Just_Alice

Thanks! I have not heard from them yet... ?

Did anyone apply to SUNY Stony Brook for the Neuroscience PhD program that had the deadline on the January 15th? If yes, have you heard from them yet? When do you think we might hear from them?

I also got the rejection later that day... Well, a rejection is way better than just being ignored, which I got from Yale INP and probably from Duke Psychology and Neuroscience ?

Well, my upset self is already thinking 'They did not even bother to reject me properly" haha

Hi guys! Did anyone receive a rejection letter from Sinai? It is so weird, I can see that last years they always sent out rejections early and fully... It is way past their time for sending out rejections. I would assume they are keeping a waitlist for interviews, but they sent out more interviews this year if judging only by the results page. I counted 7 interviews, and last year it was 5 and the rejections were sent out. Do you think there is still hope for Sinai? They told me more than a week ago that applications were under review, but it seems kinda late for it at this point.

Hello guys, I wrote to Mount Sinai asking whether the interviews were out and they told me applications were under review... whatever that means.

Hi NeuroKween, thanks so much for this detailed explanation! I will DM you soon?

Hi NutsaN, I am sorry I initially mistook PennState for UPenn, the second one is a great school, no doubt. I do not know much about the first one, but I think doing a PhD in the US is worth it as long as your POIs are there. I agree with the above commenters that the interview will help you realize whether you should go for it. I need to say that you are a very brave and courageous person. I have applied to 4 schools in the US and 1 in Europe (I will apply to some more European schools probably), and many people I know kept telling me that I did not stand a chance. My last year's research advisor almost broke my heart by refusing to give me a reference, intimating me that I got my hopes too high and he would not support my applications. To be fair, I was not the only one he treated this way; he is quite a complicated person. But I did my best and always did everything I was asked, he graded me with A- on my term thesis which is a good grade to receive from him. I thought we had a good relationship, and then he treated me this way. And I know that even those professors who agreed to support me probably made a face at me inside. My family, obviously, also does not support me in this... Well.. I am even afraid that if I do not go anywhere this year, I may not be able to get myself together next year to apply. And my program actually has cases of alumni getting into Ivies. I can only imagine what you must have gone through, I do not know your particular situation, so I am sorry if I am wrong. But I still think that the fact that you have applied and have put so much effort into this shows that you are a brave and strong person and you will succeed in whatever you choose one way or another.

Wow wow, another Russian future neuroscientist here! Do the two of us know each other? ? Are you by any chance affiliated with HSE (Moscow)? What makes me sad is that I know at least three Russian students who used to work and study at HSE as well... two of them got into Ivies (one actually did not go and decided to stay here), and the third one went to Oxford. They seemed stronger applicants than me, but not that much. However, maybe this is a different year. Also, I have really struggled with this application cycle due to many reasons, so I did not expect much, but I was so hopeful ? Did you try to find an RA position in the US?

Thanks NeuroQween, this is a really interesting suggestion. However, I find it hard to imagine - how to apply for an RA position? I mean why would a lab higher someone living on a different continent?.. Also, I am not sure if I would be granted a visa in that case, and I would also have to live somewhere, and would money from RAing cover all the living expences?.. Here in Russia RA positions are not well paid, unfortunately, and one cannot get by on just one RA paycheck. If this would be feasible, I would love to follow your advice. If you would like to share your experience with regard to the aforementioned circumstances or just share some website maybe where you might have learned something about it, we would be tremendously greatful. Even though you cannot do any of the above, still, I am greatful for your advice and I will definitely look into it.

Nutsan, I am also from a post-Soviet country (from Russia, actually). Our scientific situation is more or less okay, but with neuroscience it is definitely not the same as in the US or UK. However, I am impressed by your stats and I think you should be competitive. My stats are not as good because I had some trouble figuring out who I wanted to be and have an undergraduate degree in law an a year of master's in international relations (but then, I am completing master's in cognitive neuroscience now). Still, I understand the committee members may look down on my stats, but I definitely do not understand why they treat you like that. I think there are many people here who apply to UPenn, though, (I didn't), so it should be a good school. And I think many schools in the US are better than the post-Soviet ones (strictly in terms of neuroscience, as this field is not that popular here, unlike physics or mathematics, let's say).

Thanks! Maybe I am just not that competitive as an applicant, I guess I will find a way to get over it.

Yeah, this is frustrating

This situation makes me hold onto hope that maybe international applicants are invited later than the American ones. I wonder when I should let go of this hope and accept that I am not actually going anywhere... Someone in the thread said Sinai would be sending interviews next week. Maybe these are not the only ones? However, there have been posted quite a lot of them and it looks like all are out already?

This whole situation is a bit sad... well... too bad if it is true and international applicants are not really considered by most schools.