Need advice ASAP!

[Neuro1234]

Hi All :-) I have a few interviews coming up with various Neuroscience programs, and when I applied to these programs I mentioned in my personal statement that I would be with a particular Neuroscience research group for the most part of 2012 (I began working with that group around August 2011). However, I am graduating in June and because of this I had to undergo what is called at my school a "degree audit" with an academic adviser to ensure that I had all of the requirements necessary to graduate. I discovered I was short one lab course, and to include this lab in my schedule I had to re-arrange the times of my other courses which in turn limited my availability to be able to work with the Neuroscience group that I had stated I would be working with for the most part of 2012. My schedule issue combined with the travel time necessary to get to the lab (it is about 45 minutes from my school), cut down my availability even more. Because of this, the group and I had a meeting and we all decided that my schedule wouldn't allow me to fully benefit from being in the group and so I left on good terms about a week ago.

Because I didn't want to spend the next few months not involved in research, especially since I said in my personal statement that I would be researching until the end of summer 2012, I sought out another lab that was right on my University campus and that had a schedule that worked with my class schedule (as I mentioned, the other lab that I was originally working with was a 45 minute drive from school, so by the time I got out of class and after driving the 45 minutes to get there, I would only have had about an hour available to work before I had to start the trip back to my school to get to my next class).

My question is: how do I present this change at my interviews? Should I explain this to each professor that I interview with, or should I just go directly to the admissions committee and explain to them what happened and then hand them a new version of my CV which includes the end date with the original lab and the start date with the new lab? I want to be as honest as possible and I want to present this change in the right way as to not jeopardize my admission into the Neuroscience programs that I applied to. Any help/advice is appreciated!!!

[arrowtotheknee]

I would attempt to submit an updated CV to the admissions committees and only address the issue in interviews if it comes up (ie, if they ask you about your research plans for 2012, what group you're working with, etc). It's good to be forthcoming, but you don't want to over-complicate things for your interviewer. You're still getting research experience, which is wonderful and likely what they care about most. Is there something about working with this new lab that you think would change how adcoms view your application? Are the skills you are practicing completely different from the skills you were using at the first lab?

[Neuro1234]

I would attempt to submit an updated CV to the admissions committees and only address the issue in interviews if it comes up (ie, if they ask you about your research plans for 2012, what group you're working with, etc). It's good to be forthcoming, but you don't want to over-complicate things for your interviewer. You're still getting research experience, which is wonderful and likely what they care about most. Is there something about working with this new lab that you think would change how adcoms view your application? Are the skills you are practicing completely different from the skills you were using at the first lab?

Thank you, arrowtotheknee! I am not concerned about the differences between the labs as they are both Neuroscience related and use similar techniques (I am, however, picking up some new techniques in the new lab which I am happy about ). What I am most worried about is just finding that balance between honesty and not over complicating everything. Do you think I should directly email the admissions committee or do you think that it is better when I arrive for my interviews to speak with them in person?

Edited January 16, 2012 by Neuro1234

[DBP]

I think you should email admission committee contact casually, perhaps something along the lines of: "sending in an updated CV and thanks again for interview invite".

Also, if it does come up in-person avoid giving the full explanation about why you changed labs (i.e. you didn't know you were a credit behind, it's too far away, etc, etc) - it is justifiable to say that it conflicted with your course schedule and you found a different position. This suggestion is not about dishonesty, it's about clarity

Best of luck!

[Neuro1234]

I think you should email admission committee contact casually, perhaps something along the lines of: "sending in an updated CV and thanks again for interview invite".

Also, if it does come up in-person avoid giving the full explanation about why you changed labs (i.e. you didn't know you were a credit behind, it's too far away, etc, etc) - it is justifiable to say that it conflicted with your course schedule and you found a different position. This suggestion is not about dishonesty, it's about clarity

Best of luck!

Thank you, DBP! Your advice makes sense and is appreciated.