2022 Computational Biology/Bioinformatics/Systems Biology PhD Admissions

[chr_angel]

16 hours ago, Cheese_Black_Grape_Tea said:

Last year they have separate batches of interviews for domestic students and for international students. I saw international students get interview invites at the end of January last year, though they don't take many international students. So I guess if you are an international student like me, you can still keep hope.

Let's hope so! I haven't heard anything from them! 

[chr_angel]

1 hour ago, justfiguringitout said:

Does anyone if these programs are done sending out invites? (international student if that matters)

- JHU - Computer Science (with focus on Computational Biology)
- CMU-UPitt CPCB 
- UPenn - GCB
- Stanford - Biomedical Informatics
- UC Berkeley - Computational Biology
- Brown - Computational Biology 
- NYU - Computational Biology 

- Yale CBB

I'm international too and we just match on UPenn, haven't heard back from them tho. Regarding the other programs, I don't know if they separate domestic from international students for invitations, but I've seen some posts/tweets about YALE, NYU, Stanford and Berkeley. Don't give up yet, if you haven't received a proper rejection there's still hope  

 

Good luck!  

[pls_take_me]

rejected by memp. welp 

[dec]

Hi, I am an international student. Undergrad in one of the UCs. 2 yr work/research experience in academia. Just thinking about sharing some programs I applied and the information I've gathered here.

• UCSC BMEB: Interview
• UCSF Biomedical Informatics: Rejected
• MIT CSB: Rejected
• MIT MEMP: Rejected
• UCLA Bioinformatics: Rejected
• Harvard BIG: basically rejected, someone emailed them, and they replied saying they sent out all interviews already (from gradcafe)
• Stanford Biomedical Informatics:  no answer, but someone else heard back days ago (from gradcafe)
• USC QCB:  no answer, but someone else heard back days ago (from gradcafe)
• UCSD CS: no answer, but someone else heard back days ago (from gradcafe)
• UCSD Bioinformatics: no answer, but someone else heard back days ago (from gradcafe)
• UC Berkeley Computational Biology:  no answer

Yea at this point, I'm accepting the fact that UCSC is the one interview I'll get this admission round. Losing hope already, but glad I still have one interview lol. And congrats to those who got interviews from other programs I applied !!!!!!! 

[tokyoboy101]

UC Berkeley usually sends out invites at the end of January and I know that they haven't sent out interviews yet so keep your head up! 

[winterishere2020]

On 1/13/2022 at 10:27 AM, please_admit_me said:

Hi folks, I am an international applicant, and I have received no interviews so far despite good recommendations and publications. Here's my update:

Columbia    System Biology (Soft rejection)
Princeton    Genomics & Computational Biology (Assume rejection)
Berkeley    Computational Biology (Assume rejection)
MIT    Computational & System Biology (Rejection)
Yale    Computational Biology and Bioinformatics (Assume rejection)
Duke    Computational Biology and Bioinformatics (Assume rejection)
Johns hopkins    Biomedical Engineering (Assume rejection)
Havard    B.I.G (Assume rejection)
U Mich    Pibs (Rejection)
UCLA    Bioinformatics in Bioscience (Rejection)
Tri    Computational Biology & Medicine (Rejection)
USC    Quantitative and Computational Biology
Brown    Computational Molecular Biology

At this point I think my application is going to tank and I am ready to resolve to explore other options rather than going for a phD.
Congrats to the folks who have gotten interviews, and sincerely wish you all the best in the upcoming journeys ahead. 

 

I think other people here have already given some good advices on how to re-apply next year. The only thing that I would say is even if this doesn't work out this year, do try again next year. Ask your PI to set up some connections with the institutions that you are interested in and may be a good fit for you. You can always reach out to those institutions and the PIs there to get a sense of what kinds of grad applicants they are looking for.  

