2013 Applicant Profiles and Admission Results

[Looking to the horizon]

I'm trying to console myself, because I can see that the calls for Yale BBS MCGD are still only going out today, whereas I received my call yesterday. So I hope this means that we still have a chance at these other schools.

[Winteriscoming]

I applied directly to the molecular biology program, not through the biology@ Princeton. If you look at last year's record, people got interview offers in late Jan too. GL

 

Same here! You could choose other areas of interest, but I also applied directly to the mol bio program. 

[Cogidubnus]

Undergrad Institution: Ivy
Major(s): Biology, Latin
Minor(s):
GPA in Major: 3.85
Overall GPA: 3.90
Position in Class: top 10-15%
Type of Student: American male

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 170
V: 165
W: 6.0

Research Experience: Some, not spectacular. 1 summer after freshman year in developmental evolution, 1 year of organic synthesis. No publications.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Magna, a few small research fellowships ($$), national merit scholar

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Science teacher, science/math tutor for college dean's office, private tutor

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Volunteering for science olympiad?

Special Bonus Points: Did a 3 month programming school after college, one rec from a pretty good researcher

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:

Applying to Where:

Yale - BBS (Computational Biology and Bioinformatics) -

MIT - CSBi

Princeton - QCB

Stanford - Biomedical Informatics

Cornell Tri-inst - Computational Biology

Carnegie Mellon/U Pitt - Computational Biology

UCSF - Bioinformatics - Computational Biology and Bioinformatics

UC Berkeley - Computational Biology

[MicroB2012]

Same here! You could choose other areas of interest, but I also applied directly to the mol bio program. 

OH, I chose biomedical eng. Do you think they would actually pass it to other optional programs you chose?

[Looking to the horizon]

OH, I chose biomedical eng. Do you think they would actually pass it to other optional programs you chose?

Right? That's also what I thought. I just wish that if Mol Bio doesn't want me, that at least one of the other programs will.

[ion_exchanger]

I checked the results board for 2012 and 2011 stats, and Sloan-Kettering always sent their invites on the friday before the week of Christmas. Which means they should be sending them out tomorrow. Yikes.

 

Life is real my friends. I'm glad I have another interview to soften the blow if I don't get an invite to Sloan tomorrow.

[porge1991]

Just got email for interview offer from Sloan Kettering. First US interview offer so very psyched! Will have to do it by skype though, which I hope doesn't hinder my chances.

[ion_exchanger]

Just got email for interview offer from Sloan Kettering. First US interview offer so very psyched! Will have to do it by skype though, which I hope doesn't hinder my chances.

 

Congratulations! They are a little early this year. I see a couple of people have already posted on the results page. Congratulations to all Sloan Kettering invites! Does anyone know what the interview dates are?

Edited December 20, 2012 by ion_exchanger

[MicroB2012]

Congratulations! They are a little early this year. I see a couple of people have already posted on the results page. Congratulations to all Sloan Kettering invites! Does anyone know what the interview dates are?

It's Jan.15th-17th, What a weird date.

[ion_exchanger]

It's Jan.15th-17th, What a weird date.

 

I figured it would be, in the past their interview dates have been in the middle of the month, in the middle of the week. I have to be at UPENN on January 17th, so I would have to travel straight from New York to Philadelphia without going home first. No invite, so no decision. I guess there are worse things. It's such a great school and program though.

Edited December 20, 2012 by ion_exchanger

[MicroB2012]

I figured it would be, in the past their interview dates have been in the middle of the month, in the middle of the week. I have to be at UPENN on January 17th, so I would have to travel straight from New York to Philadelphia without going home first. No invite, so no decision. I guess there are worse things. It's such a great school and program though.

Actually, I just talked with my PI, and he said doing a PhD in an institute (except Cold spring harbor) may not be as good as in a real university. I really don't know how this program is compared to other programs that I applied. Edited December 20, 2012 by MicroB2012

[bamafan]

Actually, I just talked with my PI, and he said doing a PhD in an institute (except Cold spring harbor) may not be as good as in a real university. I really don't know how this program is compared to other programs that I applied.

 

Other prestigious ones include Sloan-Kettering and Scripps. There is no disadvantage to having a PhD at any of these. 

[ion_exchanger]

Actually, I just talked with my PI, and he said doing a PhD in an institute (except Cold spring harbor) may not be as good as in a real university. I really don't know how this program is compared to other programs that I applied.

 

Hmmm, I haven't heard or thought about that. Thanks for the info. I'll ask my PI, who recommended Sloan Kettering. I always had my heart set on attending a PhD program at a medical school anyway, which is something that I've heard numerous people say was best.

[MicroB2012]

Hmmm, I haven't heard or thought about that. Thanks for the info. I'll ask my PI, who recommended Sloan Kettering. I always had my heart set on attending a PhD program at a medical school anyway, which is something that I've heard numerous people say was best.

