eponine10642

I don't think it matters if you let them know that they're your top choice or not. Certainly didn't in my case. In the end, they'll just accept whoever they're most interested in. Since it's "unranked" they're probably most interested in obtaining a diverse incoming class. I.e., don't want too many people from the same school/area or too many with very similar research experience, etc. All things which unfortunately are out of your control at this point.

Ditto what aberrant said about Berkeley... it defintely isn't what non-Californians think of as California (which would be socal, i.e. UCLA, UCSD, etc.) Not that the weather around Berkeley is terrible by any means, but it's not socal, that's for sure. I'd recommend taking location out of the equation for a second and go with the program that you're more excited about. Personally, I don't think Berkeley (the city) is all that great and that you might be overestimating how nice it is there. But to each his/her own, some people I know do really like it around there. They're both awesome schools though, and I'm sure you'd be well-prepared for whatever career you want afterwards no matter which you choose. Congrats & good luck!

In terms of what field you should go into... well, that's something you really have to figure out yourself. Kind of strange that you've been in so many labs but you still haven't really narrowed it down yet. Maybe you should get a masters at your school first (I'm assuming you're talking about PhD programs here)? You seem pretty confused in general about what you want to do so you might want to do a little heart-to-heart with yourself to first figure that out. Once you know what field you're really interested in, then it'd be easier to help you with your other questions. If you do want to stick with comp bio though, some schools have PhD programs just for bioinformatics/comp bio, others might have a general umbrella program for biology. But since it's a pretty interdisciplinary field, it might be better for you to go at it from the perspective of which individual professors you'd most like to work with, then apply to certain programs based on which department they're in.

Or better yet, just ask the university... I was told by one school that I had all day on Sunday the 15th (until midnight) to send in a decision, but that I could also ask for an extension to reply on Monday. Different schools will most likely have slightly different deadlines, so be sure to ask.

Seriously.... for us waitlisters, it's like we're playing this crazy timing game. I'm waitlisted at my top choice, who said they'd let me know one way or the other "before the 15th" and quite possibly on the 14th, so I've had to email my second choice school (who offered me admission) to see what the EXACT latest time is I can accept them. My top choice is being as awesome as possible about it though, my contact there even said he thought it was unfair. It's just so ridiculous... I can't wait until all of this is finally freaking OVER. gah. 7 more days guys!!!

Just say that that you would like to know the status of your application since you are very interested in their program but the April 15th deadline is quickly approaching. You're not out of line at all to be asking at this point in time, you have every right to know. Seeing as we're like one week away, I don't think that screams "impatient" to any remotely sane individual.

In regards to funding... for the schools that I've been accepted to, the stipend + tuition waver that was mentioned during the interview weekends is exactly the same amount that was expressed in the official acceptance letter. I assumed this is the norm, yeah? One grad student who I met at one of the weekends said that he actually got some kind of "bonus" in the stipend after a month or so had gone by after he received the acceptance... but I think this must be pretty rare. But anyway. I guess if I get in, I'll try to wait until I receive info about how to "officially" accept... or at least, try not to squeal too loudly on the phone haha. alhin -- totally agree that this is like dating!! I'm completely DREADING the "break-up" emails I'll have to send to schools.

Hi guys, So I absolutely 100% know what grad school I want to go to. I interviewed there last weekend, and if I'm accepted, I should be getting a phone call with the offer next week (fingers crossed!). My question is, since I know that if they offer me admission that I will accept it, can I just accept right then & there on the phone? Or is it expected that I wait until I receive the official letter in the mail? Thanks!!

I've sent out thank-you emails to professors I interviewed with (before I was offered admission), as well as the secretary who helped set up everything, and my main grad student host. I didn't do it to "fish" for admission, I just did it because I wanted to say thank you because... I was thankful? I dunno. I'm sure it's not required, but if you want to say thank you, then just do it. If you don't, then don't. Just be yourself.

