Fall 2013 Chemistry and Biochemistry

[Faraday]

Faraday,

I'm applying for Ph.D programs at UChicago, Northwestern, UI-Urbana-Champaign, UBoston, UMichigan, Washington State University, SUNY, and U Wisconsin.

I was referring to Organic/Physical/Inorganic/Analytical/Theoretical/Biological/etc.

Got my score back from the October chemistry GRE: 830 (83% below). I was wondering how this stacks up for top-tier schools... I know it's not the 99th percentile, but I don't really have any idea if this is decent/mediocre/a bit low. I'm a domestic student, if that makes any difference.

It seems like the general consensus is that a score like that would be fine for any school you apply to. For reference the average chemistry GRE for admitted Harvard applicants last year was 834. It's not likely to send up any red flags and assuming you do pretty well (as you did) it is a relatively unimportant aspect of your application in comparison to your LORs/SOP.

Edited November 13, 2012 by Faraday

[tyther]

I was referring to Organic/Physical/Inorganic/Analytical/Theoretical/Biological/etc.

Oh, I am applying for chemical biology programs.

[synorg]

i got 84th percentile on the chem gre. i was admitted to some top schools and rejected from others. that score won't hurt you.

[mgd71]

Well, just an update. I was actually accepted to a top 30 school for the spring. So I will be withdrawing all other applications. As the spring progresses if you guys have any questions about getting started in grad school let me know, I'll be happy to answer any questions for you guys!

Good luck with the application process!

[Chai_latte]

Well, just an update. I was actually accepted to a top 30 school for the spring. So I will be withdrawing all other applications. As the spring progresses if you guys have any questions about getting started in grad school let me know, I'll be happy to answer any questions for you guys!

Good luck with the application process!

congrats!!

[Faraday]

Well, just an update. I was actually accepted to a top 30 school for the spring. So I will be withdrawing all other applications. As the spring progresses if you guys have any questions about getting started in grad school let me know, I'll be happy to answer any questions for you guys!

Good luck with the application process!

Congrats!

Edited November 17, 2012 by Faraday

[mgd71]

Just an update. I know someone asked where I got in. I got into Rice University. I had my application completed in mid-October. Best of luck to everyone!

Edited November 18, 2012 by djm0017

[theoretician]

Hey so I just sent out all my applications a few hours ago. I was just wondering from people who have gone through this already: When is the earliest I should expect an admissions decision (if there's anyone out there from previous years who applied in mid Nov)?

Thanks.

[Quantum Buckyball]

Hey so I just sent out all my applications a few hours ago. I was just wondering from people who have gone through this already: When is the earliest I should expect an admissions decision (if there's anyone out there from previous years who applied in mid Nov)?

Thanks.

It depends upon if you're an extremely competitive and well-rounded applicant or not. If you have a phenomenal & outstanding profolio, meaning have

(1) 2+ first authored or second authored original research publications in a high-impact journal

(2) have at least a prestigious national grant, or fellowship or scholarship

(3) summer internship at prestigious/well-known places

(4) oral presentations or poster sessions at national/international conferences

(5) teaching assistantship or research assistantship (for a minimum of 1 yr)

(6) volunteer experience within the chemistry community (i.e. outreaching)

(7) 90 percentile on GRE, GPA, or chemistry GRE

(8) number of high-advanced level chemistry courses taken.

If you do indeed have a very strong profolio and letters of recommendation, then you should be expecting to hear back as early as December . The deadline for schools to make a decision is April 15th, 2013.

Edited November 19, 2012 by Quantum Buckyball

[theoretician]

It depends upon if you're an extremely competitive and well-rounded applicant or not. If you have a phenomenal & outstanding profolio, meaning have

(1) 2+ first authored or second authored original research publications in a high-impact journal

(2) have at least a prestigious national grant, or fellowship or scholarship

(3) summer internship at prestigious/well-known places

(4) oral presentations or poster sessions at national/international conferences

(5) teaching assistantship or research assistantship (for a minimum of 1 yr)

(6) volunteer experience within the chemistry community (i.e. outreaching)

(7) 90 percentile on GRE, GPA, or chemistry GRE

(8) number of high-advanced level chemistry courses taken.

If you do indeed have a very strong profolio and letters of recommendation, then you should be expecting to hear back as early as December . The deadline for schools to make a decision is April 15th, 2013.

I don't have the publications or presentations at conferences, but I do have two summer research programs at prestigious institutions. I should have very strong LORs and SOP and should be competitive with regards to GPA, GRE, courses, etc. That said, I don't expect to get into most of the schools I applied to on first pass, so if I receive admission from any top schools I'm guessing these would probably go out some time in January?

Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Quantum Buckyball]

I don't have the publications or presentations at conferences, but I do have two summer research programs at prestigious institutions. I should have very strong LORs and SOP and should be competitive with regards to GPA, GRE, courses, etc. That said, I don't expect to get into most of the schools I applied to on first pass, so if I receive admission from any top schools I'm guessing these would probably go out some time in January?

Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Have your recommenders submitted their letters yet? If so, then you should hear om them as early as December.

