2014 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[toxicgirl]

Haha, I emailed them! So your application is probably still in play too.

[username620]

For those got into Harvard BBS, did they send the offer letter through email or snail mail? 

 

Thanks!

[BostonBio153]

For those got into Harvard BBS, did they send the offer letter through email or snail mail? 

 

Thanks!

 

They sent an offer letter via email, and said that we will receive the official acceptance letter from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences sometime in March. They said that the official acceptance letter (snail mail) would have instructions on how to "officially" accept the offer.

[jessarose14]

Hello everyone,

 

I've been hesitant to write on here because I'm just so nervous about everything. I have applied to Vanderbilt IGP, Emory GDBBS, WashU Chemistry and Boston University GMS. I have only heard back from Emory and it was a rejection. 

 

Is there any hope for me to hear anything positive back from the other schools? Or is it too late in the game for that?

 

Thanks for the help.

[nermah1]

well, this week is heading to the end....

i hope ppl here waiting for the result does not spend next one week more for getting result.

adcom should hurry up

[funkydays]

From UMASS Medical - Worcester - "Dear __, Your application is still in play and will need a bit more time to finish

evaluations and comparison of candidates. Sorry for the delay on this and

we appreciate your patience.  A bit of an anxious time, I know!"

 

I wish all schools would just send an email to applicants like this.  At least give people an idea of where they are with the admission process.  Waiting with no information suuuuuuucccccckkkkkkkkssssss...

[micromajor2011]

Recent Grad School Updates:

 

UTHSC- GSBS Cancer Bio Program: Rejected on 2/18 via e-mail

 

Rice University- Cancer Bio Program: Wait listed on 2/19 via e-mail. This was a bit weird.. I e-mailed a professor with regards to her research and received a response from Admissions instead. I think the prof may have forwarded my e-mail to them, because the subject heading was the same unique title I had written. This is my top choice for grad school. I have not had an interview yet and am on the wait list for it. Please send in your responses soon if you are deciding not to go to Rice, so that I can have a shot at an interview. I work across the street from the school and dream about attending it on a daily basis lol.

 

University of Houston: Dept Cell & Molecular Biology: Scheduled for an interview on 3/27-3/28. Received a phone call and e-mail on 3/4. Very excited!

 

Again guys, please send in your responses for Rice as soon as you can. This is literally my DREAM SCHOOL!

 

Did you get rejected from UTHSC with no interview? or post interview?

[nerdson]

When selecting the school you will be attending from among your offers, how would you rank the following criteria?

 

brand of the school

project of interest

connections of the faculty

feedback from existing students which include information about how the PIs help students with their future placements in industry or as post doc.

 

also, if you want to add any other factors that would influence your decision, please feel free to do so.

BTW, rejection from Stony Brook Molecular Genetics and acceptances from universities at Buffalo and Rochester on the same day!

[christina1991]

Got rejected by Harvard BBS after interview...(I am so lame!!!)

But anyway now I have to choose between Uchicago GGSB, Upenn Biology department, and Cambridge Biochemistry.......any suggestions? I'm International and did my undergrad outside USA, but really interested in working in the states (non-academic career, ideally consulting?). Can any US students give me some suggestions on how to choose between those two US programs, and also how much reputation does Cambridge have in the US?

 

Thanks!

[ss2player]

First acceptance: University of Miami! Such a load off. Not my top choice, but I think I could do good work there.

[funkydays]

When selecting the school you will be attending from among your offers, how would you rank the following criteria?

 

brand of the school

project of interest

connections of the faculty

feedback from existing students which include information about how the PIs help students with their future placements in industry or as post doc.

 

also, if you want to add any other factors that would influence your decision, please feel free to do so.

BTW, rejection from Stony Brook Molecular Genetics and acceptances from universities at Buffalo and Rochester on the same day!

 

1. project of interest

2. feedback from existing students which include information about how the PIs help students with their future placements in industry or as post doc.

3. brand of the school

4. connections of the faculty

-although this sort of ties into #2

[ss2player]

When selecting the school you will be attending from among your offers, how would you rank the following criteria?

 

brand of the school

project of interest

connections of the faculty

feedback from existing students which include information about how the PIs help students with their future placements in industry or as post doc.

 

1. feedback from existing students which include information about how the PIs help students with their future placements in industry or as post doc

 

- You'll be working with your PI for 5 years at least. Choose wisely in terms of mentoring style and past student success.

 

2. connections of the faculty

 

- Collaborations and networking are a boon in science.

 

3. project of interest

 

- Projects change all the time. As long as it's mildly interesting to you, you'll be fine. Can always change as a postdoc.

 

4. brand of the school

 

- Not important at all, especially in science sub-fields. Let your work speak for itself.

Edited March 6, 2014 by ss2player

[Fun_Cookie]

but if you get into Ivys and they fit your research interests then of course go there.

[ERR_Alpha]

I second pretty much all of the above. For me, I would look at fit, projects, finances, and how the grad students seem first. If they seem similar, then look at prestige/professor connections. (Ie, Where would you want a post doc? Do more people go into academia or industry)

[Chimeric Phoenix]

First acceptance: University of Miami! Such a load off. Not my top choice, but I think I could do good work there.

 

 

Congrats!

[Monochrome Spring]

When selecting the school you will be attending from among your offers, how would you rank the following criteria?

