gradcafegirl Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 What are your stats? General GREs in the 600s, cumulGPA=3.3, MajorGPA=3.8, 1st author abstract, 1 year research. My stats aren't that impressive, but I believe it was my LoRs and SoP that stood out. Also, I was very enthusiastic in interviews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overman Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 oh well, great to see this topic for biology phd. here s my profile =) International student Cancer biology and virology with study in industry, UOB (UK) Predicted degree classification: 2:1 1 publication Too many rejections so i m not going to list here. Now hv accepted the offer from UCL doing developmental biology, hv declined the offer from cardiff (neuroscience) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clx Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Great to bump into this thread... MCB Student@UC Berkeley Status: International Student GPA 3.86, GRE Verbal: 530 (67%!) Quantitative: 800(94%) AW: 5.0 2.5 years of research, no pub, 1 conference On merit fellowship Applied: U. Chicago Mol BioSci, Harvard, UNC BBSP, Berkeley MCB, UCSF Tetrad, UCLA Access, MIT Bio, Caltech Bio, Cambridge, Stanford, Toronto Reject: Harvard, Stanford, Cambridge Interview: Chicago, UNC, Berkeley, UCSF, UCLA, MIT, Caltech Reject after Interview: Berkeley(!) Acceptance: Chicago, UNC, UCSF In the wait: UCLA, Caltech, MIT Completely MIA: Toronto I'm actually eager to know how many people have received acceptance/rejection from MIT Bio yet. Any info? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wakuwaku Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 Hiya, I've been lurking on these forums for a while now, and figured it was time to contribute. Here are my stats: Born and raised in California, but currently an undergrad at the University of Chicago, pursuing BA in Biological Sciences with specialization in neuroscience -2.5 years research experience in neurobio lab; working on honors thesis project -3.8 GPA; GRE: 790 Verbal, 800 Quant, 4.0 Writing (yeah, idk) Applied: UCSD, Neurosciences UCSF, Neuroscience UChicago, Neurobiology Caltech, Biology NIH-Cambridge-Oxford, Biomedical Sciences Accepted: UCSF, UChicago, Caltech, NIH Rejected: UCSD Neuro (but I got an interview with their Bio program and am still waiting on a decision) I also might choose to defer so I can go to Japan next year to do research at one of the RIKEN Institutes, but I don't find out about that until May. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morrius Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Graduated in 2003 from WPI, BSc in Biology, 2.6 GPA. (Don't ask.) GRE Verbal 670, Quantitative 770, Writing 5.5 1.5 years working at Harvard Medical School, 3 years at Mass General Hospital with 2 publications in prep Applied to Tufts (Interviewed and rejected) UMass Medical (Rejected) Brandeis (Interviewed and rejected) Georgetown (Interviewed) SUNY (No word) BC (Accepted) I've already signed on the dotted line to attend BC, and I have to admit, it's a little intimidating. Are there any other BC students out there? The interview session was good, but I have a nagging feeling that I'm missing a piece of the puzzle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepingkitty Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Alright, I am now on hold with USC PIBBS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndufour Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Hey there Morrius, I'm at WPI right now--first time ever encountering another WPI student (former or otherwise) on these forums. Just like to add to anyone still waiting on UCSD, I called there admissions office (again) and was told that my application (which I submitted within the deadline) is STILL under review...it's been four months, and I'm going stir-crazy. Arrrrg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morrius Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 You have my condolences, ndufour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepingkitty Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 still on hold... wanting to cry... has any body heard from usc pibbs??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astaroth Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 I'm not sure what's worse.. waiting for an initial reply, or waiting for an admissions decision after interview. I can't focus on work at all, I should be writing my project report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morrius Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Good luck, Astaroth. Brandeis is crazy competitive. Three years in a row I applied, got interviewed, and was rejected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astaroth Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 I haven't actually heard back from Brandeis at all, it's UVM I'm waiting to hear from. But thanks anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepingkitty Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Here is the beautiful part about UCSD, there biology programs are joint at SDSU which is where I did my undergrad.. kicking my self about not applying there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astaroth Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 I actually had a brief chat with Sandy Bernstein, who organizes the SDSU/UCSD joint PhD program. He was commenting on how incredibly competitive his program is, let alone the UCSD program itself. He's a very pleasant man and was very kind to speak to me about applications! My supervisor is a close collaborator of his. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepingkitty Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 You are right, UCSD/SDSU is competative!!! However, I did research for faculty involved in the program and would have been a good applicant for that program. Numerous faculty would have vouched for my spot, they saw my intelligence and knew me. The one thing I need to do is get a better verbal GRE score for the next round of admissions. Because my score won't cut it. BTW, how do you all get good verbals? Still crossing my fingers that USC will have a spot for me! If not I figure out my next step towards PhD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astaroth Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 It's all about flash cards! You can learn hundreds of words using flashcards in the space of a couple of weeks. Make sure you are well-trained as to how the test is structured and what the rules of each type of question are, and you should do fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ymmit Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Applied: Harvard, Caltech, Stanford, Michigan PIBS, UCLA ACCESS Interviewed and Accepted: Caltech, Michigan, UCLA Attending: Caltech Biology! wakuwaku- I might have met you at Caltech- where are you thinking about going? Anyone else going to Caltech Biology please let me know- I'd love to make some new friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wakuwaku Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Hi ymmit, I was at the Jan 29-30 interview weekend at Caltech. Congrats on your decision! There's some great science going on there, but I'm from NorCal and I couldn't bear to betray my homeland. I'll be starting at UCSF Neuro in fall 2010 (deferring one year because I got a Fulbright grant to do research in Japan). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndufour Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 You got a fulbright? congrats! congrats to both of you interviewing/getting into/attending caltech! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clx Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Admitted to Caltech! (Less than an hour ago) Where are you from ymmit? I'm from UCB up here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ymmit Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 thanks, ndufour. wakuwaku- congrats on your Fulbright and your decision! clx, great to meet you! I am a senior at MIT (Cambridge, MA) right now. Very excited about moving to So-cal. Have you decided on Caltech too? Are you in the Biology program, or BMB? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamm111484 Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Hi ymmit, I was at the Jan 29-30 interview weekend at Caltech. Congrats on your decision! There's some great science going on there, but I'm from NorCal and I couldn't bear to betray my homeland. I'll be starting at UCSF Neuro in fall 2010 (deferring one year because I got a Fulbright grant to do research in Japan). Congrats on the Fulbright. I was a Fulbrighter in 07-08 doing research in Panama. It's such a great program/experience! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clx Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 ymmit - I'm almost sure on going to Caltech (Biology) - but I need to let the euphoria rush settle down a bit, and then make a decision when I'm thinking with a clear head. It's kind of overwhelming for me, I can still feel some of my muscles twitch from the notification i got not too long ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ymmit Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 Oh wow, you really JUST got accepted, huh? Congrats! I wasn't sure if you were Biology or BMB because the folks that went to my weekend (Feb 13?) all heard back in mid-March. They really made you wait... :? Let's get in touch once you make your decision! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clx Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 ymmit: So you're with the crowd... I visited all by my own in March, lonely and there's only interviews (very nice people btw), a good lunch and reimbursement forms. Something technical on my lab's part messed up the application materials so that they have to schedule a separate interview, not to mention that my international status prevented them from making an early decision. Now that I'm thinking rationally again, what did you feel at your crowd interview? Do the people seem active and satisfied? Any rumors on the funding issue and layoffs? =) I think the probability of me going to Caltech is still over 95%, but extra input will be nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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