TheScienceHoney

Really thankful for this question and the advice posted in response. I'm three weeks away from moving 2000 miles to a new city where I don't know anyone, and then starting a PhD two weeks after that. I've never gone more than a month without seeing my parents, and my fiance will still be finishing his BS back at my former university. I'm terrified of the loneliness and homesickness.
In regards to the pet situation, I also second getting a cat, if you're interested in getting a pet. For a graduate student lifestyle and schedule they're much easier to take care of. Don't get me wrong, they absolutely need love and affection and playtime, but you don't need to let them out multiple times a day or walk them or have a very strict feeding schedule (most cats won't gorge themselves if you leave a big bowl of food out for a weekend while you're away, for example.) Coming home to my kitty is often the highlight of my day, she is very cuddly and talkative and definitely a source of stress relief. You could even consider getting an older kitty, who won't require as much immediate attention as a kitten, and will probably just sleep all day.

You should look up Dr. Andy Kau's research at WUSTL. I work in the lab next to his and they are doing some pretty neat immuno/micro stuff with the gut microbiome 

Echoing StemCellFan's advice about research experience. Especially since your undergraduate background isn't in the field you want to pursue a PhD in,  it would be really beneficial for you to apply to some internships or entry level technician positions. This way you can also build up your connections within the field, which will be vital for getting recommendation letters. It's not completely unheard of for someone with a different background to get accepted to a bio PhD program, but you'll need to put in some extra work. What connections do you already have? Do you have any friends working at labs or studying biology that you could perhaps shadow for a day? Anyone that could introduce you to a scientist in the field? Search far and wide for research opportunities that could help you get your foot in the door. Research experience is absolutely vital, whether it be wet labs or computational work. 
It might be beneficial to take the GRE subject test but most universities are moving away from requiring it, or even placing much weight in GRE scores at all. Research experience and recommendation letters are really key here. Why exactly do you want to pursue a PhD in neuroscience? What sparked that interest, and what have you done to nurture it? Do you really have a good grasp on what a career in research entails? These are all questions that admissions committees will want answered in your application. If you have minimal coursework in science, it would also be to your benefit to brush up on chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, statistics, and neuroscience if you can find courses at local community colleges or universities. It's difficult to convince an admissions committee that they should accept you if you don't really even understand the basics of the field. A post-bacc program might also be a good thing to look into, like you mentioned. I know many people who enroll in post-bacc programs to prepare for medical school, but I'm sure it's not unheard of for PhD paths as well.
A master's program might be something to consider as well, and would 100% make you a better PhD admissions candidate with your present background, but you might run into similar problems with master's admissions committees. Whichever way you go, you should definitely try to play up the strengths you have as a business major - it's unique and probably lends you a different perspective than many applicants will have.
Tl;dr: It's not too late and you can definitely pursue a PhD if that's what you really want! But it's going to take more than getting good test scores, you'll need significant hands-on research experience in the field you want to go into or a similar field. 
Good luck!!

Agree with research experience. Having specific coursework is nice, but it's also something you can make up for in grad school (for example, I'll be taking a statistics class during my first year as a PhD student because I didn't take it in undergrad, but this didn't prevent me from being accepted.) Having research experience in biomed is absolutely vital though. I took a year and a half off after my BSc to work in a lab as a technician and that combined with my other undergraduate research experience (totaling approximately 5 years cumulatively) made me a very strong candidate for my program. Every single professor I interviewed with mentioned how much of an advantage my research experience was. I had a lower GPA (3.4) and slightly lower than average GREs, but my research experience and multiple publications showed that I was ready. You can't just rely on your coursework to get you in. Of course, take classes that are relevant and interesting to you - I took like 6 different microbiology/related courses as an undergrad - but you will learn far more from actual lab experience

Yup. It's been a struggle especially when it comes to reaching out to labs I want to do my rotation in. Logically, I know that I was accepted because they think I have the potential to be a successful graduate student and PhD candidate. But in my mind, I'm like, lol no one wants to work with me, I know nothing, and they know that I know nothing
I've gotten better about just shushing that voice and doing sh*t anyways. Sometimes you just gotta ignore it and keep plowing forward

Do you have any research experience?  The biggest thing any program is going to interested in is whether you have done laboratory/research work before.  So even if you managed to get prerequisite courses out of the way, you need to demonstrate to the admissions committee that you actually enjoy doing research work (either in a wet, bench setting, or dry laboratory work at the computer).
I have heard of a GRE subject test being at least useful for people who haven't done an undergrad major/minor in a subject.  Though I would also look into biology/chemistry classes at a local college as another option.  I'm not sure of any post-bacc programs for coursework off the top of my head.
I would definitely consider a masters degree before taking a plunge into a PhD program, in my opinion.

