DevoLevo

To be completely honest, it will definitely be harder to get a full picture and feel for a school over zoom interviews. That being said, the students and faculty putting together the virtual recruitment events are going to be putting a lot of time and effort into trying to make it the best experience possible, and including lots of more low-key non-interview-based events, while balancing zoom fatigue. When it comes to getting a good picture of what doing you PhD at a particular institution is actually like, current students are still going to be your best resource - and the vast majority will be happy to go out of your way to help you make an informed decision.
I'm more than happy to give any and all perspective if anyone wants. I've been at Stanford Biosciences for a year and a half so I have both pre- and during- COVID perspectives on the program and community. I also interviewed at 8 places when I applied, so I have lots of interview perspective I can give on other schools as well. Just shoot me a DM. 

So as far as I can tell there are three types of essays for grad school apps:
personal - often called a personal statement, sometimes framed as a diversity statement - want to hear mostly about your research trajectory and future goals in the context of pursuits outside of research. So maybe you talk about how you became interested in science, what mentors/role models you've had along the day, what major struggles you've had in your pursuit of your education/research, where you hope to end up in the future, and/or extracurriculars broadly related to your goals like TA-ing, volunteering, significant coursework etc. 
research-oriented - often called a research statement. Here they definitely want you to go more in-depth into your research experience(s) and see that you are able to show that you know what you're doing and can put your work in the broader context of the field and of your own goals. If you hav multiple significant research experiences, you should connect them in a meaningful way and relate them to your broader research interests. You don't want this to read like a research paper where you're in the weeds about exactly what you did, but you do want to show that you get why you did certain things and that you weren't just following protocols blindly - paint the research in broad strokes and focus on the goals and maybe describe overcoming some research-related struggles.
combo - often called the SOP, its usually what schools want if they're only asking for one essay. Combines the elements of the two previous choices into one cohesive narrative. They are still expecting to see that you understand the research that you did and its context but also want to hear more about your background and goals outside of research.
Hope this is useful

I'm happy to give people feedback on application profiles as well as strategies I might suggest for how to strengthen weaknesses thereof.
Also can give perspectives on Stanford biosciences - I do molecular/cellular/developmental/genetics type stuff so I can particularly give advice in that realm.
I'm not the most active on here, so I'll be more responsive to direct messages!
 
I know things are super weird with COVID and all right now - hope you all are doing alright and not stressing out too much!!

I'm happy to give people feedback on application profiles as well as strategies I might suggest for how to strengthen weaknesses thereof.
Also can give perspectives on Stanford biosciences - I do molecular/cellular/developmental/genetics type stuff so I can particularly give advice in that realm.
I'm not the most active on here, so I'll be more responsive to direct messages!
 
I know things are super weird with COVID and all right now - hope you all are doing alright and not stressing out too much!!

Honorable mention for me and can't apply next year. aw well. Congrats to those who got it!!!

Honorable mention for me and can't apply next year. aw well. Congrats to those who got it!!!

Seconding the above comments - I went to 8 interviews last year (which is what, like 40 different PI interviewers?) and didn't have a single interviewer that I felt was trying to trip me up or discourage me. I did have a couple PIs who posed thought-experiment type questions, but the purpose was more for their own curiosity since our conversation was already going well, and even when I didn't get to the answer I still felt the interview went fine.
I have heard stories from others of the occasional PI who will try to trip you up, but I really don't think its necessary to plan for that, if it does happen you wouldn't want to join their lab/care about their opinion anyways.

The first four schools I listed were philosophy departments, the fifth was UVA's religious studies department. I preferred philosophy programs to theology/RS programs this application cycle at the recommendation of my thesis advisor who admittedly got her PhD in the 80s/90s, and probably doesn't have the best grasp on the current state of grad admissions in other disciplines. I see now there's no real point in applying to PhDs outside of theology/RS no matter how interdisciplinary my work so far has been.
You don't have to point out to me my grades and gre aren't exceptional, I'm well aware bud. I've regularly worked 40+ hours while taking 15+ class hours, I don't have the same grades as someone who has mommy and daddy's money to sit on and I've made peace with it. Also, the number of schools I applied to had more to do with how few departments are working on the intersection of continental philosophy and religion than anything else.
I didn't include comments about my high school education in my statements of purpose, but I do applaud you for reading my post just to find a way to be condescending at every turn, and then not actually answer my question.
 

