Say Chi Sin Lo

All great advice, and all were considered at one point or another. I am leaving Stanford for (possibly) a job at UCSF. UCSF is my (I'm sure it's for other people as well) dream school. I've hit the ceiling as far as the lab at Stanford goes, I've stopped learning and the PI doesn't have the room or funding to have me as a graduate student in his lab. Nor is it my field of interest. It's a cardiology lab, and my interest lies in basic science. I will be happy to be in any of the fields, Oncology/genome maintenance, regenerative medicine, and immunology. So I've decided to leave and start fresh HOPEFULLY in UCSF. I know it's not recommended, but I'm going to continue working and retake some of my classes. I got to make a living man. It's a huge load to take on classes and the responsibility of being in a lab, but I got to do whatever it is to make myself a better candidate. I do believe face time can speak more than just numbers, hopefully I can find someone who can see my worth and vouch for me as a Ph.D candidate at UCSF. Anymore advice?

First time posting, so hopefully this is the right place. If not, feel free to move it to its appropriate place. Undergrad = UCR Cumulative GPA ~ 2.67 Major GPA ~ 3.23 Graduate GPA ~3.60 (yes I took some graduate courses when I was an undergrad) GRE General = 1140 Undergrad research = 2years Works at Stanford = 2years (Research associate/lab manager) Published Seems like my gpa is holding me back. I messed up the first several years of undergrad and averaged C's/B's for my core classes (General Bio/Chem/Ochem/Physics/Math). I've only applied to the UC's and I understand they're extremely competitive. I was told that if I applied out of state, I might have had better chances? Regardless, I want to fix my GPA. I want to do a post bac program, but I was wondering if I should do a formal one, or just go through a UC extension (berkeley) and do it at my own pace. Because I need to work and I just need to repeat my core classes. Thanks again, and grill away!

Hello, I'm new here, and I hope I can provide as well as learn from you all I'll get to the point, I'm having an off year because I did not get into graduate school on my first attempt. I applied to all of the UCs (except UCLA, UCSF, UC Merced) and I did not get into any. Although I was waitlisted at UC Riverside and ultimately denied, only to find out one of my friends got in and withdrew! People please make sure you are well aware of the pain, suffering, and being an absolute brokeass for the next decade or so that is associated with becoming a scientist or being in academia. I was mad when my friend dropped out, cause I could have easily taken his spot... I had 3 labs lined up to do my Ph. D in! All were well within my interest, all were faculties I knew, all had room for me! I spent 2years of undergrad in one of those labs... (learned a lot in that lab, learned research, learned about teaching too!) It was with great luck and good preparation that I landed a job at Stanford just a week following graduation. Working with my PI, Dr. Rockson, we study secondary lymphedema. It's a really small lab. I'm essentially the only one and I basically do everything. From purchasing, planning, designing experiments, doing the experiments, and data analysis. Therefore, I'm also dubbed as "lab manager." My PI gives me the independence to run the lab on my own. The job comes with great freedom, great learning opportunities (I work with people from other departments as our research overwhelms what our lab can do, such as some MRI imaging studies and what not), not to mention my PI emphasizes on my learning. The money is not bad either. I plan on getting into a master program (somewhere cheap, like San Francisco State University, mainly because Stanford will pay for it). Aside from basic science research, I have a passion in teaching. Therefore, I don't mind doing a master because it'll give me a chance to fine-tune my teaching abilities as a TA. I've also had experience teaching an upper division cell biology course under my mentor at UCR (she realized i've developed a passion for teaching, so she allowed me to teach, and to learn how to teach). End goal? Ph. D then post docs then professorship. Here are some meaningless stats/numbers UC Riverside, BS in Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology 2008 Undergrad cumulative 2.67, last two years/upper division 3.3, graduate courses ~3.67 (A, A-, B+) GRE V470, Q670, W4.0 2years undergraduate research on telomeres/telomerase Currently lab manager at Stanford studying secondary lymphedema Applying to SF State University for Cell and Molecular Biology M.S. program Fall 2009 I already know what denied my admission on the 1st attempt, my cumulative GPA and my average GRE. Please note that I do not plan on taking the GRE again, I've already taken it twice. I definitely hope my master's GPA will reflect on the drastic improvement of my knowledge and skills. So, what are y'all doing on your off year? Whether it's intended or unintended.