Also wondering this! I proposed to my boyfriend two weeks ago and was so nervous about the proposal that I completely forgot that after he said yes, we'd be planning a wedding. I'm starting my PhD in the fall and he'll have 1 year left finishing his BS, and then will come join me. We're not planning to get married for two years so we can save up some more money, but I'm starting to think that maybe we should just elope because being in grad school, on a grad student budget, while planning a wedding that will take place ~2000 miles away (our family is in the same city we grew up in, but I'm moving to the West Coast for my PhD), well, that all sounds like a recipe for stress and disaster.
I am really looking forward to having him out there with me though, and him having a more stable income. I do wish there were resources for spouses of grad students though, as I can definitely foresee us running into issues with him underestimating the commitment a PhD program *actually* is.

Also wondering this! I proposed to my boyfriend two weeks ago and was so nervous about the proposal that I completely forgot that after he said yes, we'd be planning a wedding. I'm starting my PhD in the fall and he'll have 1 year left finishing his BS, and then will come join me. We're not planning to get married for two years so we can save up some more money, but I'm starting to think that maybe we should just elope because being in grad school, on a grad student budget, while planning a wedding that will take place ~2000 miles away (our family is in the same city we grew up in, but I'm moving to the West Coast for my PhD), well, that all sounds like a recipe for stress and disaster.
I am really looking forward to having him out there with me though, and him having a more stable income. I do wish there were resources for spouses of grad students though, as I can definitely foresee us running into issues with him underestimating the commitment a PhD program *actually* is.

@TheScienceHoney I saw you live in CWE. I just found an apt in the CWE and would just like to know a little more. I have already visited the place and the apt is great and the location seems to be pretty awesome! Can you tell me about what it's like to live there, favorite restaurants, parking (my apt said that most people park on the street which seems like a pain), culture/nightlife/etc?

Ok. I'm actually freaking out now. Still NO word from one school I interviewed at (a month ago) and no word from the other school that I had an informal interview with one of the professors. Their websites say "early April" is when decisions are mailed out so I haven't called yet because they ask to be patient. I'm so nervous. My interview went incredibly well and two professors have still been in contact with me, but I feel like since I haven't heard *anything* yet it's not good news :/

I was going to write a thoughtful long response, as someone who is active in advocating against gender discrimination in my field. I have a lot to say, both from personal experience and based on a large dataset I've collected along with a committee I'm active on showing bias in almost all aspects of a woman academic's life once she graduates from college. (Before you ask for the data, it's confidential and we're in the process of writing up a paper, so if you're *actually* curious, ask me about it in a few months.) I'm in a field where there are more women undergraduates and about as many graduate students as male students. But fewer women get onto shortlists for academic positions; in fact, even once on a short list, they are still less likely to get hired than a man on the same list; fewer women currently serve as faculty members; fewer women get chosen to present papers at conferences; fewer women have their papers published in peer-reviewed journals; fewer women get invited to contribute to handbook articles, which feature the top scholars in the field giving an overview of their main research topic(s); fewer women are invited speakers at conferences; fewer women get their work funded by government agencies. I could go on.
But this poster thinks that being a woman magically opens all doors for a candidate, from sample size N=1, and not even having a full picture of that particular one. To which all I can say is, Wow. 

I didn't meet her while I was there, but I looked into her research before and it definitely sounds super cool! It looks like we're kind of going for the same field/area too (microbial ecology and biogeochemistry), so I'm hoping you hear good news. It's a great school and a great department!

I know the original post is over a year old at this point, but...anyone else get major 'incel' type vibes from this?
Lots of good advice has already been given so I won't throw in my two cents but I'd basically echo what @eevee said above. 
Yikes. Good luck with the process of maturing emotionally.

...if the thought of dating inside academia didn't creep me out before, it certainly does now.

First of all, this whole dating undergrads goal you have is a disaster waiting to happen. I'm not saying you are going to intentionally try to have some sort of skewed power dynamic, but that's what you're describing. You have to be very careful about this (and I would say don't do it at all), because you are older, you are in a position of authority over undergraduates, and it's possible that your goals in this relationship would be very damaging to the trust and open communication you should have in a relationship.
 
As well, your assumption that someone who isn't familiar with the "male body" and has some kind of "otherworldly fascination" with all things new and sexual is wrong as well. Many guys I've spoken to have some form of insecurity or jealousy when it comes to sex. Some even go so far as to not date women that have had sex with other people, even after they themselves are not virgins (I guess this is what you're saying?). Now this is completely hypocritical, I hope you realize.
 
It's also not necessary that someone have no experience for them to be attracted to you, to have some kind of childlike wonder (a really creepy term to use in this discussion), or to feel some exciting crush with butterflies in your stomach and all that. I feel that about my boyfriend of 2.5 years, and it's nowhere near the first relationship I've had.
 
