2019 Neuroscience PhD Applicants and Admission Results

[TerminalMind]

14 minutes ago, FirstYear said:

Does this count for CU Anschutz as well?

Oh yeah whoops, that's what I meant ?CU Anschutz. I got the email yesterday

[FirstYear]

2 minutes ago, TerminalMind said:

Oh yeah whoops, that's what I meant ?CU Anschutz. I got the email yesterday

Argh, they probably won't be sending out emails over the weekend

[lil13]

Looks like Carnegie Mellon PNC started releasing.... ? was my favorite program but I guess I'll have to let that go. Congrats to the others who got interviews!

[blackprodigy]

Sheesh! I didnt think we'd get any correspondence over a weekend much less winter break.

[Compneuronerd]

6 hours ago, lil13 said:

Looks like Carnegie Mellon PNC started releasing.... ? was my favorite program but I guess I'll have to let that go. Congrats to the others who got interviews!

Edited December 23, 2018 by Compneuronerd

[Compneuronerd]

6 hours ago, lil13 said:

Looks like Carnegie Mellon PNC started releasing.... ? was my favorite program but I guess I'll have to let that go. Congrats to the others who got interviews!

Same here. I am very sad. May be they will send it over multiple days 

[BabyScientist]

2 hours ago, blackprodigy said:

Sheesh! I didnt think we'd get any correspondence over a weekend much less winter break.

There are no rules. Christmas and new years are unlikely but other than that it can be any time.

[paraent]

Hello, friends. I'm applying to cognitive neuroscience labs in six places - Brown, UVirginia, Penn, Columbia, Vanderbilt, Boston. Stuff seems to straddle between psych and neuro, so I'm watching both threads for useful insight into how things are unfolding. Despite a weak ~3.1 GPA, it seems my strong research background is pulling a lot of weight, and I've been chatting a lot with different profs over the last couple weeks. Hope we can support each other through this harrowing process. Gonna go read every post in this thread now...

Edited December 23, 2018 by paraent

[paraent]

looks like i probably belong in the psych thread. good luck guys!

[paraent]

Hm, well idk. You guys seem to be talking more about the programs/labs I'm interested in, so maybe I'll stay? At least I'll straddle. For now, I'll just review whatever info I can share you guys with the caveat that w/ no exception I'm taking the psych route into neuro labs (ie applying to cog neuro track of psych programs). That probably makes most of what I'm about to review useless for most of you guys, since I'm sure psych applications are often if not always considered separately from neuro apps, even if similar lab memberships are being pursued. Based on my reading, I suspect that the bio-track neuro process might roll out faster simply because a lot of these programs pursue a lab rotation approach to students' first couple of years rather than situating them under one PI immediately. The result is that more people need to vet individual applicants and that takes more time!

So around the same time I sent my apps, I emailed a selection of profs (almost always just 1 per school) expressing interest in their labs and attaching my CV. Some didn't respond (which I told them was ok and understandable from the get-go!), some just said they'd be excited to see my app, others were more enthusiastic. Since then...

- Quick skype chat with a Columbia prof within a couple days, seemed to be an informal courtesy due to her ties w/ my lab and unlikely to lead to an acceptance based on my impression

- Multiple rather warm skype interviews w/ a few profs at Vanderbilt; was invited around the 17th after one call for a 2/7-9 or so for an in-person shindig. They're such friendly people there.

- My most official-feeling skype interview yet was with UVA late last week. Was described as a pre-screening. Something I noticed when reading the thread is that my UVA deadline came a lot later than you guys': it was 12/15! Maybe another sign that everything I'm sharing here is useless to bio-track people, sorry.

- Finally heard from Brown a few days ago, on Friday I think. For a Skype interview in a couple weeks! This seems to match the timings reported by bio-track people, so that's notable.

- Haven't heard from Penn, Boston or Columbia yet aside from what I've mentioned above. Recent news in this thread about Penn is discouraging but I'm hoping maybe they handle Psych apps in a later committee (the prof I emailed suggested as much indirectly), especially since there aren't any signs of Psychy stuff happening in the decisions database and a peek at past years' threads suggests a late decision cycle. There are similarly crickets chirping in the decisions database re:Columbia but again I'm pretty pessimistic.

- Boston was the source of one of the especially enthusiastic initial emails I've gotten (guy even went as so far to say it was likely he'd invite me for an interview!), so I'm honestly still expecting something from them after break. That makes me feel more okay with the idea that other schools might contact me in January, too. Then again, though, my CV didn't mention my GPA, haha.

I'll keep throwing intel here for as long as it feels like it could help. Might mean no more posts!

