2020 Neuroscience PhD Applicants and Admission Results

[phd2020]

Lots of amazing tech/assistant positions will be opening up in the next few months for those of you that need another year of research experience! I know my P.I. is already looking so that I can train the next person. Be smart when you choose a position though, ask if you will have your own project/be allowed to really get immersed in 1 or 2 projects (as opposed to doing 1 technical skill and only dabbling in a  project), ask if techs/assistants are given authorship or allowed to present at conferences, ask where the previous person went and how long they worked there (if they got into an awesome grad school this probably means it’s a good opportunity!) A lot of schools allow you to take courses for free as a full-time employee, so take a grad course (esp. if you have a low gpa)! 

[S1112]

Anyone know if U minnesota and UW Madison have sent out all invites? I saw awhile ago on the forum people posted them. 

Edited December 20, 2019 by ST111

[NeuroKween]

3 hours ago, RobertMoog said:

 

if you love it you should go for it, esp. if your country has loads of research opportunities. Many professors/postdocs told me they had to work unpaid in the lab and get side hustles like baristas before their PhDs. IMHO only with real passion in science can you make great discoveries. 

Personally I'll stop applying and move on if I can't get anything. Many here have strong research background, GPA and publications. And without an orthodox bio/psych background all I can do is jump from one lab to another seizing whatever is given to me (I've been really feeling like a "homeless" in academia in all these years.) Few labs in my home country are doing the topic I'm interested in. And I can't get a Visa to do research in the labs I like if I'm not also pursuing a degree there that costs a fortune. Sometimes as an international I'm jealous of how lucky you are to have that many postbacc, RA and technician opportunities. 

Doing more research in your path will definitely strengthen your background so if you do have those choices, don't give up just yet. 

You can get a lab manager/research assistant job as an international! I’m from India and applied and got the position on a J1 research scholar visa which pays basically as much as you’d get as a grad student. I live pretty comfortably with it. You should definitely apply to labs for something similar - it’s very possible! 

[synapticfantastic]

I've had a tough family situation come up that is now on the same day as an interview weekend for a school. Is it going to kill my chances with that place if I ask for an alternate weekend?

[aurlito]

30 minutes ago, NeuroKween said:

You can get a lab manager/research assistant job as an international! I’m from India and applied and got the position on a J1 research scholar visa which pays basically as much as you’d get as a grad student. I live pretty comfortably with it. You should definitely apply to labs for something similar - it’s very possible! 

What about the 2-year home residency requirement for J-1 visa??

[EVIL GENIUS]

WTF. I just got an invitation  from Harvard BBS. I was almost going to kill myself yesterday since I didn't get invited by PiN in Harvard. 

[ftb]

Just now, EVIL GENIUS said:

WTF. I just got an invitation  from Harvard BBS. I was almost going to kill myself yesterday since I didn't get invited by PiN in Harvard. 

Congrats! did you apply to both or did they forward your application to that program?

[RobertMoog]

53 minutes ago, NeuroKween said:

You can get a lab manager/research assistant job as an international! I’m from India and applied and got the position on a J1 research scholar visa which pays basically as much as you’d get as a grad student. I live pretty comfortably with it. You should definitely apply to labs for something similar - it’s very possible! 

Do you have a US degree or did you intern in the lab before, or did you just apply? That's interesting!!

[lil_neuron]

39 minutes ago, synapticfantastic said:

I've had a tough family situation come up that is now on the same day as an interview weekend for a school. Is it going to kill my chances with that place if I ask for an alternate weekend?

I just requested an alternative date. They were very cool about it. I didn't get into details either.

[NeuroKween]

10 minutes ago, RobertMoog said:

Do you have a US degree or did you intern in the lab before, or did you just apply? That's interesting!!

I do have a US degree, but I have a friend who is also a lab tech who is from South America who doesn't have a US degree. 

I hadn't ever interned in the lab before! I just went onto lab pages and looked for open positions. Twitter is also a great place to look! I then emailed people (after reading at least their latest publication), got skype interviews and then was accepted! 

Edited December 20, 2019 by NeuroKween

[RobertMoog]

4 minutes ago, NeuroKween said:

I do have a US degree, but I have a friend who is also a lab tech who is from South America who doesn't have a US degree. 

I hadn't ever interned in the lab before! I just went onto lab pages and looked for open positions. Twitter is also a great place to look! I then emailed people (after reading at least their latest publication), got skype interviews and then was accepted! 

That's very impressive! Thanks loads for sharing the info, I will start looking...

[schaffercolls]

Got interviews to UChicago, UCLA and UCSF!

[NeuroKween]

8 minutes ago, RobertMoog said:

That's very impressive! Thanks loads for sharing the info, I will start looking...

You’re very welcome! Good luck!

Edited December 20, 2019 by NeuroKween

[gradcafeneurosis]

Anyone heard anything from WUSTL? Past results indicate they have usually sent out interviews for neuroscience by this time but not seeing any deluge of postings on the results page yet. Lots of postings for other programs in the DBBS.

 

Also curious to see if anyone has gotten an interview at U Chicago Neurobiology, or invites were only sent out to Computation Neuro.

Edit: Just got a call from a PI at Chicago neurobio!

Edited December 20, 2019 by gradcafeneurosis

[EVIL GENIUS]

1 hour ago, ftb said:

Congrats! did you apply to both or did they forward your application to that program?

I applied both. They only charged once.

[sixelanic]

Just received my rejection from Pittsburgh.  I'm bidding farewell to GradCafe until next year. Good luck everyone! 

[Anonyneuron]

First official rejection from UCSF. Not at all surprised though lol I almost forgot I applied 

[NeuroKween]

Has anyone gotten rejection letters from sinai yet?

[Genom3]

I hope they atleast send out rejection mails sooner. Every time I see a mail notification I get a mini heart attack. 

[Zoeyg]

1 hour ago, MyelinatedSheath said:

First official rejection from UCSF. Not at all surprised though lol I almost forgot I applied 

I got rejected too, but I am not surprised at all.

[ftb]

officially waitlisted at Columbia. Invitations will be sent next week. Congrats to anyone and please let them know early if you can not attend the interviews ?

[Zoeyg]

1 hour ago, NeuroKween said:

Has anyone gotten rejection letters from sinai yet?

I applied Mount Sinai neuroscience, but haven't heard anything yet.

[Zoeyg]

1 minute ago, ftb said:

officially waitlisted at Columbia. Invitations will be sent next week. Congrats to anyone and please let them know early if you can not attend the interviews ?

Did Columbia send out interview invitation yet? I haven't heard back from any of the NY schools I applied to yet. It made me nervous.

[ftb]

Just now, Zoeyg said:

Did Columbia send out interview invitation yet? I haven't heard back from any of the NY schools I applied to yet. It made me nervous.

No, they will be sent out next week from Columbia, but it looks like the Committee already made the decisions.

[Kare62]

U washington invitations are going out on Monday. Good luck!