2022 Chemistry Admissions Cycle Thread

[VashtaNerada]

I have decided I have been anxiously awaiting someone else creating a thread for too long! Let the lurking be no more!

[VashtaNerada]

Here are my stats (applying to PhD for Fa22):

Undergrad Institution: Liberal arts, 4 yr
Major(s): Chemistry
Minor(s): Mathematics
GPA in Major: 4.0
Overall GPA: 3.9
Position in Class: N/A
Type of Student: Domestic

GRE Score: N/A (did not take)

Research Experience: 2.5 yrs, one summer in REU-type program, one summer in a pharma industry internship

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Several uni departmental awards, scholarships, dean's list, etc.

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Tutor for 2.5 yrs, TA for 3 yrs

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: N/A

Special Bonus Points: 1 paper published, 2 presentations

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

Applying to Where:

Caltech

Michigan

Michigan State

Virginia Tech

Minnesota

Cornell

Iowa State

[banana12]

Good luck to everyone who will be submitting soon.  I applied to Boston University, MIT, Columbia, Harvard, Northwestern, University of Virginia, and UW-Seatle.

Edited November 30, 2021 by banana12

[emilyjoy19]

 

Here are mine! Also applying for Fall 2022 admission.

Graduate Institution: Case Western Reserve University

Degree: Master of Science in Biochemistry (expected May 2022)

GPA: 3.8

Type of Student: Domestic

Undergrad Institution: Small liberal arts college, 4 years
Major(s): Biochemistry (although I also took all the classes for the chemistry major)
Minor(s): Neuroscience and Biology
Overall GPA: 3.6
Position in Class: N/A
Type of Student: Domestic

GRE Score: Verbal 157, Quantitative 158, Writing 4.0

Research Experience: 2 years of part-time independent research in undergrad, one semester (so far) in a research lab in grad school
Awards/Honors/Recognitions: 4 year scholarship in undergrad, departmental award, dean's list, graduated with latin honors
Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Lab assistant for 3 semesters
Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Extensive exposure to primary literature in undergrad, multiple (unpublished) literature reviews, article critiques, research proposals, and formal lab reports, (not submitted) NIH-style grant proposal, gave 2 seminars, and journal club experience

Special Bonus Points: N/A

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

Applying to Where: Case Western Reserve University (Biomedical Scientist Training Program, Chemistry, Molecular Medicine), University of Michigan Ann Arbor (Program in Biomedical Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry, Chemical Biology), University of Toledo (Medicinal Chemistry), Ohio State University (Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences), Kent State University (Biomedical Sciences), and University of Pittsburgh (Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program)

[Scramblase]

Hi everyone! I finished my Dec 1st applications, and I'm already checking my email every hour haha.

Undergrad Institution: Liberal arts, 4 yr
Major(s): B.S. Chemistry, B.S. Biology
Minor(s): N/A
GPA in Major: 3.9 (both)
Overall GPA: 3.9
Position in Class: N/A
Type of Student: Domestic

GRE Score: Verbal 164, Quantitative 161, Writing 5.0

(although I only sent it to Duke and UCLA since the rest didn't consider scores)

Research Experience: 4 semesters, two summer research programs, and currently doing an undergraduate thesis

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Scholarships, Honors College, and Dean's List

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Four TA jobs

Applying to Where:

I applied to UT Austin, Caltech, UCLA, UTSW, UIUC, Northwestern, and Duke so far. I'll be applying to UC Riverside, Upitt, and one or two others with later application dates too to get a few more reasonable schools. I applied to organic or chemical biology departments depending upon the professors.

 

I hope everyone got their submissions in on time! I'm excited to see everyone go through the rest of the process while we wait.

[MindyMermaid]

On 12/1/2021 at 6:47 PM, emilyjoy19 said:

I did a BS and MS in Biochemistry at Kent State! Glad to see someone interested, I absolutely loved my time there and highly recommend it. 

 

Here are mine! Also applying for Fall 2022 admission.

