Jacklynnve

Hey @synapticcat, thanks for your response! I thought a lot about applying to more programs and I decided not to. I don't want to apply to programs that I'm not absolutely positive that I want to go to. I really appreciate your suggestion about Case Western, I am looking into it now for sure! Initially, I was very nervous only applying to three schools (4 programs total), but I've actually come to terms with it at this point. I don't have much to lose and I have a good job, so if it doesn't work out, I guess I will try again next year! Thanks for sharing about your GRE, that does make me feel better. I also sort of came to terms with that as well, although sometimes it hits me and I panic a bit, haha. I'm very happy for you and your invites! Good luck!!

I was told to become very comfortable with my plan B. To be honest, at first I thought that sounded stupid, but once I thought realistically about what my backup plan is and how I can improve in between cycles if I don't get in, I became comfortable with the fact that I may not get accepted to grad school. Fingers crossed for your success, I am also anxiously waiting for an interview invite.

@blc073 Thanks for your advice. I will definitely try to get in some more applications. I tried to stick to schools who have pathobiology programs with a focus in neoplasia or umbrella programs with pathology & laboratory medicine as a focus so GSK was not on my list.

Thanks for your response @StemCellFan. I was only able to afford to apply to three programs unfortunately, otherwise I would have submitted more applications. Fingers crossed for you as well!!

Hi everyone, Please bear with me, I’m new to this page and I’m a little embarrassed to be posting and subjecting myself to potentially painful responses LOL. Anyways, I’m applying to pathobiology programs at Hopkins, Boston U, and Columbia, but my GRE scores aren’t great. I’m pretty confident in the rest of my application - 3.6 GPA in undergrad, 3 years of breast cancer research with two publications - one first author and two AACR abstracts. I currently work at Memorial Sloan Kettering as the Biospecimen Coordinator for the Pancreas Center for almost two years, 3 awesome letters of rec all from MSK (Two from well known PI’s who happened to move their labs from Hopkins to Memorial Sloan Kettering where I work. One of those PI’s started a research autopsy program at Hopkins which I participate in at Sloan, harvesting organs from people with extensive disease. The third letter is from a medical oncologist who I created the workflow for a 18 million dollar multi-institutional grant for and speaks very highly of me). I’m very passionate about pathology and I’m positive that I displayed that in my SOP. My only concern is my GRE scores. I just barely broke 300 with verbal and quant, and got a 4.5 in the analytical writing, but I’m so nervous that the schools are going to see this part of my application and run. I did happen to hear from Boston already about reviewing my application and requesting my scores so they could fully evaluate my application before the December 1st deadline, so maybe that’s a good sign? Any positive thoughts? I’m so ready to move on to the next step in my career and THE WAITING IS KILLING ME! Good luck to everyone else who is going through similar things, I’m definitely getting some grays from this process.