[Fall 2018 Cycle]

On 1/19/2018 at 12:29 PM, Zinniak said:

Has anyone not heard back from MIT yet? I saw that people have already received both acceptance and rejections. Is MIT still reviewing candidates? 

I was accepted to the program at MIT (:O) this past Friday through a phone call. I was not offered an interview and I'm interested in chemical biology. 

[Fall 2018 Cycle]

5 hours ago, rwoodward said:

Just got into UC Berkeley for Organic! Cannot believe it!

The e-mail says "By this time, you should have been contacted by a member of Chemistry's admission's committee" but this has not happened haha. Should I e-mail the person back saying this hasn't happened? Or is there no point? 

No point contacting the person back. I was contacted by a member of the admission's committee, but the only info he gave me is re-listed on this email.

[Any More UW Madison Acceptances Yet To Come?]

I don't think you can know until March (and their last visit weekend as I don't know anyone who was accepted after that point). I had friends who heard back in late February and early March, and others who heard back in January. 

 

[Fall 2018 Cycle]

Undergrad Institution: Top 20 small liberal arts college 
Major(s): chemistry  
Minor(s): -
GPA in Major: 3.98
Overall GPA: 3.91
Position in Class: -
Type of Student: domestic, female, Asian American 

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 157
V: 163
W: 5
S: didn't take it 


Research Experience: spent 1st year in college doing course-based research in environmental toxicology, one summer and semester in a biomedical engineering lab and 2 years in an organic lab on a project that is my senior thesis. Attended a summer REU program at UNC Chapel Hill. 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Dean's list all 3 years of college, Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, NSF REU 

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 

Tutored since my sophomore year, intro bio, intro chem, orgo I and orgo II. This was a 10 hr weekly commitment. 

Tutor for underrepresented science scholars - 2 years 

Mentor to 5 first year science students- 2 years. I met with each student for an hour every week.

Orientation leader and mentor to 10 first year students

Mentored 2 first years in my organic lab and taught them everything they know about organic research (until they take orgo next semester, so exciting!) 

Special Bonus Points: I am dedicated to increasing representation of minorities in STEM. 

I am also certain my letters of rec from research advisors were really strong. Yay for small colleges! 

Schools I applied to: showed interest in chemical biology 

UC Berkeley (accepted) 

U Wisconsin (accepted) 

UNC Chapel Hill 

MIT

Final thoughts: I didn't have any publications or many awards. My GRE score isn't amazing and I didn't even take the chemistry GRE. My dedication to tutoring and mentoring coupled with strong letters, GPA, and research experiences are what I believe made me a strong applicant. Oh, and being domestic doesn't hurt. 

[Submit Chem GRE]

I just got in without taking the Chem GRE, so I truly wonder how much the exam matters. I am a strong applicant in other aspects, but my GRE scores weren't to die for.

[Am I aiming too high?]

You sound like a competitive applicant, and I see nothing wrong with aiming high. Sometimes, though, your admission might be affected by your citizenship. International students have a more difficult time getting funded.