kevinrhinoceros

Oh, I got that email. When I first read it I thought they said that "we have more highly accomplished applicants than you." I was pretty upset for about an hour before I realized I misread it.
Still a little annoyed because during the interviews I qualified my responses with things like "if I have the opportunity to go here, _______" and just about every prof would stop me and say that everybody gets in. Guess not.  

Oh, I got that email. When I first read it I thought they said that "we have more highly accomplished applicants than you." I was pretty upset for about an hour before I realized I misread it.
Still a little annoyed because during the interviews I qualified my responses with things like "if I have the opportunity to go here, _______" and just about every prof would stop me and say that everybody gets in. Guess not.  

Hmm. Well, the GRFP is pretty different from a regular grant in that they're more funding you as a person instead of your research. NIH grants are also pretty different from NSF grants in terms of scope/focus. If you can find someone who has NSF funding, they'll at least be helpful with the research statement.

Just a warning for everybody, if you don't hear from your programs that you've received interview invites from it may he a good idea to follow up with them. I am going to a visit this weekend and had heard nothing from them except an email to invite me and one to organize my flight. Yesterday i recieved a few, somewhat frantic, emails saying that i needed to fill out a survey and give a bunch of information ASAP and that i was supposed to give back in December. Turns out I was not on their email list for recruits and had been missing all of their messages. Luckily I got it all sorted out and I am set but I would recommend emailing the department administrator in charge of organizing the event if you have heard nothing a week or two before the visit.

Congrats! Me too! (nearly fell out of my bed this morning when I saw the email)

Which Purdue program did you apply to? 
PS. As a Purdue graduate, I was trying to be helpful @kevinrhinoceros

Really? As someone who does benchwork, I didn't feel like AGradStudentHasNoName came off as entitled. Many labs at my institution hire a biocomp individual to help analyze data after benchwork is complete. Having someone specialize in just data analysis really makes the process more efficient and increases the likelihood of the analysis being correct since thats their specialty. Plus, they can work more on the data analysis since they aren't generating. Just my two cents!

Hey @LadyScientist and @pep mocha,
In terms of West Coast interviews I'm on the same boat as you guys. My perspective is this:
- Some professors/programs will offer interview invite hella early, but only if you got lucky and they happen to LOVE your application (but it doesn't mean you're not a competitive applicant). IMO, those who have received interview invites are not only based on their competitive application, but also on having the right person reading your application, and them really liking the fit. However, I highly doubt you are out of the game yet.
- Example: My UC Davis Immunology application was submitted last Thursday, and I was offered an interview invite today/Monday. That is before the program has had the "Meeting" to review the main batch of applicants. My guess is that someone felt like I was a good fit. Many others here have received UC Berkeley MCB professor phone calls, and I believe their situation could fall into the same trend of them being a really great fit for a specific program/lab.
- However, I am also waiting on UCSF, UCLA, and UCSD.
-If you think of it like Dating Dynamics, if you meet someone and totally click after 5 minutes, then you DEFINITELY will get a 2nd date. It's not your stats, not your "hard criteria" lol, but just about that perfect fit. However, other times you will meet great people who look amazing on paper, but maybe you hold off a few days before calling them, because you are not feeling that instant "chemistry." However, it does not mean life-long love cannot blossom in the future. Same goes for graduate school interviews and acceptances. 
Keep it strong and breathe. Best of luck to Everyone!
 

I also applied to UCSF Tetrad, and it seems like they're doing the same thing as last year where they send them out in waves. There were people hearing from the program as late as mid-January for interviews last year, so I wouldn't be too worried if you haven't heard anything yet. I also highly doubt that only one or two people on this forum got interviews at such a popular program  Congrats to those who did, though! I'm hoping at least a few of us will be joining you!

I also applied to UCSF Tetrad, and it seems like they're doing the same thing as last year where they send them out in waves. There were people hearing from the program as late as mid-January for interviews last year, so I wouldn't be too worried if you haven't heard anything yet. I also highly doubt that only one or two people on this forum got interviews at such a popular program  Congrats to those who did, though! I'm hoping at least a few of us will be joining you!

I also applied to UCSF Tetrad, and it seems like they're doing the same thing as last year where they send them out in waves. There were people hearing from the program as late as mid-January for interviews last year, so I wouldn't be too worried if you haven't heard anything yet. I also highly doubt that only one or two people on this forum got interviews at such a popular program  Congrats to those who did, though! I'm hoping at least a few of us will be joining you!

Hey, I was born and raised in Baltimore. It seems that many here have been deluded by misrepresentations of Baltimore (ie. The Wire, Serial, news). I will just say this, if you write off Hopkins because of Baltimore it is absolutely your loss. Baltimore is vibrant, young, and diverse. It has one of the fastest growing populations of people ages 25-30. It is actually an art hub so almost every day there are various events/festivals to explore. Between the UMD schools, Hopkins, and Maryland School for the Arts there is a lively student community. Baltimore has a beautiful setting on the water and because it was one of the first U.S cities it has beautiful, historical architecture. If you are a sports fan then Baltimore is a great place to be with the Orioles at Camden Yards and the Ravens. Baltimore is a condensed city made up of eclectic neighborhoods so not only it is very accessible, you will never run out of things to do/new places to explore.
Baltimore has a truly diverse population and an incredible sentiment of social justice and activism. Lastly, Baltimore is just 45 minutes from DC, an hour from beaches on the Atlantic coast, an hour to Philadelphia, less than an hour to the beginning of the Appalachian Mountains (ie. tons of stunning natural scenery and parks), and 3-4 hours from New York. I could go on and on about what an amazing place Baltimore is. 
I know people are concerned with crime, but in all of my years living in a working class neighborhood my roommates and I were never victims of crime. Honestly, the people most afflicted by crime in Baltimore are the poor and those marginalized/oppressed by our society...so please check your privilege before you start to complain about crime. 
I am not attending Hopkins as I decided it was time to try out a new state, but the research environment is really phenomenal. And keep in mind that you have access to the NIH (especially the NCI, infectious diseases, and aging institutes), Kennedy Krieger, and UMD. I am not saying Hopkins is better than any other program, but it's a damn shame to see so many people write it off without any precedent/actual experience to go off.