vmax
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Posts posted by vmax
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My area of study is bioinformatics, but I think my question is broadly applicable. I noted that some grad programs have gone GRE-optional, e.g. Harvard BIG, UCSF BI, and UMich CCMB. Some programs like UPenn BGS seem to have gone test blind.
Are universities that follow this path just trying to get a wider applicant pool? If so, what's driving this? Do they just want their program to appear more competitive, or are they trying to get a more diverse pool of admitted students? How do test optional programs view students who don't submit GRE scores? It seems odd to me that a program like Harvard BIG makes the GRE optional but strongly recommends that you submit scores. I'd be interested to see what proportion of admitted students didn't submit GRE scores.
When I applied to undergrad programs, I applied to three programs that didn't require SAT/ACT scores and was admitted to all without sending in test scores. I'm wondering how much of a gamble not sending in GRE scores to grad programs would be.
Embarrassed talking to potential committee members
in Coursework, Advising, and Exams
Posted
I’m in the process of forming my committee, and I’m feeling more embarrassed than ever.
Quick background: I’m a first-year PhD student in computational biology. My undergraduate research was focused on analyzing human genomics data. My current lab focuses on lipidomics in model organisms. Currently, I’m working on a short-term project to manage some existing data. This work will be finished in a few months and should be publishable, but it’s more incremental work.
When talking to potential committee members, I know that I need to clearly express my long-term research goals. That’s what I’m struggling with and am embarrassed about. As an undergraduate, I was confident in my research interests as I felt well enough versed in my research area. Now that I’m in a slightly different research area, I’m less confident. I have broad views of my interests, but I’m really feeling a lack of background knowledge in my new field. I know that I need to translate my interests to knowledge gaps in my new field and make concrete plans to get where I want to go. I’m not there yet, which embarrasses me.
How do I speak well of my research interests when I haven't made concrete plans? What professor is going to want to work with me if I don't have concrete plans?
tl;dr
What advice do you have for conveying your long-term research interests when you’re in a new field, and you haven’t fully made broad goals into concrete plans?