2020 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[BabyScientist]

5 hours ago, edl123 said:

Undergrad Institution: Top 5 public school in Aerospace Engineering
Major(s): Aerospace Engineering and Applied Physics (dual degree)
GPA in Major: 3.0
Overall GPA: 3.1
Position in Class: I am assuming average

Type of Student: Domestic

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 162 (may be 161, I forgot my exact score here)
V: 158
W: 5.5


Research Experience: 

Had research at a T1 university in high school in an unrelated STEM field. Won awards for my research. Never got published in academic journals though.

Had lab experience freshman year in an unrelated STEM field (same as high school) and did mostly instrumentation and low fidelity first pass analysis

Research internship at NASA during my jr. year. I have a strong rec letter from my supervisor

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: 

Had research accolades in high school but not much other than that

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 

Two internships at NASA focused on ramjet design for planetary missions (Venus and Mars)

Internship at satellite company doing orbit visualization and space situational awareness

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:

My work at NASA led me to asking a professor to take up the project for a design class. We ended up having the design class and it turned out well. Got a rec letter from the professor.

Special Bonus Points: 

Took grad classes in my area of interest (entry, descent and landing/astrodynamics). Orbit Mechanics and optimal control. Didn't do well in the classes (B and C+), but I had internship experience using those skill-sets. 

I am a dual degree student. Took 18+ credits a semester in physics and aerospace engineering courses. While I was a bonehead, sometimes I just couldn't handle the workload of two degrees which led to the low GPA.
 

Three rec letters:

1 former NASA employee

1 former boss at Satellite Company (well known in the industry)

1 distinguished professor at my school in a slightly unrelated area (still within same major of study, just a bit different of a focus).

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:

Was president of FSAE electric team, had plenty of good club and design team experience which helped me land my internships.

Applying to Where:

Tennessee - Aero and Astro - Autonomous Controls and Astrodynamics (MS)
UT Austin - Aero and Astro - Astrodynamics (MS)
Illinois - Aero and Astro - EDL and hypersonic trajectory design (MS, potentially a PhD depending on funding)
Georgia Tech - Aero and Astro - Astrodynamics and Space Robotics (MS)
Stanford - Aero and Astro - Astrodynamics and Formation Flying (PhD)

I think you'll get better input from the physical sciences - astronomy page or the applied sciences - engineering page. 

[mannarie]

Undergrad Institution: large state R1, not super well-known for biology but definitely not bad
Major(s): Biology - Biochemistry/Cell/Molecular
Minor(s): Music
GPA in Major: not sure if this is accurate, but calculating myself I got : 3.60/4.00 if major GPA includes other major requirements like physics and chemistry (C in Organic II brought me down some…).  3.70/4.00 if only considering Biology classes. Not great, I am very aware
Overall GPA: 3.75
Type of Student: domestic female (white)

GRE

haven't taken it yet but a practice test I've done I scored quant 160 verbal 158. not sure if this was even accurate, planning on doing another kaplan gre practice test soon.


Research Experience: just passed the 2 year benchmark as a research technician. 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: not any related to biology, really. I did elect to do the honors concentration in my degree, which involved a thesis (but my undergrad research was lacking so i opted to complete a literature review instead)

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: The full-time tech job is pretty pertinent, I'd hope

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: n/a

Special Bonus Points: I do have a famous recommender; l am not confident that's going to be helpful.

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: 6 mid-author publications in big journals (Nature, Science, etc) but sadly, nothing first-author. These are all from tech job, nothing from undergrad.

Applying to Where:
U of Washington Seattle - Genome Sciences
UNC Chapel Hill - BBSP
U of Chicago - Human Genetics or CEB 
U of Wisconsin Madison - Genetics
Stanford - Biology and Genetics
Vanderbilt - IGP
Columbia - Biological Sciences

even more tentative: Harvard - BBS,  Yale - BBS, Rockefeller, CSHL, I have others on my list to look into that I don't even feel confident mentioning yet.

I need so much help, I know I'm not at all a top-tier applicant and I know that there is no such thing as a safety school, but I really need some reasonable schools I could get into. I'm not too enthusiastic about getting rejected from everywhere I apply to, and I am quite aware that these are some really great schools (that's why I'm interested!)