Graduate Institution: Case Western Reserve University

Degree: Master of Science in Biochemistry (expected May 2022)

GPA: 3.8

Type of Student: Domestic

Undergrad Institution: Small liberal arts college, 4 years
Major(s): Biochemistry (although I also took all the classes for the chemistry major)
Minor(s): Neuroscience and Biology
Overall GPA: 3.6
Position in Class: N/A
Type of Student: Domestic

GRE Score: Verbal 157, Quantitative 158, Writing 4.0

Research Experience: 2 years of part-time independent research in undergrad, one semester (so far) in a research lab in grad school
Awards/Honors/Recognitions: 4 year scholarship in undergrad, departmental award, dean's list, graduated with latin honors
Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Lab assistant for 3 semesters
Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Extensive exposure to primary literature in undergrad, multiple (unpublished) literature reviews, article critiques, research proposals, and formal lab reports, (not submitted) NIH-style grant proposal, gave 2 seminars, and journal club experience

Special Bonus Points: N/A

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

Applying to Where: Case Western Reserve University (Biomedical Scientist Training Program, Chemistry, Molecular Medicine), University of Michigan Ann Arbor (Program in Biomedical Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry, Chemical Biology), University of Toledo (Medicinal Chemistry), Ohio State University (Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences), Kent State University (Biomedical Sciences), and University of Pittsburgh (Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program)

 

[littleberber]

Do you all think this year's admission cycle is more competitive or less competitive compare to last year? 

Also just wondering, if you email professors from the graduate school before hand and they said they strongly encourage you to apply and they will keep an eye out for your application, does that mean you have a good chance of getting in?

Sorry, just submitted my application and got too nervous so I was rambling lol

[chemgrad2022]

Accepted to USC and UT Austin!! 

[VashtaNerada]

15 hours ago, cjg2000 said:

Accepted to USC and UT Austin!! 

Omg congrats! Haha, still waiting anxiously. I chose a lot of later-decision schools, judging by past years.

[Scramblase]

On 12/6/2021 at 3:58 PM, cjg2000 said:

Accepted to USC and UT Austin!! 

I also got accepted to UT Austin this morning! It's such a relief knowing I'll be somewhere next year even if I don't get any more acceptances.

[benzyne]

Here are mine! Also applying for Fall 2022 admission.

 

Undergrad Institution: Mid-sized state school, 4 years
Major(s): Chemistry, Mathematics
Minor(s): Physics
Overall GPA: 3.9
Type of Student: Domestic

GRE Score: Verbal 167, Quantitative 167, Writing 5.0

Research Experience: A little over one year of part-time independent research in undergrad. Undergraduate thesis in progress.
Awards/Honors/Recognitions: 4 year scholarship in undergrad, National Merit Scholar, Dean's List, research grant recipient from my college.
Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Teaching assistant for 5 semesters.

Applying to: Harvard, Yale, UMass-Amherst, Boston College, and my current undergraduate school.

[VashtaNerada]

So, to update, I've now gotten into two schools, and based on past years, looks like more will be out today. I'm so excited to actually have options, even if the ones I got into were my safeties!

[UnstableRadical]

On 12/10/2021 at 9:18 AM, VashtaNerada said:

So, to update, I've now gotten into two schools, and based on past years, looks like more will be out today. I'm so excited to actually have options, even if the ones I got into were my safeties!

Could you share which two you heard from? 

[VashtaNerada]

47 minutes ago, UnstableRadical said:

Could you share which two you heard from? 

University of Georgia and Iowa State

[UnstableRadical]

3 hours ago, VashtaNerada said:

University of Georgia and Iowa State

Congrats!

[cowboyeet]

Hello here are my stats (applying to PhD for Fa22):

Undergrad Institution: small liberal arts, 4 yr
Major(s): Biology (Molecular Bio and Biochem focus)
Minor(s): Chemistry
GPA in Major: 3.9
Overall GPA: 3.9
Position in Class: N/A
Type of Student: Domestic

GRE Score: N/A (did not take)

Research Experience: 3 yrs, one summer in REU-type program, one summer working as a research assistant at my home university 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: 3 institutional grants, 4 year merit scholarship, Dean's list, Barry Goldwater Scholar, institutional academic award 

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Research assistant in university lab, undergraduate research fellow for my university's office of undergraduate research, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, student leadership advisory council for my university's school of science and technology

Special Bonus Points: honors college, 2 papers in preparation to be published, presentations at 3 national, 1 regional, and 4 local conferences 

Applying to Where (applying to chemical biology, chemistry, and biology programs):

U Michigan (chemical biology)

Georgia Tech (biology and chemistry/biochemistry)

Emory (chemistry)

UW-Madison (chemistry, biochemistry, cell and molecular biology)

UC Berkeley (chemistry)

Scripps (chemical and biological sciences)

U Washington (chemical biology)

UNC (chemistry and BBSP)

UC Irvine (chemistry)

Duke (chemistry) 

 

Since I am a little late to the party I have already heard back from Michigan and UW-Madison biochemistry and have been invited to interview from both!

