Applying for PhD in Neuroscience--Advice?

[toyingwithathought]

I am hoping to apply for neuro PhD programs for Fall '13 and am looking for advice on improving my application qualifications. Here are my stats as of right now:

3.33 overall GPA

Bachelor's in Molecular and Cellular Bio with Distinction(from major state school)

GRE scores: Verbal (164-- 96th%) and Math (160-- 84th%)

1 year research experience while in school, completed with a thesis

I am taking this coming year off and working full time in a laboratory as a research assistant-- I should have my own project and have been told that I will be treated as a graduate student, essentially.

I decided to take the year off in order to improve my research qualifications and to hone down precisely what areas of neuroscience I am most interested in. To date, I know that I am interested in auditory systems in general, as well as music perception and cognition.

My main concern is my GPA and potential letters of recommendation. My grades were all over the place throughout college, with some semesters of straight As and some semesters of nearly all Cs(no real reason for this, just varying levels of laziness!). I also only have one professor(the one that I am currently doing research with) that I know on a personal basis and would be comfortable asking for a LoR. In all my classes, I was simply too shy to approach the professors and ask questions.

Any advice on how to secure those other letters of recommendation? Or any other weaknesses in my application profile that may need to be addressed? Any help is MUCH appreciated!

[hangin brain]

My first piece of advice: ask the professor with whom you're currently working 1) what he/she thinks of your current qualifications, and 2) what he/she thinks you can do to increase your competitiveness as an applicant. He/She presumably sees tons of applications and can give you a strong sense of how to spend your year "off" in order to maximize your chances of being offered admissions.

Another thing: there's maybe not much you can do with your GPA, but you can definitely boost your GRE scores. 96%/84% is very good, but, potentially, you could score a 99%/99%. It's no mystery that the closer to perfect your GRE score is, the better your chances are.

LoRs: Audit a class, volunteer in another lab.

Then: Try to publish a paper. Let your current PI know that you'd like to try to make that happen. He/She would likely be thrilled to have someone else to do some heavy lifting and may even provide a lot of the support that you'll need in order to get it done (e.g., give you a reading list, give reliable critical feedback, etc.). If you can publish a paper, it makes the 3.33 kind of fade to the background a little bit more. Also, present at some conferences. Society for Neuroscience is a good one.

Finally: Only apply to schools where you think you are a good fit. I think "fit" means that the program's requirements work for your style (e.g., if you don't like to be in classes, don't apply to a school with a lot of required classes), and there is at least one PI there who does something you think you'd love to spend 5-6 years doing. Ask your current PI about which programs he/she thinks will work for you given your style and interests. For me, it was kind of tempting to try and get in to illustrious programs (I guess to feed my ego), but in the end it became clear that "fit" was the most important variable (for me and for the programs) and I ended up wasting some time applying to schools where I wouldn't have been happy or successful.

Enjoy your application process! It can be tiring but very fun.

[jayeyesee]

I think your GRE scores are fine and I wouldn't bother spending more money to take another test. The GRE is arguably the least important part of an application and I don't see your chances improving by much (if any at all) if you re-take and score in the 99th percentile.. The general consensus is that high GRE scores won't get you in but low GRE scores will keep you out.

A 3.33 won't keep you out of doctoral programs... But it will be a blemish on your application (especially at the top programs). It's good that you are taking a year off to gain more research experience.

Is the lab that you are working in during your year off the same lab as your undergrad lab? If not, be sure to establish a relationship with the PI in your lab (not just the postdoc that will be mentoring you). I would also start scoping out the department and establish relationships with professors in the department. Tell them what you are studying, your future plans, your research interests and most importantly, ask them if they have any advice for you and your journey through the application process and eventually graduate school. Some professors won't be very receptive but don't be disheartened. There are many professors who take mentoring seriously and will accommodate you.

Do you have a list of which schools you are looking at? Keep in mind that neuro programs are very competitive (in my undergrad institution, it is the most competitive area in the biological/biomedical sciences dept.). By the time you apply, you'll have about 1.5 years of research experience which from my experience (on interviews) is a bit on the lower side. Your applicant pool will probably have about 2-5 years of research experience by the time they apply. Doesn't mean it will keep you out but just wanted to give you a rough idea of your competition. If you can publish that would be great.. Although I don't know how feasible that is within 4-5 months of starting in your new lab.

I think one way you can really strengthen your application is to secure external grants that will fund you in graduate school. I wish I had done this when I applied. Apply for NSF grants, NIH grants, etc... If you have an external source of funding, schools will be more inclined to take you since they will not have to pay out of their own pocket to fully fund you and it shows you are capable of securing grants before even starting grad school which is a big PLUS.