Application Progress, where are you?

[ImmunoXX]

I just submitted to my first program! Just wondering where everyone is at? This forum seems a bit bare, but we're not even down to the last month. Keep at it everyone!

[ecoevosale]

Such a good feeling! Good luck to you and everyone else who is applying this season!

I've submitted 3 applications so far, none are complete yet because of two out of three letter writers and I haven't sent GRE scores yet. Most conversations with professors are just about settled down with the exception of letting them know when I have an application submitted. Currently though almost all my attention has been going toward the NSF GRFP application.

Edited October 21, 2012 by pastesale

[ImmunoXX]

So some of my apps say not to contact professors, and a couple say list any correspondence. I have emailed my top choice professor for those programs that ask for it, but haven't for the programs that say not to. Did your programs say to contact professors? Should I email professors at schools that say not to contact?

[emmm]

If the instructions are NOT to contact professors, why would you?

[ecoevosale]

Some require initial contact, many recommend, others say nothing on the topic - so for my specialty, contacting seems to be the ideal or preferred route. Definitely think you made right choice to not make contacts if a program actually says not to.

[ImmunoXX]

I just heard back from my top professor at one school! Same day! She said she is not on the admissions committee, but that she would like to talk to me if I am offered an interview! I know this doesn't affect my chances, but its great motivation!

[MicroB2012]

I am just filling my app forms. There are so many of them.

[Winteriscoming]

Hi!

I have submitted 5 applications, but they are not complete: pending GRE scores and one letter of recommendation plus sending out materials for three of the schools. I'm planning to submit two more applications in the next two weeks and then... wait wait wait! I was advised to submit my applications early because I'm an international student but there's still plenty of time!

[ImmunoXX]

All mine are in but 1!!!! Now the waiting game!

[Mirus]

At my school, I've heard the advice that cell+molec folks are generally better off not contacting potential advisors, whereas ecology folks are as good as rejected if they don't have someone agreed to work with them at time of application.

[MicroB2012]

submit all my 22 apps, yeah

[ImmunoXX]

^^^ wow! impressive! that must have cost a small fortune! :/

[MicroB2012]

what programs are you guys applying to?

[ecoevosale]

On 11/7/2012 at 11:42 AM, MicroB2012 said:

what programs are you guys applying to?

I'm applying for PhD's in ecology and evolutionary biology, integrative biology, or general biology that has an EEB track or specialization.

All the programs I have or am applying to are:

Dartmouth

Drexel

Georgetown

Stanford

Tulane

UC Berkeley

UC Davis

UC Irvine

UCLA

UCSD

Chicago

Central Florida

U Florida

U Hawaii

U Miami

U Michigan

U Minnesota

U Penn

U Pitt

USC

U South Florida

U Utah

U Vermont

U Virginia

UW

WashU

Western Michigan

Yup. Only reason I'm applying to so many is because I have a partner who is currently applying for orthopedic residency and we're attempting to match our locations...not a fun process.

[MicroB2012]

On 11/7/2012 at 3:02 PM, pastesale said:

I'm applying for PhD's in ecology and evolutionary biology, integrative biology, or general biology that has an EEB track or specialization.

All the programs I have or am applying to are:

Dartmouth

Drexel

Georgetown

Stanford

Tulane

UC Berkeley

UC Davis

UC Irvine

UCLA

UCSD

Chicago

Central Florida

U Florida

U Hawaii

U Miami

U Michigan

U Minnesota

U Penn

U Pitt

USC

U South Florida

U Utah

U Vermont

U Virginia

UW

WashU

Western Michigan

Yup. Only reason I'm applying to so many is because I have a partner who is currently applying for orthopedic residency and we're attempting to match our locations...not a fun process.

That's quite a list. There are a lot of Cali schools, so I guess your from Cali?

[ecoevosale]

That's quite a list. There are a lot of Cali schools, so I guess your from Cali?

Oregon actually, but yeah California has all my top choice programs. Which programs did you apply to?

[MicroB2012]

On 11/8/2012 at 12:16 PM, pastesale said:

Oregon actually, but yeah California has all my top choice programs. Which programs did you apply to?

Cali schools are really tough to get into for people coming from out side of Cali state. I mainly apply to microbiology programs:

Harvard MIT Stanford Yale Princeton Columbia Duke WashU Brown UCSF Northwestern Chicago UPenn Cornell Rockfeller  NYU BCM UT UNC Tufts

[SCellNeuro]

Such a good feeling! Good luck to you and everyone else who is applying this season!

I've submitted 3 applications so far, none are complete yet because of two out of three letter writers and I haven't sent GRE scores yet. Most conversations with professors are just about settled down with the exception of letting them know when I have an application submitted. Currently though almost all my attention has been going toward the NSF GRFP application.

you should apply to Harvard too! We have a great evo devo program!

[AUG]

New here I am finished my application to UPenn and Temple working on Jefferson and Temple Pharmacology and need to get off my ass and start Drexel's apps.

[Gina]

I submitted three of my applications: Michigan State, Arizona State, and University of Washington. Interested in genetics/genomics... my written stats aren't so great (no publications yet), but I've had some well-desired experience, I guess, in next-gen sequencing, and good LORs from two PIs and a postdoc. I should have one or two publications by the time I would be starting in 2013.

I plan to apply for a DOE fellowship.

Edited November 15, 2012 by Gina

[MicroB2012]

Submitted two more schools: UBC and UCSD. Im so worried about the schools not receiving my GRE scores which I sent to them a month ago. Should I resend all the scores?

[ecoevosale]

Submitted two more schools: UBC and UCSD. Im so worried about the schools not receiving my GRE scores which I sent to them a month ago. Should I resend all the scores?

Do you mean the webpage for checking application doesn't show them as received? Because many programs compile everything in batches so they may have your scores, but not matched it to your application yet. If you're really worried, give them a call before sending them again.

[MicroB2012]

Do you mean the webpage for checking application doesn't show them as received? Because many programs compile everything in batches so they may have your scores, but not matched it to your application yet. If you're really worried, give them a call before sending them again.

Yes, the web page says it may take up to one month to reflect the changes. So I will Email them next week, and deiced whether to resend the GRE scores. It costs a lot of money too.

[ecoevosale]

Yeah, I'm sure if you check your recipients at ets.org and the codes are all sent to the proper department then they probably have them. Resending is definitely pricey. Don't stress too much! I understand the freaking out though, but I'm sure its all fine and they're just taking their time since they're probably receiving tons of score reports.

[banksy]

i submitted 8/14. UCSD-Biological Sciences UCSF-iQPB UCB-MCB UCD-BMCDB Ann Arbor-PIBS Madison-CMB Austin-MCB UW-MCB. still need to do Rice Urbana UMMS Chapel Hill Northwestern ASU

i am mostly interested in quantitative systems and synthetic biology -- how biological design principles give rise to complex cellular function, why the same designs have converged during evolution, how and why specific regulatory topologies are used in different systems, and how all of this can be used to develop synthetic organisms. most of my recommendations are in, transcripts and GRE scores arrived in a timely manner. plan on doing the rest of my apps in order of their deadline and will be done mid-december.

this is my third time applying. 2 years ago i got accepted and declined, last year zero acceptances after 1 interview. since i have improved my gre scores, my letters of rec, my essays, and have been in communication with professors at the programs i am applying to. hope the third time is the charm. hope everyone does well (not too well obviously cause i want to get in....but you know what i am saying)