virion

Haha... well it's true that in the past couple weeks the posts have shifted largely from the mostly hard sciences we were seeing earlier in the year.

Yep, I figure so. Which means that my post is probably not very functional... I'd post a message on the survey directing them here but, well...

I'm probably preaching to no one here, as anyone aware of the forum portion of this site would probably not be doing this. But it's annoying how many people are starting to post "Other" to ask questions to people who are posting good news. That's what the forum is for. No one looking for dates and info in 2014 is going to want to see you begging to hear someone's stats. I'll be the lame-o reporting all of them - it's nice to see how quickly they're removed. [/preaching]

I would email the PI and ask when these official emails are said to go out, and who you should contact regarding the matter.

Haven't had that situation since all my schools do rotations. In your case, I'd ask your POI if he/she has any recommendations as for people to meet in that department. The department chair? A collaborator of his/hers? You can explain your interests to the grad students and maybe get some suggestions from them too.

Is it pre or post interview? For the rejection I got, it was stated that the committee "has decided not to recommend your application for admission", pre-interview. If it's post-interview I would imagine you're good so long as you didn't puke on the dean during your visit.

Yeah, I don't have any Ivy interviews (yet/probably at all) but generally days 2-3 involve quite a bit more walking and touring of the campus/city it seems. The interview coordinators for a few schools have mentioned that those later activities are casual. You might find yourself at an evening dinner party at a professor's house, though. Dress code would probably vary by program for something like that, and probably be clearly stated.

Ask about funding if you think you will want to work for or rotate with them, but do it politely. You can ask about "room" for taking on additonal grad students. I did that with three or four people and they were extremely candid about their funding situations. In each case they were glad that I asked.

So far I've had 11 one on one interviews with PIs and have not been asked the "greatest weakness" question. I'm hoping it continues that way. Sometimes interviews are with program directors and I could see it maybe come up then. But if a research professor asked me a cheeseball question like that, I can't say it wouldn't affect my respect for them (not that it matters). If they ask that, they're looking to see if you keep your cool under stress. Stay calm and give them an answer, even if you think it's mediocre. Unlike some job interviews, we can admit we're getting into this because we want to improve our skills at research/whatever else. So throw them a strength of their department and how it will help you. Meh. I haven't actually been asked most of these standard sounding questions. Usually it starts with them explaining their research, or me mine. And then a fairly natural conversation flows from that, often with tough questions about either their work or mine. Almost all of my interviews have gone over time, with the conversation still pretty engaging before someone tells us we need to move on. The toughest question is usually "do you have any questions for me?". I usually have read their papers/abstracts/blurbs (depending on my level of interest) and have something there. But they ask for questions about the program. Towards interview 6 of the day this can be challenging. Come up with as much as you can before hand, it's hard to think of these types on the spot. You can recycle between interviewers of course but I tried pretty hard not to unless it was something I wanted multiple opinions on.

A top 20, east coast biomedical sciences program. And as an update: I was accepted! Quite quickly... So clearly I didn't leave too much of a stinking impression as the only guy there without a tie (many had suits). I'm not too great at judging how formal women's attire is, and obviously they're able to experiment with their options a bit more. But I'd say some were dressed at a similar sort of level? The notice indeed said business casual.

I decided not to wear a suit or tie and I was probably the most casually dressed at my interview. Having said that, I was uncomfortable for a grand total of (the first) 30 seconds. I looked sharp regardless (nice sweater slacks and leather shoes, collared shirt), plus I was comfortable (physically and otherwise), but I'd have opted for a tie in retrospect. For my second interview, I had received an email specifically saying I probably don't want to wear a suit - no one tends to and I might feel out of place. Only one guy did and he really didn't seem out of place, other than maybe to passing undergrads. For my next interview of the same "caliber" I think I'll stick with the same but with a tie. Probably won't wear the tie for some programs.

timt99 - you keep posting in the wrong thread (look at every other post here). I'm sure you'll get a better response here: and yes, OHSU is a great school.

Angie - it's par for the course as far as biomedical sciences go. For "plain" bio programs I've seen a bit of each. Some with interviews, some without. For some, you may indeed visit but there isn't a recruitment weekend as you basically work something out with your POI (and this sounds like what you have been doing).

You are, almost always, not allowed to have an outside job while a PhD student. Sorry, can't help with your other questions. Good luck!

Absolutely. The 4th or 5th even. For those who only get into their 7th or 8th choices, there may be some amount of "settling" for a safer school. Or maybe that just means the program is nearly as good a fit, but the location is less than ideal. Things are complicated by the fact that some of us don't necessarily know which school we'll choose until after interviews are over, despite having a good idea of things on paper. Applying to one school certainly is daring. But if you're not completely opposed to waiting/working another year before grad school, I don't see it as a problem (many of us are trying to make sure we get through this in one push...). If you get in you'll have saved a lot of time and hassle and money. If you don't, you've got a year to formulate a new plan and look into different programs. Good luck!

