dhm0219

Yeah, keep in mind how busy these folks are (not just the PIs, but the current grad students too). The last thing they want to do is take time out of their schedules to sit down with prospective students and answer the same half dozen questions over and over again when they have stacks of grants to write, papers to work on, and labs to run. It only takes two minutes to write a quick thank you email, and it certainly won't hurt you.

I generally consider business casual to be, at least, khakis with a belt, decent leather shoes, and a dress shirt. A jacket can't hurt, but probably not necessary. Tie not necessary, but again, wouldn't hurt either.

Just got an invite to UCLA-ACCESS. Just waiting on Stanford now, although I'm starting to give up hope on a late invite from them.

Thanks, lots of good info in there. 1) That's an amazing price. Are you in a shared apartment? And which complex? I know they have a few, but from their website it looks like the waitlists for a lot of them are years long. Was that apartment building nice at all? 2/3) Are any of those neighborhoods walkable or bike-able to/from campus? It sounds like the shuttle system is pretty good and reliable, and my fiance has a car, but she will likely to need to drive to work as well. I'm really hoping we can manage with just one car between the two of us. 4) That's such a bad scenario. No bars nearby and no public transit to/from the bars. Do people usually just carpool with a DD when they go out?

So I just got an email from Harvard saying that the Feb 15-18 interview weekend was getting overbooked since a lot of people who were assigned the Feb 1-4 weekend had conflicts. They were asking if I could do the earlier weekend. I'd prefer the later one as I would like more time to prepare and I will have had a couple other interview visits beforehand, so I will have had a little practice. Long story short, here's my question: Does anyone think there is an advantage/disadvantage to going to the earlier or later interview date?

Just saw this and realized that I totally goofed on reporting my GRE scores. Corrected in red. I didn't have my scores on me when I first posted, and I misremembered by 10. Percentiles were all correct, though. =P

Thanks for sharing. Second week of Feb seems ridiculously late. I wonder when the interview date they would be inviting for is. And @alexhll6 I'm really surprised you haven't heard from anyone with multiple publications in mid-level journals. I guess your GPA probably hurts you a little, and not having the subject test might hurt a bit too. I took the Bio subject test just because I figured it could only help.

Where are you interviewing Feb 1-4?

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 (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 (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 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 (GGG): Feb 16-17 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 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 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 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 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

This just came in! Woohoo! "The admissions committee for the graduate program in Molecules, Cells and Organisms in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology is pleased to invite you to visit Harvard University in Cambridge, MA for an interview and to participate in our on-campus recruitment events. Your visit is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, February 15 through Saturday morning, February 18."

I was wondering about this too. Anyone know if they wait until after all interviews dates are done before they start sending out acceptances? Seems like going to earlier interviews could only help your chances, but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to interview at MIT until the last session unless I cancel on someone else

Just got an invite for an MIT Biology interview!

behind bars

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 (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 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 (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

Hey all, Looking for general info on grad student life in San Diego. Specifically, at UCSD and/or Scripps. A couple of questions: 1) Is there subsidized graduate student housing, and what is the quality of the housing? Do they accommodate married couples? 2) What is the cost of living like? If I was to rent something off of campus, are there affordable neighborhoods close to the schools that would be desirable to live in? 3) What is public transit like around the city? Would I need a car to get to and from housing to campus buildings? To get into downtown SD? 4) Where do students hang out on or around campus? Good local bars, music, etc? Thanks in advance

Does Berkeley have subsidized grad student housing? Aside from the co-ops? I'm thinking of trying to find something cheap for the first year if I end up there, and looking for something more permanent while my fiance and I are living in the area so that we'll have plenty of time to actually visit places.

From Boston proper the fastest route is probably 93 -> 95. And don't worry about rush hour if you're commuting from Boston to Providence, as the bulk of the rush hour volume will be going in the other direction. You can also take the commuter rail, as mentioned, and it's quite easy/cheap, but it's a little tricky getting from the train station to Brown's campus. Depending on where you end up within Brown's campus you will probably be ~2 miles from the train station, which is a long walk especially in the winter. You could leave a bike at the train station, though. Brown also has a pretty good shuttle system, although they don't go to the train system. You could pick up the shuttle downtown, though, on South Main St and have it take you up the hill to campus.

Thanks for the kind words, I count myself pretty lucky. Berkeley was MCB and UCSF was TETRAD. I'm new to the forums and am still finding my way around. Anyone know if Stanford has issued interview invites yet? And is there an easy way to look something like that up on the forums?

Undergrad Institution: Ivy Major(s): Biology GPA in Major: 3.55 Overall GPA: 3.60 Position in Class: mid? Type of Student: white male GRE Scores (new test): Q: 174 (91%) V: 174 (94%) W: 5.0 (87%) Biology Subject test: (95%) Research Experience: 3 years as an undergrad, 2.5 years full time since graduation in academia Awards/Honors/Recognitions: graduated with honors, two first author papers (small journals), one submitted second author paper, presented posters at three conferences Pertinent Activities or Jobs: two summer internships at school, 2 jobs post-bac as a research assistant in academic labs Special Bonus Points: recommendations from three PIs and one industry rep, one of the PIs is a psuedo-big-shot in NMR Applying to Where: MIT - Harvard - Tufts - interview Stanford - UC Berkeley - interview UCSF - interview UCSD - interview Scripps - interview UC Santa Barbara - UCLA -