My chances are getting into a good program?

[PathMicro]

I go to a small state school, and I'm getting a B.S. in Biology: Microbiology, Cellular and Molecular Biology, and Biotechnology, with a Chemistry minor.

My GPA will be around 3.83 when I graduate. This is really low due to my first semester (3.0 first semester). I got an 1160 on the GRE (630Q(54th), 530V(70th), 4.5W(67th)), which I will probably take again before I apply next year. I didn't really study for it, and I blew through the math because I thought I'd run out of time, but I finished with a lot of time left, so the whole not being able to work on earlier problems screwed me a little. I took the general biology GRE and got in the 80th percentile for Cell/molec, 52nd for organismal, and 55th for ecology/evolution/population.

I've got some research experience, but not a ton. I've got a lot of microbiology lab experience, including making media and solutions. This summer I'm going to attempt to get an internship.

I'm not very active on campus in any sort of science clubs. I am, however, very active in a service fraternity that has worked with all sorts of organizations.

So, I was wondering I had a good chance at getting into a decent microbiology program? My current aspirations are to get a Ph.D. in Microbiology, with a research emphasis on pathogenic organisms.

Any answers, criticisms, or help is very much appreciated,

Thank you.

[BassAZ]

That GRE score is the only "orange flag" (it's obviously not a red flag, people do worse).

What pathogenic bugs? TB? Strep. Pneumo.? Salmonella? E.Coli? You say organisms so I'm leaving out virii. Is there a particular organ that you're interested in?

Not that you need to know the answer to these but it's just something to think about as you continue to narrow down your interests. And obviously interests sometimes change once you get into a lab and discover you don't actually want to work on a particular bug/project.

Another question that adcoms will ask is "Why a PhD?" but you'll be answering that in a personal statement - again, just food for thought, not something you have to agonize over.

[eklavya]

You say organisms so I'm leaving out virii.

there are some hardcore scientists who believe viruses are living organisms as well. my plant pathology professor was one of em. but this is limited to personal opinion, and hasn't been acknowledged by the scientific community.

to pathmicro: you might also want to start getting your hands wet in the lab, and try to get out a paper and/or a poster out, or two. as the competition among applicants continues to increase, appearances in national level seminars/conferences and presenting paper/poster, working on a manuscript that you are planning on publishing, etc can certainly boost your application. most programs also want to see that their prospective student has a lot of research experience. so try changing that 'some' research experience to 'plethora'. an internship is a nice way to start - shows you can work outside your lab with as much skill and confidence as in your lab. being active in science clubs isn't necessarily a requirement, but can be a plus. i for example, am not a part of any clubs, but i did tutor (volunteering/for free - be sure to mention this) kids in their chemistry, molecular biology, genetics classes. your potential advisor and the adcomms with certainly appreciate your teaching skills. and things like these... just keep doing your job; try your best to get as much exposure you can in your field, and you'll be fine. the idea is to set yourself aside and show that you are different than the normal bunch of applicants. and i'd definitely retake the GRE, if there's enough time and money left. try getting 700+ for quantitative.. no one really cares about the verbal in our field (lifesciences). i got something around 400 in verbal, but nailed the quantitative.

good luck with everything!

[PathMicro]

Well I'm mostly interested in pathogenic bacteria, but in all honestly I would love to do research on any pathogenic microbe. I'm also really interested in Plasmodeum, probably mostly due to a lot of my professors saying that with shifts in climate malaria will hit the U.S. sometime in the (near?) future.

Currently I'm a senior and I applied to 2 programs. I had never heard of RPI but they sent me one of those "recruitment" letter with a fee waiver and whatnot so I applied. FSU sent me the same kind of letter and and after some e-mail correspondence with somebody there, they said I stood a good chance at getting accepted, so I decided to apply. I did this all pretty hastily because I got a pretty late jump on the application process because I didn't really know what I wanted to do after I graduated. I applied to both very near to the deadlines (late Dec-early Jan) and haven't heard anything back from either. I'm not too worried about getting in this year, because of my lack of experience. I figure it would better suit me to just take a year and get research experience somewhere and increase my GRE (I'm pretty certain I could get close to an 800 if I went about it like I should have). I figure with more experience and a better GRE score my chances would be a lot better for getting into a good microbiology program.

My dream schools are either WashU (great school and I'm from near St. Louis) or Stanford, Yale, or Harvard. I don't know if I really even stand a chance at any of these schools ever, but I'd really like to go.

[PathMicro]

Well I'm mostly interested in pathogenic bacteria, but in all honestly I would love to do research on any pathogenic microbe. I'm also really interested in Plasmodium, probably mostly due to a lot of my professors saying that with shifts in climate malaria will hit the U.S. sometime in the (near?) future. I don't know much about eukaryotic microbes, though so I'd have to do some research into that.

Currently I'm a senior and I applied to 2 programs. I had never heard of RPI but they sent me one of those "recruitment" letter with a fee waiver and whatnot so I applied. FSU sent me the same kind of letter and and after some e-mail correspondence with somebody there, they said I stood a good chance at getting accepted, so I decided to apply. I did this all pretty hastily because I got a pretty late jump on the application process because I didn't really know what I wanted to do after I graduated. I applied to both very near to the deadlines (late Dec-early Jan) and haven't heard anything back from either. I'm not too worried about getting in this year, because of my lack of experience. I figure it would better suit me to just take a year and get research experience somewhere and increase my GRE (I'm pretty certain I could get close to an 800 if I went about it like I should have). I figure with more experience and a better GRE score my chances would be a lot better for getting into a good microbiology program.

