ZY Cao

How much does a low GPA hurts my chances, im looking at around 3.0-3.2ish? What is a desirable Verbal Score? around 150 or 160? What is the average admission rate(not enrollment rate) for a high ranking school? mid one? I know it differ school to school so a range is appreciated. Does a good Biology Subj score help allieviate the GPA situation? By how much? Who reads the applications? Admission Officer or profs in the school of life sciences? How helpful is contacting profs in advance? I know this is a ton of questions but I've been asking around a long time and nobody knows the answers. So I really really would like to have them. 本当にありがとうございます

The question is obvious from the title, but let me elaborate. I am a junior doing biochem at brandeis applying for fall 2018 admission, my GPA shrunk to 2.89 after I took several hard grad-level classes on them and got C's. Now obviously I am working hard to improve now, but probably can only have a 3.3ish before submission of application. Doing research at harvard medical school and expecting publication soon, probably not first author, and will obviously get a LOC from the PI. Do you think my grades will hurt my application a ton or a little? what should I do now besides studying hard? Does taking GRE Biochem subject helps? any suggestion appreciated! Edit: Does the fact that the classes I suck at are upper division classes avaliable for both undergraduate and graduate students alleviate the situation a little bit?