gellert

I'd be even more euphemistic and just say that you struggled adapting to the college environment, but the grades from your later years better reflect what you are capable of. You don't want to raise any red flags. That taken care of, how similar is the research you've done in the past to what you want to do in grad school? Can you construct a coherent narrative of how your interests developed and became defined?

What do you mean by "concise?" It's generally considered a kiss of death to mention mental health issues in an app, whether there ought to be that stigma or not.

As has been said before, fit >>>>>> stats in terms of importance. How is your fit, interest-wise, for the program? Does it require a subj GRE? Can you explain your elongated college career without mentioning mental health in your SOP or can one of your LOR writers do this for you?

I think there's a decent chance of that for neurobio, at least judging by the results search from past years! Good luck.

Results search.

Yeah, it was. Results search seems to indicate neurobio gets back to people pretty early. My friend's deadline was Dec 10 when she heard back late Dec, so it's possible we will hear back even earlier. (Wishful thinking!)

I plan to send a card after I have results in, thanking them and telling them where I decide to go.

I don't know how many others are having this issue, but the Stanford grad app status page is showing my app as incomplete despite all materials being in. I called the grad admissions dept and they told me this often happens because all the materials are in, but the dept hasn't gotten around to looking at/compiling them yet, which makes the status read as "incomplete." They suggested calling the dept if I had further concerns, which I don't feel the need to do. I just wanted to let everyone know what's going on, if there's anyone else having this experience with the Stanford app.

A friend of mine in Duke cog neuro says that she got her interview invite in late December (last year). Fingers crossed that we hear something soon; it's one of my top choices!

Congrats! A review of results search + quick interrogation of a friend in a non-quant UNC psych grad department reveals that invitations are generally extended by program, not department. So don't get too anxious, people-who-applied-but-haven't-heard-yet!

The one time I'm happy my parents told me I could be anything I wanted, as long as it was a doctor or a lawyer.... At least I am living up to expectations (unless I don't get in; then that's another bag of worms, and I'm pretty sure they expected a different kind of doctor...).

Yeah, I put only one decimal place on all my apps unless more were requested, and rounded up/down. They have my transcripts which spell it out to 2-3 decimal places in case they're interested. My CV has to 3 decimal places. I figure it's not a big deal as GPA is relatively unimportant.

Late LORs from profs: not a big deal? dealbreaker?

My RA is always asking me whether I've finished my apps or not, and she's constantly surprised when the answer is "no," even if it's only been 6 hours.

back side

Aren't we all.

I respectfully disagree with those positing that your depression is likely to reoccur during your Ph.D. It sounds like, from what you wrote, that the depression was triggered by the family death and is not a recurring thing that frequently decimates your ability to do well in a classroom setting. Since your masters was thesis-based and you did well in that respect and your adviser will vouch for you, no, I don't think it's the end of the world. I think you should take the subject GRE and do as well as you can (a 100% is not necessary and you don't have to report it at all if you feel your score isn't good enough, as long as the school doesn't require it). I also think if you can get your letter-writer to explain that your grades suffered due to a death in the family, that will help. The question remaining for me is: how bad WAS your undergraduate record? Research is more important than grades of course, but you need a minimum GPA to be considered usually. Your grad GPA is over 3.0, but what about undergrad? I think you should acknowledge your strengths some as well, and work to build upon them. You're weak in one area (grades), so improve an area in which you are strong (research). If you can show that your depression did not negatively affect your work in research, then that helps.

fingers crossed that time will prove you right!

Oh, this is about a POI at the school - the person to whom I'm applying - going to the adcomm and saying he/she wants me in his/her lab, despite not being personally on the adcomm. Though I do hope my present PI vouches for me to his friends in academe, as well. It would definitely help, as your experience shows. (Congrats, by the way!)

Yes. Definitely. Schools will def. want an updated CV from you with this information. And congrats!

In case it's relevant to you, the weather's also quite different between the two. Blacksburg is going to be more humid in summer whereas Iowa City is dry. Iowa City and Blacksburg probably get equally hot in summer, but Iowa is MUCH colder in winter, with a lot of snow. Blacksburg is closer to a beach, if that is important to you, though there are lake "beaches" in Iowa.

I don't think they even see that, tbqh. And I doubt it's something they care about in the grand scheme of things.

Sure thing. Message me and I'll give you my email.

Not at all. Most schools give a broad definition for diversity, one that includes diversity of experience. Talk about those experiences, about overcoming adversities unrelated to ethnicity and gender. Also, if your work has any significant impact for disadvantaged groups, you could discuss that.

List it as "under review." When revisions come back, you can list it as "under revision" or "revise and resubmit." It's a faux pas to mention the journal at which the paper is under review, though. Wait until it's in press to name the journal.