skazoo

"Competitiveness" for life science is weighed more on experience and recommendation than GPA and GRE. Therefore, if the exp/rec is good then you don't really have to worry about GPA/GRE unless it's really, really horrible and does not make the cutoff (<3GPA <60%GRE Q or V. They don't care about AWA), and your score definitely made the cutoff. About GRE: Your verbal is very good. However, in life science, adcom told me that they weigh Quant heavier than Verbal. Therefore, it'll be better if you have >80% Q GRE (740ish) to mitigate your low GPA. My GPA is exactly the same as yours and I had 800Q, and the adcom told me that the Q score did mitigate the low GPA in their decision since my Q GRE is the best 5 out of the 250ish applicant and my GPA is in the low-mid of the applicants. If you have good research experience and recommendation, and if you don't have time/money to retake, then I'd say no. If you have money/time to retake, I'd say it might be worth it. But if you don't have good exp/rec, then I'd say retake until you have >80%. My stats: Life sciences major 2.9 GPA, 3.1 major GPA, upward trend (2.7 average in first and 2nd years, 3.2 in 3rd, and 4 in fourth year). 800Q/530V/4.5AWA. 2-3 years research exp with 2 papers (pending) LoR from 2 research profs and 1 class prof (1 is very very influental prof) Got in top 15-20. Hope this helped.

Hey don't be so upset, you have awesome GPA and research experience. Your stats is much much better than mine. I graduate with barely 2.9 GPA with couple failing classes. GRE is 1300 (800Q 520V 4.5AWA) - Q is good but not enough to make up the failed classes and GPA. I didn't publish undergrad thesis but I worked for 1.5 years on three projects with grad students and professors - I will have my name at two papers as co and 2nd author but I don't think they take this into account since I haven't publish anything yet. Surprisingly I got offers in couple top 15-30s, decided to go into top 15-20 phd program with full funding in one of biosci major (not bioanth) with two great potential faculties (for my stats that's awesome! although TBH I don't think rank matter in grad school since faculty matters more for publications, funding, interest, and future postdoc position, although I agree that the higher rank, the univ will be more saturated with more-publication-with-awesome-impact-factor-journal faculties) What I've found in phd app in life science major is this: adcoms don't view GPA and GRE as very important. GRE is least important as long as you have >85%Q, GPA is slightly more important as long as you have >3.3, and these two usually serve as cutoff. Also, they have point system and these two hold some ~30% points. The other 50% is research experience and LOR. The rest 20% is interview. You can see my GPA is horrid, my transcript is even more horrid, my GRE is probably alright, my research exp is barely average. With that kind of stats my applications is downright rejection if you ask me (especially the GPA). The most significant factor that I think got me in is my LOR. I had one burning LOR from very influental figure in the field and the other two are less influental but are up there as well. At interview they all asked "oh we're very excited that you have worked with this [very influental] professor that said you're good bla bla bla". So if I were you, I'll play the connection game - make sure that my LOR will be shining and from someone influential that knows you, maybe the dean, or professor that you've worked with and make sure that they WILL give good LOR. Ask them directly, "Hi, (-insert explanation that you're going to go to grad school-). Anyway, are you able to give a GOOD letter of recommendation for me?". Just this alone will get you far! Secondly, SOP is also very important. Make sure SoP very clearly, directly and indirectly shows you have the skill to go to grad school (you worked before/publish paper/experiences you had from there, but don't get too technical, i.e. "I made mutant protein with this certain primer with sequence AGCGC bla bla"- nobody cares about this) and the reason why (you want to teach, or want to find solution for XX problem). These advices were told by said prof. My SoP was reviewed by said professor, 2 postdocs, 2 grad student, and this also significantly improves my chance. If my horrid stats can get me into top 15-20 with those LORs and experiences, I'm sure you can get into top 10. XD