[lanaaaaaaaaa]

On 1/14/2022 at 12:42 AM, Starfleet Scientist said:

Keep your head up my friend. If it turns out you don't get admission this year, try again next year. I read a few stories on this site where people got no invites last year but got some this year.  If you don't get admission this year, here's some advice for next year:

1) Apply to some "safety" schools. Looking at the list of schools you applied to, these are top tier schools. That means that the competition for these schools is fierce. Do to a limited amount of space, a great many of greatly qualified applicants like yourself won't get in because there simply isn't enough room. By applying to a few schools that are not so top tier, you increase your chances of acceptance. Schools like University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, University of Pittsburgh, Michigan State University, and Iowa State University (just to name a few) all have good Biological Science programs that do good research (I don't know if they have computational biology tracks) - but not at the top of the pile. Also, I'd advise that you try looking at more US public schools (not in California - they are stingy). Public Schools - such as UNC - Chapel Hill, usually have more room for admissions than a private institution like MIT. Note that I am not advising that you apply ONLY to such schools. But that you include some of these schools when applying again - so that you increase your chances of admission.

2) Take another look at your Statements of Purpose letters and personal statements. You may need to brush those up a bit. If there are any negative things on your transcripts or your criminal background history (Yes, some of these institutions heavily vet each applicant), you might want to explain that in your personal statement. Also, have your former PI's and friends whom are well - read in the English language go over these letters with heavy scrutiny. I had several people review my letters before applying - with each of them giving me very helpful feedback, pointers, and suggestions - and English is my native language.

But keep your head up. You may very well get an invite this cycle. It's not over until its over.    

Thanks for the very good advices my friend. This is actually my 2nd year of applying and I will not apply again. I intentionally aimed for the top tier schools because I plan to "hit or miss" since phD is not the only option I had in my mind. I will matriculate if given the chance but you know, we gotta do what we want to do and we gotta live how we want to live, so at the end of the day, the day ended.

[darklings]

Can anyone share experiences of compbio/bioinformatics interviews? will there be many technical questions? thank you!

Edited January 17, 2022 by darklings

[chr_angel]

14 hours ago, darklings said:

Can anyone share experiences of compbio/bioinformatics interviews? will there be many technical questions? thank you!

Hi I have talked with many PhD students at UCs and told me that the interviews are super chill, you just have to know what you have done! they won't ask you nothing in detail as how a method works (maybe just the basic, but they don't expect a super detailed answer). The best advice they have given to me is to not get nervous and just be myself. They want to know how you are as a person and how you could develop if you join any lab at the university. 

Don't @me, I'm just sharing what I've been told.

Good luck everyone  

[amepas]

Just got a call from Berkeley about Comp Bio Interview

I didn't have a contact or anything, so they seem to be calling everyone who got an interview.

[chr_angel]

On 12/16/2021 at 11:37 AM, chr_angel said:

Hello everybody!!

I just found the gradcafe because I was anxious looking for interview dates from previous years. I'm a student from Mexico! Sincerely I'm kinda scared because the international rate of acceptance is kinda low in almost all programs I applied. However here they are:

 

 UPenn: GCB 

Columbia: IPCMBS

UCSD: BSB

UCSC: BMEB [Interview mail received on 12/15]

UCLA: Bioinformatics

UCSF: Biomedical Informatics [Rejected on 12/15]

UChicago: GGSB

 

I'm tired of refreshing my mail.

Wish you all good luck !!!! 

A little update of this: 

UPenn: GCB [I read international students interview invitations are send on late January]

Columbia: IPCMBS [Interview mail received on 12/21]

UCSD: BSB [Talked with students, told me internationals are invited on late January]

UCSC: BMEB [Interview mail received on 12/15]

UCLA: Bioinformatics [waitlisted on 01/10]

UCSF: Biomedical Informatics [Rejected on 12/15]

UChicago: GGSB [Historically starts with invitations on late February]

 

Edited January 19, 2022 by chr_angel

[leopard]

20 hours ago, amepas said:

Just got a call from Berkeley about Comp Bio Interview

I didn't have a contact or anything, so they seem to be calling everyone who got an interview.

Congrats!! Was the call from a POI or a program director?

[tokyoboy101]

Does anybody know if the Joint CMU-Pitt CMB Program is still sending out invites ? I see some scattered invites on GC results page so I'm not sure. 

[qq2]

Just heard from Hopkins BME earlier today (hopefully this is the right thread); "Interviewing with a minimum of three faculty is mandatory for further consideration of your application. Due to public health considerations, our interviews will be held virtually this year. You will be interviewed in separate interviews by each of the following faculty members" and then they go on to list 3 faculty.

