2021 Biology PhD Admissions Results

[biologybear]

Edit on a typo to my above post ^ my Verbal GRE score is 94th percentile, not 84

[stem_ness]

Is there another similar thread on here? I feel like it's pretty quiet compared to years past...

[mcal]

On 11/11/2020 at 4:10 PM, sadGenes said:

I spoke with Penn at a conference yesterday. I can assure everyone that their biomedical graduate studies (BGS) program is accepting PhD students for the fall of 2021. The only program in A&S that ~may~ be affected is their Biology PhD. 

 

BGS is through their Perelman medical school which is why it's not being affected. 

For those who applied/are applying to UPenn: I applied to the CAMB program (under Penn's BGS umbrella) last year, and I really did like it. Since interviews are all going to be virtual (I assume), I thought it would be nice to just share my thoughts on Penn since I interviewed there last year. It was a lot friendlier than I was expecting, and the PIs and students I met were all really great so I thought the environment was overall really good. The reason I chose not to go was  most of the PIs I was interested in working with were not taking students for the year I was entering. Philly was not bad also. I thought the stipend to cost of living situation was not bad, especially compared to some of the other places I interviewed at. If anyone has any specific questions about my thoughts on UPenn or any of the schools I interviewed at, feel free to message me! 

Edited December 2, 2020 by mcal

[pipettingerror]

Now that the Dec 1 deadline has passed, where did you guys end up applying?

[wacharak]

3 hours ago, pipettingerror said:

Now that the Dec 1 deadline has passed, where did you guys end up applying?

Hopefully I get into at least one!

Undergrad Institution: UT Arlington 

Major(s): BS in Microbiology and Biology

Overall GPA: 3.66

Major GPA: 4

 

Type of Student: Hispanic Male

 

Research Experience: 15 months in a micro lab

 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions:

2 peer-reviewed publications, 1 McNair research journal publication.

McNair Scholar

Multiple small scholarships

deans list

PHD programs:

Cornell - Microbiology

CS, Fort Collins - Microbiology

UT Southwestern - Molecular Microbiology

Montana State - Molecular Biosciences

Baylor College of Medicine - Immunology and Microbiology

USC - PIBBS

USCLA - Microbiology

Yale - BBS

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities - MICaB

UMich, Ann Arbor - PIBS

WashU, St Louis - DBBS

Dartmouth - MCB

Iowa U - Microbiology

Johns Hopkins - Molecular Microbiolog and Immunology

[pipettingerror]

1 hour ago, wacharak said:

 

Hopefully I get into at least one!

Undergrad Institution: UT Arlington 

Major(s): BS in Microbiology and Biology

Overall GPA: 3.66

Major GPA: 4

 

Type of Student: Hispanic Male

 

Research Experience: 15 months in a micro lab

 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions:

2 peer-reviewed publications, 1 McNair research journal publication.

McNair Scholar

Multiple small scholarships

deans list

PHD programs:

Cornell - Microbiology

CS, Fort Collins - Microbiology

UT Southwestern - Molecular Microbiology

Montana State - Molecular Biosciences

Baylor College of Medicine - Immunology and Microbiology

USC - PIBBS

USCLA - Microbiology

Yale - BBS

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities - MICaB

UMich, Ann Arbor - PIBS

WashU, St Louis - DBBS

Dartmouth - MCB

Iowa U - Microbiology

Johns Hopkins - Molecular Microbiolog and Immunology

You have a really strong profile, I am sure you'll end up with more than a couple of offers! Good luck!

[heygirlhey]

5 hours ago, pipettingerror said:

Now that the Dec 1 deadline has passed, where did you guys end up applying?

Good luck to everyone!! 
I applied to PhD programs @ VTech, Notre Dame, UMaine and UGeorgia. Also to NSF GRFP. Let the incessant email checking begin ??

[pipettingerror]

49 minutes ago, heygirlhey said:

Good luck to everyone!! 
I applied to PhD programs @ VTech, Notre Dame, UMaine and UGeorgia. Also to NSF GRFP. Let the incessant email checking begin ??

I keep checking my email too ? lets hope there is some good news waiting one of these days! Good luck!

[queerorpheus]

I ended up applying to everywhere I had initially planned: Two programs at JHU, Pitt, Ohio State, UMD, and Penn State. I know that at least Pitt will send out interview notices shortly after Christmas, so it's nice to have some kind of timeline. I'm hoping for the best but expecting the worst. 

