sa316

I'm a rising senior hoping to apply to graduate school for Cell/molecular Biology, Neuroscience, or Physiology. Basically, my GPA is terrible. I go to a competitive school and my first two years really brought me down. Currently, my cumulative is about a 2.6. I'm hoping that I can get it up these next two semesters but realistically I can't see it going beyond a 2.8. I have a lot of experience however. I worked in a Biophysics/Physiology lab for about a year and presented my research at a conference. Now, I'm at Harvard Medical doing a similar research project to what I did before and there is a good chance I will be published. I will also have great recommendations from people at Harvard and my previous lab. So this is also not an issue. In terms of GRE, I'm planning on taking them soon and have been doing pretty well on the practice tests. I'm hoping to score in the 90th percentile or better. Now realistically, where can I apply and when should i do it? I'll probably have to take a year off and gain more work experience, right? Or should I go for my masters first? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I know grad schools love as much research experience as possible, but is it best to stay consistent and work in one lab as long as you can? Or would it be better to sort of broaden your horizon and work in a couple labs? Currently I work in a Biophysics/physiology lab and I have been since June 2011. I like it, my mentor is great, and I even presented at a conference this past fall but I'd like to sort of stop working there this May/June and look for another lab. I've never had much clinical research experience so I'm looking to do that this summer. Would that be good? Or is it completely stupid to work in another lab?

This is what I've heard, although I could be wrong...Your overall GPA is very important and it is what they see before actually looking at your individual grades in classes. So, if you have a good cumulative GPA (which looks like you do) you will be fine and one D in a class isn't going to hurt you all that much. It may raise some eyebrows but a good essay, recs, and GREs can compensate for that one grade.

Thank you for the advice! Any good masters programs you guys recommend I look into?

I am currently a junior at a competitive private university majoring in Human Physiology and minoring in Public Health. I basically screwed up my first two years and have a ~2.5 GPA. Yes, I know it's terrible. However, I am bringing it up so I will have an upward trend by the time I graduate. Realistically, when I graduate I'm thinking I'll have a cumulative GPA of 2.8-3.0 with my last two years hopefully being 3.3+. I have a lot of research experience. I'm currently working at a Biophysics/Physiology lab and I presented my research at a symposium not too long ago. I also have experience doing summer research work in a Pulmonary lab and hoping to get an internship of some sort this summer. Now, assuming I do well on my GREs (I can be a pretty good test-taker if I study), what are my chances at MA/PhD programs? I'm interested in Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, and Immunology. Should I get an MA first and then apply to PhD? And if so, what MA programs could I get into? I've been reading a lot about the combined MA/PhD programs so I was interested in that but I'm not sure if my chances have been shot to hell.

I am currently a junior at a competitive private university majoring in Human Physiology and minoring in Public Health. I basically screwed up my first two years and have a ~2.5 GPA. Yes, I know it's terrible. However, I am bringing it up so I will have an upward trend by the time I graduate. Realistically, when I graduate I'm thinking I'll have a cumulative GPA of 2.8-3.0 with my last two years hopefully being 3.3+. I have a lot of research experience. I'm currently working at a Biophysics/Physiology lab and I presented my research at a symposium not too long ago. I also have experience doing summer research work in a Pulmonary lab and hoping to get an internship of some sort this summer. Now, assuming I do well on my GREs (I can be a pretty good test-taker if I study), what are my chances at MA/PhD programs? I'm interested in Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, and Immunology. Should I get an MA first and then apply to PhD? I've been reading a lot about the combined MA/PhD programs so I was interested in that but I'm not sure if my chances have been shot to hell.

What are the pros/cons to taking a year or two off between undergrad and grad school? Have any of you done it? And if you have, what did you do during your time apart?