EnchantedR

Which track are you in?

My friend in Harvard just got an interview on 12/31. This program only takes very few students, I'm afraid they sent out interviews all at once. Good luck in other programs!

I'm also an international student and I haven't heard anything from JHU. Have you got any interviews yet?

I applied for the integrated program and they switch me to the genetics and development track. I got an email on 12/21.

I got the UCLA chem admission last year. Chem programs usually don't require interviews, so they give offers directly.

Received the interview from NU DPG yesterday. Still waiting for Harvard, MIT, Columbia, UPenn, NYU and Cornell.

Thank you for your suggestions! Yes I'm really interested in immunology and I've met some committee members of some immunology program. They all encouraged me to apply for immunology, tho my friend who's also applying for immunology told me these programs are even more competitive than BBS since many of the candidates already had some publications in immunology field and the pool is smaller but more competitive. I've never taken any immunology courses and neither of my PIs is well- known in this field. So I'm wondering if I should get into some BBS programs and then rotate to an immunology lab.

I finished my undergrad within three years (two years for my major courses) in an international institute and then spent two years doing research in MIT. Last year I applied for some chemistry programs and got admission from UCLA but I rejected because I decided to do biomedicine research. Tho I major in chemistry, my research experience is all related to chemical biology or biomedicine. I wonder if I should apply for BBS programs in med school or Biology in Art and Science, or interdisciplinary programs related to chemistry and biology? And I'm interested in immunotherapy, but immunology programs can be super competitive and might not be my best shot, should I apply for them? And I do care about the locations: I prefer big cities and east coast or anyplace have great academic environment. Undergrad Institution: a not very well-known international instituteMajor(s): chemistry (only took biochemistry course which is related to biology)Minor(s): /GPA in Major: 3.5Overall GPA: 3.3Position in Class: top 20% (I was in a weird class lol, 20% students from the college were selected into the class)Type of Student: international femaleGRE Scores (revised/old version):Q: 153 (61%)V: 170 (99%)W: 3 (18%)B: /TOEFL Total: 101 (S 23), 102 (S 20) (which one should I use?)Research Experience: 1. Two years in my undergrad institute, leader of a project (funded by state) and independent researcher. Organic synthesis and DNA damage and repair within in vitro nucleosome. My PI is not famous but he knows me well and would strongly recommend me. Co-first author of one in-preparation publication. 2. One year in MIT chemistry. Specific drug delivery to cancer cells. My PI is young but already gain reputation in chemical biology field. He knows me well and would recommend me. And I'm having an independent project which my PI has introduced to many of his collaborators. (idk how to stress this in my SOP?) It's about cancer immunotherapy. Hopefully one 2nd author publication in a good magazine can be submitted. Another 2rd author in preparation. 3. One year in MIT biology. My research is about AD modeling using iPSC. My PI is best-known in cell biology and molecular biology field. And his recommendation can be very helpful. Awards/Honors/Recognitions: some scholarships within undergrad institutePertinent Activities or Jobs: (Such as tutor, TA, SPS officer etc...)Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:Special Bonus Points: Famous recommendation and connections. And I've met some PIs, tho they couldn't promise me to get into any programs.Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:Applying to Where: Harvard BBS MIT Biology Stanford Biosciences Tri-institutes Chemical Biology Yale BBS NYU Sloan-Kettering Columbia Chemical biology or med school? JHU CB Weil Cornell Umbrella Upenn medical CAMB Sinai Duke? Scripps? WashU? UT Southwestern? UCSF chemical biology (how's the program btw?)? Uchicago med? Northwestern med?