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I did a similar thing (and ended up getting in, etc). I would recommend looking online to see who the student outreach/office of the department are and call them. The POI will route you through them anyway, most likely.

I did the NIH IRTA for a couple years and was involved with activities on campus (bethesda), so if anyone has questions about it, tag me! I can also direct you to other people as well in a PM.

It shouldn't! Just be prepared to clearly talk about what caused you to change interests- that it comes from some type of experience, how you found out you definitely want to do it, and why your previous work has prepared you for this job (you can even think outside the box a bit for this one). I just got accepted to an ecology and evolution department, and I studied mostly physical chemistry/biology as an undergrad. My research experience has been all over the place though, because, as you also pointed out, you kind of have to go where there are opportunities, especially at state schools.

Congrats to those that have made it in, and hugs to those who are still anxiously waiting or got rejected. We'll all get there someday!

I'm also married, and a bit nervous about this as I have regularly gotten snides comments about the fact I am married. I am also 3 years older than my cohort, and I am hoping people do not treat me as if I am less "serious" than the non-married PhD students.

Bumping- I'm moving here this summer to attend Emory. I'm slightly older than a freshly minted undergrad, and will be bringing my husband with me (no kids though). Any advice for house buying/townhome renting in the various burbs would be nice.

Would second this post!

1) Not sure if that's totally true, but there is always talk of running out of housing options in Corvallis, as it was never meant for as many students as OSU has, IMO. Living in Albany or Leb is fine, and seems pretty close, but you'd be surprised how disconnected and far away you feel from Corvallis, even though it's only 10 miles away. Corvallis is pretty small, and the OSU culture is very concentrated in Corvallis itself. I would personally feel very isolated if I lived that far away from Corvallis, as someone who went to undergrad there. 2) Depends on where you live. Corvallis has free, relatively reliable public bus system and an extremely bike/ped friendly road system. If you live in town you genuinely do not need a car as long as you're alright with a bit of physical exercise. 3) Since around when I went to college, there has been an increase in sex crimes, I believe (I should really see if this is statistically true). When I went to college there, we had a few people breaking into girls' houses, etc. Overall, though, Corvallis is an extremely safe town (and was marketed to us that way for undergrad), which is why the aforementioned crimes seemed so extreme. It has normal city crime and college campus crime, but it is a very safe town IMO.

A fairly popular, mid-cheap range apartment complex close to campus is Campus Villa. I lived there for a year, and many of my friends did. The landlord can sometimes be a bit much, but if you follow the rules then you shouldn't have an issue. Corvallis is a mix of cheap and expensive housing options. North Corvallis will usually be more townhouse style, which can be cheaper if you find others to live with. However, it is a bit ambitious (though I know people who did) to bike constantly to campus from that far due to the rain throughout most of the year. The bus system runs through North Corvallis as well. Campus Villa is on the edge of South Corvallis, which is often cheaper, but is a bit less ped friendly and less active community wise, IMO.

Downtown: it is fairly small, like Corvallis in general. It does have great options for breweries (McMenamins, Block15, etc) and some really nice little holes in the wall. I would say most of the area is actually more friendly towards the non-frat life, at least it was when I visited my family growing up and when I went to undergrad there (2011-2015). If you're good with what you listed, Corvallis will be a good fit for you. It's boring to some people, but I found it pretty cozy, with quiet little places for me to drink beer with friends. I recommend McMenamins on 3rd (not Monroe, too loud there), and Block15 for breweries. The "night out" place used to be Peacock, but I think I heard through the grapevine that it burned down a couple years back... Transportation: Bus system is free. Yes, you will meet an unfortunate amount of uncared for homeless/mentally ill people, but I never felt unsafe as a teenager taking the bus system. It is also an incredibly bike friendly city (it used to win national awards for this), and I did both throughout undergrad. Since Corvallis is pretty damn small, you can also walk many places. It's very relaxed and people are generally more conscientious of bikers/peds than in many parts of the U.S. If you have anymore questions, I can try to help answer them- I loved Corvallis!

Hi all, currently a fulbright researcher in South Africa, PM me if you have any questions about that country program!

Pick the schools that have the best research, the most opportunities for jobs, and most importantly, a culture you feel comfortable in. My good friend, who went to a state school and is unpretentious, was accepted by many Ivies. He ended up picking CalTech in the end (certainly not a shabby school at all, either) and saying he regretted not taking the interview time to attend more schools like the UCs, the other high ranked state universities, etc. He had found the Ivy culture (and I believe he was accepted at all of them for a biophysical field) to be devoid of the passion and community feel he discovered he wanted. He found all that in CalTech. At the end of the day, the work environment and mentoring will honestly be much more productive to your success than simply a name. It is obviously best to find a combination. Don't doubt yourself, either! You COULD probably get into an Ivy. The question isn't about if you're good enough for the name, it's do you WANT to go there? Is it the best option for you? I'm basically echoing sentiments here but.

