Josh70

I would still go, often the recruitment visits can change peoples minds a lot. I wasn't planning on accepting for the school I am at now but after the visit I changed my mind.

Juliletmercredi did a very nice write up on what to look for so not sure can add a lot but my PI is very new faculty it is both our second year. It has been a lot of fun getting to be here to help start up everything and has taught me a lot about being independent and how to start things from the beginning. Another perk is that my PI is pretty much the hardest worker in the department he has a ton to prove and wants to so spends a ton of time working. Since we are both starting out he is very easy to access and I get to talk to him daily. So those are a few of the perks I think are great about having a newer PI.

The wait is killing me as well. I am not sure why I am so worried, I am already in the lab I love and we are ok on funding. I just will feel so disappointed for some reason.

Sorry about delayed response been super busy. I got accepted to Utah state and Wyoming and rejected by portland. I have decided to go to Wyoming.

Undergrad Institution: Utah Valley University Major(s): Biotechnology Minor(s): GPA in Major: 3.5 Overall GPA: 3.5 Position in Class: Middle Type of Student: White dude lol GRE Scores (revised/old version): Q: 70 V: 70 W: B: Research Experience: 1 year of molecular evolution work and 1 semester protein work Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Couple of times on deans list Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Academic tutor, 4 years pharmacy technician work Applying to Where: Utah State University and Wyoming University I just got accepted to Wyoming University for their MCLS program today. Hope my average stats give some other people hope too.

Thank you for the feedback, advice and link. I think I can really make my SOP stand out since I really do have a passion for biology and I guess it really might be what makes or breaks my application.

So I am pretty nervous just took GRE and I did ok at best. So I am wondering how my application is looking and any tips or advice people would have. So I am applying for a mix of biology and molecular biology PhD programs. My top 3 schools are University of Wyoming, Portland State University, and Utah State University. My GPA is kind of odd I started school at a community college and got most my generals done there and then transferred to a university and first 2 semesters didn't do great since took organic chemistry 1 and 2 and calculus 1 and 2 all together. I passed everything but my GPA sucked for a while but I have been building it back up. GPA at CC 3.9 current GPA at university 3.3 with last year and a half 3.5 GPA so I am not sure how really combine GPA between CC and university. GRE scores are estimated 670-770 Q and 510-610 V I have all 3 LOR two are stellar one the teacher is pretty much letting me write the letter and other the teacher really likes me. The third right now is from a hospital I worked at and is from the pharmacy director at the hospital. He will right me a very good letter but it's not completely academic. I think I will be able to write a pretty good SOP but I only have a little bit of research experience. 1 semester working with mitochondria proteins and currently working on a phylogeny project. I will be working on this until I graduate in the spring. I am also going to be presenting my research at NCUR so hopefully that looks good. I have also worked as a pharmacy technician for the past 4 years with a lot of clinical work so hopefully that helps for something. I am really worried about my application because I am pretty much meh at everything, I don't think I really have anything that is horrible but nothing that really stands out either. Right now I am trying to improve my application by getting my current research professor to write me a LOR instead of non academic letter. I have also been told by adviser it might be a good idea to try and include a bit of diversity/hardship in my SOP because I grew up in foster homes and had an interesting upbringing. I really don't know if it would be worth it though because I feel it is just trying to get pity so wonder what others think about including items like that in SOP. Sorry about being so long but thank you for reading and any feedback, criticism or advice/tips would be appreciated.

Thanks for quick reply. My tops schools are University of Wyoming, Portland University, and Utah State University. Not really sure how competitive those schools are they are just schools doing work I am interested in and are places I wouldn't mind living. The rest of my application is so-so like 3.5 GPA two really good letters of recommend and 1 ok one and about 2 semesters of research but I am presenting my research at NCUR so hopefully that counts for some points.

So just got done taking GRE and got my rough scores. I got 670-770 Q and 510-610 V. I know I bombed my essays. I am planning on applying to a PhD biology program and most schools I am looking for have a 1000 1200 min requirement so I know I meet the low end just not sure about the high end. I figure I did ok on Q and isn't that more important than V section? I am going to take the subject test soon and I am pretty sure I will do better on it then I did on GRE. Any input would be great thanks.

Hey thanks a bunch for the advice I will email them asking for a good time to sit down and talk, it seemed kind of lame to try and ask them like 10 minutes before class started and with neither really having any kind of office hours that wasn't an option.