Networking > Good Scores

[Faraday]

I don't have the publications or presentations at conferences, but I do have two summer research programs at prestigious institutions. I should have very strong LORs and SOP and should be competitive with regards to GPA, GRE, courses, etc. That said, I don't expect to get into most of the schools I applied to on first pass, so if I receive admission from any top schools I'm guessing these would probably go out some time in January?

Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks.

The best way to predict when you might hear back from prospective schools is probably to look through the results from previous years found here. Chances are schools will send out acceptances around the same time each year. Even that is still speculation though.

Edited November 19, 2012 by Faraday

[theoretician]

Have your recommenders submitted their letters yet? If so, then you should hear om them as early as December.

Networking > Good Scores

Yes, all 3 of my recommenders submitted their letters to all of my schools. My applications should all be complete pending my subject GRE score because I took it Nov. 10th and it won't be mailed out until Dec. 10th.

[Faraday]

So, any nominations for least favorite application? University of Colorado gets my vote. The system is cumbersome and buggy from my experience and they make you fill in every exact detail where using a simple CV would probably be easier for both the admissions commitee and the applicant.

[Quantum Buckyball]

Yes, all 3 of my recommenders submitted their letters to all of my schools. My applications should all be complete pending my subject GRE score because I took it Nov. 10th and it won't be mailed out until Dec. 10th.

That's really good! just sit back and wait

[tyther]

So, any nominations for least favorite application? University of Colorado gets my vote. The system is cumbersome and buggy from my experience and they make you fill in every exact detail where using a simple CV would probably be easier for both the admissions commitee and the applicant.

I had several problem with the UI-urbana champaign application. It constantly gave me errors on some links. Overall the website was really buggy. Also, I found Boston University's webpage difficult to navigate.

Edited November 20, 2012 by tyther

[theoretician]

I had several problem with the UI-urbana champaign application. It constantly gave me errors on some links. Overall the website was really buggy. Also, I found Boston University's webpage difficult to navigate.

I didn't apply to UIUC, but Boston University was definitely difficult to navigate.

Also, did anyone apply to UCLA? For the questions about prior research and research interests as well as the personal statement, I had to type everything into the text box!!! It wouldn't let me copy/paste, which was very frustrating.

[theoretician]

That's really good! just sit back and wait

Also, I was just wondering: is it possible to get accepted to a school before they receive my subject GRE score (for schools where it is required or recommended)?

[Faraday]

I didn't apply to UIUC, but Boston University was definitely difficult to navigate.

Also, did anyone apply to UCLA? For the questions about prior research and research interests as well as the personal statement, I had to type everything into the text box!!! It wouldn't let me copy/paste, which was very frustrating.

I consider myself mostly done with applications but I am considering adding UCLA or BU. Maybe I shouldn't now.

Also, I was just wondering: is it possible to get accepted to a school before they receive my subject GRE score (for schools where it is required or recommended)?

If it is "required" I imagine it you will not be accepted before they got your scores, but you never know... If it was "recommended" and your application is otherwise strong enough then it is possible, but it's all around rather unlikely you will be accepted anywhere before Dec 10th which I think was when you said they would get your scores.

Edited November 20, 2012 by Faraday

[theoretician]

I consider myself mostly done with applications but I am considering adding UCLA or BU. Maybe I shouldn't now.

If it is "required" I imagine it you will not be accepted before they got your scores, but you never know... If it was "recommended" and your application is otherwise strong enough then it is possible, but it's all around rather unlikely you will be accepted anywhere before Dec 10th which I think was when you said they would get your scores.

Well, I can view my scores Dec 10th, but the schools won't receive those scores until about 2 weeks later, so I was wondering if for those schools it would be possible to be accepted before the holidays, e.g.

[Quantum Buckyball]

Also, I was just wondering: is it possible to get accepted to a school before they receive my subject GRE score (for schools where it is required or recommended)?

Yes it is possible to get accepted without a subject GRE score.

[theoretician]

Yes it is possible to get accepted without a subject GRE score.

Ok, thanks for the info.

[CSCmeta]

Do you guys think if a 81% biochem gre will hurt an international student's application? The cutoff may be higher for foreign students. I'm so confused, dont know if I should send the score,

[coppernanotubes]

Decided to join in on the fun:

Undergrad: Regional LAC

ACS Certified Chemistry w/ Physics Minor

GPA: 3.97, 3.99 Science

GRE: 165(V), 165(Q), 5.0(W)

Chem GRE: 860

Research: 1 summer inorganic photochemistry

2 summers and 3 semesters organic methodology w/ a little computational sprinkled in

No papers, but 2 posters presented at ACS conference and 1 at regional meeting

3 semesters tutoring and 3 semesters Laboratory TA

Applying to: MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, UCSB, Northwestern, UNC-Chapel Hill, Cornell, Columbia, (probably) Caltech

[Knight21]

Hi,

New to the forum, but I'm applying to US universities from the UK and this is all extremely new! I've done everything (GRE, Transcripts, Chemistry GRE etc.) and i'm just finishing up my SoP now.

Any chance anyone can have a read of it and give me some feedbacK? We don't use them in the UK and I feel really lost!

Chemistry, Ph.D.

GRE 153V, 156Q

Chemistry GRE: Not yet reported

Experience: Research labs: summer at UIUC (after year abroad) and back in the UK since September.