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Fall 2013 Chemistry and Biochemistry


Khearts

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reader but new to posting. just thought I would share information for those who are waiting...

 

was accepted to mit yesterday (visit weekends: March 22-24) and uc berkeley today (4 visit weekends, March 1=Organic, March 8=inorganic, March 15=chemical biology, March 22=mixed interests)

 

still waiting to hear from caltech and harvard

 

school: hyps group

gpa: 3.94 (cumulative)/3.98 (major:chemistry)

gre: 98% Q/ 99% V/ 6.0 AW/ 97% Chemistry

research: 2 summers funded research at home institution, 1 summer REU type research experience

awards: one major national science award, other awards from home institution

publications: 1 co-first author, 1 lower author, 1 manuscript in prep

LOR's:have been told they are very strong, one from PI, one from summer REU, one from academic advisor

presentations: no formal ones myself, but my name has been on talks by my professor at ACS/Gordon Conferences/etc.

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I got an email today from one of my top choices stating that they are "waiting for final approval of my admission from the graduate school" but they invited me to a research open house... This is a good sign right?!? (The trip is covered by the department also). 

 

So I'm not sure if I should go into this 'open house' as an interview setting or is it more of a recruitment thing? 

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i believe my current school's letter to me said "congrats you have been recommended for admission to the graduate school...blah blah" i believe this is just a formality and you are in. it's probably some last check to make sure the institution has enough money and such.

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To those who were accepted to UC San Diego's chemistry program, how did you know the visitation weekend dates? My acceptance email was just from the graduate school and didn't mention any specifics about the chemistry program (visitation weekends/funding) and I can't find the info on their website.

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I got an email from UC San Diego today — it was only for an interview weekend and not an acceptance, so I'm not 100% sure what's going on. Maybe you impressed them so much they didn't think you needed an interview!

 

The interview weekends are Feb. 8 or March 8, and it mentioned in my letter that the stipend this year is $27,000 with a $600 relocation allowance. 

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i believe my current school's letter to me said "congrats you have been recommended for admission to the graduate school...blah blah" i believe this is just a formality and you are in. it's probably some last check to make sure the institution has enough money and such.

 

What school are you referring to? Because one of the schools I am applying just sent me an email, saying the exact sentence that your school said to you.

 

"The faculty and admissions committee of the University of Utah Chemistry Department are pleased to recommend you for admissions to the Graduate School beginning fall 2013.  Please see the attachment for further information.The faculty and admissions committee of the University of Utah Chemistry Department are pleased to recommend you for admissions to the Graduate School beginning fall 2013.  Please see the attachment for further information."

 

The following is what the graduate coordinator replied me when I asked for a conformation from her, after the first email:

 

"The chemistry department has indeed issued an offer for a graduate position.  If you accept our offer your application will then be reviewed by the University of Utah for final admittance."

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i don't go to any of the schools you applied to. but yeah, i don't think this is uncommon. i bet most people simply don't notice the wording. in any case congrats on getting in.

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Big question - my phone is currently out of action. If any universities try and phone me and can't get through, they will then just email to check - right? RIGHT?! Because this is really worrying me now...

 

I've heard nothing from any of the five places I applied to yet, and I applied in early December. Other people have heard from these places according to this website. I emailed to check whether they'd received my application info, and the ones that have so far responded have it all. What does the wait mean - anything?

 

Apparently my mother has forwarded me a letter from MIT, and my American boyfriend says if you get a letter before email, it means you haven't got in (I'm British & live in England). Is this generally true? (I didn't expect to get in there anyway.)

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Big question - my phone is currently out of action. If any universities try and phone me and can't get through, they will then just email to check - right? RIGHT?! Because this is really worrying me now...

 

I've heard nothing from any of the five places I applied to yet, and I applied in early December. Other people have heard from these places according to this website. I emailed to check whether they'd received my application info, and the ones that have so far responded have it all. What does the wait mean - anything?

 

Apparently my mother has forwarded me a letter from MIT, and my American boyfriend says if you get a letter before email, it means you haven't got in (I'm British & live in England). Is this generally true? (I didn't expect to get in there anyway.)

 

They will definitely email you if they cannot reach you by phone.

 

If you look at results submissions from previous years for MIT chemistry, you'll see that plenty of people were admitted all the way up to March.  

 

As for the letter, I would have just asked your mother to open it!  :)

 

And for your anxiety: 

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Big question - my phone is currently out of action. If any universities try and phone me and can't get through, they will then just email to check - right? RIGHT?! Because this is really worrying me now...

 

I've heard nothing from any of the five places I applied to yet, and I applied in early December. Other people have heard from these places according to this website. I emailed to check whether they'd received my application info, and the ones that have so far responded have it all. What does the wait mean - anything?

 

Apparently my mother has forwarded me a letter from MIT, and my American boyfriend says if you get a letter before email, it means you haven't got in (I'm British & live in England). Is this generally true? (I didn't expect to get in there anyway.)

 

They will email you if they can't reach you by phone, it has happened to me before. And it is definitely not true that if you get a letter before email/phone call it means you haven't got in. I got a letter from UC Irvine approximately a week before I got a phone call from my POI. Unfortunately, my POI called when I was taking a final exam and left a voicemail and sent an email asking for a good time to talk. So, don't worry about anything. 

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Interesting anecdote here:

 

My thesis advisor from college was very slow in submitting his LOR on my behalf.  I submitted all my applications in early December and my other recommenders submitted their letters weeks ago, but I had to hound him until he finally submitted the letter on Monday (1/7).  Barely 72 hours later I got addmitted to U chicago and UCLA (I'm still waiting to hear back from a number of other places), so I'm thinking these schools barely even looked at his letter.  They were just waiting for him to submit it so my application would be complete.

 

Although this all could have been a bit of a coincidence, it seems to me the importance of LORs might be overstated in this forum. Anyway, just my experience.  Make of it what you will.

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Hey, quick question. Has anyone who has been accepted to MIT received an official offer yet (with funding details)? I received an email and phone call from a professor letting me know that I was admitted on Jan. 5, but haven't heard or received anything else as of yet.

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Hey, so I'll be going on my first visit next week and I was just wondering from those who went through this in previous years: what is the attire/what do most people wear (I don't want to be underdressed or overdressed!!)

 

Also, who else will be going on this visit (UCLA January 25th)?

 

Thanks.

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UCLA Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is starting to send out invitations it looks like.

 

I will be there on Jan 25 for my visit!!! :D (To Theoretician)..Though this is my undergrad anyway; I'll be here every day. lol

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Hey, so I'll be going on my first visit next week and I was just wondering from those who went through this in previous years: what is the attire/what do most people wear (I don't want to be underdressed or overdressed!!)

 

Also, who else will be going on this visit (UCLA January 25th)?

 

Thanks.

 

For Scripps they said to dress business casual: "A combination of collared shirt (such as a dress shirt or polo shirt), cotton trousers (such as khakis) with a belt, and shoes (such as loafers) with socks is generally acceptable."

 

But I don't know how it is for other schools. But business casual is probably how I would dress regardless of how Scripps does it.

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