Neuroscience applicants for Fall 2013

[Neuron17]

@HS2013- Would you mind telling us your stats? Looks like you have great interviews so far!

[ryancho]

Hey all, congrats on your invitations.  Many of you have a very impressive collection of interviews!

 

I've only heard back from Princeton Neuroscience.. anxiously awaiting news from MIT, Harvard, NYU, Columbia, Rockefeller, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Univ Pittsburgh, UCSF, UC Berkeley, Stanford, UCSD, UCLA, USC, Brown, Dartmouth and Caltech.

 

Does anyone know if Princeton has more than one interview date?

 

Welcome, and congrats! When did you hear from Princeton? Do you know, by any chance, that they are done sending out invites? It's one of my top schools and I am anxiously waiting for their message....But I am on verge of giving up

[seldamat]

Welcome, and congrats! When did you hear from Princeton? Do you know, by any chance, that they are done sending out invites? It's one of my top schools and I am anxiously waiting for their message....But I am on verge of giving up

 

Thanks a lot ryancho! I've been in disbelief since then, especially since they haven't yet responded to my confirmation of the invite.  

 

Don't give up just yet though! I have not heard anything about them not sending out more invites.  If they don't respond to my confirmation by the end of next week I'll call them up and also ask if there are more invitations going out.

 

Emory and WashU are great schools as well, so I'm sure you'll receive many more interviews. 

 

BTW, have you seen this?

http://www.princeton.edu/gradschool/about/docs/ratestable/tablea/NEU.pdf

 

Good Luck!!  

[ryancho]

Thanks a lot ryancho! I've been in disbelief since then, especially since they haven't yet responded to my confirmation of the invite.  

 

Don't give up just yet though! I have not heard anything about them not sending out more invites.  If they don't respond to my confirmation by the end of next week I'll call them up and also ask if there are more invitations going out.

 

Emory and WashU are great schools as well, so I'm sure you'll receive many more interviews. 

 

BTW, have you seen this?

http://www.princeton.edu/gradschool/about/docs/ratestable/tablea/NEU.pdf

 

Good Luck!!  

 

Thanks, seldamat. If you find out their plans on more interview invites, please let us know. 

I did see the admission fact sheets, and was very frustrated by the number in international students section....sigh

 

Good luck to you on other schools as well. I am sure you will have more if you can get from Princeton.

[naabh4]

@HS2013 and @ak1921. Both of you have actually secured amazing interviews! Way to go!!! I hope you get into places that you really aspire to

[Deviation]

Received an email invite from MIT early today (Cellular and Molecular track). Interview on March 8th!

[nibblingsushi]

Update: received an invitation from MIT BCS over the weekend. Has anyone else heard back from them yet? I'm not sure if they're done sending out invitations. 

Edited December 31, 2012 by nibblingsushi

[ak1921]

Update: received an invitation from MIT BCS over the weekend. 

 

Wow! Congrats When is the interview weekend?

Edited December 31, 2012 by ak1921

[nibblingsushi]

Wow! Congrats When is the interview weekend?

 

Thanks! And the interview weekend is on March 8th, quite a bit later than the other programs. 

Edited December 31, 2012 by nibblingsushi

[ryancho]

Wow...MIT has started inviting people...Congrats on nibblingsushi! As long as I know MIT has sent invitations for a long period of time, so for those who haven't received from MIT, let's keep our fingers crossed.

 

I think I saw here that some people have invitations from NYU. Are they from Sackler Institute (Medical Campus) or Center for Neural Science???? I applied the latter. As far as I know they are operated separately, one from medical center (Sackler) and another from school of art and science (CNS)....

[ak1921]

Thanks! And the interview weekend is on March 8th, quite a bit later than the other programs. 

 

That's much of a relief! I also got the invitation from MIT on Dec. 21 but wasn't sure whether it was a real one since I couldn't find any post here. My interview date is also Mar. 8.

Did your invitation mention anything specific about the interview schedule??

 

And my friend just told me that she actually called MIT on Dec. 19 to ask about her status and heard they already had their interview list done. Like ryancho said, it seems MIT is sending the invitation one by one over long period.    

[nibblingsushi]

That's much of a relief! I also got the invitation from MIT on Dec. 21 but wasn't sure whether it was a real one since I couldn't find any post here. My interview date is also Mar. 8.

Did your invitation mention anything specific about the interview schedule??

 

And my friend just told me that she actually called MIT on Dec. 19 to ask about her status and heard they already had their interview list done. Like ryancho said, it seems MIT is sending the invitation one by one over long period.    

 

Hmm, no the interview request did not mention anything with regards to the schedule. I was told that I should be getting more information about it later in the future. 

[ak1921]

Hmm, no the interview request did not mention anything with regards to the schedule. I was told that I should be getting more information about it later in the future. 

 

Thanks That's also what I heard. But still cannot believe they are having interview for only one day.

[ryancho]

That's much of a relief! I also got the invitation from MIT on Dec. 21 but wasn't sure whether it was a real one since I couldn't find any post here. My interview date is also Mar. 8.

Did your invitation mention anything specific about the interview schedule??

 

And my friend just told me that she actually called MIT on Dec. 19 to ask about her status and heard they already had their interview list done. Like ryancho said, it seems MIT is sending the invitation one by one over long period.    

 

If they have already their list of applicants, why do they send it over a long period of time? I just don't understand...

[ak1921]

If they have already their list of applicants, why do they send it over a long period of time? I just don't understand...

