Wall7213

I attended a mid-sized, recently founded state school for undergrad, and was often very intimidated that my education wouldn't hold up compared to students who'd studied at top-ranked state schools or the Ivies. What I've come to find is that at a mid or low rank school, the number of very good students is smaller than at very competitive schools - maybe 5% very good students to 50% very good students - but the caliber of work the very good students are capable of doesn't change that much from school to school. I've had some competitive fellowships and internships now where I have worked alongside students educated at Ivies or at top public schools, and I've been capable of just as much as my coworkers/fellow students. Don't be intimidated. You were chosen for a reason.

Good to know I'm not the only one in purgatory!

Has anyone heard anything from UT Austin Microbiology? That's the last program I'm waiting to hear back from, and I was very interested in their program...

So, for those who may be interested: I heard from Harvard OEB that they will be sending out interviews in the next 2-4 days (so, by Wednesday of next week, given that Monday's a holiday). If you're interested in the Richard Gilder Graduate School (RGGS), they will be sending out interviews by the end of next week.

Just heard UC Berkeley IB has sent out all their interview invites. There goes that dream!

Thanks so much for the info! It's all very helpful.

Whoa, awesome! I'll be going out in three weeks and am looking back to being back in California - I'm currently in NYC but California is home for me. I guess my major questions - that I don't think I can get answered from talking to prospective PIs - are: 1. Are the grad students "happy", inasmuch as grad students are ever happy? What's the culture of work - long hours and all-nighters or more balanced? Collegial and friendly, or competitive? 2. Do fellowships appear to be sufficient to support people in the surrounding area? 3. Do most people live in student housing, in apartments in Davis, or in the Sacramento area? Thanks!!

Hi everyone, I had an interview invite from UC Davis's Integrative Genetics and Genomics program on December 21, but am still waiting to hear from the following: Harvard OEB UT Austin Microbiology Berkeley IB Richard Gilder Graduate School in Comparative Biology. If anyone else has applied to RGGS in Comparative Biology, I've been told by my PI, who's on the committee, that those invites should be sent out by the end of the week, and they only started reviewing applications on Friday. But any word about Harvard, Austin, or Berkeley would be much appreciated.