Undergrad Institution: Big midwestern research university, super strong biochem program (if I didn't go here I'd apply for their grad program!)Major(s): BiochemistryMinor(s): Computer science GPA in Major: ~3.85Overall GPA: 3.93Position in Class: pretty high up there?Type of Student: Domestic female, white/asian GRE Scores (revised version):Q: 164 - 89V: 169 - 99W: 4.5 - 82 Research Experience:
-A summer at a different, less well-known university with a botany professor. I learned how to do basic lab techniques, genotyped a bunch of plants for QTL analysis, did some field work. PI and I have kept in touch on good terms
-A year and a half at a biochem lab on campus working on mycobacterial cell walls. Presented a poster on my research at the Experimental Biology conference last year. The lab moved away this summer
-Now I'm in a microbio lab on campus, doing natural competency stuff. I don't have an assigned "research mentor" and I (stupidly) stayed in my part-time job from the summer so I've been super lost, but I'll be quitting my job to try and get some sort of data before I graduate.Awards/Honors/Recognitions: A couple departmental scholarships from my school, plus I'm in the general honors college and Phi Beta KappaPertinent Activities or Jobs: volunteer tutor, high school tutor for the university's outreach program, and I'll be an undergraduate TA for a biology lab next semester (but I didn't put that on my application since it's not for sure and it's mostly for fun). Special Bonus Points: My previous PI is super well known in her field and just moved her lab to MIT. All of my letters are from research advisors, though I will say that my last one is from my current PI and I haven't really accomplished anything in the one semester I've been in her lab.Applying to Where:MIT - BiologyUWashington - Microbiology
Carnegie Mellon - Biological Sciences
Stanford - Biosciences
UCSF - TETRAD
UC Berkeley - Molecular and Cell Biology
I'm concerned I applied to too many reach schools while not applying to enough places in general. My stats are good and I have great connections, but I didn't have as much time to devote to my statements as I would've liked. I'm hoping my scores and letters can land me an interview and I can go from there. I'll be sure to update once I hear back!
