Attempting to NOT be a "Rate Me" Thread

[Groove]

Hey guys!

I posted here earlier and I've been trolling the forum trying to find what is applicable to me. I am a rising senior undergraduate looking to attend a grad school in the fall of 2012.

I've been looking at different graduate schools and I just cannot seem to knock any off of an extensive list! I literally just took the GRE today, so I figured it's high time for me to post and see if I can get some mentoring from you guys.

I'm a student interested in a degree in Synthetic organic. End game, I want to be a researcher for a private lab, and hopefully work in management of some kind. So, at this time, I'm thinking an MBA coupled with a PhD.

GPA: 3.85

GRE: 700 Quant, 550 Verbal

7 Months with Pharma, 5 Months with Food Science, 1 REU Summer, 1 Environmental Science/Botany Internship.

I think I can secure 3 solid recs.

So. Here is my gigantic list.

UNC

Tulane

GA Tech

WVU

U of Utah

WashU

GA Tech

U of Kentucky

Johns Hopkins

Duke

U of Texas, Austin

UGA

Va Tech

So, I don't think I'm reaching too, too high or too low-- but this is just too many schools. Are there any out of my reach, or heaven forbid, any that would be in cool cities that may give good funding??

[Eigen]

Woohoo! Tulane! Whee!

Sorry. It's not often I see people apply here in Chemistry- as an aside, I'd be glad to answer any questions you might have about the department via PMs.

At this point, I'd really start narrowing down the list by more specific interests- what research do you want to do, and who is doing it?

[Groove]

Well, to be totally honest, I'm looking at schools in a tandem of where I'd want to live vs. program. I'm focused on schools that specialize in Natural products as well as schools in cool cities with research I'd be okay with.

Hence, Tulane. NoLa Rocks!!

[Eigen]

Yes, yes it does. For the most part.

Sadly, we have *no* natural products synthesis groups currently. We have a nice slice of drug design/medicinal chemistry groups, and one very interesting "unnatural synthesis" group, but no natural products work.