I like this post... this has always been what I've been told by my parents/anyone with significant job experience. What the people you're interviewing with are wearing has ZERO impact on what you should be wearing... you're the one interviewing, you're the one trying to impress them -- not the other way around. On the other hand, I'm not surprised to hear that most interviewees dress casually. I mean, most of us don't have a ton a job experience, and a significant portion are coming straight from college. Most prospective grad students simply don't have enough experience with interviewing to know that you're expected to dress up, not to dress like you were already admitted.

Albert Einstein: Jan 12-13, Jan 26-2 Brandeis University (Neuro): Feb 3, Feb 17, Mar 3 Boston University (GPN): Mar 4-6 Case Western Reserve University (BSTP): Feb 3-4, Mar 2-3 Columbia (Integrated CMB): Jan 20-22 Columbia (Neurobiology & Behavior): Feb 8-10, Feb 29-Mar2 Columbia (Pathobiology & Molecular Medicine): Feb 3-5 Cornell (Weill): February Dartmouth (PEMM) March 2-3 Emory (PBEE): February 2-4 Emory (IMP): Feb 2-4, March 1-3 Emory University (neuro): Feb 9-11 or Feb 23-25 Harvard (BBS): Jan 26-29 and Feb 9-12 Harvard (MCB): Feb 1st - 4th, Feb 15-18 Harvard (neuro): Jan 19-22 Harvard (BPH): Jan 26-27 Indiana University - Bloomington (Biology? Feb. 16-19 MIT (Biology? Feb 11-14, Feb. 25-28, Mar 10-13 Mount Sinai (Biomedical Sciences PhD): Jan 9-10, Jan 17-18 or Jan 24-25 MSU: Jan 5-8 MSU (Zoology): Feb 2-3 Northwestern (IBiS): Feb 13-14 or Feb 27-18 Northwestern (Neuro: NUIN): Jan 19-20, Feb 2-3, Feb 23-24 NYU Sackler: Jan 19-20, Jan 26-27, Feb 9-10 Ohio State University (IBGP): Feb. 9-11 Ohio State University (Neuro): Jan 18-20 OHSU: Feb 1-4 OHSU (neuro) feb 5th- 7th Princeton (neuro): Feb 16-18 Princeton (EEB): February 8-10 Rockefeller: March 1-2 and 8-9 Scripps Research Institute-CA campus: Feb 24-25, Mar 2-3 Sloan Kettering: 1/17-1/19 Stanford (SCBRM) feb 29th - mar 3rd Stanford (Biology) feb 29th - mar 3rd Thomas Jefferson (neuro): Jan 26-27 Tufts-Sackler (Integrated Studies): Jan 27 Tufts-Sackler (Genetics and ISP) Feb 10th Tufts-Sackler (Molecular Microbiology) Feb 2-3 Tufts-Sackler (Neuroscience) Feb 17th UAB (BMS): Jan 19-21 University of Arizona (Medical Pharmacology): Feb 9-12 University of Cambridge (UK): Jan 18th-20th University of Chicago (BSG): Feb 23-25 University of Chicago (Molecular Biosciences): Feb 16-18 UC Berkeley (MCB): Feb 5-7, Feb 26-28 UC Berkeley (MBN): Jan 26-27 UC Davis (BMCDB): Mar 1-2, Mar 5 UC Davis (GGG): Feb 16-17 UC Davis (neuro): Feb 9-10 UC Irvine (CMB):Jan 26-28,Feb 2-4 UCLA ACCESS: Jan 28-30, Feb 11-13, Feb 25-27 UCLA ACCESS (Molecular and Medical Pharmacology): Dec 22 UC Riverside: Feb 24 UC San Diego (Biomedical Sciences): Feb 9-12 UCSD Biological Sciences: Feb 1-2, Feb 22-23 UCSF BMS: Jan 26-28 OR February 9-11 UCSF Tetrad: Feb 2-3 OR Feb 24-25 UC Santa Barbara MCDB: Feb 23-25 or Mar 1-3 UChicago (neuro): Feb 10 or Feb 13 (but travel times drag it out several days before and/or after) U Colorado - Denver (BSP): Feb 2-5, Feb 9-12 U Illinois Urbana-Champ (neuro) - Feb 16-19 U Iowa (Micro): Feb 23-26 U Iowa (Neuro) - Jan 26-28 UMASS Worcester: Feb 2-4 and Feb 16-18 U Maryland - Baltimore - Feb 3 UMich (PIBS): Jan 27-28 (Cancer Bio), Feb 3-4 (general) U Minnesota (MICaB): Feb 9-12 or 16-19 U Minnesota (neuro): Feb 23-26 UNC Chapel Hill (BBSP): Feb 2-4, Jan 26-28, Feb 9-11, Feb 23-25 UPenn (Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics): Jan 19-21, Feb 9-11 UPenn (CAMB): Jan 12-14 UPenn (neuro): Jan 20, Feb 10 UPitt (IBGP): Jan 20-22 URochester (BMB): Feb 3-4, March 2-3 UT Austin (CMB): Jan 26-28, Feb 16-18 UVa (BIMS): Jan 12-14 or Feb 2-4 UW-Seattle (Biology? Jan 13 or Jan 20 UW-Seattle (MCB): Jan 25-27,Feb 8-10 UW-Seattle (GS): Feb12-14, Feb 26-28 UW-Seattle (Neuro): Jan 24-25 U Wisconsin - Madison (Biophysics): Mar 1-3 U Wisconsin - Madison (CMP) : Feb 27th, March 5th Vanderbilt (IGP): Jan 12-14, many others (just got back from the 1st weekend, they said there would be 8-9 other weekends) Washington University in St. Louis (DBBS-MCB): March 1-3 WashU (neuro): Jan 27-28, Feb 3-4 Yale (B.B.S.): Feb 2-5, Feb 9-12