No. I got all my official paperwork within a week of my offers. 

For those who don't know, the Iowa Writer's Workshop is the premier creative writing program in the US. As such, applying there turns people into rabid animals.

First, congrats on getting accepted into both of those! Having to chose between schools is a good problem to have, and those are both top-notch programs. 
If you like a similar number of faculty at both, I'd probably go with the one that you feel more comfortable at. If you felt like you clicked better with the students and faculty at UCSF, then I'd trust that instinct. These are going to be the people you spend the next several years with, after all, so I think it's important you find the right fit. 
I would try not to worry about not being good enough (which I realize is easier said than done). That being said, there's nothing wrong with choosing the "safer" option if that's the better fit. (Grad school is going to be stressful enough either way.)
But both are great choices, and I don't think there's a "wrong" answer here.

After waiting and waiting, happy to say I got two acceptances today! Guess I'll be going to graduate school this year after all!

I don't think your numerical stats are what caused you to be rejected post-interview.  A 3.3 GPA isn't awful.  I think what you should focus on is research, securing better letters of rec if the ones you currently used aren't the best, and revising your SOP for the next round of applications.  I don't know what your interviews were like, but the fact you were invited means that despite having a GPA of 3.3, they still were interested in inviting you out and meeting you in person.  From what I've heard, from the admissions committee at my school because I asked this, is that they are looking for 2 main things when they interview someone: 1) do they really want to go to the school?  People who really want to go to the program are more likely to be successful and happy there, and 2) are they able to demonstrate that they understood their projects at a deep level to communicate about them?  What they are looking for is whether they were curious, were able to be at least semi-independent, understood the methods and significance of their project, etc.  Because that is a predictor of success in graduate studies.  They aren't looking for people who only did routine genotyping, for example, and didn't understand anything about the projects there were working on.
Point 1 is going to come from researching the institutions and applying for programs that you think will be a good research or program fit for you.  I would think about what really excites you about science or your area of research and find a number of faculty at an institution doing that sort of research.  If you are invited, really make it clear that you want to go there.  Even if you aren't 100% sold on the program, make it clear that if you were accepted, you would be happy to consider that program.
Point 2 will come from more research experience, and will be communicated by what you are able to convey and what your recommenders will be able to say about you and your contributions to your projects.  Conference presentations and publications will help with this too.  The best way to do this, if you are able to, would be to work as a research technician for a couple of years in a laboratory that will let you work on projects.
If you want to do a masters degree, that is up to you, but given your GPA and GRE, I don't know if it's the best route to go because your stats aren't that bad.  I would also consider a range of schools.
I think it does help if you work with someone who is known in the field.  I found that it helped me communicate with PIs at some of the places I interviewed at.  I know a few of my interviewers were like "oh, I see you worked with Dr. Soandso, I see you worked at this institution, I see you have experience with this, etc", and it helped open up a conversation.
I had to apply a second round for programs with a really bad GRE and a 3.42 cumulative GPA, and with 5 years of experience and a couple middle author papers and one first author in submission and 1 other first author in preparation, I interviewed at 6/7 schools and was accepted post-interview to all of them.  I applied to a range of top 20 to top 100.

I think you can safely wait a couple weeks longer.
Once you hit April, I would recommend reaching out to the waitlist schools to tell them how interested you are in their program and see if they'll tell you where you fall on the waitlist (if you're high up on the waitlist, its in a school's best interest to tell you so that they can have the best people replacing students who decline).

I think you can safely wait a couple weeks longer.
Once you hit April, I would recommend reaching out to the waitlist schools to tell them how interested you are in their program and see if they'll tell you where you fall on the waitlist (if you're high up on the waitlist, its in a school's best interest to tell you so that they can have the best people replacing students who decline).

