Neuronista

I'm studying for the GRE too I scheduled mine to be on November 15. I'm studying verbal right now. You?

Well, I applied last year without contacting anyone and didn't get accepted anywhere. So I thought this year I'll change my approach and be more "interactive". I've heard that once you have a POI interested in your work, they might help get you into the program, if they were part of the admissions committee or if they have any kind of influence over them. Yes, some programs urge applicants to contact professors, and the funny thing is that one of the professors who said it's too early for him to decide now belongs to one of those programs

I know! This is one of my concerns too. What if my interests change when I get exposed to other research topics during my rotations? But then I thought, let me state what my current interests are, which basically stem from my MS research topic. This will give adcoms an impression that I'm focused and that I know what I want, and gives them an idea about my areas of expertise, which will make it easier for them to decide whether I'll be a "good fit" for their program. Then, if I do get interested in something else, which will most likely be something related, I may persue a project that links these areas.

Exactly. In most programs, students are not given a chance to choose a lab before their first year, which is already one year from now. That's what many POIs are telling me and they're saying they can't decide from now. The best thing to do is to apply to programs where there are several profs whose work you're interested in, so that if one of them is not available by the time you choose a lab, you can happily join another one. But I am still surprized that so many people say that POIs could actually make a decision from now about where or not he/she will need a student later on. Maybe I'm e-mailing the wrong people

One issue I'm facing when I'm contacting POIs is that they do seem interested in my research but they're saying that they cannot decide from now whether they will have vacancies in their labs by the time I join (I'm applying to the sciences). So what should I do in this case? What should my reply be? I still want them to remember me as a potential student, but they seem that they're not exactly ready to discuss research opportunities with them for the time being.

One issue I'm facing when I'm contacting POIs is that they do seem interested in my research but they're saying that they cannot decide from now whether they will have vacancies in their labs by the time I join (I'm applying to the sciences). So what should I do in this case? What should my reply be? I still want them to remember me as a potential student, but they seem that they're not exactly ready to discuss research opportunities with them for the time being.

That will be so exciting! I can only imagine So how did the conversation with the Harvard POI go? Hope it went well? I think my LOR writers will be the same ones as last year, so they have all the info they need (they only asked for my CV!). I might ask a couple of new profs as well, especially the ones who have connections in the places I'll be applying to. My SOP needs a complete makeover, however. And I SERIOUSLY, REALLY NEED TO GET SOME WORK DONE! But I'm having a lot of issues going around and in my mind, and I'm totally out of focus. I need to get ready for the GRE, and two manuscripts to write, and... Oh my I have sooooooooooo much to do!

Hi, You can also check this blog http://science-professor.blogspot.com/2007/12/writing-to-me.html I'm currently contacting POI's based on the advice given in the above blog post. So far, I've got quite positive responses. The worst scenario is that the professor may be too busy to reply, but if that won't give you any benefit, it won't hurt you either! Good luck

Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Well, I'm currently contacting POI's (I know, kind of late) as well as some current students. I didn't make up my mind on which schools to apply to yet. But my initial list includes UT Austin (last year I applied to the pharmacology program, this time I'm applying to the neuroscience program), Wake Forest, UF, UPenn, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, U Chicago, UIUC, and USC. I also want to apply to Brown and MIT (they have interesting people) but I'm not sure I can make it into those. I'll start filling online applications soon, and re-write my SOP. I see you've cut down on your list It's good to have decided exactly where you'll be applying!

oops! sorry! then this is my mistake Good luck all of you in your applications!

Hi all I'm applying for a PhD in neuroscience. Applying to 6-10 schools. I'm now preparing to retake the general GRE test and take a subject GRE in biology. I've also contacted several current students studying at programs where I'd like to apply. I'll start e-mailing POI's very soon! Any neuroscience applicants out there?

I'm applying for neuroscience too. And I'm as lost as you are. As you mention, most programs say that the subject test is "highly recommended but not required." But since I had an unsuccessful application season last year (without the subject test), I thought that taking it might improve my chances. I don't actually know how true is this. But I'm just doing it. My GPA is not that high (3.3) nor my general GRE score (1110 + 5.0 AW). So I'm planning to retake the general GRE test and take a subject test in biology. (I actually e-mailed one of the programs and asked what subject test do they recommend. The response was exactly as what you mentioned: "anything related to your field of study." So I decided I'd take the biology test since my bachelor's was in pharmacy and my MS was in pharmacology and Toxicology. Biology would be the most closely related!) I do have research experience (I have an MS degree already, and I'm currently an RA). I'm working on two publications. One has already been submitted and the other I'm still working on. So I hope getting at least one of the papers published before application deadlines will help improve my chances. Good luck! I'll follow your topic and see what other people think!

That sounds fair enough! I don't think if a professor wasn't really helpful a student would be happy to talk about him/her in such a manner, and that is good to know. If a professor was not such a great person, the student might only give, as you said, a remotely negative comment or even avoid the question, which I would take as a warning sign. So, how else can can current students help me? [i'm getting real excited now. I want to start sending out those e-mails ]

Thanks all for giving the idea of contacting current students! I must consider doing this myself. But what kind of questions do you ask them? And what kind of info are they allowed to give out? Personally, I would like to know how good a particular prof. is as an advisor and mentor. For example, someone may be an excellent, highly reputable researcher but is not readily available for his/her students, or perhaps may be ill-tempered (which I cannot stand, personally). Can I ask current students about such issues (of course stated more politely ). What else can I ask them?