Any and all advice is sincerely appreciated!
 

[BabyScientist]

7 minutes ago, mannarie said:

Undergrad Institution: large state R1, not super well-known for biology but definitely not bad
Major(s): Biology - Biochemistry/Cell/Molecular
Minor(s): Music
GPA in Major: not sure if this is accurate, but calculating myself I got : 3.60/4.00 if major GPA includes other major requirements like physics and chemistry (C in Organic II brought me down some…).  3.70/4.00 if only considering Biology classes. Not great, I am very aware
Overall GPA: 3.75
Type of Student: domestic female (white)

GRE

haven't taken it yet but a practice test I've done I scored quant 160 verbal 158. not sure if this was even accurate, planning on doing another kaplan gre practice test soon.


Research Experience: just passed the 2 year benchmark as a research technician. 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: not any related to biology, really. I did elect to do the honors concentration in my degree, which involved a thesis (but my undergrad research was lacking so i opted to complete a literature review instead)

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: The full-time tech job is pretty pertinent, I'd hope

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: n/a

Special Bonus Points: I do have a famous recommender; l am not confident that's going to be helpful.

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: 6 mid-author publications in big journals (Nature, Science, etc) but sadly, nothing first-author. These are all from tech job, nothing from undergrad.

Applying to Where:
U of Washington Seattle - Genome Sciences
UNC Chapel Hill - BBSP
U of Chicago - Human Genetics or CEB 
U of Wisconsin Madison - Genetics
Stanford - Biology and Genetics
Vanderbilt - IGP
Columbia - Biological Sciences

even more tentative: Harvard - BBS,  Yale - BBS, Rockefeller, CSHL, I have others on my list to look into that I don't even feel confident mentioning yet.

I need so much help, I know I'm not at all a top-tier applicant and I know that there is no such thing as a safety school, but I really need some reasonable schools I could get into. I'm not too enthusiastic about getting rejected from everywhere I apply to, and I am quite aware that these are some really great schools (that's why I'm interested!)

Any and all advice is sincerely appreciated!
 

Not sure why you're so hard on yourself... A 3.6 major GPA and 3.75 overall GPA is great. No one cares much about GRE but your scores there are fine. 6 publications is a lot - they don't expect you to have any, so they definitely don't expect first authorships.

Your chances will largely depend on the strength of your LORs and SOP, but on paper you're a great applicant for most of those schools. I'd say UNC and Wisconsin are in the "reasonable" category, probably Vanderbilt too, but I don't know much about them. I'd call Washington and Chicago "upper reasonable" , but it all depends on those LORs and SOP.

My GPA was lower than yours but everything else was about the same and I got into schools at least UChicago/Washington tier.

[mannarie]

@BabyScientist thanks a lot, that's very encouraging! I think because my high school friends, and other people I knew from college had much better GPAs, though some were in different fields. I guess I don't know where the bar is exactly. For example, I thought for sure UNC would be considered UChicago tier, I was really thinking Washington would be a slightly better shot (just as an example of how I'm not really sure what's considered top tier versus medium tier schools). Congrats on getting in everywhere you interviewed by the way, that's so impressive! Do you have any advice for finding other reasonable (or even "safe") bets, if such a thing exists? thanks again, your post definitely alleviated some of my anxiety! 

[BabyScientist]

2 hours ago, mannarie said:

@BabyScientist thanks a lot, that's very encouraging! I think because my high school friends, and other people I knew from college had much better GPAs, though some were in different fields. I guess I don't know where the bar is exactly. For example, I thought for sure UNC would be considered UChicago tier, I was really thinking Washington would be a slightly better shot (just as an example of how I'm not really sure what's considered top tier versus medium tier schools). Congrats on getting in everywhere you interviewed by the way, that's so impressive! Do you have any advice for finding other reasonable (or even "safe") bets, if such a thing exists? thanks again, your post definitely alleviated some of my anxiety! 

I mean honestly it's hard to say, but that's just been my impression (the "tiers").

What I did was just think of areas where I'd like to live and look up what schools are there. If they had at least 3 faculty I thought I'd like to work with, I applied. 

