2013 Applicant Profiles and Admission Results

[bassish101]

@ion_exhanger: Thanks! I feel really lucky to be in this situation. It will be a tough choice, but I think I have an idea of which school I'll pick Any idea where you're going to go? I've heard the NIH is a great place to work.

 

@livinlite: I haven't been to MIT yet, but I know someone who heard back from them around one week after their first weekend. I hope you hear something good soon!

 

@floridabio: Great, congrats! I hope my advice was helpful!

[ion_exchanger]

@ion_exhanger: Thanks! I feel really lucky to be in this situation. It will be a tough choice, but I think I have an idea of which school I'll pick Any idea where you're going to go? I've heard the NIH is a great place to work.

 

You're welcome. I have been back and forth between UPenn and Georgetown/NIH for a while. I believe I know which one I will attend, just letting the decision settle in, and I plan to commit this week. NIH is a fabulous place to work. I've been a postbac there for the past two years, and I absolutely love it. There are so many intelligent people there, and at first it can be a bit intimidating, but everyone is so pleasant that any nervousness just goes away. Plus there's always a talk, seminar, or activity taking place that is interesting. Good luck with your decision!

[bio0930]

I just locked in and accepted at UC Irvine for their Mathematical and Computational Biology program.  I think when every night you go to sleep, and you dream about different schools, and if you're making the right choice that it is time to just decide.  I was faced with the common issue:
 

Offered admission with tuition waived at UC Santa Cruz and Boston University for Bioinformatics.

Offered admission with tuition and offered the full stipend at UC Irvine, and a few other programs.

In the end though, I had to go with the department that just felt like the best fit.  UC Santa Cruz was in my dream tier for Bioinformatics, their program is amazing there.  The director even asked that I tough it out for the first year and look into funding from various labs and TA opportunities.  But, at the end of the day I have to go where I feel like I can be the most productive with a decent quality of life.  UC Irvine has a very impressive stem cell and systems biology focus, and I think that is more inline with my research interests.  

Good Luck to Everyone!!

[ion_exchanger]

Is anyone else having problems committing? I feel like no matter what I choose, I will wish I had chosen the other. I had a first choice before I even finished my applications, but my interviews made me look at another school in a completely different light. Not sure if I should stick with my first choice. On paper, one school looks the best, but the other feels the best.

[bamafan]

Is anyone else having problems committing? I feel like no matter what I choose, I will wish I had chosen the other. I had a first choice before I even finished my applications, but my interviews made me look at another school in a completely different light. Not sure if I should stick with my first choice. On paper, one school looks the best, but the other feels the best.

 

There's an interesting article about how people are happier if they don't get in to their top choice or don't have options. Seems logical, you won't second guess yourself. But perfect is perfect -- if you feel like you can be a happy at any of them, then that's that. It doesn't matter which.

[WhitH]

Is anyone else having problems committing? I feel like no matter what I choose, I will wish I had chosen the other. I had a first choice before I even finished my applications, but my interviews made me look at another school in a completely different light. Not sure if I should stick with my first choice. On paper, one school looks the best, but the other feels the best.

 

I would go with your gut. Paper means nothing if it's going to take 5-6 years of your life. You might as well be happy.

[flat_rhino]

Is anyone else having problems committing? I feel like no matter what I choose, I will wish I had chosen the other. I had a first choice before I even finished my applications, but my interviews made me look at another school in a completely different light. Not sure if I should stick with my first choice. On paper, one school looks the best, but the other feels the best.

 

I'm having a really similar problem myself. Would love to chat with you sometime if you don't mind!

[bassish101]

I second aryelh's advice. Go with your gut.

[Gram Neutral]

You kids and your acceptances and commitments. haven't heard from my first interview yet, but they still have some weekends left. My second interview isnt for another week! Haha.

[cleverfool]

Is anyone else having problems committing? I feel like no matter what I choose, I will wish I had chosen the other. I had a first choice before I even finished my applications, but my interviews made me look at another school in a completely different light. Not sure if I should stick with my first choice. On paper, one school looks the best, but the other feels the best.

Yes! I still have one interview left, but I ended up not loving what I thought would be my first choice, and really loving a few places I didn't think I would, including a school I almost didn't apply to.

So ready to be done with this process.

[ion_exchanger]

@bamafan, I have heard about that article. I need to try to find it. I definitely understand. It would have been nice to only be accepted to one good school so I wouldn't have to make the choice and wonder what if.

@aryelh and @bassish101, thanks guys. My gut is definitely telling me which to choose.

@flat_rhino I'll send you a direct message.

@cleverfool a last minute application has thrown me for a loop. I wasn't going to apply at first, but decided to just go ahead anyway. I ended up loving it even more than I thought I would.

[mop]

So ready to be done with this process.

Same feelings as all of you, I just want to choose and get this over with . I think I will go with my gut, for what originally was not my first choice but really impressed me.

[ion_exchanger]

I told my mentors that I had made a decision and decided to commit. They want to sit down, look things over and discuss. What do they think I have been doing? Going to commit anyway.

[genesplicer]

I told my mentors that I had made a decision and decided to commit. They want to sit down, look things over and discuss. What do they think I have been doing? Going to commit anyway.

 

 

 On advice of my mentor I have "committed" to Purdue (it was my second choice) but now that I went to my interview with ASU I am more impressed with their research.

 

I thought I was done with the process but now am having second thoughts.

