Fall 2011 Chemistry

[chemistry]

The Harvard Chemistry graduate coordinator said she mailed acceptances on Wednesday the 26th, and that rejections would be sent out next week from GSAS.

[ep311]

The Harvard Chemistry graduate coordinator said she mailed acceptances on Wednesday the 26th, and that rejections would be sent out next week from GSAS.

Do you know if Harvard only notifies by postal mail?

Accepted into Columbia on the 26th by email (materials). It doesn't seem like there are many materials applicants here, but maybe one or two of you out there are.

[chemistry]

Do you know if Harvard only notifies by postal mail?

Accepted into Columbia on the 26th by email (materials). It doesn't seem like there are many materials applicants here, but maybe one or two of you out there are.

Yeah, she said she couldn't tell over the phone and that they notify only by postal mail.

[SyntheticOrganiker]

Got the Columbia Email and the Harvard snailmail.....now what's Yale up to?

[tso123d]

Accepted into Columbia on the 26th by email (materials). It doesn't seem like there are many materials applicants here, but maybe one or two of you out there are.

Hy ep, nice to meet you, I'm I also in materials. You're right, unfortunately (and strangely) there's not a lot of us around, at least on this forum.

[chemistry]

When did your letter come in the mail?

Got the Columbia Email and the Harvard snailmail.....now what's Yale up to?

[lbru66]

FYI, I received a letter from Harvard in yesterday's mail.

[cog_3]

When did your letter come in the mail?

Can't speak for SyntheticOrganiker, but I got my letter from Harvard via international FedEx on Thursday.

[BCchemie]

Hey all, I'm getting a bit worried since I haven't heard back from many schools at all. My profile consists of a 3.83GPA, 3 years of lab research (with two summer REUs), 760ChemGRE, 440V, 720Q, 4.5A. I also hold leadership roles in the chem department teaching and leading workshops/programs. Btw, I am at the Univ of Miami.

I've applied to:

UT Austin

GA Tech

Scripps

Columbia U

Yale U

Stanford U

MIT

UNC

Any input? I thought my profile was competitive, but I'm not hearing back from anywhere.

First, let me point out that you do have a competitive profile; however, as has been said many times on this forum, Letters of Recommendation are often a very substantial portion of the application. How do you think your letters of rec were? Were they from research advisors who could truly comment on your ability to do graduate level research? Were they from professors who have had you in high level chemistry courses? These are important factors that may sway an admissions committee's mind in selecting you for a Ph.D. program.

How much did your Statement of Purpose stress the leadership positions and teaching positions you have attained? Focusing on this would be a very strong part of your application.

Also, do you have any publications throughout your research? Many individuals on this forum do, but a good number (myself included) do not. Having one may be helpful to your application.

Other points that are of note - your 720 on the Quantitative section of the GRE is somewhat low for an individual trying to apply for a science based degree at the schools you are talking about. 720 is below the 80th percentile, yet you are applying to many of the top 10 programs in the country (Stanford, MIT, Scripps) and many of the next 10 to 15 or so. This is something to keep in mind when you start hearing back from schools. With a 3.83, 720Q, 440V, 760Chem, your stats are somewhat below (on a pure numbers basis) many of the people on this forum who have received acceptance letters to the schools you are talking about. This is not to discourage you, just an assessment of what can be attained from reading this board. Perhaps applying to some middle tier programs would be a good next move (even though many deadlines have passed, speaking to the graduate coordinator at other schools you may be interested in could prove fruitful).

In the meantime, my advice would be to contact the programs you are waiting to hear from and ask them if they have received all of your application materials. Normally, they would have e-mailed you if there were an issue, but it doesn't hurt to follow up! If, in the next couple of weeks, you have not heard back successfully, I would strongly consider searching for an internship (or full time position) in the industry you wish to pursue after your Ph.D. This will then allow you to make new contacts who can comment on your potential to do research, confirm your own reasoning for pursuing a Ph.D., and likely strengthen your application for next year!

Good luck! Hopefully you will hear back soon!

[tso123d]

I heard back from Harvard today. I'm pretty excited, now my application season is officially over...

[chemistry]

I heard back from Harvard today. I'm pretty excited, now my application season is officially over...

Same here, good season! 6/6.

[iwanttowinanobelaureate]

you guys are lucky- I have not heard from nearly 80% of my schools.

Should I assume rejection too?

I am applying for biological chemistry/biophysical chemistry.

Seems not many in that field, only organic or inorganic chemistry. I thought biological chemistry was going to be big, maybe they take mostly inorganic/organic/physical people and make them work on bio stuff?

So depressed right now after all the hard work I put into college.

is anyone here doing Bio-Chemistry apart from Vanderboy?

[AbnormallyLarge]

@BCchemie

I was accepted at Ohio State with stats not as good as yours. I applied under physical chemistry and there is one person I know for sure is very good and I would work for. I know nothing about the program or it's reputation overall. I applied a week late and was accepted in less than a week.

