Non Traditional, Underrepresented Biomedical Sciences PhD Applicants (Fall 2021)

[Naima77]

Hi everyone! I decdied to start this post for those who want to discuss thier storiews ans how thier applications are going for Fall 2021 admissions! 

Here's about me: African American applicant. I had a year of PREP at The Ohio State Univeristy and one year of a Biomed program at  OSU. So thats about 2-ish years of experinces in several labs. I presented at several international conferences as well Woohoo! My GRE is 306, UGPA 3.7 and Graduate GPA 3.81. I left grad school first years because my mom was ill, so i am reapplying now.

I have had interviews back in 2017 with: U Maryland Epidemiology, U of Utah Biomed, OSU BSGP and Penn State biomed programs.

Currently, I have interviews with Vandy, U Miami, Mayo, U of Alabama Biringham and CU Denver :).  I'm waiting dor U Texas-Austin, Emory, UMass, Temple, Tufts (genetics), Wake Forest, MUSC and U of South Florida. My approach: Apply low, high and mid tier schools.  Obviosuly some of thwse schools have already sent their invites and  I totally did not get one :(.

 

How about any of you?

[Natural Killer Cell]

So glad you made this group! Nice to meet you!  Congrats on the interviews so far Naima77!

About me: Mexican-American applicant, first-generation college graduate. I attended a state school for undergrad where I did research for 4 years, summer internships in biotech industry, and then did a 3-year post-bac at the Broad Institute. I didn't take the GRE, UGPA: 3.81. Presented at a few conferences, publication in review and a few in progress, but only applied with publication in review. 

Currently have interviews for Yale, Columbia, Johns Hopkins, MSKCC, Northwestern, UCLA, University of Chicago, and UPenn. Still waiting on MIT, Brown, UCSD, NYU, and Stanford. My approach: apply to 16 graduate schools (in retrospect I would have possibly narrowed that down further) out of fear of missing another application cycle and hope for the best! 

Looking forward to meeting others that are applying!  

[Hepatotox95]

Hello! Nice to meet you both! And wow NKC, that's a lot of invites already! 

 

About myself: Filipino first-generation immigrant. I attended community college after HS to offset financial difficulties. There, I finished 3 AS degrees in biology, life science, and natural sciences (3.83) then transferred into UC Berkeley (3.91). I did research my last 2 years in Cal and then will end up finishing 2 years of post-bacc research at UCSF.  I did not take the GRE, I have 3 publications 2 are primary co-author and 1 is secondary. I managed to squeeze 1 poster presentation before the pandemic. 

I received interviews from: Johns Hopkins, Dartmouth, UCSF, and Yale. I'm still waiting on Harvard, Rockefeller, Princeton, Columbia, Stanford, Brown, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, and Cold Springs Harbor! some of my interviews already have overlaps but I'm glad that the admissions programs are very flexible with rescheduling conflicts. 

Nice to know about y'all's stats and Gluck to us! 

[Neuromantic]

I'm also first gen & non-traditional, will comment after I finish imaging these slides!

[Naima77]

3 hours ago, Natural Killer Cell said:

So glad you made this group! Nice to meet you!  Congrats on the interviews so far Naima77!

About me: Mexican-American applicant, first-generation college graduate. I attended a state school for undergrad where I did research for 4 years, summer internships in biotech industry, and then did a 3-year post-bac at the Broad Institute. I didn't take the GRE, UGPA: 3.81. Presented at a few conferences, publication in review and a few in progress, but only applied with publication in review. 

Currently have interviews for Yale, Columbia, Johns Hopkins, MSKCC, Northwestern, UCLA, University of Chicago, and UPenn. Still waiting on MIT, Brown, UCSD, NYU, and Stanford. My approach: apply to 16 graduate schools (in retrospect I would have possibly narrowed that down further) out of fear of missing another application cycle and hope for the best! 

Looking forward to meeting others that are applying!  