My dream schools are either WashU (great school and I'm from near St. Louis) or Stanford, Yale, or Harvard. I don't know if I really even stand a chance at any of these schools ever, but I'd really like to go.

[crazyabout]

Those are some strong schools you are interested in.

However, your GPA is fine, the GRE's aren't bad. Since you said you didn't study for them, I'm sure you will the second time around, which should increase your scores.

As for research, grad schools LOVE research experience. So make sure you get that experience in.

[singlecell]

Your letters of recommendation will be really important to the application. I am fairly certain that I got interviews based on one particular letter writer's recommendation, she is a National Academy of Sciences member and is a well-known researcher in the subfield of microbiology I want to study. Her name and endorsement got my application noticed. If you like Plasmodium (or anything else), figure out who is doing respected research in the field and try to spend the time between now and the next application cycle teching or interning for them. You can earn their letter of recommendation, align your statement of purpose with that research interest and then apply to schools which are strong in microbial parisitology (or whatever). The focused approach worked really well for me.

[PathMicro]

Hey everybody, thanks for all the help and suggestions.

What schools have good micro programs? I've been trying to find specific professors from some schools that do research in pathogenic microbes, or even really in microbiology in general that I'd be interested in doing research in. US News and Rankings(I think) had Stanford ranked #1 in biology and #2 in microbiology, but I looked through their faculty research interests and very few of them were interested in microbiology, and even then none of them did research on human pathogens.

Also, do a lot of professors look for summer intern/lab techs? I would love to spend a summer as an intern or lab tech for a research lab, but I don't even know where to look to find openings.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[singlecell]

Since you are still an undergrad now, I think you could still do an REU or SPUR program. However I know that the summer programs have early deadlines, so search for those really soon. Those programs are designed for undergrads and you get to conduct research and participate in seminars and present your research. They will typically give you a good stipend plus housing.

I am tempted to say what the "good" school for micro are, but I'm afraid it would just be my opinion. The rankings are probably less important than finding a good fit with your research interests.

[PathMicro]

Well, I got accepted into one of the programs, but the chair of the department sent me an e-mail stating that there wasn't enough funding for me, but that some may open up throughout the month. I'm basically gonna take that as a wait-list, because I'm not going without funding obviously. Glad I got accepted though, tells me that next year I ought to stand a decent chance at admittance, especially if I improve my scores and experience. Still haven't heard anything from the other school.

Also I looked into the REU and SPUR programs and I think that it is too late for both of them, which is disappointing. Honestly, though, if I don't get into a program this year I would actually kind of enjoy taking a year out of school to get a job and make some money.

[PathMicro]

Also, is it common for a school to accept somebody for a Ph.D. program without an interview? I actually would have really liked to interview because I think that's a good opportunity for me to learn about their program as well, so I was disappointed.

[singlecell]

Well, I got accepted into one of the programs, but the chair of the department sent me an e-mail stating that there wasn't enough funding for me, but that some may open up throughout the month. I'm basically gonna take that as a wait-list, because I'm not going without funding obviously. Glad I got accepted though, tells me that next year I ought to stand a decent chance at admittance, especially if I improve my scores and experience. Still haven't heard anything from the other school.

Also I looked into the REU and SPUR programs and I think that it is too late for both of them, which is disappointing. Honestly, though, if I don't get into a program this year I would actually kind of enjoy taking a year out of school to get a job and make some money.

The schools I applied to for Micro held interviews.. all expenses paid sorts of things. Congrats on the acceptance, I will keep fingers crossed for you to get called off the wait list! It is a very good sign.

I think it's all right to ask where you stand in the wait list, the head of the AdCom at one of my schools said he would give you some idea of your rank on the wait list if you asked.

[GutLogic]

Also, do a lot of professors look for summer intern/lab techs? I would love to spend a summer as an intern or lab tech for a research lab, but I don't even know where to look to find openings.

If you don't see any official job openings or summer research programs, you can try identifying professors whose research you are interested in, and e-mailing them directly. A lot of professors are pretty relaxed about having undergrads come in to get some research experience. This is how I got involved in research in undergrad, and I just saw it happen in the lab I work in. An undergrad cold-contacted my PI, and was working in the lab within a week.

[PathMicro]

Well I have an update for those interested.

I got offered funding from the school that admitted me. The funding covers tuition waiver + stipend for a TA position. However, I'm having a really hard time deciding whether or not to go. From what I understand, the department at the school is pretty small, and chances are my research wouldn't be in pathogenic microbiology.

The alternative is to take a year off of school, get a job as a research/lab tech, and then apply to schools next year. My thinking is basically that I could get into schools that I would rather go to if I had more experience.

[singlecell]

Congratulations on the acceptance and funding, PathMicro. Whatever you decide, that is a feather in your cap.

Do you have to let them know by Apr 15?

[PathMicro]

I've got until the 22nd to give them a response

[singlecell]

Ah, okay. I can totally understand that you might turn down the offer, for me doing research that I am interested in is extremely important. And unfortunately, it sounds like you can't do it at this school...

[PathMicro]

I have decided to accept the offer. I figure that it is better to take a guaranteed spot in a Ph.D. program with a stipend than try to find a job that pays a little better and then attempt to get into a different program.

I also talked to my undergrad adviser, and he had actually been to the school multiple times and said it's a really great program. And I also like to travel, so moving a little more than 1,000 miles should be pretty exciting.