Business2Biology

"Fake it 'till you make" I was terrified too, and really didn't think that even through I knew I could do this, I would not be able to convince others. I read the websites and got caught up in this idea of "The Ideal Candidate" and how far away I was from that. I started thinking about my SOP and read Graduate Admissions Essays, by Donald Asher and had a SERIOUS meltdown. I was lucky in that I had a large cast of cheerleaders - a combination of people who know me really well + people who know grad school (current PhDs who regularly review CVs, application packages, and SOPs) - and was finally able to accept that: 1. They are NOT looking for the cookie cutter 2. My experiences, while totally unrelated to what I want to do, are at the same time totally applicable! 3. What I DO know - about life, myself, how I work, what motivates me, etc - are things that can NOT easily be acquired by someone without less life experience 4. What I DON'T know - lab skills, research methodology, etc - are things that CAN be acquired much more easily... The challenge is to pick apart what you have done for the last 20 years and distill out the themes... [edit: sorry, having some user-keyboard interface issues!]

What a great thread! I'm 43, will be 44 by the time the fall semester and MY PROGRAM (wheeeeeee!) starts. As I was interviewing at various programs, I kept my antenna up about how I felt about the other recruits and the current grad students. I certainly don't FEEL old, and with my life experience, I (and probably all of us in this group!) understand the importance of "colleagues" and "peers". I rejected one program largely on the basis of the other recruits - these being the pool of people who would make up my cohort and be my peers... they all just seemed so very, very "young". At some of the other programs, the people were just as young chronologically, but seemed more mature. On my 40th birthday, I loudly (and often) insisted that "I demand a recount"!

I heard from the PI about a week and half ago. Looks like the notification is VERY PI dependent, as he was waiting to hear on a round of NSF funding. Funding approved and he emailed me the next day.

My LAST cigarette and then freedom from tobacco :-)

@ifrancium, are you interviewing with USC MEB program? The "big" recruitment event was 26-28 Feb, but the group was much smaller than I anticipated, with only 13 student candidates. They indicated 2-3 weeks for decisions, but I received my offer email yesterday! :-) However, I do know that CompBio/Mol Bio group is moving on a different schedule as well as the "Ocean Sciences" program, if that is where you are headed...? UMiami, RSMAS recruitment event was 3-4 Feb with over 40 student candidates across all disciplines. I thought things were pretty clearly headed in the direction of an offer, but I've yet to receive anything. All the best to everyone!

Not totally sure, but his POIs are listed here, "Molecular and Computational Biology", which appears to be the larger organization of the "Computational Biology and Bioinformatics" program. It looks like the program is affiliated with a number of departments, so perhaps thing will play out differently if you applied through Math or CS?

Thanks for sharing that insider insight. What a game this is, no?! I actually played out item 3 "just happened to be in the area". Ended up spending 5 hrs with the PI and his lab group and received my invite to the recruitment event 1 day later.

Sorry for the delay. Just found out that a friend is interviewing in a few days, 23-25 Feb.

Definitely the latter!

As I may have mentioned in the second line of my post, my opinions are based on "over a decade in corporate"... I was a Director of Information Technology at a multinational, Fortune 500 company. In case you don't understand, that roughly translates to the following: Total staff (direct and indirect reports) of 50 people in the US, Asia, and Europe. Management and oversight of $10 million projects, including regular meetings with vendors and contractors Standing weekly meetings with the CFO Standing monthly meetings with the CEO I interviewed people and, sometimes, I hired them. My wardrobe, at the time, consisted of $1,000 suits and the "Business Casual" for Fridays. But perhaps you are right, Spew, and because 1) I CHOSE to leave that environment, and 2) do not have a Y chromosome, somehow my judgement is suspect. wtf lol

Great topic! My own personal obsession is with my Uni-ball Jestream RT, fine point ONLY! Writes with a delicious smoothness, like a gel pen, but with no smudges or mess. When my stash is running low, I am a tyrant about people "borrowing" them For the southpaws or those with "bled through" problems, give 'em a try! You can find the "Bold" version (1.0mm) in Target, grocery stores, etc. but I have only found "Fine" (0.7mm) online or at a stationary store in Japantown.