I've only seen 2 or 3 posted on the survey form, nothing specific about which group. I wrote my statment sort of towards the CAMB as a whole, though clearly focusing on faculty/interests of one section. But I didn't "address" that group. Are the admissions done as a whole, or do they accept a certain number of people with interests in each sub program? (Btw, I've heard nothing back. Have heard from 6 other schools + 1 rejection)

Albert Einstein: Jan 12-13, Jan 26-27 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 (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 (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 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 (neuro) feb 5th- 7th Princeton (neuro? Feb 16-18 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 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 (GGG): Feb 16-17 UC Irvine (CMB):Jan 26-28,Feb 2-4 UCLA ACCESS: Jan 28-30, Feb 11-13 UCLA ACCESS (Molecular and Medical Pharmacology): Dec 22 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 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 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 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 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 Vanderbilt (IGP): Jan 12-14 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

U Minnesota MICaB email today - Feb 9-12 or 16-19!

Albert Einstein: Jan 12-13, Jan 26-27 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 (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 (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 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 (neuro) feb 5th- 7th Princeton (neuro? Feb 16-18 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 Thomas Jefferson (neuro? Jan 26-27 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 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 (GGG): Feb 16-17 UC Irvine (CMB):Jan 26-28,Feb 2-4 UCLA ACCESS: Jan 28-30, Feb 11-13 UCLA ACCESS (Molecular and Medical Pharmacology): Dec 22 UCSF BMS: Jan 26-28 OR February 9-11 UCSF Tetrad: Feb 2-3 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 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 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 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 Vanderbilt (IGP): Jan 12-14 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

Albert Einstein: Jan 12-13, Jan 26-27 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 (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 (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 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 OHSU (neuro) feb 5th- 7th Princeton (neuro? Feb 16-18 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 Thomas Jefferson (neuro? Jan 26-27 Tufts-Sackler (Genetics and ISP) Feb 10th Tufts-Sackler (Molecular Microbiology) Feb 2-3 UAB (BMS): Jan 19-21 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 (GGG): Feb 16-17 UC Irvine (CMB):Jan 26-28,Feb 2-4 UCLA ACCESS: Jan 28-30, Feb 11-13 UCLA ACCESS (Molecular and Medical Pharmacology): Dec 22 UCSF BMS: Jan 26-28 OR February 9-11 UCSF Tetrad: Feb 2-3 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 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) 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 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 U Wisconsin - Madison (Biophysics): Mar 1-3 Vanderbilt (IGP): Jan 12-14 Washington University in St. Louis (DBBS-MCB): March 1-3WashU (neuro): Jan 27-28, Feb 3- Yale (B.B.S.): Feb 2-5

If you look at the post, he mentions his score twice. One instance has the Q/V inverted. The entire post, including the error, was posted on collegeconfidential. I asked about it and he confirmed that the Q should be the higher score, as expected given the sentence about the verbal being not great (an international applicant with 740V would have nothing to complain about indeed!). Apparently they couldn't or didn't fix the error on either site. But I agree that the GRE should be retaken. However, it's a bit late and if Dunhill did end up applying for 2012 he can hope for the best and see how it goes. Would also be nice to hear about his results, but given that he hasn't posted since Nov 5, with 2 posts total, I think it's a bit unlikely.

From what I recall of UW's stats posted for last year (on UW's own site) it was an 18% acceptance rate for MCB. Their micro department was around 10%. It will probably be a bit lower this year. More apps, less spots. I'm disappointed with the rejection, but not astonished. It is certainly a very competitive program. What year is that Peterson's stat supposed to be from? It's an average over multiple years? I would have never believed a 33% acceptance rate for that program.

I heard from Pitt on Tuesday. Several other people did as well, but didn't necessarily seem like a huge wave of invites. A pretty quick decision, so I'm sure there will be more people invited and more than one interview weekend (Jan 20th is very soon indeed). The only slightly strange thing is that they didn't give a deadline to accept the interview by. For some that might be a little frustrating, considering how soon the interview is. But I've confirmed it anyway. Good luck!

Thanks for that quote. It's interesting, we're applying to four of the same programs including that Washington rejection, and neither of us has heard from Penn. But I've heard from Pitt and you from UVa. How early did you have your UVa application in? I only realized this week that their page says they begin looking them over in November. I pretty much submitted at the deadline last week. Also, someone posted on the survey that they had a phone interview at UVa and were then invited to a proper interview weekend a few days later. Is this normal with them, or a special circumstance?

Thanks emmm