Edited December 23, 2018 by paraent

[k8e]

sry to be the only post on here on christmas day - looks like everyone else is taking a relaxing break from gradcafe for the holidays. Wish i could say the same lol

 

Was wondering if anyone has heard from Vanderbilt NGP? I know their IGP made some interview phone calls last week, but I don't think i've seen anyone post about specifically receiving an NGP interview.

[earsnbrains]

5 hours ago, k8e said:

sry to be the only post on here on christmas day - looks like everyone else is taking a relaxing break from gradcafe for the holidays. Wish i could say the same lol

 

Was wondering if anyone has heard from Vanderbilt NGP? I know their IGP made some interview phone calls last week, but I don't think i've seen anyone post about specifically receiving an NGP interview.

I haven't heard from them either, and the dean of grad studies put in a good word for me so I feel like i have a solid chance. also i got an interview on christmas eve so you never know how these adcoms work lmao

[Ijustwanttodoneuroscience]

Someone probably asked this but does anyone know if NYU is done sending out invites?

[cam27]

12 minutes ago, Ijustwanttodoneuroscience said:

Someone probably asked this but does anyone know if NYU is done sending out invites?

I know the admissions committee met last week. Based off this year and previous years, top choices receive invites, bottom choices receive rejection emails?, and applicants in the middle are still in the running. I am not sure how this process works though exactly... hopefully we'll get some news soon. 

[Compneuronerd]

I see an interview on the results page for Neurobiology and behavior, Columbia. I hope they are still sending out more over the coming days.

 

[spanthecity]

11 minutes ago, Compneuronerd said:

I see an interview on the results page for Neurobiology and behavior, Columbia. I hope they are still sending out more over the coming days.

 

Looks like there are two on the results page.  Really hoping it wasn't a mass invitation round otherwise its looking like I missed out...

[Compneuronerd]

19 minutes ago, spanthecity said:

Looks like there are two on the results page.  Really hoping it wasn't a mass invitation round otherwise its looking like I missed out...

I don't know what track you applied for but I called a few days ago and they said that theoretical neuroscience is going to take time and might come out in january. I am just trying to be hopeful. All the best!

[blackprodigy]

First rejection from WashU in St. Louis just now!

[basejumper]

11 minutes ago, blackprodigy said:

First rejection from WashU in St. Louis just now!

I got it too. Did not give me a reason. Did yours say this?

 

The Graduate Admissions Committee for the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis has completed its review of your application. The Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences receives a large number of highly competitive applications each year for a limited number of graduate student positions. After careful review of your application, we regret to inform you that it will not be possible to offer you a position in our graduate program.

Thank you for your consideration of our graduate program at Washington University. We wish you the best as you continue your pursuit of graduate education.

[blackprodigy]

32 minutes ago, basejumper said:

I got it too. Did not give me a reason. Did yours say this?

 

The Graduate Admissions Committee for the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis has completed its review of your application. The Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences receives a large number of highly competitive applications each year for a limited number of graduate student positions. After careful review of your application, we regret to inform you that it will not be possible to offer you a position in our graduate program.

Thank you for your consideration of our graduate program at Washington University. We wish you the best as you continue your pursuit of graduate education.

Yup. Generic as ever. Sometimes you can email or call and ask about your app so you can improve in the future. 

Edited December 26, 2018 by blackprodigy

[theschuster]

Did anyone hear anything from UC Irvine or USC yet ?

[rosegirl994]

Hi!

Has anyone heard from UPenn yet? I saw some posts but only one for Neuro phd. I haven't heard from them and I'm wondering if they're still meeting or if they're done sending out invites.

[neurogen]

While still holding out some hope, it is looking fairly dismal for me in terms of interviews this application season (UC Davis, UCSD, UPenn, Princeton, Duke, Texas A&M) as I may have underestimated how stiff the competition would be ?‍♀️. I was hoping some of you on here could help me out in terms of internships/experience that would help me out for the next time I apply! I am already planning on applying for the NIH IRTA, but was unsure of any other opportunities to apply for as I am currently in a Masters program and will be graduating in the spring. Many opportunities I have seen are for those in undergrad or just after graduation, so if anyone is aware of anything that allows students with a Masters degree please let me know!

Edited December 27, 2018 by jayewal

[maya123z]

2 hours ago, rosegirl994 said:

Hi!

Has anyone heard from UPenn yet? I saw some posts but only one for Neuro phd. I haven't heard from them and I'm wondering if they're still meeting or if they're done sending out invites.

Unfortunately I think they're probably done. They've sent two rounds of invites already and their first interview is in Jan.

[maya123z]

NIH IRTA is a great option and not super hard to get into if you're persistent. The key is emailing the people you're interested in working for and following up if they don't reply. If they don't have an opening, ask if they know of any others who are looking for students.