Me too. Some schools are being too cruel to us

Edited December 31, 2012 by ak1921

[tifoz]

Ryancho is dead on regarding for past patterns for MIT BCS interview invites. At times, they have gone into February if I remember. If you apply what AK1921 learned about the list being formed back in December, I would speculate that it is an ordered list and invite acceptances and rejections impact who they invite next from the list. That would also make sense for a smaller program (indicated by a single day would indicate) and possible concern about maintaining a particular balance in the incoming class. MIT Bio, which also offers some neuro stuff, sends out all invites on one day (past history has been the friday after new years) but has three interview dates spread out over an entire month. Completely different pattern from the same school.

Congrats to nibbling sushi!

[ak1921]

Ryancho is dead on regarding for past patterns for MIT BCS interview invites. At times, they have gone into February if I remember. If you apply what AK1921 learned about the list being formed back in December, I would speculate that it is an ordered list and invite acceptances and rejections impact who they invite next from the list. That would also make sense for a smaller program (indicated by a single day would indicate) and possible concern about maintaining a particular balance in the incoming class. MIT Bio, which also offers some neuro stuff, sends out all invites on one day (past history has been the friday after new years) but has three interview dates spread out over an entire month. Completely different pattern from the same school.

Congrats to nibbling sushi!

What a scientific guess! I thought so too. But if this would be the case, it's just amazing that there is someone who will decline the interview offer from MIT!

[nibblingsushi]

Ryancho is dead on regarding for past patterns for MIT BCS interview invites. At times, they have gone into February if I remember. If you apply what AK1921 learned about the list being formed back in December, I would speculate that it is an ordered list and invite acceptances and rejections impact who they invite next from the list. That would also make sense for a smaller program (indicated by a single day would indicate) and possible concern about maintaining a particular balance in the incoming class. MIT Bio, which also offers some neuro stuff, sends out all invites on one day (past history has been the friday after new years) but has three interview dates spread out over an entire month. Completely different pattern from the same school.

Congrats to nibbling sushi!

 

Thanks! 

 

One possible factor that might throw a wrench in that theory... In my interview request email, MIT did not explicitly ask me to verify my acceptance of the interview offer- they simply told me that I was invited and would send me more information in the future. 

 

AK1921, I believe you said that you have not received more information from MIT beyond that initial request and interview date email? Did you ever verify your interview appointment with them? 

 

In addition, MIT's neuroscience program size isn't that much smaller than other programs. I know Harvard has a similar size and their interview date spans 3-4 days. 

Edited December 31, 2012 by nibblingsushi

[ak1921]

@nibblingsushi, I think we got the same message. Mine also didn't have anything other than telling me that I will receive a follow-up email soon. Then can it be that they are sending the invitation by the track you chose? Actually the professor who sent me the email mentioned that he is a head of admissions committee in systems track. What was yours?

[tifoz]

@sushi - thanks for your insights and the fact MIT did not ask for confirmation. That does quash my theory regarding an ordered list. At the same time, my point about size of program was comparing MIT to MIT, in other words MIT bio and not other school's neuro programs. MIT Bio has three distinct and separate interview dates AND send all (like 99%) of invites on a single day. This is strikingly different from BCS with their scattered invites and single interview date.

Remember, Harvard is Harvard. Their undergrad accepted student weekend was the longest of any I remember hearing about as well. I would not try and compare anything to them. At the same time, Harvard has two routes you could do Neuro - Neuro and BBS. It appears neuro has a single date while BBS has two and it is a fact that the size of the two programs is very different.

Edited December 31, 2012 by tifoz

[DingBo]

Congrats to everyone who has received interviews. Question to those who have heard back from Columbia, Berkeley, Princeton and MIT: What specializations did you apply to within the respective neuroscience programs?

[nibblingsushi]

@nibblingsushi, I think we got the same message. Mine also didn't have anything other than telling me that I will receive a follow-up email soon. Then can it be that they are sending the invitation by the track you chose? Actually the professor who sent me the email mentioned that he is a head of admissions committee in systems track. What was yours?

 

The sender of my invitation did not make any comment with regards to his specific track. 

 

@sushi -

Remember, Harvard is Harvard. Their undergrad accepted student weekend was the longest of any I remember hearing about as well. I would not try and compare anything to them. At the same time, Harvard has two routes you could do Neuro - Neuro and BBS. It appears neuro has a single date while BBS has two and it is a fact that the size of the two programs is very different.

 

Ah, my apologies- I'm afraid I misinterpreted your original post. You make a great point about Harvard's undergraduate weekends. 

Edited December 31, 2012 by nibblingsushi

[ak1921]

Just curious... Do you guys have any idea why there are only few interview or accepted posts for MIT? considering the size of the program is comparable to other schools like Harvard

Edited December 31, 2012 by ak1921

[tifoz]

@ak1921 - somehow I missed your reply above. Interesting that we were thinking along the same lines. As for your recent question, that is BCS's pattern. If you look at past history, there will likely only be a few posted here at gradcafe which is not reflective of the total number of invites (this year is already an example, there are zero posts in the results section though there are two of you here who have received invites). The invites that are posted in the results section are typically spread out over a multi week period. The latest invite I have seen was Feb 8 I believe. I have no idea why MIT BCS thinks this is a good idea other than my speculation above.

[ak1921]

Congrats to everyone who has received interviews. Question to those who have heard back from Columbia, Berkeley, Princeton and MIT: What specializations did you apply to within the respective neuroscience programs?

My research interests are more likely in the systems or behavioral neuroscience and my first choice in the applications were within these tracks. ( is this what you asked for??did I get you right?) So far I got interview offers from Columbia, Berkeley, and MIT.

But a Question to you. Does this kind of choice really matter? I mean, is your specialization one of the critical factors that schools look upon during the process? Thought these things were some extra info.