UBCbiograd2009

I'm Canadian and went to US Embassy for my student Visa. I got it no problem. I think you should e-mail the embassy (don't call because it'll cost you money) and ask them about the procedures.

US Embassy in Berlin worker: Hi! How are you? Your last name is very German! Me: Yes, I have dual citizenship Worker: Where you going to school? What are you going to study? Me: (school's name). Marine Bio Worker: Good place to study that Me: Ya, nice city to study in as well Worker: How you paying for school? Me: Tuition Waiver Worker: Your visa has been approved Me: Great! Have an awesome day. = 2.5 minutes.

I think your app looks good. Better than mine and I got into a really good program. I think Columbia might be a long-shot but the other schools are definitely in your ballpark. If you have the paper published, even submitted, the by the time you apply, your chances will shoot up. Have you also considered the programs at UC Santa Barbara or UMiami's Rosenstiel School?

Hi, I'm from the Vancouver Metro area and grew up around SFU. I would suggest not living on Commercial Dr. Kitsilano or downtown as they are at least an hour away from SFU via public transit. It's a long haul to make every morning and back home in the afternoon. I suggest you look in the Burnaby/Port Moody/Coquitlam areas surrounding SFU as they are closer and would only take about a half hour to get to the school. SFU is in the suburbs and it's just not that easy to reach as it's on a mountain, meaning no train goes up there and bus transfers just to get to the campus are common.

University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, McGill and University of Alberta in Canada

To respond to your comment about not wasting space on your SOP for low grades, I absolutely agree. But there is nothing stopping you from writing an Addendum that can go right after the body of your SOP. I was told by all the grad students in the lab I worked for that an SOP should highlight only the positives about your past, the reasons/inspirations you're choosing to go to grad school and what your goals are for the future. The addendum can briefly explain why you received low grades and what you did to improve and how you improved (e.g. does your transcript show an upward trend?).

First off, I'm sorry to hear and am surprised that you weren't accepted anywhere. How you weren't accepted anywhere is beyond belief. I agree with the poster above, maybe something was amiss with your application and perhaps you should e-mail the departments you applied to and the advisers and ask what weaknesses you may have had. Secondly, I must admit that one of the writers of my LORs is very, very well known in his field and another one of my writers ran into two of the 5 profs who I wished to work for at a conference and talked me up. I think these connections helped me get accepted. Lastly, when I applied, the paper I co-authored wasn't accepted yet. What I did was mention in my SOP that I had submitted a paper. I noted the title and journal publication as well. Funny thing was that the paper was rejected, so we submitted it to another journal and then it was accepted. As soon as it was accepted, I wrote in to all my potential advisers and the grad offices of the schools I applied to so that they could make a note of this. I think when I mentioned to my potential advisers that I had a paper in submission, their interest was piqued and they encouraged me to apply. Of course having a paper in submission a huge step, having one published is even better. Either way, adcoms should realize that people (usually) don't submit a shitty paper and that you were involved in the science somehow. Your lab supervisor should note that on you LOR. I suggest you have a meeting with him/her to make sure you cover all the points you wish him/her to write on your LOR.

If you have 2 co-authors by the time you apply (or at least those papers are in submission), research experience of 1+ years, good LORs and a good personal statement, then go for the PhD route. You have the aptitude and the work ethic for what it takes. Your GPA shouldn't be that much of a problem, so long as you have demonstrated that you can do the research. I got into a PhD program with a 3.01, but I had the paper, the experience, the LORs and the SOP. I say go for the PhD if it's what you want to do in the end.

Anyone moving to Miami in July and looking for a place to live as well?

In BC, I'd shop at Superstore because it is the cheapest but they don't have too many stores. In terms of expensive markets then it goes like this Whole Foods> Marketplace IGA > Safeway = Save-on-Foods > T&T Supermarket > Superstore. However, if you go to some independent fruit stands or T&T, you'll find sometimes that they have better prices for fruits and veggies. Also alcohol is expensive. Horribly so.

