kayjayz

Any update on this? I signed up for the second interview weekend but still haven't heard anything back about travel and I'm starting to get concerned.

I got my interview invite from Denver/Anschutz on the 19th of December, just FYI.

It has been a long time since I posted on this thread, but I wanted to share the list of schools I plan to apply to in case anyone had some last minute advice! I'm still not sure I'm applying to the right range of schools. University of Wisconsin-Madison (Cellular and Molecular Biology) University of Washington (Molecular and Cellular Bio, Cancer Bio Concentration) University of Pennsylvania (Cell and Molecular Biology, Cancer Bio Concentration) Weill Cornell Medical College (BCMB Allied Program) Vanderbilt University (IGP, Cancer Bio Concentration) UNC at Chapel Hill (Biological & Biomedical Sciences Program) University of Colorado Boulder (Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology) Case Western Reserve University (Biomedical Sciences Training Program) University of Pittsburgh (Cell Biology and Molecular Physiology or Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program) University of Colorado Denver (Molecular Biology) University of Cincinnati (Cancer & Cell Biology)

Really need to know if I’m applying to the right range of schools. Please help! I'm applying to mostly umbrella programs with Cancer Bio concentrations that have PI's that do DNA repair, which is the area where I have the most research experience. Undergrad Institution: University of Kentucky Major(s): Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology Minor(s): Microbiology GPA in Major: 3.3; I was a transfer student so I am fairly certain that all of my classes at UK were major requirements Overall GPA: 3.3 for Bachelor’s degree; 3.9 for Associate’s degree Position in Class: Not calculated Type of Student: Domestic female GRE Scores: Q: 168 V: 165 W: 5.0 B: N/A Research Experience: Full time technician for 2 years, part-time technician/lab assistant for 3 years in a melanoma/nucleotide excision repair lab. Second author on a total of 4 papers during the last 2 years with an average IF of 4.0, third and fourth author on two finished book chapters I have submitted a first author paper for review, hopefully that will be published by the time I submit applications. Plan to submit a co-first author paper in the upcoming months. 4 poster presentations - one at an international conference (I received a competitive travel grant for this one), two at regional conferences (one during my associates, one during my bachelors), two short talks at my home University - one each of the last two years of my undergrad. Served as primary mentor for 2 high school students, 3 undergraduates, and 2 medical students for their fellowships or experiential learning credits. Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Undergraduate Research Travel Award Recipient, Spring 2017 Phi Sigma Theta National Honor Society Inductee, Spring 2017 Academic Scholarship Recipient, Fall 2015–Spring 2016 Phi Theta Kappa National Honors Society Inductee, Spring 2013 Outstanding Biology Student Award, Spring 2014, Fall 2014 Dean’s List, Spring 2013–Spring 2015 Pertinent Activities or Jobs: (Such as tutor, TA, SPS officer etc...) Senior Laboratory Technician (Full time), August 2018–Present Laboratory Technician (Full time), May 2017–August 2018 Laboratory Technician (Part time), May 2016–May 2018 Biology and Chemistry Peer Tutor, August 2015–August 2016 Examination Proctor, August 2015–August 2016 Natural Sciences Laboratory Assistant, August 2013–May 2015 Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Volunteered for several outreach programs for biotechnology (High School and Middle School level) and Science Olympiad Co-Organizer of a DNA Repair Journal Club at my home institution Member of American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), American Association of University Women (AAUW), and the local Graduate Women in Science (GWIS) chapter – I don’t know if these even mean anything anymore Special Bonus Points: (Such as connections, grad classes, famous recommenders, female or minority status etc...) Several connections through my boss for potential PI’s Qualify for a lot of fee waivers because of poverty status, not sure if that is really applicable but it means that application fees are less of an issue Expect really spectacular letters of recommendation - I'm writing the one from my boss. Any Other Info: My mother is a drug addict who I supported financially for my entire undergraduate career. I worked up to 60 hrs/week to provide for her and my teenage sibling while in school. I took a year off between graduating with my bachelor’s and applying to graduate school to help her get in to a rehab facility that will help her provide for herself financially, and so I no longer support her financially. I mention all of this in my personal statement as a reason that my GPA will improve in graduate school. Applying to Where: University of Wisconsin-Madison (Cellular and Molecular Biology) University of Washington (Molecular and Cellular Bio, Cancer Bio Concentration) University of Pennsylvania (Cell and Molecular Biology, Cancer Bio Concentration) Weill Cornell Medical College (BCMB Allied Program) Vanderbilt University (IGP, Cancer Bio Concentration) UNC at Chapel Hill (Biological & Biomedical Sciences Program) University of Colorado Boulder (Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology) Case Western Reserve University (Biomedical Sciences Training Program) University of Pittsburgh (Cell Biology and Molecular Physiology or Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program) University of Colorado Denver (Molecular Biology) University of Cincinnati (Cancer & Cell Biology)

I know these posts get old, but I would really appreciate any super brutal honesty that anyone can throw at me. I'm 24 (I started college when I was 20), white, female. 3.29 GPA at University of Kentucky (second two years), 3.89 during my associates degree (first two years), 165V and 168Q on GRE. Second author on a total of 4 papers during the last 2 years with an average IF of 4.0, third and fourth author on two finished book chapters, and I have submitted a first author paper for review which (fingers crossed) should be published by the time I submit applications, plus I'm 1/4-1/2 way finished with another first author manuscript. 4 posters - 3 in the last 2 years, one presented at an international conference (I received a competitive travel grant for this one), two at regional conferences (one during my associates, one during my bachelors), and I've done two short talks at my home University - one each of the last two years of my undergrad. I have worked as a technician full time for the last 2+ years (last 2 years of my undergrad), and I worked 3 jobs during my first two years of undergrad - tutoring (both through my college and privately) bio/physiology/chemistry/physics/math, working as a student lab tech for my associates degree, and working as a proctor for disability support services. I've mentored 2 high school students, 3 undergraduates, and 2 medical students while working as a technician. I know I can expect fantastic LOR's from several of my class professors as well as my PI and the Assistant Professor in my lab. So that being said, I think I have quite a bit of research/lab experience which is definitely beneficial for marketing myself as a graduate student. However, I'm concerned that my not so wonderful GPA is going to hold me back from more competitive programs. I can explain away the GPA a bit -- my mother is an unemployed drug addict, I spent all but the last semester of my undergrad financially supporting her an myself (she currently lives in a different, very southern state at a recovery program) and in addition to that, I've had some pretty severe medical issues during undergrad, including two auto immune diagnoses (both have been mostly controlled by medication) and 3 surgeries (knee, spine, and heart surgery). I think I've done pretty well in spite of all of my struggles, but I do not want to seem like I'm leaning on a sob story to get myself through to the next step, period. That being said, I have no idea where I can expect to get in to graduate school. What I do know is that I need to get as far away from my current situation as possible so that I do not fall back in to the trap of taking care of my mother if/when she returns home from recovery for the sake of my future. My sister lives in the DC area, which is appealing to me, but I am interested in programs in the northeast and northwest corners of the country --- just not south. I understand I can't ask anyone to pick programs for me, but I would really appreciate any insights anyone might have about where to start looking, and what types of programs I can reasonably expect to get in to.