 

brand of the school

project of interest

connections of the faculty

feedback from existing students which include information about how the PIs help students with their future placements in industry or as post doc.

 

also, if you want to add any other factors that would influence your decision, please feel free to do so.

BTW, rejection from Stony Brook Molecular Genetics and acceptances from universities at Buffalo and Rochester on the same day!

 

My top three were:

1. Resources for project, including funding

2. Happiness of students

3. Ranking

 

I didn't apply anywhere where I couldn't do the type of projects I want, so it was more about how well the uni will facilitate that research.

[MackF]

When selecting the school you will be attending from among your offers, how would you rank the following criteria?

 

brand of the school

project of interest

connections of the faculty

feedback from existing students which include information about how the PIs help students with their future placements in industry or as post doc.

 

also, if you want to add any other factors that would influence your decision, please feel free to do so.

BTW, rejection from Stony Brook Molecular Genetics and acceptances from universities at Buffalo and Rochester on the same day!

 

Which program at university of Rochester?  I'm 90% sure that's where I'm attending

[toxicgirl]

I'm starting to get discouraged. I'm not sure if no news is bad news at this point. I've heard back from 2 out of 6 places post interview. One good, one bad. but I am still waiting on my top 3 choices and not a peep... I clearly have no patience.

[funkydays]

I'm starting to get discouraged. I'm not sure if no news is bad news at this point. I've heard back from 2 out of 6 places post interview. One good, one bad. but I am still waiting on my top 3 choices and not a peep... I clearly have no patience.

 

I feel the same way... but, I don't know if this is just me wanting to be optimistic (or delusions), but based on the results page, it seems like this year's cycle of acceptances are coming a bit late compared to the last two years, esp. with the biomed programs.

[toxicgirl]

I feel the same way... but, I don't know if this is just me wanting to be optimistic (or delusions), but based on the results page, it seems like this year's cycle of acceptances are coming a bit late compared to the last two years, esp. with the biomed programs.

 

I think what happens is that programs send out invites to a few of their top candidates (the candidates who are also getting invites from their top top tier programs as well) first, and then wait to send out the rest of their decisions a few weeks after their interviews are over. I almost want to say that there actually is nothing wrong with the fact that a lot of us haven't heard back from most of our programs yet. Someone correct me if I am wrong. Last year it looked like people were still receiving decisions late march - post interviews. I hope it doesn't take that long, but I think it might.

[Eatin' Biscuits]

Someone has posted a UNC BBSP acceptance in the results. I didn't think I could check my email any more than I already was.. but I was wrong.

[ss2player]

I think what happens is that programs send out invites to a few of their top candidates (the candidates who are also getting invites from their top top tier programs as well) first, and then wait to send out the rest of their decisions a few weeks after their interviews are over. I almost want to say that there actually is nothing wrong with the fact that a lot of us haven't heard back from most of our programs yet. Someone correct me if I am wrong. Last year it looked like people were still receiving decisions late march - post interviews. I hope it doesn't take that long, but I think it might.

 

This feels pretty accurate to me. It takes a while for the dust to settle as they have to wait for these top people to decide on someplace and then they can start hitting the mythical "waitlist" to fill out their class for the year. It'll be a crazy month!

[nns91]

Taken off the waitlist from Penn State Hershey today! I am utterly confused by this :s

Edited March 6, 2014 by nns91

[sunpenguin]

If I interviewed somewhere, and they pretty much implied they would be sending out all acceptances, rejections, and waitlist notifications at about the same time rather than accepting in waves, and acceptances went out today and I heard nothing...does that mean I won't be accepted? This is a department that's hoping for an incoming class that's two-thirds the size of the group they interviewed, so the odds initially seemed really good. But now that other people have been accepted and I'm hearing crickets...not so much.

 

My POI definitely wanted me and was hoping for approval from the department. I haven't emailed him to ask what they've decided because I don't want to bug him or sound like I'm trying to influence the decision.

[Monochrome Spring]

So, admissions for a few of my programs was explained to me like this:

 

Before interviews, some students may be nominated for prestigious fellowships by the department, college, or university. If a student wins one of these fellowships before the interview weekend - or even after the interview - then they are admitted to the program. Although, the student may not know if they have been awarded this fellowship, and the funding offer may come with the admissions letter later.

I was offered fellowship pre-interview, pre-acceptance, and didn't get an official acceptance letter until during the interview weekend.

 

After interviews, the professors get together and rank applicants. Some professors may have more pull, and be able to get students that they are really interested in. These students will get offers of admission, if there is adequate funding for that lab group. In groups with rotations, it seems more like there is a consensus ranking system by the admissions committee. The top-ranked applicants are sent offers first, according to how much funding there is. The rest are "wait-listed" but may not even be informed that they are waiting. This explains why some of you haven't heard from programs yet. Once those invitations start coming back with "no" responses, they begin to invite more people off of the wait-list, going down the rankings. They do this until they have maxed out their funding. Then, if professors still want students from lower down the rankings, they can offer up RA-ships from their own grants (if they have them).

If you haven't heard yet, don't worry. You could be the next person on that list, or a professor could be scrounging up money to invite you in. If it's not a rejection, it's not final.

 

Edit: For the programs that send out all notices at once, if you haven't heard anything yet, I think you're probably one of the ones that is waiting for funding. You may even be good for funding, but the professors are trying to identify which source they want to offer you to come in on.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Monochrome Spring