"Interestingly, quite a few girls that have been interested in me have been like 180 degrees from that, like having almost exaggeratedly grown-up-womanish features. Grad school for some weird and inexplicable reason seems to attract these sorts of women too--except for the Asians. I know this is extreme stereotyping but it's something I notice, especially when I compare them to the undergrads at the same university.
I also fear that the type I mentioned in the beginning--the ones who find the idea of having a boyfriend almost "mythical", are likely to be hideous and/or have really ugly personalities. In one way it kind of makes sense--why would I be the first guy to like a girl--though on the other hand my lack of dating has had to do with introversion and illness--two things that have nothing to do with my attractiveness per se. A female counterpart of me might have just been late to "get the memo" that people around her had started dating."
1. I can't believe people in grad school (who are generally older) look older than people in undergrad (who are generally younger). It's not extreme stereotyping (except the Asian part), it's just how aging changes your face.
2. This theory you have about finding relationships "mythical" and being "hideous and/or really ugly in their personality" is absolutely wrong. There are many people who are very attractive (in looks and personality, if this is the only requirement) who have not had relationships before. You don't know what experiences they have had, and again you're falling prey to this fallacy that you're so special and no one else has experienced this before. You touch on this point, but you don't seem to recognize that it's completely wrong. As well, people can be unattractive to YOU, while being attractive to others. You can also have a relationship, even if you are unattractive. Your constant talk about women's looks, their inexperience, and how special you want to be to them just reeks of unstable and insecure masculinity.
 
 
"I think I kind of had four things that I listed as important in a partner:
1) Someone who is new to relationships, like myself, and wants a more childlike and playful relationship
2) Someone who is introverted and intellectual, but not a rival/in the same field
3) Someone I find physically and emotionally (in terms of "raw" mannerisms and the like) attractive to me
4) Someone who fits, logistically and practically speaking, into my life."
1. For you two to be compatible, you need not have the same level of experience. If it's a good relationship, it's childlike and playful (if that's what the two people want). You mentioned not wanting to be so professional and serious in your relationship. Well I'm here to tell you that it's possible - relationships are not like going to an academic talk. They're fun, you can laugh and play and run around and go on the swings and act like kids and no one should judge you. Even if you're in a relationship with someone who has been in a relationship before. My most childlike and playful relationship is my current one, technically eight years after my first (middle-school type) relationship and four years after my more serious first relationship.
2. Your concern about the person being a rival shows me that you are still a bit confused about how relationships work. Or you're very insecure about competing with people. Either way, this needs to be dealt with before you get into any kind of relationship. If not, this will all be raising some serious red flags for the people you're dating. If it doesn't raise serious red flags for them, I would be surprised.
3. This is very important. However, you can not limit yourself, and don't think your level of attraction to the person when you first meet will be related to how attracted you are to them later on. Things really change as a relationship develops, and for me the best relationships where my attraction got stronger were never the ones in which I was most attracted to the person at the beginning. Because then you can only go down from there!
4. I agree with this. This is absolutely important as well. I strongly believe that most undergraduates would not meet this.
 
So generally, please, please don't start dating until you've dealt with these personal issues and these dangerous misconceptions about women, relationships, and compatibility. All I see coming out of this if you start dating without facing and eliminating these issues is a dangerously power imbalanced relationship where you unknowingly end up taking advantage of the other person, all the while trying to stay special/important to them. And that will not be good.

I guess I'll be the person that speaks up about this, but...all your posts seem really off (for lack of a better word). 
It seems really condescending..like everything you're saying seems really condescending. Before branching into relationships, I think you should work on just basic social interaction with people first because you kind of lack a little bit of empathy, respect, and tact.
Just my two cents. 
P.S. why even hook up with people you find repulsive? A pity fuck? Cause that's pretty gross on your part.

Use the internet. Meetup is great for meeting people who share your interests, and the gatherings are already structured (e.g. going out on a hike, having a game night) which makes them easier to navigate. For dating, set up profiles and try OKCupid, Match, etc. You can try looking through the archives of Dan Savage's "Savage Love" - there is advice for everyone everywhere on the dating experience/sexuality spectrum. 
I'd also encourage you not to look at this as a rigid scientific process. If you say to yourself now "I can only obtain a meaningful relationship with a person who has had 0-2 serious relationships"... (i) you limit your dating pool (ii) you stay in incompatible relationships longer because you think this "should" be working (iii) cutesy-newness is overrated. Same with friendship. If you start saying to yourself that only friendships with "mentally-underdeveloped" undergrads could possibly work out...you're going to struggle to find any friends. Some undergrads are fiercely intelligent and will be able to contribute meaningfully to discussions about your research. Some grad students have plenty of friends who are undergrads. Wouldn't it be more useful to have friendships with sociable and emotionally-mature folk, so you could learn somethings from them? Part of having friends in the first place is to enjoy their company: why deliberately seek out "friends" who are awkward to be around?
I think that all good things involve plenty of trial and error to get to. You need to go on lots of dates with a variety of people to figure out who you're attracted to and what is important for you in a relationship. You need to take the initiative when it comes to making friends and be prepared for cool people to blow you off/forget to invite you to their parties. Don't assume that you are too different or inexperienced to form friendships/relationships the way that "normal people" do. Don't expect everything to be perfect the first time you attempt it. 

