Please evaluate my application

[sgee]

I am/am in the process of applying to 11 graduate schools in neuroscience. I have a modest GRE/GPA (670V 730Q 5.5AW / 3.66) but started college at 15 (I am 19 now) and have had reasonable research experience. I am graduating from CSULA, where they do not have a neuroscience program. Fortunately, I was able to conduct neuroscience research through the AMGEN Scholars Program at UCLA and was hired by my PI at UCLA this summer.

I think the following make my application weak:

GRE

modest undergrad GPA from low ranked school

relative lack of neuroscience classes/research time

overlooked/did not take subject GRE in time

I think the strongest parts of my application are:

Age

AMGEN Scholars/UCLA research...Letter from UCLA PI

MARC scholar

Also, I applied to primarily top ranked schools (UCSD, UCSF, Cal, Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, WashU, Johns Hopkins, UCLA) and only one backup school (UCI). My thinking at the time was that I would be happy to get into any one of these schools but now I am deeply concerned that I might not get accepted into any, resulting in a waste of money, and more importantly, time.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am especially interested in responses from current/past applicants to neuroscience grad schools.

[t_ruth]

I think your GRE is relatively strong, especially as a combined score, so I wouldn't sweat that.

One thing, I graduated college at 19 as well, and have changed careers three times since then because I don't think I really knew what I wanted, so your age, while it impresses, might also raise an eyebrow re: dedication, kwim? Of course, you are not me, but in hindsight I realize 19 was so young...

[frankdux]

don't you still have time to apply to more schools?

apply to some above average schools that are still really good but perhaps slightly less prestigious.

how about Northwestern? or the University of Iowa?

[sgee]

Yea, I was thinking about that frankdux. I was thinking about applying to Northwestern, UCDavis, U Iowa, and USC. My main concern would be asking my letter writers to write me more letters.

[rising_star]

sgee, all they really have to do is change the to line, the inside address, and the name of the school throughout the letter. It's not that hard.

[3708]

just a small handful of cents as a fellow youngun (tho' not that young)--

from what I've heard, age is not a strength. it's a moot point. what matters is what you've done and how focused your interests are. I know it's doubtful that you actually want to do this, but I'd suggest taking a few years to do things right: take the subject test, enhance your GPA with graduate classes at local universities, and retake the GREs if you think you should. in doing this, you'll show: continued dedication to your field, academic excellence, research experience, and so on, so forth. read some solid statements of purpose from successful applicants and start to get a feel for why they're successful, and what about the candidates' experience and approach makes them appealing. the things you call your weaknesses are the exact things that admissions committees want to see your strengths in: it has nothing to do with age, but rather qualification. good luck, S