[Throwawaydnf99]

Any one know of a good place/have any examples of a SOP vs a PS? Some schools seem to require both.

ALSO, is it normal to simply contact PI's of interest asking about space in their lab's?

Open to DMs!

 

 

Edited September 2, 2019 by Throwawaydnf99

[BabyScientist]

2 hours ago, Throwawaydnf99 said:

Any one know of a good place/have any examples of a SOP vs a PS? Some schools seem to require both.

ALSO, is it normal to simply contact PI's of interest asking about space in their lab's?

Open to DMs!

 

 

Definitely normal to contact PIs.

I don't know if any places to get examples of the 2, but an SOP should be more based on your research interests and experiences that lead you to want to pursue a PhD, and why you want a PhD. A PS is more of a who are you and what brought you here, academically relevant or otherwise. SOP is more about your academic life and a PS is more about your whole life. 

[rosebutter]

Undergrad Institution: New College of Florida - small liberal arts college that is not very well known but has a very good reputation in natural sciences to those who know of it
Major: Biology with a focus in plant cell & molecular biology
GPA: N/A (school used narrative evaluations and a pass/fail system)
Type of Student: domestic white female

Masters: University of South Florida
Major: Biotechnology
GPA: 3.86

GRE Scores (revised version):
Q: 163
V: 167
W: 4.0 (lol >_<)


Research Experience: Spent the last ~6 months of my master's working in a pancreatic cancer lab doing what my PI described as postdoc-level work (designing and executing in vitro assays using murine PC cells and immune cells with/without drug added, analyzed by flow cytometry) which culminated in a master's thesis. Spent ~3 months learning how to design flow cytometry panels, run samples, analyze data, maintain and troubleshoot machines and ran USF college of medicine flow cytometry core in the director's one-month absence. Wrote a ~150 page undergraduate thesis, including a lit review of cellular and molecular aspects of the plant gravitropic response and a bioinformatics-based exploration of potentially promising subjects of further study to answer remaining questions in the field. NSF REU at UC Riverside using confocal microscopy to study the development of a specific root tissue layer in Arabidopsis. Three month-long intensive research projects in undergrad: one focusing on bioinformatics, one focusing on cell and molecular lab techniques, and one focusing on field work studying disease on a hydroponic farm.

No publications. :( The pancreatic cancer lab I worked in does have one or two manuscripts in preparation for submission now, on which I'm probably the ~4th author out of ~8 (I need to drop in to talk to the PI about this). Co-author on two presented posters and first author on a third poster.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: I received the highest level of Florida Bright Futures scholarship and the second-highest level of secured scholarships for incoming freshman in undergrad. That's really it I think? :(

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: None :(

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: I have written two theses?

Special Bonus Points: First-gen college student, Pell grant recipient. I think my LORs should be quite strong; one is from my undergrad academic/thesis advisor, with whom I worked very closely for most of my time in undergrad, another is from the PI whom I worked under in the PC lab, and the third will be from the director of my MS program. All three have repeatedly told me that they believe I would be an excellent PhD student.

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: Not sure...

Applying to Where:
U of Minnesota (Twin Cities) - Applied Plant Sciences
U of Wisconsin, Madison - Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics
U of California, Davis - Plant Biology
NCSU - Plant Biology
MSU - Plant Breeding, Genetics & Biotechnology

 

I want to apply to two other schools that are maybe easier to get into for similar programs - I fear that the programs I have listed above are simply too competitive. UMN has an acceptance rate of about ~34% for that program but the others are around ~15-20%.
Does anyone have any suggestions on other schools I should look into? Or do y'all think I have a decent shot at getting into one of the programs I mentioned?

[Neuromantic]

On 8/22/2019 at 10:23 AM, episome1996 said:

yes I am very well aware.

I'm applying to programs where faculty under each program studies behavioral genetics and for clinical psychology I'd still be happy conducting research as a clinical psychologist as well as practice, I've gone over these options with my adviser at the NIH. 

Let's meet on-campus- I'm also at the NCI and applying to Neuroscience programs. I just faced my first rejection and am reeling. 

[jmillar]

On 8/22/2019 at 10:23 AM, episome1996 said:

yes I am very well aware.