Congrats!! Mind sharing what date it is?

Case Western Reserve University (BSTP): Feb 3-4, Mar 2-3 Columbia (Pathobiology & Molecular Medicine): Feb 3-5 Cornell (Weill): February Dartmouth (PEMM) March 2-3 Emory University (neuro): Feb 9-11 or Feb 23-25 Harvard (BBS): Jan 26-29 and Feb 9-12 Harvard (Neuro): Jan 19-22 MIT (Biology): Feb 11-14, Feb. 25-28, Mar 10-13 Northwestern (Neuro: NUIN): Jan 19-20, Feb 2-3, Feb 23-24 Rockefeller: March 1-2 and 8-9 Scripps Research Institute-CA campus: Feb 24-25, Mar 2-3 University of Chicago (BSG): Feb 23-25 UCLA ACCESS (Molecular and Medical Pharmacology): Dec 22 UMASS Worcester: Feb 2-4 and Feb 16-18 UNC Chapel Hill (BBSP): Feb 2-4 UPenn (Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics): Jan 19-21, Feb 9-11 UPenn (Neuro): Jan 20, Feb 10 U Wisconsin - Madison (Biophysics): Mar 1-3 Vanderbilt (IGP): Jan 12-14

I'm also applying to neuroscience programs, and 2 schools so far have offered me interviews -- but I'm expecting to hear from the majority in January.

Hey guys, So I'm applying for neuroscience programs for entry fall 2012, and to my surprise I'm already having to deal with scheduling interviews.. an awesome problem to have, but still kind of a problem. For one school, I got a phone call offering an interview -- said I'd get an email with the details within the next few days. The second school I've heard from so far wants me to call & figure out a weekend that I can come; at the very least, I'm waiting to call them until I hear more about the interview from the first school, but I do want to schedule it soon. My problem is, for the second school, I'm afraid of scheduling the interview on the same weekend of my top choice school (who I haven't heard from yet), since I'm worried that they might have a "set" interview weekend. If anyone has experience about this, do most schools have multiple choices for interview dates?? I'm just afraid I'm going to have to end up rescheduling this interview (..obviously I wouldn't give the real reason for this, but I still feel it'd be tacky). Thanks guys! I'm starting to think applying to 10 schools was overkill. /sigh