I think it's because teaching is not their primary mission, and those institute may not have a good system like universities for students to learn stuffs. On the other hand, those institutes have great PIs. Edited December 20, 2012 by MicroB2012

[BambooPanda]

Both medical schools and institutes have great PIs. One cannot say that just because someone is at a medical school they are a lesser PI than someone at an institute. To do so would be illogical. What is more important than than what type of institution it is, is really what type of programs are in place to help students become good researchers. For example, several people on this thread seem to become wide-eyed and weak-kneed when they mouth the words Cold Spring Harbor. However, many universities have programs that are just as respected, if not more respected, depending on the field of interest.

The reason research programs at universities might have an advantage over stand-alone programs is that they are part of an umbrella of researchers that collaborate. Having a medical school is a POWERFUL advantage. One reason why researchers gravitate toward physicians is that physicians drive research interests with their specific needs, and collaboration between what is found in labs and what happens in patient rooms is important. Many physicians themselves are also researchers, so large research enterprises have been built up at medical schools.

Also, the faculty at these schools have programs in place for student development. For example, how do you compete in today's grant writing environment? What will it take for the oncologists in UCSF medical center to implement your research at the bedside? What can their knowledge contribute to your work?

In short, what type of program is "better?" It's hard to say. Don't get caught up in false differences between the two. The bottom line is what is better is what is better for you personally based on what you think you need. You can get a great experience anywhere. But don't rule out universities because many of them are great places to be.

[BambooPanda]

^ Trying to change my signature to reflect interview information but it won't let me...anyone else having this problem?

[ion_exchanger]

^ Trying to change my signature to reflect interview information but it won't let me...anyone else having this problem?

 

I just changed mine, and I didn't have a problem. What is your page saying?

I agree with the statement you just made about schools, very well said. I based my decision on which schools to apply to on the faculty and where my research interests and technical skills were a good match.

[jatomolo]

Got my invite for UPenn CAMB program this afternoon!!  (My application was "completed" on 11/30).  I'm going 2/28 - 3/2 -- Anyone else going to be there those days?!

[impatient7]

got an email interview invite from NYU yesterday! (genomics/systems bio)

[Erbbie3]

Been putting up info on college confidential, might as well jump in here as well.

 

Undergrad Institution: Top 50, mid-sized, private research university
Major(s): Biochemistry/French
Minor(s): Biology, Chemistry
GPA in Major: 3.6
Overall GPA: 3.55
Position in Class: Above average
Type of Student: Domestic

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 158
V: 167
W: 3.0 (yowzah)
B: N/A


Research Experience: 6 years total in three different labs: 1.5 in cutaneouc cancer lab, 1 in plant biochemistry lab, 3.5 in cancer/cell-signaling lab

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Dean's list, Provost's list, University Honors, French awards

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: High-level undergraduate biochemistrycourse co-instructor, peer tutor at university, self-employed math and science tutor for 4 years

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Applied for and received NIH funding for 2x summer research programs and 1 post-baccalaureate research fellowship

Special Bonus Points: Stellar LORs from 2 prominent PIs and 1 not-as-prominent PI


Applying to Where:
 

MIT Biology

Harvard MCB

UCBerkeley MCB - Interview

UCSF Tetrad - Interview

GSK Cancer Bio - Interview

UCSD Biological Sciences

UChicago BMS - Interview

Rockefeller

CSHL

JHU Biology

University of Miami

[Erbbie3]

JHU CMDB interview offer -- Dates are 7-9 Jan

[Devilkiyyu]

UCLA ACCESS interview! As of 20 minutes ago.

I applied for immunology 1st choice and immunology and microbiology as 2nd choice. There are 2 dates: Jan 26-8 and Feb 9-11.

Edited December 21, 2012 by Devilkiyyu

[mop]

UCLA ACCESS for me too, maybe I will see you there

[ion_exchanger]

Throwing salt on the wound, those of us without Sloan invites had our recommenders receive emails thanking them for the LORs and saying that apps were currently being reviewed, as if a ton of invites didn't go out yesterday. Sheesh.

Edited December 21, 2012 by ion_exchanger

[Abdul]

Undergrad Institution: Medical school in the middle east
Overall GPA: 4.00
Position in Class: 1st out of 50
Type of Student: International, male
GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 170 (99%)
V: 157 (73%)
W: 3.5 (30%)


TOEFL Total: 108
Research Experience:

• Working in neuroscience research for more than a year
• 2 publications in peer-reviewed journals (2nd author, 6th author)
• Presented my research in an international medical student conference +travel grant + best poster presentation award.
• A 2-week research fellowship in a prestigious institute in Netherlands

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Few clinical electives in Europe, the latest was in University College London. Accepted for 2 more clinical electives at UAB and at Oxford University.


Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:

Applying to Where: Cornell, Einstein, Rutgers, VCU, Baylor College, Emory, Vanderbilt, WUSTL, Utah, Hawaii