am trying to get it in but they are taking their sweet time...

On the off-chance that any previous winners are reading this... is it okay for your statements for the Eugene Cota-Robles fellowship to have significant overlap with your statement of purpose/personal history statement? Or do they have to be entirely separate?

Good luck everyone! Be back in April! On a side note, has anyone who applied to NSF GRFP also applied to the Ford?

From one Goldwater Scholar to another: I don't know much about GRE scores to be honest, but I have been told that if the GRE is the only part of your application that isn't stellar, that you can get your letter of recommendation writers to address it in their letters to you.

I'll likely apply to the institution and department that I did my research in, but it's not exactly one of my top choices. However I'll be listing it as a potential institution for the application.

Well the project I'd like to write about is in a quiet field (only 2 labs in the world work on this) and I came up with a pretty novel idea for it. I already started writing the proposal for my old lab and I figured it'd be great to have this double for the NSF GRFP, and my old PI agreed. But because it is seldom studied, it would tie me down to that lab and I'd really like to direct my studies to a different field (like physiology or neuroscience).

Does the proposal have to be something you actually plan on studying, or can it be related to a past summer experience that you no longer intend on pursuing (e.g. proposal focuses on one subject of bio and is related to a previous experience but a novel idea, but I intend on going into a different bio field)?

That is wonderful to hear. Thank you so much for this information.

I normally get double time on my exams for a documented disability. I have heard that if you take the GRE with accommodations, that that is noted on the scores sent to the schools. Would that put me at a disadvantage? Would it be better to get a lower score and not have schools know I took extra time, or is the higher score worth it? (I am applying to bio programs)

Whatever you do, do not get involved in lab politics. Some people hate each other and will try and suck you into the gossip. You are only there for a summer - stay on good terms with everyone you can. On a less scary note, you are there to learn! As long as you take the opportunity seriously and show respect for the lab members, it is okay to make mistakes, ask questions, and go on trips on the weekends.

A massive thank you to everyone for your input. All of your replies prompted much-needed self-reflection as to where my anxiety was coming from. Regarding anxiety: I know I want a Ph.D. My anxiety stems mostly from the fact that I am unsure which field to pursue a Ph.D in, and secondarily that I am unsure what I would like in a supervisor. I started feeling anxious when I was looking at the departments of schools. I know people recommend you read papers to get a good idea of who is leading the fields, but they also say you should only apply to schools where you like at least 3 of the PIs, so I was trying to find a good 'fit.' I quickly amassed a list of 60 school/departments that I cut down to 10 schools based on my familiarity with research. So much research doesn't sound interesting to me simply because i haven't been exposed to it, but once I do it becomes fascinating. What if I am ruling out a subject I would adore simply because I haven't taken a class in it? Now, my list is mostly prestigious, crap-shoot schools with departments all across the board: genetics, neuroscience, physiology, cell biology, "biosciences," etc. I just can't help but feel that I am doing this incorrectly. Considering I've only ever done research in physiology (and it was OK, though I feel it is not the field I was destined to be in) and little if any genetics/neuro work, I am not even sure how I am supposed to tailor my SoPs to these prestigious programs. I think @knp said it best: I am feeling very fuzzy. I'm trying to remedy this by applying to schools with interdisciplinary departments and rotations, but you still have to apply to one department. And then, on top of ruling schools out based on interest, worrying about whether a supervisor will be a good fit or even have enough funding... I'll be applying to postbac programs as well, but most of these programs are for students who aren't competitive. And I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I feel that I may be a bit too competitive for the programs because of my awards. And if I end up applying to a postbac and getting in, wouldn't it be better to apply to graduate school then? All these thoughts are very anxiety inducing! Of course! Otherwise I wouldn't be applying. I'm just unsure as to whether I've had the diversity of experiences necessary to really know what I'd like in a supervisor or in a lab. This is exactly how I feel, though I suppose if I did a postbac I wouldn't exactly be leaving academia. You're right about the time issue though - I definitely wouldn't want to spend more than a year off. Looking back, how do you feel about your decision? You're right, I hadn't thought about that. Thank you for your perspective. I hope all goes well with your decisions as well. Your post really hit the nail on the head and made me realize that the lack of clarity is what I was missing. Despite that, professors and mentors are saying I'm competitive enough. I just can't help but feel that they're wrong, or that I'll end up in the wrong place. It sounds like you were happy about your decision to take a gap year. How did you navigate asking them for letters of recs from 2 or 3 fields, even after the clarity you received from a gap year? Thank you for this post - I really needed to understand why people were telling me to apply now. Unfortunately I can't reduce my coursework since I will not be able to graduate on time if I did so, so my plan would be to figure out which schools/departments to apply to by the end of the summer, which is also contributing to anxiety. What do you suggest with regards to applying to so many different departments because of the fact that I have no idea which field I'd like to go into? Thank you again.

I appreciate your comment, and will definitely think about it more. My hunch right now is that I'm not anxious about continuing my education - more that I would just like more research experience before diving into a Ph.D, and would like to think about the process during a research-filled gap year rather than during my senior year (where I'll be focusing on GREs, writing my senior thesis, and taking a very heavy load while working two jobs).

Hi everyone! I need advice from people who aren't my professors. I'm a rather accomplished bio undergrad and am about to enter my final year. Thus far, I have had two summer research experiences, a few presentation awards, and a Goldwater scholarship. I say all this not to brag, but because I feel like I'm not ready yet. I still have no idea exactly which field I'd like to pursue (Genetics? Cell Bio? Neuroscience? Physiology? Bioinformatics???) and tend to not do well on standardized tests (I'm scoring low on GRE quant).I started looking into graduate programs and felt overwhelmed by the options and trying to find professors whose research I liked, who could also be good mentors, and have funding on top of that. This is overwhelming and it is making starting the process very difficult. I'm leaning toward doing a year long research-focused postbac program, but am having a few problems: My professors have highly advised me against taking a year off and suggest I just start applying now They also suggest that if I really want a postbac, I apply to postbac and grad school programs at the same time I feel like most postbac programs won't take me because of my accomplishments since I am rather competitive, even though I desperately feel like I need some time off to focus on applications I'm really not sure what to do. I know I am in a great position academically, but personally, I feel that things are moving too quickly. Would appreciate any advice at this point since I am at a loss for how to continue.