I didn't get in anywhere last year and ended up getting a field technician job over the summer (which lead to my current, more permanent job). I'd suggest looking at Ecolog L. I started around right now last year and the timing is pretty perfect because everyone is looking to hire for the summer. 
 

-Probably scream
-Call my parents, then my boyfriend, then my best friend
-Post on social media, email my rec letter writers
-Cry
-I hadn't thought of taking a day off but I'm totally going to now, I've been working my ass off, I deserve it lol. Probably do some day drinking with friends to celebrate. Relax. Enjoy the happiness.
-Then after that's all passed I'll actually look into accepting admission, the timeline I'll have, places to live, etc. All the practical stuff that comes with it  
I haven't gotten a single interview or acceptance yet. When my first rejection came, it was at 2 AM and I was awake and I definitely cried reading it. It's still gnawing at me.

I saw this post yesterday morning, and then received an email from UPenn in a few hours. I quickly grabbed my Mac and expected to be an "interview invitation" since the result came so early. Well, I was not lucky at all. So I guess that receiving a rejection letter as the first news heard turns out to be awful. I could not even sleep last night. 1 rejection, and 8 to go. 
I have one favorite  program. Whenever I picture the admission letter from that program, I guess I will be happy from inside out. I dreamed twice that I got accepted by my dream program, I was soooooooo excited that I woke up myself. Haha! I hope it will come true.
Hearing nothing is a torture, hearing something bad is even worse, I cannot help thinking the rejection letter is like of a "bellwether of ill omen". But feelings and thoughts can be wrong.
It is really a hard time!!!! Good luck to everyone.
 

I will probably scream of excitement, tell a few people about it and wait for the other decisions to be made if it isn't my top choice and cross my fingers the funding will come through so it can happen! 

Sorry to the poster above me who got rejected. I know what that feels like too well! I tried in 2008 and was rejected all around. Last year I was accepted to the one I had money to apply to, but the funding fell through. 

This is a solid plan. Maybe I'll do just the same, except that taking a day off won't be necessary for me, since I've already been indulging myself in heavy binge-watching and "taking days off" ever since the application process ended. 
I also haven't gotten any interview or acceptance yet. I expect them (or rejection) to arrive from early February, but I'm not so sure. I'm so sorry to hear that you got your first rejection. I really hope you get your first acceptance soon from your favorite school! Best of luck to you!    
 

If you don't want to go there, why apply? It might look weird to these programs if you're accepted one year, choose not to attend, but reapply the next. 
On a different front, I'm not really a fan of applying to safety schools. I think you should apply to programs that are a good fit for your research interests and be open to attending any of them pending funding and culture fit. For me, my "safety school" was a program I'd love to attend, but it doesn't offer funding to most admitted first years. That was my, apply and see if 1. I don't get in anywhere else. If that happens, I'll work out loans or 2. on the offchance I'm one of the two first years they choose to fund. Fit wise, I'd very happily attend. 
Have you visited school A before and therefore know for sure that it is the best fit for you in terms of research and culture (culture of program, department, school, surrounding city, etc)? If not, I'd be cautious of labeling any school a dream school before you've gone in to check it out (with eyes wide open). Unfortunately, there are stories on this forum of people miserable in their programs, several of which have stated they did not do their due diligence researching the culture of their department. If you have done the research and visited the institution, congratulations on finding a perfect program for you!
People keep trying to make me say which program would be my top choice if I get in. Truth is, I can't answer that question because I have yet to visit any of the programs to get a first-hand account of what it would be like there. I usually just tell people I'm waiting to decide that until all admissions decisions are in and I've had a chance to visit each campus to which I've been admitted. 
TLDR: Yes, this depends on the program, but there is a chance that getting accepted one year, declining without a specific change in circumstances, and then reapplying the next year could impact your admission. I don't like the idea of only applying to one program so maybe still apply to the others and either take your chances reapplying the next year or find some other programs (that would be a good fit for you) to apply to that round. Of course, none of this matters if you get into school A, haha.

Thank you!! Yeah I think it's just hard because it's the first one. I love your quote about winging it by the way <3 

There is still time! It's normal to feel depressed about it, but just know that you've accomplished so much already just going through this process.