I'm going to a private school, so there's no tuition difference between in-state and out-of-state. The same goes for the other schools where I was accepted in WA and LA

Ich werde am Ende Juni umziehen. Mein neuer Chef will mich fruher ankommen, weil das erstes Jahr in Grad School in Biologie fast nur für Studieren ist. Jedoch kommt meine Freundin von mir in August nach Miami an. Im Moment fand ich ein Zimmer für Juli. Vielleicht kann ich diese Wohnung (und die zwei andere Zimmer der Wohnung) bekommen. Nun weiss ich nicht, ob ich die Wohnung im August bekommen werde. Hoffentlich ich kann

Kathiza, from what I can tell you could probably find something for that amount. Me and a friend are looking for a place together, and we might need a third person. We should keep in touch about housing and stuff. Where are you from? I'm living in Hamburg, Germany but I'm from Vancouver, Canada.

I agree with the above comment. My overall GPA was 3.01 because my junior-year grades were horrible due to some personal problems. However, I averaged an A- in my senior year and only took very challenging courses. Compare this to the C+ average I had in junior-year and the difference is pretty stark. I also had lab research experience with a paper, good letters of recommendation, an excellent SOP, and my upward trend. I got into a top 10 marine bio program. I applied to 5 schools, all but two accepted. The two that said no, well the profs I wanted to work with had no money and couldn't afford to have me in there labs. If your application looks good, along with a good bio background and a positive narrative to go along with it, then you should be fine. You've already shown that your capable in the sciences and that you know bio is what you want to do. You dropping out of engineering and going into the natural sciences demonstrates to me at least that you think things through and can make intelligent decisions. I think committees will realize that in some respect.

Hey, I got admitted to RSMAS and will also be starting this Fall, but will be moving to the area in July as my supervisor wants me to get an early start I'm nervous about finding a suitable place to live. I'm from Vancouver and rent is just as bad there, so it's not uncommon for people to live in houses, apartments or basement suites together. All I'm worried about is finding a place to live with my dog.

Hey, I was accepted just last week! I'm in the same boat as all of you! What departments are you all in? I'll be joining RSMAS on Key Biscayne. I've been browsing housing and it seems to be that in order to have a nice place, you'll need a roommate and probably spend $600-800 on rent.

Long story short guys: I got accepted to the Univ of Miami, Louisiana State, and Washington State and I've chosen to go to Miami So my shitty junior year grades were compensated by my other app stuff. Now to the beach!

I had a Skype interview 3 weeks ago. It was scheduled for 15 minutes only and it involved two questions from the department head: why do you want to go to grad school? and what do you hope to achieve? Then I asked some questions and soon after the interview was over. I had spoken with the prof, whose lab I wish to you join a few months before. I guess I impressed him enough for him to suggest to the committee to give me a try and, hence, the two questions asked.

Has anyone heard back from the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Miami? I had an interview with them the first weekend of February, but haven't heard back yet. Just wondering if anyone has received any acceptance letters yet.

That's a little different than the places I've applied to. All my applications asked who I was interested in and I've contacted the profs personally. Well this will just make me prepare even more I guess.

I've been invited to an interview at a University for graduate studies. I was wondering if universities will invite two people who want to join the same lab during the same graduate recruitment event? I'm asking because the 20-something of us who will be going to visit the school during the graduate recruitment weekend have been introducing ourselves via email. There was an email from someone who sounds like they may be wanting to research the same things as I do and that makes me nervous. Thoughts?

I have a question, what are one's chances of being accepted to a grad school if the grad school has invited them to a graduate recruitment event? I've been invited to two so far, and would really like to know what I'm up against now that I made it through the first of the filters.

Happy to say that I received an interview request and recruitment invitation to the University of Miami in two weeks! The professor from LSU has asked the department to fly me out to Baton Rouge for an interview and recruitment tour. So I guess everything else about my application did trump my low GPA. Also, GRE scores are just used for screening and weeding students out. So taking GRE and GPA aside from considerations, my letters of recommendation and SOP were instrumental in getting me interview requests. Now I just have to wait for acceptance.

My GPA sucked (3.01). And GRE scores are just for weeding people out and for fellowships, everyone knows they don't indicate someone's ability or potential. But I got interview requests! I've had about 2.5 years research experience, one pub, strong letters of recommendation and an undergrad prof who talked me up to some professors at a conference. Also, my SOP was pretty good in my opinion. Very narrow and concise, and of course catering to the particular school. Also, one of the schools I applied to had a submission deadline of Dec. 1, and I didn't get their interview request until just last week (Jan. 18th), a whole 7 weeks after my submission. The other schools I applied to have deadlines of Jan. 15th so I don't expect to hear back until March. Overall, I wouldn't worry.

Sorry for the bad grammar above. I'm hungover.