OMG I am so excited for you! Excellent credentials! I hope you get into your dream school!

[Naima77]

3 hours ago, Hepatotox95 said:

Hello! Nice to meet you both! And wow NKC, that's a lot of invites already! 

 

About myself: Filipino first-generation immigrant. I attended community college after HS to offset financial difficulties. There, I finished 3 AS degrees in biology, life science, and natural sciences (3.83) then transferred into UC Berkeley (3.91). I did research my last 2 years in Cal and then will end up finishing 2 years of post-bacc research at UCSF.  I did not take the GRE, I have 3 publications 2 are primary co-author and 1 is secondary. I managed to squeeze 1 poster presentation before the pandemic. 

I received interviews from: Johns Hopkins, Dartmouth, UCSF, and Yale. I'm still waiting on Harvard, Rockefeller, Princeton, Columbia, Stanford, Brown, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, and Cold Springs Harbor! some of my interviews already have overlaps but I'm glad that the admissions programs are very flexible with rescheduling conflicts. 

Nice to know about y'all's stats and Gluck to us! 

This give me chills! I am so excited for you!! Nice to meet you!

[BobsBurgers]

I am a first gen half cuban/half palestinian american. Ivy League grad in Microbiology, 3.26 gpa. 2 years of undergraduate research w/ honors thesis. 1.5 years (continuing) of post-graduate research at two labs at Yale. No pubs, 1 poster. 3 very strong LORs.

Where I applied(mostly microbiology programs): Harvard (no invite), Yale, Rockefeller, NYU, Weill Cornell, Pitt (rejected), Penn State BMS (interview invite 12/21), Tufts (interview invite 12/22), UCSD (nothing :(), Stanford, Maryland Baltimore, UMass

hoping for more and good luck to everyone! And y'all seem very amazing and qualified!

[Natural Killer Cell]

18 hours ago, Naima77 said:

OMG I am so excited for you! Excellent credentials! I hope you get into your dream school!

Aww thank you so much! Congrats to you as well, you're killing it!  I hope you also get your top choice! 

[Naima77]

On 12/23/2020 at 1:07 PM, BobsBurgers said:

I am a first gen half cuban/half palestinian american. Ivy League grad in Microbiology, 3.26 gpa. 2 years of undergraduate research w/ honors thesis. 1.5 years (continuing) of post-graduate research at two labs at Yale. No pubs, 1 poster. 3 very strong LORs.

Where I applied(mostly microbiology programs): Harvard (no invite), Yale, Rockefeller, NYU, Weill Cornell, Pitt (rejected), Penn State BMS (interview invite 12/21), Tufts (interview invite 12/22), UCSD (nothing :(), Stanford, Maryland Baltimore, UMass

hoping for more and good luck to everyone! And y'all seem very amazing and qualified!

Awesome! You seem like a strong applicant! Which are your top choices?

[BobsBurgers]

1 minute ago, Naima77 said:

Awesome! You seem like a strong applicant! Which are your top choices?

Thanks haha!

I would have to say Yale because of the fact that it is a wonderful program and that I work at Yale currently and have friends here. I've seen some micro invites going out so I am bit nervous now, especially knowing that Yale doesn't love to take post-grads who work at Yale for some reason. Other then Yale, I like all of the programs - it just becomes more about lab fit and whatnot ya know?

How about you what is your top choice?

[Naima77]

23 hours ago, BobsBurgers said:

Thanks haha!

I would have to say Yale because of the fact that it is a wonderful program and that I work at Yale currently and have friends here. I've seen some micro invites going out so I am bit nervous now, especially knowing that Yale doesn't love to take post-grads who work at Yale for some reason. Other then Yale, I like all of the programs - it just becomes more about lab fit and whatnot ya know?

How about you what is your top choice?

I totally get that! are they super competitive there? My top Choices are emory, Vanderbilt, UAB, CU Denver and UM.