researchrocks

Hi Everyone, I didn't see a thread for those of us browsing the forum who are looking to apply next cycle. Post your profile, give feedback to others on school choices, current phd students can give advice on programs. Undergrad Institution: Ivy League Major(s): B.S. in Animal Science, graduated on the accelerated track in 3 years instead of 4 Overall GPA: 3.13/4.0 *GPA is on a 4.3 scale so that is it scaled onto 4.0 scale (urgh I know, a few C+'s and one C, most were freshman year) Grad Institution: Top 20 University Major(s): M.Sc. in Tumor Biology (lots of specialized classes) Overall GPA: 3.97/4.0 Type of Student: White female, domestic GRE Scores: V: 159 (82%) Q: 165 (84%) W: 4.5 (80%) (Plan to retake even though some of my schools don't accept GRE) Research Experience: - Undergrad ~8 months of research in animal physiology at Ivy League vet school, under 2 PI's - Graduate School: One year as the only student in the lab, director PI and Jr Faculty mentorship, hands on mouse work/breeding, journal club presentations, mid-author pub on this research project - 3 months (summer after graduation) optimizing COVID PCR testing at Public Health Lab - 1 year working as a Study Director at CRO, working with patient derived xenografts and flow cytometry, very intensive position managing 25 client projects, writing protocols and analyzing/presenting data - Working from now until PhD as a Drug Discovery Project Manager at a AI/Machine learning startup, selection of assays, medicinal chemistry, data analysis, fluid planning of next experiments for novel targets, tons of very connected PhD colleagues (esp on West Coast) Positions held: Medical Technologist, Study Director, Project Manager - Drug Discovery (current) Publications/Posters: - 1 publications (mid-author) IF: 22 - No posters or conferences but most of my experience has been during COVID times Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Dean's List final undergrad semester LoRs: 1 from PI during MSc which is my publication, 1 from Founder of my current company (CEO, same Ugrad as me, many employees at company have PhDs from schools on my list, small group <90 total employees at company), Final letter I have options for: Can use one of my team members who did their PhD at the specific school I am applying to, could use PI from undergrad (although he doesn't know a ton about my research since I left undergrad), may also be adding PT work for a clincial CRO with a CEO who has MD PhD and was director of two different medical schools? Advice on who to choose as final recommender? Applying to Where: I have listed all below, bolded are the ones I am definitely applying to, I understand some are a stretch but I am willing to pay the $ and put it the time for the slim chance. I am applying to whatever group oversees the cancer research, I plan to reach out to PI's in the next few months. Harvard MIT U of Mich George Washington Georgetown John Hopkins Yale Cold Spring Harbor UW Madison Northwestern MD Anderson UPenn Duke Berkley UCSF UChicago Princeton Mayo Clinic University of Cincinnati Purdue U Colorado (Med Campus Aurora CO) U of W (st louis) Brandeis Colorado State University of Pittsburg Not confident about my ugrad GPA but hoping my MS and industry experience makes up for it? Any others who have gone from industry? I make great money at my current job but I know in our current scientific environment especially in drug development that you cannot ever be the boss or the brains if you don't have a PhD, I know this isn't everyone's opinion but it is the decision I have made.

Hi @squigglyface_emojiI am seeing this thread way late but I am in the same situation! How did things end up working out for you? Any advice for people in a similar situation?

I think you have a chance of getting an interview for sure. I love the program, I wouldn't try now to contact PI's its a bit late for that and GU is on break so most are out of the office. I am just saying no need to lose hope!

Don't freak out yet, I am a MS student in the Tbio program at Georgetown and they don't send out invites till January

To those that got NYU Sackler interview invites, CONGRATS! Was it a generic email or a personalized one? Does it appear that they sent out all invites as one mass email?

I applied to Johns Hopkins (CMM and BCMB) Cold Spring Harbor Gerstner Sloan Kettering NYU Sackler Harvard BBS Mayo Clinic (experimental therapeutics) St. Jude Duke (Cancer Bio) UPenn (CAMB) Also applied to MIT and Georgetown but I know they notify in January and I have not heard from any yet ? has anyone heard back from these? I saw a couple of posts in the results from U-Penn and Hopkins CAMB and from Mayo Clinic (experimental therapeutics) but I do not know if all the invites have been sent out yet for those programs. Should I be freaking out?!?

What were your stats? I applied to Cancer Biology at UPenn

I applied to Johns Hopkins (CMM and BCMB) Cold Spring Harbor Gerstner Sloan Kettering NYU Sackler Georgetown (Tumor Bio -- where I am currently getting my MS) MIT Biology Harvard BBS Mayo Clinic (experimental therapeutics) St. Jude Duke (Cancer Bio) UPenn (CAMB) I'm crazy nervous and I am super worried about scheduling interviews if I am lucky enough to get some because I work 15 hrs a week and go to lab and class ? ? Anyone else apply to these programs?

I just opened the app without issue, but mine is already submitted so maybe try to open it in a different browser or computer?

The BCMB deadline was Dec 1

Thank you for your feedback! I'm currently trudging through SOP writing and its good to know there is light at the end of the tunnel!

Were your low GPAers from an Ivy? I was told by many, including my current PI, that because I took 20+ credits and graduated early from a hard school like Cornell that my GPA is equivalent to ~3.5+ at normal schools esp since my lowest grade is a C+. My Georgetown MS grades wont be available by the time apps are due so I am tossing around the idea of have a 4 LOR for some schools which is from one of my grad profs who I have gotten to know well and he can speak to the fact I have be getting >90's on exams in all my grad classes, do you think this would be a good idea? Since they will have no gauge of my grad school grades with the 1 year format of GU's program

Any other feedback guys? Would love to hear your thoughts!

I think your getting me mixed up with the applicant above me, but I have no publications

Undergrad Institution: Cornell University (GRADUATED IN 3 YRS with ~20 credits per semester including pre-med) Major(s): Animal Science (pretty much bio and I completed all pre-med rq) Minor(s): NA GPA in Major: NA Overall GPA: 3.15 Grad Institution: Georgetown Major: Tumor Biology GPA: Won’t be reported in time for application. MS is one-year research and class work program Type of Student: Female, White, with learning disabilities and on ASD spectrum GRE Scores (revised/old version): Q: 165 V: 159 W: 4.5 Research Experience: UGRAD 6 m before PI retired but he is writing my LOR and was head of the philosophy dept. 6 m data entry for a lab at Cornell Vet School GRAD (MS) 6 m in famous PI’s lab at GU, will complete another 6 m after submitting application NO PUBS, honestly haven't had time so far at GU and other PI was retiring Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Deans List 1/6 semester (my last) Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Ugrad TA one semester (for one of my LOR writers), currently working pt as sci/math tutor. Special Bonus Points: Grad early, played a varsity sport, outside the box thinker, student with disabilities, aggressive upward trend in GPA, pull as far as getting in to GU as I’m top of the heap in the tests our cohort of MS student in Tbio has taken so far. STRONG LOR's (2 from cornell, 1 from GU with possibilty of a second) Applying to Where: (DRAFT LIST) ALL PROGRAMS APPLYIG TO WHICHEVER DEPT ENCOMAPASSES THEIR CANCER BIO RESEARCH Harvard MIT NYU Sackler Sloan Kettering Mayo Clinic St. Jude Duke Cold Spring Harbor Johns Hopkins Georgetown UPenn Let me know what you think, also throwing around UVA? any thoughts on that? I thought the GPA would be a big factor but my PI's thinks because of my early completion it is not of note?