rae

I feel like I got into the PhD game a little later than others. I started working in a lab my senior year of undergrad as a research technologist. I enjoy the lab work, but after awhile I realized that I would never have enough input or room for creativity in this position. I need to be the ringleader, if you will It was really the last two quarters of my senior year that I decided to apply for grad school, but I chose to wait and apply for Fall '09 admission (I graduated in '07). I started gathering information on schools during the summer and I asked for letters of recommendation in September. I also started writing my SOP toward the end of summer and I took the GREs in August. I applied to seven schools ranging all the way from the Ivy League down. I didn't want to miss an opportunity just because I might think that I'm not "good enough" for certain schools. You never know what a program or a professor might be looking for... you may embody exactly what they want that year. You should also not apply to schools just because you think they are a safety - only apply to programs you would actually want to be admitted to. I feel like there is no such thing as safeties when it comes to graduate school admissions. Being published is always helpful, however it is an extra on your application. I would make sure that everything required for admission is as good as you can get it before worrying about publications. I don't have a journal publication, but I do have a published abstract and a conference poster. My stats: BS in Psychology (University of Washington) with a 3.1 GPA. GRE: 530v/700q 2.5 years research experience in a behavioral neuroscience lab Published conference abstract Conference poster presentation

I had a 3.12 undergraduate GPA. I never did a masters, but I have worked in a neuroscience lab for the last two years. My time in the lab allowed me to publish a conference abstract and present a poster at a conference as well. I think those were my saving graces

I liked choosing my schools and I loved the moment when I knew all application materials were turned in. The area in between? Having to deal with ETS, transcripts that never arrived, letters of recommendation sent out by professors... no thanks.

I'm not entirely sure as to whether she was joking or not... but fortunately, it doesn't matter now.

Just wanted to pop in and say hi... I'll be in the Neuroscience PhD program for Fall '09.

It sounds like you've already made up your mind If you don't want to go to the school and reasonably believe you can do better next year, then reapply.

I only applied to schools I wanted to go to. In the end, I was only accepted to one out of the seven schools... and I'm okay with that. I visited, I loved it, and I definitely do not feel forced to go there. I think at the start of the application process everyone should ask themselves, "what if this is the only school that accepts me?" and see how you feel. If you wouldn't be happy with a school as your only choice (assuming you have funding and all that good stuff...) then you probably shouldn't have wasted money applying there in the first place. However, I may have looked at the process differently than others, because with my 3.1 GPA I didn't have the luxury of assuming I'd get at least ONE acceptance. In fact, I was completely expecting across the board rejections and I was (to put it mildly) elated when I was accepted. To answer your question (should you take it?), I say take it if you want it and the funding is right. Unless you can do something to significantly improve your portfolio by the next application season (like publishing), I don't see any reason why not. Changing your GRE score is not going to have much of an effect unless maybe your score was originally below the cutoffs.

I tried to remain optimistic during the process... mostly because whenever I talked to my mom about the possibility of not getting in she would reply with, "If you don't, I expect a check for the amount of the GRE scores, transcripts and application fees that I paid for you... and don't expect me to pay for you to do this again."

I had an entire disastrous year (followed by a few more disastrous quarters...) and I still got into a program I am excited about. I did not explain my grades in any way, I let my letters of recommendation and my research experience speak for itself. I figured if an adcom wanted to know more, they would ask. I think you'll be okay.

With the offer I accepted, I assumed replying to the official DGS email to be "in writing." I just said "I am writing to tell you that I will accept the offer. Signed, me." They haven't said anything yet... I figured if I did it wrong they'd just let me know!

I had my decision for UT-Austin show up on that page. Where it said that my applications has been forwarded to the graduate committee, it now says "We're sorry but your application has been denied blah blah..."

My boyfriend and I have been together for 2.5 years. He's known I would be applying to grad schools since the day we met... but I was still an undergrad back then so it wasn't "real"! He has a nice, cushy, high paying job that he is unwilling to leave (plus a fairly unadventurous spirit) and I am unwilling to do a long distance relationship despite the fact that I have applied to schools at every corner of the country (and a few in the middle). We haven't really talked about it besides "I'm not moving... unless it's San Diego" (where I didn't even apply), but it's unfortunately obvious that we'll probably have to break up. It's weird because we live together knowing that I will probably be gone in six months... such an odd situation.

I can definitely understand not wanting to move far away. As far as cost of living goes, I don't think St. Louis is nearly as bad as other midsize cities. You can find a 1 bedroom apartment blocks away from WashU for less than $700 per month. For groceries, I shop at Trader Joe's and I rarely pay more than $50 for a week's worth (feeding myself and my boyfriend). Movies are about $6 a ticket... Anyway, that's probably more information than you are looking for. Good luck!

What about Washington University in St. Louis? They have really cognitive neuroscience, and behavioral neuroscience programs. I'm actually applying to the fall 2009 entry. You should look into WUSTL.

Right now, I am applying to 7 schools and a friend of mine is applying to 20. I've heard that you should apply to somewhere around 10 schools. The schools that made my list are those that have at least two faculty members that are performing research similar to what I want to do.