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If you get bumped up, it would be this month (a friend of mine mid June a few years ago)

There's an ongoing thread for NSF-GRFP, what is so compelling about your question that you must make a separate post?

Your accusations are absolutely ridiculous: 1. The project ideas came up in your discussions with him, so they weren't totally yours. So it is not stealing. Also, you couldn't do it right so why are you blaming him? 2. Maybe after completing the first experiment, the result led to an obvious/uninteresting answer to the second problem. PEOPLE CAN CHANGE THEIR MINDS, TOO. I don't think he can stop you from performing the second one if you want to. PS: Sorry if it seems like I'm yelling, but you sound like some brats I have to deal with in my own lab

1. GRE & TOEFL: nothing to write home about. You should definitely retake your GRE. 2. Being a lecturer in India doesn't mean so much in grad school application. 3. Your research experience is rather poor. Organizing seminars is not research experience and again, the committees don't care about that. 4. Your chance to get into top schools is low. Shoot lower. Source: My boss is the head of admission committee in one of the schools you mentioned. My peers who are F1 from India have much better credentials (multiple papers, 3-5 years of reseach experience, better GRE).

Unless you have another fellowship to cover your first 1-2 years, there is no reason not to accept the award right away. There are field-specific fellowships you can apply later (ABD). You can apply for NSF-GRIP or -GROW for internship opportunities as long as you are still an "active Fellow" (5 years including the 3 years of stipend). Also, money is tight these days so your boss will be happy to have you work for free sooner rather than later.

And you are applying for CS programs? That would be a horrible mistake to make...

Your profile says you are pursuing MSc in Chemistry, is it true? Many schools in this list dont have terminal MSc plans though. Have you checked with them yet? For international applicants, your GPA and GRE are not so good. What is your research experience? Have you published? I know theorists from all these schools so if you want to talk in details, PM me.

He is right! Why the downvote? Every school considers each aspect of your application differently, and I know for a fact that 2 schools you listed care quite a bit about GRE. Your GRE is not so-so, it is seriously low (not even 50% for Quant...) Now the important question is what division you are applying to, and does your research experience match with your POI's research interest?

I cant speak for physical experimentalists, but as a theorist I'm pretty sure the competition is just as tough: since there are fewer theory faculty, they would admit fewer applicants. These students generally have strong math/comp sci background, and/or have theoretical chemistry research experience.

Good GRE: V/Q > 160, W > 4.5

Akash, I'm in Physical chemistry as well and from the statistics of those I know in Harvard and Berkeley, there is very very little chance that you will get accepted to these programs, since there is not a single aspect of your application that really stands out (so-so GPA, too little research experience, not-great rec letters, your expected Chem GRE and general GRE are both low). You might have a shot if (1) your Chem GRE is amazing (>80%), AND (2) your POIs personally support your application.

For what program? What are you planning to do in the future? Can you be a little bit more vague?

Never do a Ph.D without funding (at least partial, preferably FULL). It is already a long and stressful time with approx 50% chance of completion, do you really want to pay for it?

If your project is not part of a degree requirement, it should not be called a thesis. Just describe your role/tasks in each research project (all that matters anyway)

fish tacos