JacquelineY

Thank you for the information! Yeah I agree that the NIH program sounds like a fantastic opportunity for recent graduates. Sadly I'm neither a US citizen nor a permanent resident and therefore am not eligible to apply.

Lemma, thank you for your reply! I'm actually prepared to get "rejected across the board" since my school list is so top heavy. In that case I will probably stay at my undergrad school as a lab technician and apply for the next season. Since this is brought up, anyone has any suggestion on jobs/industry opportunities in case my application falls through? I didn't look into it so I'm pretty ignorant on this subject.

I feel I'm going too high, but on the other hand I find going to places "not as good as my undergrad" (for the sake of argument, no offense intended) a bit hard to swallow, and I'm also extremely picky about locations. Would appreciate any advice. Thank you all in advance! Undergrad Institution: University of ChicagoMajor(s): Biological SciencesMinor(s): Classical StudiesGPA in Major: 3.75-ishOverall GPA: 3.79Position in Class: Average as a freshman, getting better every year (It depends on the class. Maybe above average to close to top?). One poor grade in chem. (I've been told 3.8+ would be top 10% at my school)Type of Student: International, femaleGRE Scores (revised/old version):Q: 167 (92%)V: 170 (99%)W: 5.5 (98%)B: 900 (98%; Mol&Cell: 96%; Organismal: 98%; E&E: 92%)Research Experience: Less than two years at my school, cancer biology. One publication in preparation (Nat med), middle author (If the reviewers are quick, could expect to hear back from them right before 12/1). One poster presentation at school symposium.Awards/Honors/Recognitions: One academic merit award upon matriculation, dean's list every year. Got school grant awards for two summers that I can put on the CV. Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Ongoing research honors project. Special Bonus Points: 1 LOR from my PI, 3 from professors who have taught me, one of which is a dean here. I wouldn't call any of these LORs "fantastic" though-I just don't know. Contacted one UChicago alumnus professor at top choice school. He seemed to have interest. Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: Can't think of any for now. Applying to Where:Harvard Yale Rockefeller Weill Memorial Sloan Columbia Icahn Johns Hopkins U of Washington U of Pennsylvania U of Chicago Northwestern