I'm applying to programs where faculty under each program studies behavioral genetics and for clinical psychology I'd still be happy conducting research as a clinical psychologist as well as practice, I've gone over these options with my adviser at the NIH. 

I had a similar approach. Most of my professors told me to work backwards by looking for faculty to work with based on their publications and then consider the programs they are in. All the departments I applied to were different, but the projects that were being worked on by the PIs were very similar.

On 8/22/2019 at 2:24 PM, BabyScientist said:

The actual content of what you'll be learning in each program varies dramatically, though. Generally you apply for the degree that will teach you the content you need to perform the research you're interested in. If you want to learn about genetics, do a genetics program. If you wanted to be in a neuroscience lab, usually you can join labs from different departments and still be getting a certain degree.

Clinical psychology is the most random of the three, as it gives you a completely different set of skills, but if that's another interest you want the potential to pursue, that's fair.

I'm just trying to understand how you chose genetics vs neurobiology at those schools.

This is true to a point, but it depends if the program is class heavy. Several of the programs I applied to had very few required classes. But this is still an important consideration, especially how it might affect your advancement to candidacy. There was one program where I liked the PI, but I knew I wouldn't be happy in the classes or the advancement to candidacy.

[gb123]

Undergrad Institution: Top 3 Undergrad according to US News
Major(s): Biology, specialization in immunology
Minor(s): None
GPA in Major: 3.35
Overall GPA: 3.5
Type of Student: Domestic, URM, Male

GRE Scores (revised/old version): Not planning on taking but maybe considering

Research Experience: (At your school or elsewhere? What field? How much time? Any publications (Mth author out of N?) or conference talks etc...)

I have done lung research (in different contexts) since freshman year with research fellowships every summer.

Research in lab since spring of freshman year–have a 2nd author paper from that experience and poster presentation at international conference

Research at Yale Med during summer after sophomore year

Changed labs at beginning of junior year and now writing senior honors thesis–manuscript in progress

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: (Within your school or outside?)

Gates Millennium Scholar, Dean's List every year, Minority Trainee Development Scholarship from research organization

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: (Such as tutor, TA, SPS officer etc...)

I am an RA (resident assistant) and while not directly related to science, it's been really fun and given me a lot of exposure to mentoring
Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:

Writing an honors thesis for biology
Special Bonus Points: (Such as connections, grad classes, famous recommenders, female or minority status etc...)

URM, Connections at Yale, taken immunology grad classes and done well (B+, A, A)

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:

I have two letters from my home institution and one coming from Yale––they should all be quite strong

Applying to Where:

UCSF BMS

Yale Immunobiology

Harvard Immunology

UWashington, Seattle, Immunology

WashU DBBS

UPenn IGG

Stanford

MIT

NIH Mishoe Fellowship

[BabyScientist]

That's a lot of top tier schools... You're going to want to broaden your range a little. 

[cephalexin]

On 9/8/2019 at 2:59 PM, BabyScientist said:

That's a lot of top tier schools... You're going to want to broaden your range a little. 

While it never hurts to apply to more programs, the application looks top notch and I would expect interviews at atleast half of these programs (assume he has good LoRs and SOP)

 

[BabyScientist]

55 minutes ago, cephalexin said:

While it never hurts to apply to more programs, the application looks top notch and I would expect interviews at atleast half of these programs (assume he has good LoRs and SOP)

 

That's a big assumption, and no one can count on that. No one can be confident enough to only apply to top tier schools - I know people with 3.9 GPAs and multiple publications who didn't get interviews at many of those schools.

I, too, think you have good odds at getting interviews at a bunch of those schools, but if you definitely want to go to grad school next year, I recommend broadening the range of schools. If money is an issue for application fees, contact the schools and ask for a waiver. 

[episome1996]

13 hours ago, BabyScientist said:

That's a big assumption, and no one can count on that. No one can be confident enough to only apply to top tier schools - I know people with 3.9 GPAs and multiple publications who didn't get interviews at many of those schools.

I, too, think you have good odds at getting interviews at a bunch of those schools, but if you definitely want to go to grad school next year, I recommend broadening the range of schools. If money is an issue for application fees, contact the schools and ask for a waiver. 

