dejosco

For those that are still interested in applying to PREP, University of California - Santa Cruz has just renewed their grant. Applications are due April 1st. http://stemdiv.ucsc.edu/prep/

Unless you have some extenuating circumstance, I would just let the more personal part of your statement explain why exactly a PREP program would benefit you. I didn't have enough research experience, so I just made sure to explain that in the first paragraph of my essay.

They weren't accepting last cycle, but they are/were accepting this cycle (I'm not sure if the deadline has passed).

I did the same thing! haha

I am in the same predicament as you. Case has extended an invitation to me and I have until March 5th to give an answer, but I've only heard back from UC Davis so far. They've offered me an interview, but it's on the same day as the deadline for Case. I'm just going to ask Case for an additional week to decide, though. Hopkins should be getting back with us in the next week or two. Case's program is a great program. Case's medical program is certainly stronger than their biology program and it benefits from being affiliated with the highly prestigious Cleveland Clinic, but it's still a solid program and a solid school. I think that if the research fit is strong, you should definitely consider it. Cleveland is a wonderful city, it is very affordable, and the transportation is great. I think that Case's PREP is probably one of the "best" PREPs, as it has a stellar placement rate and a very low attrition rate.

Me too! How exciting. Do you know how many other individuals they are interviewing?

Check out PREP at Northwestern University. It’s solely neuroscience.

I think the key thing is just ensuring that you give a full, fleshed out explanation of your research experience.

Thanks man! I have until Marrch 5th to give an answer.

So far I've been accepted into Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine PREP and I just accepted an interview offer from UC Davis PREP. Hoping to hear back from others in the coming weeks.

Any luck?

It's wonderful. Congrats! You most definitely do not need a car for Baltimore. There is free public transportation around the city (Charm City Circulator), there is free transportation between all of Hopkins' campuses, and there is free transportation for Hopkins faculty, staff, and students (Blue Jay Shuttle) that can be summoned just like Lyft (it's actually powered by Lyft). I did my BioREU at Hopkins last summer and am currently applying there for PREP. Hopkins is great!

I was part of the BioREU at Johns Hopkins this past summer, and I am currently applying to the PREP at Hopkins (I need more research experience before applying to PhD programs). Even though I am applying to a total of 9 PREP programs (including Harvard's equivalent program), Hopkins is my top choice. I can not speak much on Harvard or Cambridge as I have been to neither, but I can speak on Baltimore. Baltimore is a very fun city, especially for young adults. There is a lot to do within the city. There is an excellent food scene. This city is home to many amazing restaurants that represent a highly diverse range of cultures--you can literally find a great Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Southern, and Italian restaurant all on the same street. You could probably go to a new restaurant every weekend for quite a while. There is free transportation between all of Hopkins' campuses (e.g., Homewood, medical school, Bloomberg, etc.) and there are also free bus routes throughout the city (e.g, the Charm City Circulator). There is also a shuttle exclusive to Hopkins students, faculty, and staff that will take you around the campuses called the Blue Jay Shuttle. You can clearly get around Baltimore without your own car very easily, especially as a Hopkins student. Philadelphia and D.C. are a short train ride away, although D.C. will probably be cheaper (around $8 one-way). NYC is also not very far and is easy to reach by train. Of course, Uber and Lyft are also available at reasonable rates. If you are not accustomed to a highly urbanized area, Baltimore may take a short while to adjust to as there is an issue with homelessness and higher than average income inequality. Maryland is our country's most wealthy state, but there is a stark contrast between the rich and the poor there. That being said, most of your interactions with not be with people within the city, so you will not encounter issues with this very often. Hopkins takes great effort in keeping its students safe and secure, and the stipend for BCMB is more than adequate for the cost of living in the area. There is a lot more that I could say about Baltimore, but just let me know if you have any other questions!

Yes, of course! If you get an interview you’re one step closer to being admitted. If you do well in your interview, it’s very unlikely you won’t get in. Where are you interviewing for PREP?

Just received an invitation to interview with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine PREP today!

I'll PM you.

PREP is quite competitive. Expect the acceptance rates to be around and less than 10%.

I applied to Harvard Research Scholar Initiative and PREP programs at UC Davis, Johns Hopkins University, University of Chicago, University of Michigan, Brown University, Case Western, and Tufts. I'm eager to hear back from places soon!