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 (Biological Science) March 1-3 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 Cornell Tri-Institutional (Weill/Cornell/Memorial Sloan Kettering) Computational Biology and Medicine: March 4-6 Dartmouth (PEMM) March 2-3 Duke (Toxicology and Environmental Health) February 2-4 February 16-18 Emory (PBEE): February 2-4 Emory (IMP): Feb 2-4, March 1-3 Emory University (neuro): Feb 9-11 or Feb 23-25 FSU (Molec. Biophysics): Feb 16-18 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 Marquette University (Biological Sciences): Feb 1 MIT (Biology): Feb 11-14, Feb. 25-28, Mar 10-13 MIT (CSBi): Feb 9-11, Feb 16-19 Mount Sinai (Biomedical Sciences PhD): Jan 9-10, Jan 17-18, Jan 24-25 or Feb 13-14 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 Arizona (Physiological Sciences) Feb 16-17 University of Cambridge (UK): Jan 18th-20th University of Chicago (BSG): Feb 23-25 University of Chicago (Molecular Biosciences): Feb 16-18 University of Chicago (CEB): Feb 15-19 UC Berkeley (Biophysics): Feb 14-16 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 UCSD (Bioinformatics and Systems Biology): March 1-3 UCSF BMS: Jan 26-28 OR February 9-11 UCSF iPQB: Feb 9-11 UCSF iPQB (Bioinformatics): Feb 16-18 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 U Kentucky (IBS)- Jan 12-13, Jan 26-27 UMASS Worcester: Feb 2-4 and Feb 16-18 U Maryland - Baltimore - Feb 3 U Miami (RSMAS): Feb 3-4 U Mich (PIBS): Jan 27-28 (Cancer Bio), Feb 3-4 (general) U Mich (EEB): Feb 16-18 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(environmental medecine) Feb 2-4 University of South Carolina (Biomedical Sciences) Feb 6-7 USC/Univ of Southern California (MEB) Feb 26-28 UT Austin (CMB): Jan 26-28, Feb 16-18 UT Austin (MSI): Feb 10-11 UVa (BIMS): Jan 12-14 or Feb 2-4 UVA (Biology): Feb 23-25 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) Virginia Commonwealth University (Biomedical Sciences Doctoral Portal): Feb 3rd or Feb 17th 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

a Nothing personal, but I couldn't NOT respond to the vehemence of this statement - bold and large font! Speaking from over a decade of corporate, including senior managment: You CAN be overdressed, particularly if you have been given specific indication that the expectation is "Business Casual". In this instance, a suit suggests that you actually DON'T care enough to pay attention to the guidance you've been given. And isn't that a big part of what being a grad student is all about? What you are wearing does not ultimately determine whether or not you get the job/grad school offer, it is YOU that they want to understand. YOU need to feel comfortable enough to be YOURSELF and still "play the part" for what works in that particular environment. If they have told you "Business Casual", DO NOT WEAR A SUIT.

I am sure that enquiring minds would love it if you'd be willing to share this info..

Hi BioChick, The situation actually is a little complicated :-) I had email exchanges, CV, etc. then phone interviews with a few of the PIs back in November. Then in December, there was a one day, screaming airfare deal to LAX, so I jumped on it and sent off a few emails to let the PIs know I would be in town and hoped to meet with them. While I was anxiously waiting for weeks to hear back from them (which I never did because I NEVER ACTUALLY SENT THE STINKIN' EMAILS!!!!), one of the PIs sent me an email that he like my application, was wondering if I was still interested, etc. To make a short story long, I made my own way to USC last week for a full day visit with the PI and his group. The following day, I received the official invite for the recruitment event (26-28 Feb). HOWEVER, they may not have completed the list of invites, as the PI mentioned they would be meeting in early Feb to discuss other applicants, funding, and so on. Email the PI directly. That's what I would do... and then be sure to hit "Send" :-D

With the upcoming recruitment visit season gearing up, I am looking for advice - particularly from current science grad students - on how best to get a REAL sense of the lab. The way I see it there are two players in this decision, one of whom has done this many times, and one who will only make this decision one time. What questions did you ask of the PI? Of the current grad students in the lab? Of others? ....and... What do you WISH you had asked?