To weigh in on this I personally know someone that had a 4.0 GPA, multiple pubs and experience and research awards that got accepted to every school he applied to (harvard, hopkins, stanford, berkeley, WashU etc.) - I think it's pretty reasonable and if you only have limited funds for application fees and know you wouldn't accept a lower tier school's offer why not? maybe add one "safety" that they'd still be comfortable going to

[gb123]

On 9/8/2019 at 1:59 PM, BabyScientist said:

That's a lot of top tier schools... You're going to want to broaden your range a little. 

No, I think you are right. I need to cast a bigger net if I definitely want to go to grad school next fall. I'll look at some more programs and definitely seek out fee waivers.

 

Thank you for the input!

[episome1996]

19 hours ago, gb123 said:

No, I think you are right. I need to cast a bigger net if I definitely want to go to grad school next fall. I'll look at some more programs and definitely seek out fee waivers.

 

Thank you for the input!

I've had trouble getting fee waivers from schools. Has anyone else had any luck / tips?

[BabyScientist]

4 hours ago, episome1996 said:

I've had trouble getting fee waivers from schools. Has anyone else had any luck / tips?

What have you tried? 

When I applied I essentially sent emails that explained that I had loans and financial constraints and didn't want that to limit my educational goals.

From my experience public schools and very unlikely to give fee waivers and private schools do it no problem. 

[Throwawaydnf99]

Should a SOP be double spaced? How long is one typically?

[BabyScientist]

17 hours ago, Throwawaydnf99 said:

Should a SOP be double spaced? How long is one typically?

Doesn't really matter unless they specify. I believe I went with 1.5 spacing just to make it easier to look at. I'd say they're usually no more than 2 pages, just long enough to say what you need to without droning on

[mcal]

 

Undergrad Institution: R2 State School

Major(s): B.S. Neuroscience

Minor(s) : Mathematics

GPA in Major: 3.90

Science GPA: 3.92

Overall GPA: 3.841

Type of Student: Domestic, Asian Female

 

GRE Scores (revised/old version): Not taken yet, but on practices I have been getting in the low 160s Q and mid 150s V and 4 W 

 

Research Experience: 

2 years at a stand-alone scientific institute studying aging→ 2 papers in preparation, no first author; wrote an honors thesis 

 

1 year at a lab at my school studying behavioral neuroscience→ 2 presentations (at my school only)

 

Just started a post-bac program this past July at a stand-alone scientific institute studying neurobiology

 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: 

Outstanding Thesis Award

Dean’s List for 2 semesters

President’s List for 3 semesters 

Received the Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry Grant 

 

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: (Such as tutor, TA, SPS officer etc...)

I help at the outreach events at my institute targeting the local community as well as students. 

 

During Undergrad-

Part of student government for 3 years (leadership)

Was on the e-board of a club for 3.5 years (leadership)

Tutored high school students in geometry, chemistry and SAT prep

 

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:

I attended the Frontiers in Aging and Alzheimer’s didactic research training course by the Pittsburgh Development Center. I met some PIs of labs at schools that I plan to apply to and asked them if they would be taking grad students for when I plan to begin. 

 

Special Bonus Points:

One of my PIs is well-known in the aging field and my current PI is well-known in the neuroscience field. I suppose the letter from my first PI will matter the most as I plan to apply to schools that have strong aging labs. 

 

Applying to Where:

University of Southern California - Gerontology - Biology of Aging

Northwestern University- Driskill Graduate Program (DGP)

University of Minnesota (Twin Cities)- Biological Studies- Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics (BMBB)

Mayo Clinic- Biomedical Sciences- Clinical and Translational Sciences OR Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

University of Texas Health San Antonio- Biomedical Studies- Biology of Aging

NIH/OxCam- Biomedical Sciences

Brown University- Molecular and Cellular Biology- Molecular Biology of Aging

University of Wisconsin, Madison- Molecular and Cellular Biology

University of Pennsylvania- Biomedical Graduate Studies- Cellular and Molecular Biology

Cold Spring Harbor- Biological Sciences 

 

*I chose my programs based on what faculty they have who do aging research*

Edited September 18, 2019 by mcalubag

[BME-Student?]