So, I am someone who is attending MAPH currently, and wanted to add my two cents:
1) The money issue is 100% valid. It costs a lot of money, and I would not have gone if I had to pay the full cost. I got a scholarship (for 27k - half the cost of the program), and I'm doing their new TLO second-year option (it makes MAPH into a 2 year program, with the second year focused on language study - the cost of the second year is 90% discounted, so comes out to about 5k). For me, this means that I ended up paying 16k/year. I had worked full time for several years before hand and had a decent amount of savings, worked part time during the program, and ended up with ~20k in loans, which is a lot less than what someone without those resources would have to take out; still, it's a lot of money. I don't think I can say if it's worth it to take out more loans than I did, or even as much as I did - it depends on your own situation. I don't think I would have gone if I hadn't gotten the larger scholarship – because of the financial burden, not because of the quality of the education. Fwiw, the TLO option gives you an automatic 5k grant to use on summer language study (which is more than enough to do a full intensive summer study abroad program, flights and all). You apply to PhD programs in your second year, having already finished your thesis, made connections and found recommenders, and taken a year's worth of classes – this avoids the gap year issue.
2) MAPH, like any unfunded MA program (which are way more numerous than funded ones), is of course a cash cow for the university. That doesn't mean that you don't still get something in exchange (a UChicago education). You pay for your undergrad, no? 
3) Like anything else, the program is what you make of it. If you want it and you work for it, you can squeeze every penny's worth out of UChicago, and get a great education. You have full access to UChicago resources, faculty, facilities, events, and grad student career counseling. I have worked with some of the most brilliant people I have ever met; I went to a highly-ranked state school for undergrad, and the pedagogy at UChicago is just leagues beyond what I had experienced there. I am leaving the program working and thinking on a level I never even imagined I was capable of, speaking 2 new languages, and starting my PhD at Northwestern in the Fall. 
4) The part about professors not caring about MAPH students is pretty bullshit. I did not have a single experience in which I was made to feel less important. My advisor, who has many PhD students and is a top name in their field, gave me a lot of feedback, time, and advising. I never felt slighted. There are, of course, exceptions, and some professors will say that MA students in general are not allowed in their seminars. Just go to the first day of class, say something smart, and ask the Prof. after class for permission to take the class. The one time this didn't work for a student, they petitioned the professor with help from the MAPH admin and the prof. opened up the course to MA students.
You are treated the same way the PhD students are treated, and it is pretty universally recognized among the professors that the MAPH year is significantly more intense than the first year in a PhD program (this is true – full course load, a thesis, performing at a UChicago level, and adjusting to a new place in one year was really, really hard). I have seen many course descriptions that say "MAPH students are welcome", and have heard several professors express that they quite like working with MAPH students and advising MAPH theses. 
5) MAPH is a really, really expensive way to realize you don't want to get a PhD. Unfortunately, that is something that a lot of people figure out while they're here. If, however, you realize that you do, in fact , want to get a PhD, MAPH is an absolutely excellent way to prepare for further graduate study. Performing on a UChicago level means you'll be able to perform almost anywhere else (in this regard, this school is kind of ridiculous, but that has nothing to do with maph). The MAPH office provides you with a ton of support and professional training, as well as teaching you what it takes to actually be a professional scholar (i.e. PhD student, professor, etc.). This is important: I re-read my SOP from when I applied originally (shutout, except for MAPH), and realized that I didn't understand the exercise at all - I had no clue what grad school was really about. Being at MAPH gave me a much clearer understanding of the field, and made my applications this round a lot stronger. 
6) This year, it seems that about half the people in the program applied to MAPH *directly*. There are many students in the cohort who went to T1 schools for undergrad (Princeton, Harvard, Columbia, etc.) These things make me suspect that MAPH's reputation is increasing, because the program does turn out some incredible students, who are also being placed well: many of the MAPH alum I know have gotten offers to phenomenal PhD programs, both T1 and T2, as well as great jobs in the pubic humanities, publishing, the art world, etc. 
7) It is shitty and elitist and snobby, and it shouldn't be this way, but a MA from UChicago opens a lot of doors and gets people's attention. That's just the way it is, because people who are on ACs know and respect the institution. Yes, it is a matter of 'prestige', which for some reason people seem to think is negligible in this process... while prestige doesn't guarantee you a spot in a PhD program, it does make people pay attention and really read your dossier, at which point it is really dependent on your application materials. Not to mention that UChicago recommendation letters are a really big deal, and carry a lot of weight.
? As some other people have mentioned, yes, you can of course get into PhD programs without going to MAPH, but it definitely makes it a lot easier, and you learn a whole lot in the process. If it were up to me, MAPH would be completely funded – it is so shitty that MA programs tend not to be, especially in an admissions environment where it seems that having an MA gives you a leg up in your PhD applications.
tldr; MAPH is expensive, but the quality of education you get is excellent; you get what you paid for, if you work hard for it, just like anywhere else. Academia is fundamentally elitist and exclusionary, but if you're trying to be in it, UChicago opens up doors. 
ok, that was more like 7 cents. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

FWIW: The unsubsidized Graduate direct student loan rate was 6.6 percent in 2018-2019. There are no subsidized loans for Graduate Students.