[Sky_china]

I really thought this cycle there will be a lot of applicants especiallly in the biology field which made me very anxious. 

It also seems to be the cases from some schools maybe from the information I got from other places. I am wondering if anyone have any data on this? 

 

This is my third time applying as an international students and probably last time. I don't think I will apply again even if I didn't get in.  So this puts additional pressure on me. My profile isn't excellent but Its almost the best I can do now. 

 

Would love to talk to some anxious future Dr.  in the same boat

[Crucial BBQ]

On 11/20/2020 at 4:46 PM, stem_ness said:

Is there another similar thread on here? I feel like it's pretty quiet compared to years past...

Comes and goes.  Some years are more active than others. Covid likely put the damper on things, too. 

15 hours ago, pipettingerror said:

Now that the Dec 1 deadline has passed, where did you guys end up applying?

All of my programs have January deadlines except for two and a possible third:  for the two are rolling and the potential third has a February deadline. 

[Crucial BBQ]

Just now, Sky_china said:

This is my third time applying as an international students and probably last time. I don't think I will apply again even if I didn't get in.  So this puts additional pressure on me. My profile isn't excellent but Its almost the best I can do now. 

 

Would love to talk to some anxious future Dr.  in the same boat

A Masters might be in order for you before moving on to a Ph.D. program.  I applied three years in a row before doing an MS as well and now I am better positioned for a Ph.D.  Even if I flop this cycle I still have my MS. 

[Sky_china]

Just now, Crucial BBQ said:

A Masters might be in order for you before moving on to a Ph.D. program.  I applied three years in a row before doing an MS as well and now I am better positioned for a Ph.D.  Even if I flop this cycle I still have my MS. 

The first time I applied with undergrad no publication.  all very reachy school

The second time course, I have a master with one publication.   got three interviews, one admit no funding, one interview, and one waitlisted

This is the third time, I have worked 1.5 year in a lab with a distinguished professor got another publication. lowered my school tier contacted professor. not much giving me feedback.  applying 12 schools.  all computational biology.  My professors offered to  help me to call the program to recommend me) 

( Gradually I think my gpa just got worse over the year with undergrad in Bioinfo 3.79  major 3.85 and grad  biotech 3.7 ,  6 year research experience, 36 months converted 40 hrs a week, my international status defenitely didn't help, I also have an academic warning bc I helped a my friend  with coding) 

My safety school is Thomas Jefferson but I haven't seen anyone applying to that. The lack of information this cycle is the kinda unknown is eating me alive, plus busy work life most researcher in the lab relying on bioinfomatician much more right now. 

[Crucial BBQ]

On 7/13/2020 at 11:07 AM, queerorpheus said:

I know Bloomberg specifically says they will evaluate your research experience differently if you're coming from a liberal arts background just because the size of the school can definitely impact your quality of research. I'm trying to focus my SoPs more on the qualities I got out of research than the project itself. I'm still super worried but my school has sent people to very good grad schools before with about the same level of research. I'm trying not to hype myself up too much but remain positive at the same time.

My ex went to Bloomberg.  I wrote about this previously, but can't find it at the moment.  She applied for Ph.D. yet was offered admissions into their MS program.  I forget the reasoning, it was either because her GRE quant score was a little too low or she didn't have enough of a math background. What ever the case I do remember the program had reservation about her math skills.   Her application was otherwise stellar. 

[Sky_china]

On 12/2/2020 at 9:55 AM, mcal said:

For those who applied/are applying to UPenn: I applied to the CAMB program (under Penn's BGS umbrella) last year, and I really did like it. Since interviews are all going to be virtual (I assume), I thought it would be nice to just share my thoughts on Penn since I interviewed there last year. It was a lot friendlier than I was expecting, and the PIs and students I met were all really great so I thought the environment was overall really good. The reason I chose not to go was  most of the PIs I was interested in working with were not taking students for the year I was entering. Philly was not bad also. I thought the stipend to cost of living situation was not bad, especially compared to some of the other places I interviewed at. If anyone has any specific questions about my thoughts on UPenn or any of the schools I interviewed at, feel free to message me! 

 Just to add on to that. I was a master student there and worked with several PhD students at the time.

UPenn is  overall great but its a place might kill your research interest after PhD. A lot of Penn graduate didn't want to go for academia after instead for consulting, law and industry. This might be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your goal .