Undergrad Institution: Top/Reputable US school (doesn't stand out for its bio program).Not Ivy.
Major(s): Biology
Minor(s): Mathematics
GPA in Major: 3.3-3.4 (don't know the exact, not officially calculated)
Overall GPA: 3.49 Position in class is average (maybe somewhat below)
Type of Student: International, male, Caucasian

GRE Scores (revised): Retaking soon, estimate Q165 157V based on conservative estimates from moc exam performance, old ones as fallows
Q: 162
V: 155
W: 5.0

Research Experience: 

Extensive research experience at University starting Sophomore Summer until the end of Senior Year Summer. Mainly in cellular biology, cell reprogramming/differentiation. Around 6 months full time in the summer, and 10-20 hours per week last two years of college. Got experience (capable of working independently) with of most relevant bio techniques: Blotting/SDS PAGE, qPCR, PCR, FACS, Immunofluorescence/histochemistry, Cell Culture, Confocal Microscopy, some Bioinformatics experience (Gene Ontology, Next Gen Seq).

Currently one year of relevant work experience in Stem Cell research, 3D printing and tissue design in a foreign institution (as I am an international applicant). Experience in: 3D printing, cell viability analysis, stem cell marker expression and cell sorting with FACS, mesenchymal stem cell differentiation into various lineages, cell culture expansion using bioreactors. 

No conferences or talks, just a couple of poster presentations for classes and honors thesis defense. 

Publications:

Honors thesis was published in a moderate impact factor journal. First author.

Another research project published in a prestigious high impact factor journal as a communication  (trimmed down version of a full paper) not in the sub field I am applying to. First author (can't say I deserve it but got listed as such).

Third research project still developing (unsure whether I will be listed as a coauthor, but will mention working on it in my SoP as it is somewhat relevant to my field).

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: 
Got three summer research grants from my university. That's when I did most of the work for the publications in my PI's lab. 

Full financial aid for college. 

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 

Only my current job as a junior researcher (should be promoted to researcher before i submit the apps).

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: 
Prestigious sports accomplishments that are now outdated by over 5 years so I don't think I will expand more than 1 sentence at most (if at all) in my SoP.
Special Bonus Points: 
A in a Graduate course.

If approved, letter of recommendation from the head of the company ('Google-able' as a 'visionary' in the field of science in my country).
Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:
Pass/failed a bio class senior spring, GPA was going down, wasn't dealing well with my responsibilities for reasons, ended the semester with a 3.3 or so (also one C+ in college in a relevant course).

Had a 3.7 Junior Spring - Senior Fall while overloading 20 credits + research. 18 credits (max that does not require an overloading form, for the last 2.5 years of uni)

Took a summer class 3/4 summers (some overlap with undertaking research with the grants, grants come up as pass/fail courses on the transcript), winter class 3/4 winters.

I have taken the relevant physics (3 sem calculus based), chemistry (2 semesters general + Organic, pass/failed Biochem), mathematics (pre calculus, calculus 1-3, lieanear algebra and ODE) and and introductory computer science course for programs in bioengineering/biomedical eng. I haven't taken any engineering courses i.e. fluid dynamics, material science etc..  Grades in the above range B- to A skewed left. 
Applying to Where:

Thinking of bioengineering/biomedical engineering programs specifically in the field of Tissue Engineering

Stanford Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (in the biosciences) or Tissue Engineering in the Bioengineering discipline.

Brown Biomed.eng/bioeng.

Uppen Biomed.eng/bioeng.

Cornell maybe

Yale maayabe

UC San Diego (maybe)

Would really appreciate critique/advice/program suggestions or anything else. I recognize my application has gaping holes in some aspects but I hope my background will be suitable for Tissue Engineering specifically. Financial aid is key, hence I focused on schools that explicitly say they offer it for their students.

[Throwawaydnf99]

Anyone else encounter this question on any of their apps?

"

Have you ever been found responsible for a disciplinary violation at any educational institution you have attended from 9th grade (or the international equivalent) forward, whether related to academic misconduct or behavioral misconduct, which resulted in your probation, suspension, removal, dismissal, or expulsion from the institution?
"     Doesn't this seem kind of weird to ask of someone whom has been out of High school for a long time now? What if your HS experience was a rough one/riddled with trouble etc etc.?