Let's assume you decide to go to this unfunded program and take out a total of 60,000 for tuition and living expenses. Let's also assume that you can't afford to pay any of this loan back while in school because you're focused on writing great papers and developing deeper connections with your professors. You finish your 1-year program and take a gap year while working  at a new job and paying for applications.

After the deferment period of 12 months, the new loan balance is $64,059.09 , including $4,059.09 in accrued interest.

Let's suppose you manage to make interest-only payments during your gap year. You work hard;  save up money for grad applications and get accepted into a Ph.D. program. Your stipend isn't high enough to cover payments though so you defer.
 
After the deferment period of 72 months, the new loan balance is $88,864.53 , including $28,864.53 in accrued interest.
Without the interest capitalization there would have been 120 payments of $684.34 , for a total payment of $82,120.80 (including a total of $22,120.80 in interest) plus an additional $23,760.00 in interest paid during the deferment period.
With the interest capitalization there are 120 payments of $1,013.57 , for a total payment of $121,628.40 (including a total of $32,763.87 in interest plus $28,864.53 in interest accrued during the deferment period).

But: I will pay that off in 25 years, you say.

Without the interest capitalization there would have been 300 payments of $408.88 , for a total payment of $122,664.00 (including a total of $62,664.00 in interest) plus an additional $23,760.00 in interest paid during the deferment period.
With the interest capitalization there are 300 payments of $605.58 , for a total payment of $181,674.00 (including a total of $92,809.47 in interest plus $28,864.53 in interest accrued during the deferment period).

(Information grabbed from FinAid's calculator)

Costs not covered: Conferences, Moving Expenses, Emergencies,  Private loans if unable to find work, etc.

 

After reading through all 23 pages, I think I've managed to compile the most salient (at least for me) and still relevant pieces of advice as far as grad school supplies 
Laptop - While most people have a laptop, it was recommended by several people that folks in a new laptop (unless yours is less than two years old) and make sure you get an extended warranty (one that will hopefully last the entirety of your program).  Note: look into funding opportunities for laptops within your department. Some will finance a new laptop for incoming grad students!  Desk - L-shaped came highly recommended, given the extra space. While i love my little desk, I may invest in a larger one by year 2.  Chair (Desk) - Investing in a good chair was stressed many times. You will likely be spending many hours hunched over a desk. get one that will be comfortable for your back, but won't put you to sleep.  Chair (Reading) - a separate reading chair was recommended for those hours upon hours where you'll be reading. a comfortable chair or couch was recommended. Printer - there was some debate regarding the pros/cons of a printer. In an increasingly digital age, I don't think a printer is completely necessary. ESPECIALLY because so many universities have printers available and printing costs included within stipends. But this will depend on the person Scanner OR File Cabinet - One person had recommended getting a file cabinet and regularly organizing it so as not to fall behind (if you are someone who likes having physical copies of everything, then go for this option). HOWEVER, someone then chimed in to say screw a file cabinet. just get a scanner. and i thought that was an excellent idea! just scan everything you need and chuck the physical copies (unless its like your birth certificate or something)  Coffee - Coffee maker, coffee carafe (to keep it warm for those days of marathon working), french press. you get the idea. ALTERNATIVE: electric kettle for tea drinkers  Large Water Bottle - lets be sustainable folks!  Snacks - for those long days  Wall Calendar  Dry Erase Board  Noise Cancelling Headphones  External Hard Drive Dongles - actually didn't see folks write about this, so I'm adding it! Dongles/adapters are constantly changing based on your device. Get the one that is specific to your computer to HDMI and VGA, and you should be set for most campus systems!  Paper shredder - unless your campus has a shredding removal service like my current one has. I'd say take advantage of that Travel - Luggage, toiletry bag, international travel adapter/converter, etc. You will presumably be traveling a bunch! Get the right travel accessories if you can Desk accessories - post its, highlighters, pens Notebooks - it seems like everyone has been unanimously pro-moleskine notebooks on here. mmmm I'm not! What *EYE* recommend is going to your local art supply store, and buying sketchbooks from there. They are usually so much cheaper. And most art stores have artist and student memberships available, so you can get major discounts. I just showed a sale and got all my notebooks and pens for less than $30. Just my opinion  Software - Just some of the software that came highly recommended and that I felt like was still relevant today: Evernote. Zotero. Scrivener. CamScanner. Nuance. iStudiez  Most of this is hella obvious. But some of these I hadn't even considered! And its nice to think about these things early so you have enough time to save up or search the internet for deals. I curated an Amazon wishlist based on the information i listed above. Let me know if you'd like me to post it here and make public! 
And remember: 90% (if not all) of this is OPTIONAL. Let's not make academia seem more inaccessible than it already is. You will excel regardless of whether or not you have these things.  There's always borrowing. lending programs through your university. free services through your libraries. There are options! 
Hope this is helpful to those reading this post 8 years later! It was certainly helpful for me. Aside from curating a great list of things i want, it also helped distract me from decisions this week ://////

