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I recently spoke to the professor who admitted me (top 10 school as an international student). He explicitly mentioned that although my GPA sucked (3.0), my research experience, personal statement, and a "phenomenal" recommendation letter were more than enough. He added that although my GREs were "phenomenal", (1460 General and 860 Chemistry Subject), he didn't care much for them. I think high GRE scores leave a positive impression, but they really aren't that important.

Even within schools that enforce a 3.0 GPA cutoff, some are more lenient than others. USC's Chemistry Department supposedly makes no exceptions. UW Madison, on the other hand, is willing to hear your apology, granted that you have something out of the ordinary or exceptional to say. CU Boulder has a 3.0 cutoff, but I remember that a 3.25 GPA from your graduate degree supersedes it. You should check their website. However, a 2.3 GPA, is, to put it politely, quite a hurdle to surmount. If you are serious about a PhD in either physics or chemistry, you will need significant post-undergrad activities to present a cogent case for your admission. Certainly, a MS in chemistry/physics is an option, but that is a considerable financial investment. You may want to work in the chemical industry, or find a job as a research technologist (or technician, as they call it) in an academic setting. If you choose the latter, many schools offer tuition assistance for taking graduate classes. If you are shy of one letter of recommendation, it's not such a bad idea to attend a single graduate class (about 3-4 hours a week; if you take this advice, you should ask the professor beforehand if he is willing to write you one, pending on your performance) and work your butt off for an A. Perhaps the best thing you can do right now is to talk to your research advisor from your undergrad institution. It's best to just divulge all pertinent academic shortcomings and future goals, if you haven't done so already. You should also talk to either the physics or chemistry undergrad advisor if you haven't done so already. Quite frankly, they are more knowledgeable than anyone on this forum, and they are the best source of information. On the positive, your two plus years of materials research is definitely an asset, and I am going to echo Eigen's opinion regarding your non-conventional formal training in chemistry: It's not going to hinder you. You should be fine with a year in Calculus (not even Real/Complex Analysis) and General Chemistry & Physics. You have a lot of work to do, but since you were already serious about committing to a MS program, I think you're determined enough. Don't forget your GRE, Letters of Recommendation, and SOP! Good Luck.

I would not go so far as to completely dismiss the importance of the GRE Chemistry Exam, especially since you are foreign. For example, UW Madison, one of the schools you applied to, explicitly mention that although the exam is not required, it is encouraged for foreign and fellowship applicants. That being said, your research experience is the most important, so if I were you, I would commit my time to the lab like there's no tomorrow.

I apologize if my previous post gave the impression of gloom and doom. I think it's great that you already have at three great letters of recommendation this early in the application cycle. My word of advice: Make their job as hassle free as you can. This means that give them ample time (at least a month, but preferably 6 weeks of notice before the application deadline of each school), prepare every document necessary for them to write informed, personal letters of recommendation (such as an articulate summary of your past experience and future goals), and be prepared to defend your GPA and rationale for specific course selection, if they ask for your transcript. Unlike medical school admissions where nothing short of a miracle can counteract a low GPA, admissions to a science PhD is quite flexible. It's your job to convince them articulately that you deserve to be admitted - that you're a great fit. You should set up a one-on-one appointment with a professor in biochemistry from your university, and ask for their advice. I think you should take your GRE Subject Tests very seriously. They are only offered April, October, and November, and the April administration has already passed, regrettably. First decide if you need to take the exam in Biochemistry/Cell/Molecular Biology, or the Chemistry. While many Biology Departments will often not require either, they will happily accept them. On the other hand, a Chemistry Department will almost require, and often only accept the latter. Therefore, the GRE Chemistry Subject Test could be used for either departments. The GRE General Exam is going through a complete overhaul. I am not sure about the specifics, but you should become familiar with the content ASAP. Study little by little, if you're not comfortable with your Verbal skills. One thing is certain: IT CAN BE CRACKED if you work at relentlessly before, and during the exam. For example, I got a 490 on the verbal the first time I tried. I studied seriously my second time, and took the exam very seriously, and the score went up to 690. It is not an exam of intelligence. Practice does make perfect. Good luck!

"what i have heard from others that gpa and gre its a cut off point.. the letter of rec, research and sop is what really matters..." This is most definitely true. For example, USC's Chemistry Department has an absolute cutoff at 3.0 and 1000 GRE. Keep in mind, though, that most schools are looking for a 3.5 and above. According to UCSF's Chemistry/Chemical Biology website, a foreign applicants must exhibit exemplary/outstanding scholastic achievement, as well as research experience in a laboratory with a proven published record. To be frank, a 3.3 will hurt you and may keep you out of the running from the most competitive programs. Cornell's Chemistry Department mentions that most successful foreign applicants have at least a 1400 combined GRE and 850 (88-90 percentile) in the chemistry subject GRE. I have a friend whose father is a professor in the Chemistry Department at Columbia, and he mentioned that US programs preferentially admit domestic applicants, and fill the rest with international applicants. I don't think you can complain about that, since many training grants rely on federal funding. "I am an Internationale student studying at San francisco state univ applying for Biochem Grad school programs in 2011 fall for 2012 fall... I was wondering if i could actually get some information about the schools around USA for PHD in Biochemistry" Are you interested in biochemistry mostly from a biologists' perspective, or that of a chemist? This is important, as a Biochemistry PhD embedded in a Biochemistry/Molecular Biology/Biophysics Program will often not require a subject GRE, but a Chemistry Department most definitely will (with the notable exception being MIT). The former will most often require interviews, while the latter will not. I myself was an international applicant with a 3.0 GPA with a 2.99 Chemistry GPA. Chemistry was my least favorite subject in high school, and I only became one during my third year when I realized that biology cannot be adequately understood without a firm understanding of chemistry. It was rocky, but I don't regret it, especially with hindsight. I'm certain that my extremely low GPA, as well as a 'one personal statement fits all" approach hurt my chances at the most competitive programs such as Berkeley and MIT. I did have very good letters of recommendation, though, and I busted my butt off for a 1460 GRE and an 860 Chemistry GRE. I was accepted to Northwestern, Cornell, UW Madison, CU Boulder (biochemistry), UC Irvine, and UC Davis. My advice is to brainstorm with the kind of biochemistry research you are interested in. Are you interested in synthesis, structural biology, enzymology, protein dynamics, macromolecular interactions, spectroscopy, etc.? Be very flexible (I wasn't), and apply to both biology programs and chemistry programs, depending on how closely synchronized your research goals are to what the specific program/professors offer. It never hurts - and is often encouraged - to get high GRE scores both general and subject, if you are an international student.