Edited September 23, 2019 by Throwawaydnf99

[curtishill]

Hey everyone, I hope this is the right place to post this.

I will be applying to Statistics PhD programs for fall of 2020. I am mostly interested in probability theory and general statistical theory.  Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Undergraduate: Small public university. Relatively small math department.

Major: Mathematics

GPA: 4.0

Type of Student: White Male

Relevant Courses: Calculus I, II, and III, Ordinary Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, Abstract Algebra, Modern Algebra, Discrete Mathematics, Advanced Calculus I (Real analysis), Numerical Analysis I, Financial Mathematics, Life Contingencies, Intro to Statistical Methods, Applied Reg/Time Series, Nonparametric statistics, Statistical Process Control, Mathematical Statistics I and II, Foundations of Computer Science, Fundamentals of Programming, Object Oriented Programming, Intro to Algorithms and Data Structures

(A's in all courses)

GRE General Test:

Q: 168

V: 160

W: (waiting on score)

Research Experience: Statistical consultant on a medical paper currently in peer review, not expected to be officially published before application. Additionally, I worked with a professor in mathematical research. I was primarily in charge of the computer programming to simulate our enumeration problem; research stopped due to professors family crisis.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Valedictorian of the College of Science, Outstanding Math Student Award, Dean's list each semester.

Letters of Recommendation: Professor (Department Chair) I worked with closely as a TA and took courses from, Professor I took classes from, Assistant Professor I took classes from.

Additional Experience: Experience working in R, SQL, Python, C++, C#, and LaTex. I have taken three actuary exams and pass all three. I have a year's experience working as an actuary. A few internships during the summers of my undergraduate career in Cyber and Actuarial Science. I have ample experience in math and statistics TAing and tutoring.

Applying to:

Texas A&M,

Colorado State University,

University of Iowa,

UC Davis,

Virginia Tech,

(Other schools suggested?)

 

Comments/Questions: I'm curious to know if I'm aiming for the right caliber of schools. I am concerned about not having published, how will this effect my application?

[BabyScientist]

1 hour ago, curtishill said:

Hey everyone, I hope this is the right place to post this.

I will be applying to Statistics PhD programs for fall of 2020. I am mostly interested in probability theory and general statistical theory.  Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Undergraduate: Small public university. Relatively small math department.

Major: Mathematics

GPA: 4.0

Type of Student: White Male

Relevant Courses: Calculus I, II, and III, Ordinary Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, Abstract Algebra, Modern Algebra, Discrete Mathematics, Advanced Calculus I (Real analysis), Numerical Analysis I, Financial Mathematics, Life Contingencies, Intro to Statistical Methods, Applied Reg/Time Series, Nonparametric statistics, Statistical Process Control, Mathematical Statistics I and II, Foundations of Computer Science, Fundamentals of Programming, Object Oriented Programming, Intro to Algorithms and Data Structures

(A's in all courses)

GRE General Test:

Q: 168

V: 160

W: (waiting on score)

Research Experience: Statistical consultant on a medical paper currently in peer review, not expected to be officially published before application. Additionally, I worked with a professor in mathematical research. I was primarily in charge of the computer programming to simulate our enumeration problem; research stopped due to professors family crisis.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Valedictorian of the College of Science, Outstanding Math Student Award, Dean's list each semester.

Letters of Recommendation: Professor (Department Chair) I worked with closely as a TA and took courses from, Professor I took classes from, Assistant Professor I took classes from.

Additional Experience: Experience working in R, SQL, Python, C++, C#, and LaTex. I have taken three actuary exams and pass all three. I have a year's experience working as an actuary. A few internships during the summers of my undergraduate career in Cyber and Actuarial Science. I have ample experience in math and statistics TAing and tutoring.

Applying to:

Texas A&M,

Colorado State University,

University of Iowa,

UC Davis,

Virginia Tech,

(Other schools suggested?)

 

Comments/Questions: I'm curious to know if I'm aiming for the right caliber of schools. I am concerned about not having published, how will this effect my application?

There's a mathematics and statistics forum under applied mathematics. They'll be able to help you better.