So this is kind of a odd question but I would really appreciate if could get a bit of advice. So I am pretty bad at talking to people and get pretty nervous. I still need 2 more LOR and I think I have 2 decent options from professors. My first professor I have taken 2 class's from and I did very well in one of the class's I got 100% on everything and I think he likes me I even donated some bearded dragons to him that I couldn't care for any longer. The second professor I have taken 1 class and 1 lab from and I think she likes me well enough and I have done well in her class and lab got an A in both. I also have a class with both the professors this semester. There is kind of an odd problem though my school is doing a bunch of remodeling and neither of these 2 have an real office or any kind of office hours. There is also another problem I couldn't really ever stay after class and talk to either professor since one has to run like right after class and other one I have to run since I am already late to next class. So my question is what advice do you have to for talking to them? Should I just try and come early and see if they are early and not talking to someone and ask if would write a letter for me or should I just try and get lucky seeing them in the hall or something. Last option but seems weird to me since I have class with them is to send them an email. I am pretty nervous about how I approach them as well. Should I just go up and say something like Hey I am planning on applying to molecular biology and would really appreciate it if you would be willing to write a LOR for me? Is there a good better way to ask? Thanks for any help can give me I know I am kind of odd.

Ok thanks guys for the posts. I think it really makes sense why I was fine taking the PCAT now and I never took a practice test for it. I am glad to know its fine to just take the practice tests in parts.

Ya that's probably why my advisor suggested doing the volunteer work. He is also the advisor for people applying to things like medical, pharmacy , and dental school, so I guess that is important for them.

Ah ok thanks I thought that would be a much better option as well just didn't know if maybe schools wanted like a little bit of community service or anything like that.

So I might have chance to do some more research but really isn't very related to biochemistry or molecular biology. It would be based on ecology and watching some flight patterns of birds but I figure any kind of scientific research would be great. I am also a pharmacy technician and know a local free health care clinic I could volunteer at. I am wondering what other people think would look better on graduate school application to like a PhD program in something like molecular biology if the research even though not directly related or if doing volunteer work would be better to try and purse. I am leaning towards more research but want to hear from some other people. Thanks for any advice.

Thanks for getting back to me sorry for such a delayed response have been on a trip for school. I am a senior this year so will be applying for schools this winter. I am pretty sure just secured another research spot with a pretty well known professor at my school so think that might help me out a bit. I am planning on taking both the biology and biochemistry subject tests I think I should do decent on both of them.

So I have been studying really hard for GRE and going to take it in about a month. I am feeling pretty good about the content on the test. Now my problem is I have a really hard time staying focused on the test I dunno why either. I had taken the pharmacy test (PCAT) and didn't really seem to struggle with keeping my focus and I did very well on the PCAT. I have only ever taken 1 of the GRE practice tests all the way through and pretty much I started every section strong and as time went on I would miss questions at the end that I really shouldn't have missed. When I messed around and take the practice test in smaller sections I tend to do really well. Now I understand this is part of the difficulty of the test so I am just wondering anyone else have this problem and have any tips on how to get better at dealing with it?

Ah thanks for getting back to me. I know I should be much more focused then I am right now. I am a biotechnology major at my school and getting a minor in biochemistry. I really like biochemistry and molecular biology and I also like the biotechnology side and modifying bacteria for things like bio fuels. At Utah state University I plan on applying to their toxicology program. I want to apply to lots of schools I am worried about getting in I have a crappy GPA only like 3.3 and maybe a 3.5 biology GPA. I have done much research and worried won't be able to get more in before applying and I figure I probably will do above average on GRE but nothing spectacular. Oh and as far as research or teaching goes I think I would like teaching a bit more I have done a little bit of tutor work and I really love that I hope to become a college professor one day.

To start off I am not very good at asking for LoR. I haven't asked for a single one these have just been offered to me so far. My first one is from a former boss where I worked as a pharmacy technician and I also did a internship there for my school. The letter is from the pharmacy director of the hospital so wonder if that is a decent letter. My next one is from a professor that really likes me only problem is they are just an adjunct professor who only has a master degree but they will write me a very good letter. My last one is from the lab manager at my school who does hold a PhD though so wonder if that will be a good letter.

Hey all new here and glad found this site has had a lot of good info. I got a couple of odd questions first one is how and if I should try and use pharmacy experience. What I mean is I have been a licensed pharmacy technician for the past 4 years I have worked both retail and clinical settings. In the clinical stetting we did work with new drugs being developed and helped a bit in testing them out. So I wonder do you think my pharmacy experience is valuable to me in applying for graduate school. My second question is I hear all the time people say they want to get into a good program. I really don't have a great understanding how people figure if something is a great program or not. A few of the schools I want to apply to aren't considered great I guess like Wyoming and Utah state university. What is the disadvantage of going to one of these "lesser" schools? Just harder to find a great job or will get paid less? In the same boat are these schools generally easier to get into? Thanks for any help you can give me.