I should add that for Inorganic Chemistry, I used Messerschmidt (sp?). For QM/Thermodynamics, I used McQuarrie and Simon. Crabtree is fine, I used it for my second quarter in Inorganic Chemistry, but really, most of the questions in Inorganic Chemistry should be covered by general chemistry. You should be very comfortable with the 18 electron rule (i.e. how many d electrons are in the metal center?), and be somewhat comfortable with symmetry operations and point groups.

The bulk of the content in GRE chemistry is a (very) good understanding of freshmen level general chemistry and organic chemistry. Most (not all) of the content in the 'Physical Chemistry' section is simple, like the Laws of Thermodynamics, Raoult/Henry's Law, etc. If you don't have that much time, I suggest focusing on general chemistry and organic chemistry. For an all purpose general chemistry textbook, I recommend Oxtoby's "Principles of Modern Chemistry". If you know the content of this book REALLY well, you should be gold. Any organic chemistry textbook should be fine. I used Wade. Part of what makes the chemistry GRE difficult (if you're aiming for something like a 90+ percentile) is its all encompassing content. Look at the past tests. In some years, they will expect you to know the Maxwell relations. Some years, they will expect some rudimentary knowledge of the construction of the Pi Molecular Orbitals via Huckel method. Some years, they will ask you about fugacity. But those questions are few and far between. Most are quite simple regurgitations. My suggestion: 1) Take a look at the past exams. Look at at least two of them, to get a feel of the types of questions they ask. I mention at least two exams, because just by looking at one of them, they appear deceptively simple, and may give you the false impression that the exam is a breeze. You'll quickly realize that to get a good score, you need to be comfortable with not only chemical intuition and rationale (which is more important in research), but quickly solving those anal, trivial, stock questions that characterize almost every standardized tests administered in a multiple choice format (eg. which isoelectronic ion has the largest radius? which alkane has the highest boiling point? Rank the acids, from most acidic to least acidic, etc.). 2) Start by solving those boring practice problems found in your textbooks (like Oxtoby and Wade). Speed is the key. Solving these early problems boost your score and confidence (every question is worth the same!) 3) Review your general chemistry. Basic Thermodynamics, Equilibriums, and Rate Laws. Know the connection between them. Memorize the equations associated with every basic process in thermodynamics (i.e. isothermal, isovolumetric, isobaric, etc.). Know your coordination chemistry (eg. Steric Numbr is not equal to molecular shape, lone pair-lone pair interactions are less favorable than bonding pair - lone pair, etc.) 4) Review your O-Chem. This may not be really helpful advice, but just memorize almost all pertinent reactions. How far does the PCC oxidize? KNOW how to quickly discern the difference between enantiomers, meso, and diasteromers. 5) If you have time, go over the special topics like biochemistry, the implications of quantum mechanics (operators not commuting = the simultaneous standard deviation is not zero), molecular term symbols, Jahn Teller distortions, etc. These questions separate the people who get something in the 60-70th percentile+ and the people who get 90+ percentile.

The history of UK in the 1980's would've been quite different had Margaret Thatcher liked chemistry more than politics.

As a lot of people have already written, research and recommendation letters carry the most weight. As an international student, I got into UW Madison with a 3.0 overall GPA, a 2.99 chemistry GPA , and 3 C minuses in Biochemistry, the first quarter of Linear Algebra/Multivariable Calculus, and Physical Chemistry Lab. I almost got put on academic probation for withdrawing from a class my third year. I also never got a grade higher than a B plus in ANY of my chemistry class, save for one graduate level class where I got an A minus in. You REALLY, REALLY need 1-3 years of research experience, and letters of recommendation from professors that know you very well. If you got an extremely high grade in a difficult exam of an upper level chemistry class, the letter of recommendation coming from that professor can carry quite a bit of weight. Letters like that can literally get you in anywhere. Good luck!

I heard back from the former's Biochemistry program on January 20 or 21st (they actually require interviews). Didn't apply to GA Tech.

Your GRE chemistry score is damn high.

I think Berkeley said their applicant pool is like ~700. http://chem.berkeley.edu/grad_info/faq.php

Susan E Brighton from MIT's Chemistry office will send you an email if supplementary materials are missing. At least that's what she did with mine. I assume that if you handed in your application before the deadline, they will make an effort to contact you if your file is incomplete. I think you can safely assume your application is complete. If in doubt, just send Susan Brighton an email. She was pretty helpful.

Accepted to UW Madison Chemical Biology Program via email on January 9 2011. International Student with a 3.0 GPA from a top 10 US School (BA Chemistry, 1 course shy of BA in Biology) GRE: 770M/690V/5AWA TOEFL:119 GRE CHEM: 860 4 years research experience (including research technician) Third Author in a manuscript that will be submitted to Cell or Nature Neuroscience, and Sixth author in JMB