Edited March 7, 2013 by genesplicer

[biotechstudent]

Rejected from Duke CMB and wait listed at Columbia. I was accepted to UCLA ACCESS with nomination for a fellowship. However, I am a little hesitant to committing to this program if it is the only program I am able to get into. I saw that some acceptance offers for Weill Cornell BCMB have been sent out, and I haven't received one. I really liked this school!  Feeling super bummed because my interview with the chair of admissions went really well and she told me she was sure I would get an acceptance. However, one of my interviews did not go as well as I thought, now that I'm thinking about it, and I feel this has ruined my chance of acceptance.

 

Feeling super stressed and bummed. Wondering if I should consider working for a few years and then reapplying

[mrmolecularbiology]

Acceptance from Duke SSB!

[mrmolecularbiology]

Rejected from Duke CMB and wait listed at Columbia. I was accepted to UCLA ACCESS with nomination for a fellowship. However, I am a little hesitant to committing to this program if it is the only program I am able to get into. I saw that some acceptance offers for Weill Cornell BCMB have been sent out, and I haven't received one. I really liked this school!  Feeling super bummed because my interview with the chair of admissions went really well and she told me she was sure I would get an acceptance. However, one of my interviews did not go as well as I thought, now that I'm thinking about it, and I feel this has ruined my chance of acceptance.

 

Feeling super stressed and bummed. Wondering if I should consider working for a few years and then reapplying

Hang in there a little longer to hear back from Cornell. What's wrong with UCLA?

[biotechstudent]

Hang in there a little longer to hear back from Cornell. What's wrong with UCLA?

 

I am from the east coast and I feel that it might be difficult to adjust moving so far away from family and friends (mainly the huge difference in time zones). I know I applied to a lot of west coast schools but a lot of schools in the west coast have very good programs and I did not even consider distance while I was applying (I know, foolish right?). Also, the program offers $30k a year. Housing costs $1200/year and the grad students recommended having a car. I am aware that the cost of living in LA is very high, but I figured the grad school would subsidize this high cost like the NY schools I applied to. For example, Weill Cornell offers subsidized housing at 750/month + utilities costs with a stipend of 34k a year. Housing is next door to the research institutions,  so you would only have to walk to work. I wonder how far the stipend stretches at UCLA...Duke offers approximately the same stipend, only their cost of living is so much cheaper. There are a lot of great faculty at UCLA, I'm just wondering if spending 5+ years there would be difficult.

[ion_exchanger]

Rejected from Duke CMB and wait listed at Columbia. I was accepted to UCLA ACCESS with nomination for a fellowship. However, I am a little hesitant to committing to this program if it is the only program I am able to get into. I saw that some acceptance offers for Weill Cornell BCMB have been sent out, and I haven't received one. I really liked this school!  Feeling super bummed because my interview with the chair of admissions went really well and she told me she was sure I would get an acceptance. However, one of my interviews did not go as well as I thought, now that I'm thinking about it, and I feel this has ruined my chance of acceptance.

 

Feeling super stressed and bummed. Wondering if I should consider working for a few years and then reapplying

 

I would wait a bit for Cornell before you jump off the ledge. I know it's hard, but I would try to keep high spirits until the decisions are in. Sometimes the interviews go worse in our mind than they actually are. Hoping for the best for you!

 

Acceptance from Duke SSB!

 

Congratulations! Good luck on your Hopkins interview! A lot of my Penn interview group is interviewing there.

[mrmolecularbiology]

Congratulations! Good luck on your Hopkins interview! A lot of my Penn interview group is interviewing there.

Thanks!

[mrmolecularbiology]

I am from the east coast and I feel that it might be difficult to adjust moving so far away from family and friends (mainly the huge difference in time zones). I know I applied to a lot of west coast schools but a lot of schools in the west coast have very good programs and I did not even consider distance while I was applying (I know, foolish right?). Also, the program offers $30k a year. Housing costs $1200/year and the grad students recommended having a car. I am aware that the cost of living in LA is very high, but I figured the grad school would subsidize this high cost like the NY schools I applied to. For example, Weill Cornell offers subsidized housing at 750/month + utilities costs with a stipend of 34k a year. Housing is next door to the research institutions,  so you would only have to walk to work. I wonder how far the stipend stretches at UCLA...Duke offers approximately the same stipend, only their cost of living is so much cheaper. There are a lot of great faculty at UCLA, I'm just wondering if spending 5+ years there would be difficult.

Ah. I understand completely. I'm trying to decide between UTSW and UCSF (although I might also fall in love with JHU this weekend). IF it makes you feel better San Fran is even more expensive lol. For me I think it will come down to research fit. I'm not going to grad school to make money so losing most of my stipend to rent is annoying but won't factor in to my final decision. Hoping you get in to Cornell good luck!

[bassish101]

@ion_exchanger: I'd wait to see what your mentors say. It can't hurt.

[ion_exchanger]

@bassish101: That's true. I'm just surprised that my mentor has felt so strongly about one school, and all of a sudden is lobbying for the other. I still like my first choice for all the reasons we initially agreed on. This should be interesting.

[jeffklm]

Rejected from Duke CMB and wait listed at Columbia. I was accepted to UCLA ACCESS with nomination for a fellowship. However, I am a little hesitant to committing to this program if it is the only program I am able to get into. I saw that some acceptance offers for Weill Cornell BCMB have been sent out, and I haven't received one. I really liked this school!  Feeling super bummed because my interview with the chair of admissions went really well and she told me she was sure I would get an acceptance. However, one of my interviews did not go as well as I thought, now that I'm thinking about it, and I feel this has ruined my chance of acceptance.

 

 

Don't give up yet. Have you tried calling them?

[Biohopeful]

I know it's hard, but it couldn't hurt to send out a quick email inquiring about your status.  I understand that research and department fit is very important when selecting a school, but I wouldn't rule out other factors as well.  Good luck to you!

Edited March 8, 2013 by Biohopeful