Definitely NOT the suit! It may be a fabulous suit, but you will be over-dressed relative to everyone else present (interviewees and interviewers). This may result in 1) you feeling less comfortable, physically and mentally, and 2) you being perceived (albeit very subtly) as "not fitting in" with the group. Given the guidance they have provided of "business casual", slacks or skirt with nice blouse, cardigan, etc are appropriate. Heels, flats, boots, etc just as long as no toes are showing!

Some of my visits clearly indicate "shared room", others are not specified. If this is a concern for you, I would suggest that you contact the Grad Coordinator to clarify.

The above is pretty generic and potentially not extraordinarily relevant for phone interviews with a PI. My experience (YMMV) varied tremendously. I had a mess of phone "interviews" which were about 90% of the PI enthusiing about his/her research and me muttering moderately (?) intelligent things. These calls were extremely valuable for getting a sense of the person - what fun to work in his/her lab, etc - but not so much of an interview. Then I had a call which pulled the rug out from under my feet; it was a proper interview! The PI spoke very little about his research, and only in passing as it related to the flow of questions and conversation. From what my shell-shocked mind recalls (from back in November): - Tell me about yourself? (above post got that one right) - Why do you want a PhD? - What do you imagine the process of getting a PhD to be like? - Why do you feel that you would do well at this? The most important thing, I realize now, is to be yourself. Easy to say, but I am firmly convinced that this is the only winning strategy. When done right, as an interview, these people want to get a sense of WHO YOU ARE! They are not necessarily looking for the person who will blow into their lab and hit the ground running, already knowing everything. If that were the case, why do you need them?! Hope this helps

Thanks emmm and pitangus! It certainly has been a strange and circuitous route to get here and, as observed by one PI, it has taken me longer than most. I suppose that once I make it through this process, I should actually become active on this forum; I can be the poster child of "Keep your spirits up even when you seem to have NOTHING of what the 'Ideal Candidate' looks like".

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 Duke (Toxicology and Environmental Health) February 2-4 February 16-18 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 MIT (CSBi): Feb 9-11, Feb 16-19 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 (Biophysics): Feb 14-16 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 iPQB: Feb 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 U Kentucky (IBS)- Jan 12-13, Jan 26-27 UMASS Worcester: Feb 2-4 and Feb 16-18 U Maryland - Baltimore - Feb 3 U Miami (RSMAS): Feb 3-4 U Mich (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(environmental medecine) Feb 2-4 UT Austin (CMB): Jan 26-28, Feb 16-18 UT Austin (MSI): Feb 10-11 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) Virginia Commonwealth University (Biomedical Sciences Doctoral Portal): Feb 3rd or Feb 17th 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

Hi all! I have been more than slightly intimidated by the other stats posted here, so have just been a lurker. HOWEVER, as the good news rolls in, here is my info. Perhaps this will encourage other "square pegs" out there: Undergrad Institution: Univ of Colorado (class of 1991!) + post-bac California Junior College (2009-2011) Major(s): Finance Minor(s): International Business GPA in Major: Undergrad: not really relevant or even calculated, but VERY poor. JC: 4.0 Overall GPA: Undergrad: 2.7. JC: 4.0 Type of Student: Domestic, "mature" female GRE Scores (old version): Q: 770 / 87% V: 670 / 95% W: 4.5 / 67% Biology subject: 820 / 91% Research Experience: Very minimal. No publications. No presentations. Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Biology tutor at the junior college. Heavy computer skills. Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: 10 years of corporate IT, including senior-level management. Demonstrated ability to self-teach and desire to push myself. Special Bonus Points: All LORs were extremely strong, with 1 LOR from successful PI at Big Name U, but in tangentially related field. Applying to Where: USC (MEB) U of Miami (Rosenstiel, MBF) U of Texas, Austin (Marine Science) And, the great news is that I have received invites to ALL THREE PROGRAMS! :-)

Holy wow. These first posts make me want to slowly step away from the PhD applications.... and run like hell! Kudos to you both!

Nice! From the LifeHacker cited above, you can link your .edu to your account at any time, and the storage boost is retroactive:-) http://db.tt/L8aA8eT3

I'm applying for Biology PhD programs and have had a few PIs indicate that they are interested in seeing my CV now - I am in a panic! My research experience is woefully lacking, as I spent over a decade in the corporate world and then returned to school at a junior college with non-existent opportunities for research. I gained enormous experience from that work, but don't know how, or if it is even appropriate, to wedge that information in to a CV. Thoughts? Thank you!