Quantum Buckyball

Everyone looked so happy in the pics ...should've gone to UCSD =.=

how about a full range rainbow color highlighters ....

Yeah I totally agreed with you. I have learned to tell myself that "it ain't my problem" since I started the program last year . I just thought it was funny that he/she kept telling people from other groups that his/her research project will lead to a publication in Nature or Science....

I try to only take it during week days so I don't become too depend on it. I think coffee and tea are fine, I just hate to have to use restroom every other 15 min...

I find it very disturbing that this trend has been viewed by 325 times and yet only a couple of people were willing to give advice and constructive feedback.

research > UG GPA You could also audit or sit in PhD level classes that are in your field, try to get 1 more paper out before you apply (it would be best to apply and get a paper out within the same year) to show the adcom that you're productive (consistency). Some people might disagree with me on this one but it's true, its more impressive than ...someone with a paper published 3 or 4 years ago and haven't published anything since.

You could use Khan Academy or other free online resource to learn about programming first. GA Tech recently started an online-based Masters in Computer Science for only $7000 USD (for the entire program). http://www.ajc.com/news/news/first-massive-online-degree-program-begins-wednesd/ncnyF/ To answer your second question, it would be very difficult to transfer to another PhD program and you most likely have to re-apply and go through another application cycle. I know a couple of people have done this route and they're a lot more happier now.

I'm sorry to hear that you're not enjoying your first year, first year is usually the toughest, and I personally know a couple of people decided to leave the program after their first or second semester. If your end goal is to get a job in the industry then a Masters degree is sufficient, and a PhD program's rank might not be that important as long as you are productive. You may (1) stick with your current program and leave with an external Masters degree and get a job at a pharmaceutical/chemical company (2) apply to a PhD program with 3+ research groups that you find interesting or in a better location (3) get a MBA degree, a business and a hard science degree would make you pretty marketable (4) if you don't mind sick people, then you could get a nursing degree from a community college, or physician assistant degree (5) if you don't like people in general, then you could go into Computer Science and learn about programming and become a programmer.

NoDoz .

Someone were put on the unofficial blacklist after the Visitation Weekend two years ago.

I believe at this point it all depends on the letter of recommendation from your advisor from your former doctoral program. The adcom will more focus on why you had to leave the program and pay more attention to your LORs than your GRE, GPA and other accomplishments. You may have an advantage if your publications were first, or second authored.

You should be able to get into a program, perhaps a second tier or third tier Masters program due to low GPA. Your stats might not be competitive enough to get a TAship. Try to write a really good personal statement and get killer letters of recommendations, and avoid giving the admission committee the impression that you're applying to biotechnology because your portfolio wasn't competitive enough for DO/MD schools. In your personal statement, make sure to talk about why you need this Masters in Biotechnology degree, and how it is gonna affect your future career development and your end goals.

The link was very informative. Make sure to talk to the current students, especially the senior-level students. You'll get a better/accurate information from them than from professors and first years.

very low because the request is for invitation to an interview weekend. However, I'm not sure about the final decision regarding acceptance letter though....

I assumed the person had a comparable background as me since 2012, I did not know about his stats until recently. I started having a doubt about his credentials about six months ago because of his poor performance (Q&As) during group meetings and working on the same group project for a class. My PI has assigned 2 undergrads to him/her to help his/her project progress faster, but both of them quit after about 2 weeks. Yes, I agreed that he/she is a hard worker but that is expected for all grad students. His/her research committee decided to make him/her to give his/her research proposal a semester early for some reasons, whereas my other colleagues and I were given roughly 12 months to prepare for it.

My PI is fully aware that I have a very strong personality (the pre-med gunner mentality), and I will most likely take over the whole project myself. The problem is that I have tried to get my colleague to participate in designing experiments which could lead to a paper, brainstorming for new ideas and novel techniques and assays etc. So far, it hasn't worked out as I wanted. I think he/she could be an excellent lab technician but doesn't have "it" to become a legit, whole-package researcher.