Just accepted my offer from UCSD Biomedical Sciences, I’m so excited!!!
Also PSA: if you get in to UCSD be sure to ask your department to nominate you for the SHORE program, which allows you to live on campus for your entire PhD (normally just a 2-year limit).

Not going to UW for grad school, but I've been living in Seattle for 6 years now and have had great luck using Craigslist (most people do).
 
If any of you guys have specific questions on living in different Seattle neighborhoods, prices, public transit, etc., feel free to DM me.

Not going to UW for grad school, but I've been living in Seattle for 6 years now and have had great luck using Craigslist (most people do).
 
If any of you guys have specific questions on living in different Seattle neighborhoods, prices, public transit, etc., feel free to DM me.

Not going to UW for grad school, but I've been living in Seattle for 6 years now and have had great luck using Craigslist (most people do).
 
If any of you guys have specific questions on living in different Seattle neighborhoods, prices, public transit, etc., feel free to DM me.

Oh man 10 interviews sounds rough. I would say that the experience you had at that interview is not typical of most interviews.
I have had four interviews thus far and interviewed with 5 faculty at each-- all of which were very much more on the candid conversation end of things. The general format at all of these interviews was:
1) talk about your own research experience thus far. Some professors will ask you more in depth questions about this than others, but it was never them trying to trip me up on details, just a legitimate curiosity about the work. Questions are definitely a little more technical if you're talking to profs who are right in the same subfield that your research has been.
2) prof will tell you a little about their own work. Usually they don't expect you to know really in-depth about their stuff, but make sure you pay attention and ask questions. I think maybe a couple of the profs I interviewed with would ask me a question or two as part of this to make sure I was following and extrapolating off of what they were working on-- but for the most part they really just want to tell you about what they're doing and see that you're excited about it.
3) most of the profs will ask something about your long-term career goals. both "what do you want to be studying in grad school" and "what are your goals after grad school" type questions.
4) a surprising number of the interviewers wanted to give advice about choosing a graduate program and a lab and lots of perspective on how to know if a particular program is right for you (and often a bit of a pitch for their program). 
In summary, don't be afraid of the interviews. Just make sure you know your own research and a little bit about what the people you interview with do. The vast majority of them are not trying to quiz you or trip you up and just want to hear about/talk about cool science and make sure you're not a total whacko. 
As a bit of a disclaimer, I do neurodevelopment work, but am not applying to specifically neuro programs- but I have interviewed with many profs doing neuro work.

I would not focus on the GPA or the GRE (your GPA is perfectly fine here).  I doubt either of those two factors affecting your outcome this cycle.  I would focus on getting more research experience, getting more or better letters of recommendation, and revising your personal or research statements.  Unless you are interested in a niche area of research or have financial constraints, I would apply to more programs next cycle or widen your net (though the range of choices you have seems ok here).

A 3.5 GPA is perfectly fine to get you interviews at good schools (thats what I came out of undergrad with). In the next year or two before you are re-applying, I would focus on getting good research experience that fits with your long-term goals (and making sure your PI will be a solid letter of rec to add to your next apps) and refining your personal statements. Honestly so many schools are doing away with GRE requirements altogether that taking subject GREs or MCATs seems like unnecessary overkill. The conference attendance sounds like a great idea.