3.6 GPA

3.8 Chemistry GPA

470V

780Q

4.0AW

750 CHEM GRE

A summer of research experience and 3 normal letters. 2 were DWIC and 1 was a research advisor.

[organicnerd]

Pitiful, the US considers GRE as a measure of competitiveness. I wait to see the day US chemistry glory downhill.

Making admission offers to the likes of you who are into organic chemistry, but barely knowing what CBS reagent is. I think Corey himself will feel hopeless that his most powerful reducing reagent, one that can distinguish between two aromatic rings on the two sides of a ketone based on electronic property, is known by barely anyone, and yet top schools gave the likes of you offers.

[SyntheticOrganiker]

@ organicnerd

Please go be bitter/ a troll someplace else. Do not try to diminish the accomplishment of the people on this forum, we have all worked our butts off for this. The US's policy towards international students may not be fair, but that's certainly no one's fault on this forum.

[UnlikelyGrad]

you guys are lucky- I have not heard from nearly 80% of my schools.

Should I assume rejection too?

I didn't get my first acceptance until 2/1 (this was 2 years ago), and my last (UIUC) came in around March 15. Hang in there.

[luce373]

you guys are lucky- I have not heard from nearly 80% of my schools.

Should I assume rejection too?

I've already gotten one rejection and a friend doing chemical biology/biochemistry has gotten a rejection or two as well. If you were definitively in the reject pile, you would have heard that by now. Until you hear otherwise, you're still in the running. Most schools make their decisions on a rolling basis so it is either taking them a while to get to your app or you will be admitted as others turn offers down. Hope is not yet lost.

[physicalid]

Hey Guys, need your advice on this.I am an international student applying to Georgia Tech. On my application I indicated I am currently enrolled in a Masters programme in my country ahich's due for completion in July. To my chagrin, the coordinator keep sending me mails that my application has been labelled as incomplete due to my inability to provide the masters transcript even though my undergrad transcript was submitted.Here in my country,transcripts are not issued until a programme is complete.Pls I need ur suggestion on this.I'm so worried now.

[tso123d]

Hey Guys, need your advice on this.I am an international student applying to Georgia Tech. On my application I indicated I am currently enrolled in a Masters programme in my country ahich's due for completion in July. To my chagrin, the coordinator keep sending me mails that my application has been labelled as incomplete due to my inability to provide the masters transcript even though my undergrad transcript was submitted.Here in my country,transcripts are not issued until a programme is complete.Pls I need ur suggestion on this.I'm so worried now.

I've heard others mentioned similar problems, and I'm sure that graduate coordinators and admissions committees have seen numerous such cases. My suggestion would be to contact the coordinator and explain the situation and to perhaps attach to your application an unofficial list of grades for those courses which you have completed.

[luce373]

Hey Guys, need your advice on this.I am an international student applying to Georgia Tech. On my application I indicated I am currently enrolled in a Masters programme in my country ahich's due for completion in July. To my chagrin, the coordinator keep sending me mails that my application has been labelled as incomplete due to my inability to provide the masters transcript even though my undergrad transcript was submitted.Here in my country,transcripts are not issued until a programme is complete.Pls I need ur suggestion on this.I'm so worried now.

Have you tried asking your masters program if they will make an exception? Otherwise I would just e-mail Georgia Tech back and explain the situation. I'm sure they will try to work with you.

[physicalid]

I've heard others mentioned similar problems, and I'm sure that graduate coordinators and admissions committees have seen numerous such cases. My suggestion would be to contact the coordinator and explain the situation and to perhaps attach to your application an unofficial list of grades for those courses which you have completed.

Thanks alot tso 123d,i just sent out a mail to her with self report of my first semester results.Hope the story'l change after this.

[michaelangelo]

Anyone hear from Yale yet?

[michaelangelo]

Bah! I'm waitlisted at Harvard for chemical physics? What do I do in this situation? Its my top choice school. Do I have hope?

[D Backspace]

you guys are lucky- I have not heard from nearly 80% of my schools.

Should I assume rejection too?

I am applying for biological chemistry/biophysical chemistry.

Seems not many in that field, only organic or inorganic chemistry. I thought biological chemistry was going to be big, maybe they take mostly inorganic/organic/physical people and make them work on bio stuff?

So depressed right now after all the hard work I put into college.

is anyone here doing Bio-Chemistry apart from Vanderboy?

I'm doing chemical biology too, got like 2 offers n a interview, still waiting for columbia n UIUC.

I WISH U BEST OF LUCK!

[SyntheticOrganiker]

@ michaelangelo

Not to sound trite, but you wait. Take your second choice acceptance and wait until the April 15th deadline (but certainly submit if you haven't heard back yet). Hopefully, if you applied, the NSF GRFP will be out by then and if you get one you can contact Harvard and see if they will then accept you.

I don't know how many people turn down Harvard, so can't say what chance there is you will get in. Just get excited about the other top programs you've gotten accepted to and hope.