Does anyone know how many interviews they usually send out?

[amepas]

Honestly have no idea who called me, the call lasted all of 30 seconds. 

[teycorn]

On 1/18/2022 at 5:46 PM, amepas said:

Just got a call from Berkeley about Comp Bio Interview

I didn't have a contact or anything, so they seem to be calling everyone who got an interview.

If you don't mind me asking, when is the scheduled interview? 

Thank you.

[pickley]

Hi y'all. I got interviews at CMU/Pitt, Tri-I CBM, and UNC-CH. Does anyone know how the interviews are for the Tri-I program? ty!!

Also, has anyone heard back from Duke CBB? I'm assuming I got rejected ?

[bioinformatics]

3 hours ago, pickley said:

Hi y'all. I got interviews at CMU/Pitt, Tri-I CBM, and UNC-CH. Does anyone know how the interviews are for the Tri-I program? ty!!

Also, has anyone heard back from Duke CBB? I'm assuming I got rejected ?

Good luck with your interviews! Would you mind sharing if your CMU/Pitt interviewer is from CMU or Pitt?

[pickley]

7 hours ago, bioinformatics said:

Good luck with your interviews! Would you mind sharing if your CMU/Pitt interviewer is from CMU or Pitt?

Thanks! It is one interviewer from Pitt. I listed 3 labs from Pitt and 1 from CMU on my app. I think CMU doesn't do interviews (?)

[totoblabla]

20 hours ago, chr_angel said:

A little update of this: 

UPenn: GCB [I read international students interview invitations are send on late January]

Columbia: IPCMBS [Interview mail received on 12/21]

UCSD: BSB [Talked with students, told me internationals are invited on late January]

UCSC: BMEB [Interview mail received on 12/15]

UCLA: Bioinformatics [waitlisted on 01/10]

UCSF: Biomedical Informatics [Rejected on 12/15]

UChicago: GGSB [Historically starts with invitations on late February]

 

Hey, 

 

Where did you find the information that UPenn GCB will send international student interview invitations on late Jan? I emailed the program coordination but still have not received response yet.

[Cheese_Black_Grape_Tea]

1 hour ago, totoblabla said:

Hey, 

 

Where did you find the information that UPenn GCB will send international student interview invitations on late Jan? I emailed the program coordination but still have not received response yet.

I think I saw it from last year's forum(?).  Also some from last cycle told me that UPenn sent out interviews separately for domestic and international students. 

[chr_angel]

 

1 hour ago, totoblabla said:

Hey, 

 

Where did you find the information that UPenn GCB will send international student interview invitations on late Jan? I emailed the program coordination but still have not received response yet.

 

Just now, Cheese_Black_Grape_Tea said:

I think I saw it from last year's forum(?).  Also some from last cycle told me that UPenn sent out interviews separately for domestic and international students. 

That's right, if you look at the results section here on gradcafe you'll see internationals get the call on late january  

[amepas]

20 hours ago, teycorn said:

If you don't mind me asking, when is the scheduled interview? 

Thank you.

They said the interviews will either be February 28th or March 1st. Seems a bit strange to be doing it so late given that a lot of schools would have sent out acceptances by then haha

[meshy]

On 1/19/2022 at 10:36 AM, chr_angel said:

A little update of this: 

UPenn: GCB [I read international students interview invitations are send on late January]

Columbia: IPCMBS [Interview mail received on 12/21]

UCSD: BSB [Talked with students, told me internationals are invited on late January]

UCSC: BMEB [Interview mail received on 12/15]

UCLA: Bioinformatics [waitlisted on 01/10]

UCSF: Biomedical Informatics [Rejected on 12/15]

UChicago: GGSB [Historically starts with invitations on late February]

 

I'm an international and I got an interview invite from UCSD back in December. UCSD's interview day is tomorrow 1/21, so I think it's unlikely that they are going to send out any more invites.

[dec]

6 hours ago, meshy said:

I'm an international and I got an interview invite from UCSD back in December. UCSD's interview day is tomorrow 1/21, so I think it's unlikely that they are going to send out any more invites.

Yea UCSD BISB interview is Jan 21. I heard they only have enough funding to support 2 internationals this year (not super sure about this but that's what I heard).