UCLA EEB told me all interviews have been sent out for the PhD program. Not sure about masters. Just email them!

Can you wear your blazer twice? Additionally, if you are from the States (or a western country in general i believe), H&M has VERY cheap blazers- like 12-15$. Might be a good backup.

Thanks for the tip. Was this in the US? And if so which area?

I would email the prof and ask! I know it feels like you are bothering them (I'm the queen of avoiding these type of interactions), but people tell me it's a good thing to do. You'll also get a direct answer. And/or email the department contact point.

Hi y'all, for any interested, I emailed Tessa, the contact for UCLA EEB and she said that interview notices have all been sent out and final statuses go up in March. I did not get an interview so I don't need to wait til March to know the answer...sigh.

Has anyone heard from UCLA's EEB? I saw one interview in the results spreadsheet but that's the only one. I sent an email today but haven't heard back yet.

I had a phone interview with PBEE. They told me that they send out acceptances after the end of Jan because they wait for the in person interviews! Dunno if it's the same for GMB, but don't lose hope

I mirror everyone else's comments. Keep seeing a counselor to help your feelings of inadequacy. Those killed my postbac research as well, and when you free yourself of them, you will be shocked at how much more you can progress. Imposter syndrome is real, and beyond that, it is OKAY to flounder. Overcoming those challenges is what grad school is all about, and moreover, how science advances.

Really hoping for Emory!

Hi all, glad to see the thread and maybe being able to talk more if we all get accepted about our future work. Undergrad Institution: Standard state universityMajor(s): Biochemistry/BiophysicsMinor(s): ChemistryGPA in Major: 3.80 Overall GPA: 3.80Position in Class: n/aType of Student: Domestic FemaleGRE Scores:Q: 155 (55%)V: 160 (86%)W: 5.0 (93%)Research Experience: Four full summers during undergrad, 3 years of part-time during school year, had Honors Thesis. Mostly focused on molecular biology with various applications. Two year stint at the NIH for the IRTA program, again molec bio based with physics and statistics. 1 year abroad, evolutionary bio and molec bio Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Fulbright Research NIH IRTA ASBMB degree certification Various department research funding awards and other scholarshipsPertinent Activities or Jobs: 1 and ~half years as a TA/lab instructor/center tutor Science writer for a couple of terms in undergrad for the newspaper.Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Done a handful of posters and attended several conferences, won a poster award once. StartedSpecial Bonus Points: I think I have strong essays, but that isn't necessarily objectively true. I have done significant extracurricular work, but I am worried that will somehow count against me due to low pub number. I don't think it should matter much, because undergrad IMO should be about training and learning what you care about, but I know some schools don't like extracurriculars. I met some faculty in a tour before I left the States, and have been in email communication since then.Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: Significant community outreach and science communication, as this is one of the things I care a lot about. I have set up a few activities/groups at my university that have continued for 3 years, an Other leadership about things I am passionate about Advocate for underrepped in science/health disparities populations and work to close the gap in outreach. Weaknesses: Only one publication, not a top author. Also have not had the most straightforward journey through research in terms of subject matter, and I think one of my letters of rec points this out, though I am not sure if it is in a flattering light or not. My GRE math score also speaks for itself. Applying to Where: Emory PBEE Montana State Micro UCLA EEB Areas of interest: -disease ecology, computational/modeling of disease outbreaks among animals and spillovers, evolutionary predictions of infectious agents

Very. Haha. I only applied to a couple of places so I am pretty nervous.

Hi, I went to undergrad at OSU and grandparents lived in Corvallis as well. Corvallis is, by most consensus, to be a rather nice small town. However, it is a small town. There is a lot of small-knit little groups to hang out with, the Pacific is fairly nearby (~40 min), as well as Portland (~1.5 hr) and great hiking all around. The people are often incredibly kind and laid-back, pretty typical American West Coasters. Lots of liberal, hippie people. However, it *is* genuinely a small town, and can get boring fast if you do not enjoy outdoors stuff and need cosmopolitan life frequently. I found that trips to Portland were sufficient for me! There is not very good food there unfortunately for the most part, but there are a few great places. Another possible negative is the rain. It is very dreary and drizzly much of the year, as with all of the Pacific Northwest, but the summers are quite beautiful. Overall, I loved Corvallis and miss it dearly sometimes. But I know people that couldn't wait to get out.