 

[chemicalbiology]

Undergrad Institution: HYPSM
Major(s): Molecular Bio
Minor(s): 
GPA in Major: 3.9
Overall GPA: 3.9
Position in Class:
Type of Student: Domestic

GRE Score: N/A

Research Experience: 3 years in HS, 3 years in college, summer at startup with FDA-approved tech

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Multiple university awards, senior thesis award, $1mln grant for lab, project lead

Pertinent Activities/Jobs: ^^

Special Bonus Points: 3 published papers as coauthor, 2 manuscripts, 4 international conference posters, project lead in pre-eminent lab in chembio, FGLI

LORs: 2 PIs (one expected to win Nobel), 2 professors

Applying Where: 

Berkeley (MCB and Chem Bio Program)

MIT (Bioengineering)

Stanford (Chemical and Systems Bio)

UCSF (Chemistry and Chemical Biology)

Harvard (Chemical Bio)

Princeton (Molecular Bio)

Oxford (Chemical Bio)

 

Got an interview at UCSF last week! 

[FeMOCO]

How bad is it if I turned in my SOP with the name of a professor from a different university...I left it in there by accident but its only one sentence. I wrote different paragraphs about each university on why Im interested in their program, but for my last one I accidentally left that one sentence in with the profs name. Does anyone think that's enough to get rejected?

Edited December 15, 2021 by FeMOCO

[VashtaNerada]

10 hours ago, FeMOCO said:

How bad is it if I turned in my SOP with the name of a professor from a different university...I left it in there by accident but its only one sentence. I wrote different paragraphs about each university on why Im interested in their program, but for my last one I accidentally left that one sentence in with the profs name. Does anyone think that's enough to get rejected?

I think it's generally understood that that's usually not going to go over well. Can't say for sure but yeah.

[nina37]

Hi all! 

Here are my stats (applying to CHM PhD for Fall 2022):

Undergrad Institution: Liberal arts, 4 yr
Major(s): Biochemistry
Minor(s): Environmental Studies
GPA in Major: 3.8
Overall GPA: 3.8

GRE Score: N/A 

Research Experience: one summer of full time research, continued that research with full year part time independent study for honors thesis in chemistry (my main concern is lack of research experience .. my research for summer 2020 was wrecked by COVID)

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: NOAA Hollings Scholar, dean's list

LORs: 2 professors (thesis advisor and academic advisor), and research PI from the summer

Teaching experience: Chemistry tutor for 3 years

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: various leadership positions on campus

Special Bonus Points: 2 presentations 


Applying to Where:

U Michigan, UC Irvine, Tufts, UC Boulder, UC Berkeley, UNC, UC San Diego 

I mainly applied to atmospheric chemistry labs.. I haven't heard anything yet

 

[chem3097]

Anyone have any idea what the 10 minute Stanford interviews could be? Seems like 10 minutes is quite short for an interview...

[Saisei]

34 minutes ago, chem3097 said:

Anyone have any idea what the 10 minute Stanford interviews could be? Seems like 10 minutes is quite short for an interview...

Maybe if they have something they don't understand on your application they'll ask you. Or an elevator pitch about your research, or the classic Why Stanford? Or a quiz on the profs you wrote down. Or random quick maths question. How many carbons are in a benzene? What makes you stand out from other applicants? Tell us a original research proposal on the spot. Where will your area of chemistry be in 25 years? Will you be employed after finishing here and if so, where? Or are you secretly here for a $120 masters degree?

Or maybe you'll log in and they'll read out every typo from your application and then laugh at you for wasting $120 for the remaining minute.

I'm memeing. Why did they have to send that email and scare me like this. Oh well I'm fully ready to be rejected from Stanford anyways lolol

[Saisei]

21 hours ago, FeMOCO said:

How bad is it if I turned in my SOP with the name of a professor from a different university...I left it in there by accident but its only one sentence. I wrote different paragraphs about each university on why Im interested in their program, but for my last one I accidentally left that one sentence in with the profs name. Does anyone think that's enough to get rejected?

No single typo will get you rejected, unless the typo is writing "lmao I actually don't want to go here at all." at the end. Worry less! I've reached the point of having a job lined up for when I don't get in anywhere.

[Collegesenior]

Got verbal acceptance from ucla  via telephone 

[MomoNasty]

59 minutes ago, Collegesenior said:

Got verbal acceptance from ucla  via telephone 

What subfield of chemistry are you in?