mop

All the emails I've gotten had the word Interview somewhere in the subject (but most interview offers were a phone call from a prof on the ad com)

"If you got into every school today which would you go to?" I just want to get into one school first

UCLA ACCESS for me too, maybe I will see you there

I submitted all my apps on Nov 31 or Dec 1, so the day before the deadline in some cases, or about a week or two before the deadline in others

Interview from UNC Chapel Hill BBSP by phone today

The applications can typically be saved and you can fill them out bit by bit. You don't need to do the whole thing all at once. Either way you mention is possible.

I just want it to be over, I have enough stress as it is without the deadlines looming in december. I need to customize my SOP and am waiting for one professor to write a letter.

If anyone wants review sops, I am willing. I review yours if you review mine. PM me. I am applying to biology programs if it matters

ETS's powerprep II free software are official practice exams you could try. I did find that I scored about 3 points higher(new scale) than on the real thing though

The percentile does not change the same amount per point, because there can be many students with one score near the average, so change in percentile from 150 to 149 could be 5% while 170 to 169 only 1% etc

I've spent 2+ years in undergrad research on a narrow topic in biology and I'm applying for PhD programs in the fall. I have relatively broad interests so I would like to explore some different topics in cell/molecular biology before choosing an adviser and will apply to umbrella programs/ programs with first year lab rotations. However, I am worried about how to express this, if it would come off as unfocused or not having a good research 'fit' for a particular department. Can anyone offer advice on how to express this desire in my SOP without hurting my chances for admission?

Research is typically preferable as a PhD is a research degree.