[queerorpheus]

15 minutes ago, Crucial BBQ said:

My ex went to Bloomberg.  I wrote about this previously, but can't find it at the moment.  She applied for Ph.D. yet was offered admissions into their MS program.  I forget the reasoning, it was either because her GRE quant score was a little too low or she didn't have enough of a math background. What ever the case I do remember the program had reservation about her math skills.   Her application was otherwise stellar. 

That seems pretty common for Bloomberg. When I did my open house with them, a lot of current PhD students had done either an MSc or MPH at Bloomberg before starting the PhD. We'll just have to see what happens I guess!

[babymicrobiologist]

11 hours ago, wacharak said:

 

Hopefully I get into at least one!

Undergrad Institution: UT Arlington 

Major(s): BS in Microbiology and Biology

Overall GPA: 3.66

Major GPA: 4

 

Type of Student: Hispanic Male

 

Research Experience: 15 months in a micro lab

 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions:

2 peer-reviewed publications, 1 McNair research journal publication.

McNair Scholar

Multiple small scholarships

deans list

PHD programs:

Cornell - Microbiology

CS, Fort Collins - Microbiology

UT Southwestern - Molecular Microbiology

Montana State - Molecular Biosciences

Baylor College of Medicine - Immunology and Microbiology

USC - PIBBS

USCLA - Microbiology

Yale - BBS

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities - MICaB

UMich, Ann Arbor - PIBS

WashU, St Louis - DBBS

Dartmouth - MCB

Iowa U - Microbiology

Johns Hopkins - Molecular Microbiolog and Immunology

Did you receive a secondary application from UT Southwestern? I saw a few people in the results section reported receiving one.

[VictorZ]

33 minutes ago, babymicrobiologist said:

Did you receive a secondary application from UT Southwestern? I saw a few people in the results section reported receiving one.

I think that's only for international applicants.

[Autoclave Guru]

On 12/4/2020 at 12:50 AM, pipettingerror said:

Now that the Dec 1 deadline has passed, where did you guys end up applying?

Checking my email 5 times a day ??‍♂️. Applied to Michigan State, Duke, UC Davis, UTK, Boston U, U of Florida, WUSTL, U Chicago, UIUC, U of Arizona, Berkeley, Ohio State, Ford fellowship, and SMART fellowship . Good luck to everybody  process is  gunna be long, but worth it in the end !

[babymicrobiologist]

53 minutes ago, VictorZ said:

I think that's only for international applicants.

Oh interesting! Thanks!

[Sky_china]

On 11/20/2020 at 4:46 PM, stem_ness said:

Is there another similar thread on here? I feel like it's pretty quiet compared to years past...

I honestly feel confused, from the professors all over the increased number of applicants is real, harvard sys bio 27% increase , Berkeley 27% increase ... and some other program say they have 50% increase, especially microbiology and epidemiology...

Yet less information on grad cafe ...

[Molec157]

On 12/4/2020 at 12:50 AM, pipettingerror said:

Now that the Dec 1 deadline has passed, where did you guys end up applying?

Ended up applying to biomed sci umbrella programs at UTSW, UTHSCSA, Stanford, UMiami, University of Washington, Scripps, UMB, USUHS, and a couple others! Submitted mid November and so far I've received interview invites from Miami and UTHSCSA  best of luck to you this season! 

[Sky_china]

Now with UT health md anderson not giving me any update makes me anxious now....

[pipettingerror]

10 hours ago, queerorpheus said:

I ended up applying to everywhere I had initially planned: Two programs at JHU, Pitt, Ohio State, UMD, and Penn State. I know that at least Pitt will send out interview notices shortly after Christmas, so it's nice to have some kind of timeline. I'm hoping for the best but expecting the worst. 

That's great! I interviewed for Pitt's Biological Science program last year. Good luck!

[pipettingerror]

8 hours ago, Sky_china said:

This is my third time applying as an international students and probably last time. I don't think I will apply again even if I didn't get in.  So this puts additional pressure on me. My profile isn't excellent but Its almost the best I can do now. 

Same here, international, second time applying. It does seem quieter than usual but it is an unusual year in every way so why not this.

2 hours ago, Sky_china said:

I honestly feel confused, from the professors all over the increased number of applicants is real, harvard sys bio 27% increase , Berkeley 27% increase ... and some other program say they have 50% increase, especially microbiology and epidemiology...

Yet less information on grad cafe ...

Is this info on the program websites? A lot of people on r/gradadmissions also posted about receiving really quick decisions for f21 which made me feel like there might be fewer applicants this time around, though it seems unlikely given all predictions. Only does so much good to dwell on it though, for the most part it is out of our hands now. Fingers crossed!