2014 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[Monochrome Spring]

I wasn't planning on re-taking the GRE, but now my top choice (that I was almost waitlisted for last year) now has a cutoff for GRE scores and my math is one percentage point lower than the cutoff. I'm so depressed over this. This is my third cycle and I'm just not excited about it this time around. Self-preservation?

 

Maybe call to see if 1 point within the cutoff will be accepted? Good luck.

[immuno55]

I am so not ready for this to be reality..........

 

Undergrad Institution: The Johns Hopkins University (JHU), Biology
GPA in Major:3.0
Overall GPA:2.8
Masters GPA: 3.9 (JHU Biotechnology Program with Thesis)

GRE Quant: 160

GRE Verbal: 158

GRE Analytical Writing: 4.5

 

I've been in the immunogenetics field since June 2009. I've got 5 years of clinical lab experience and 4 years of research with a thesis (masters was part time for 2 years while working 40+ hours a week and taking call) . Additionally my thesis research has been presented at 3 national meetings ( American Heart Association, American Society for Histocompatability and Immunogenetics and Immunocor- Directors Meeting). My undergrad GPA is low, I know. I lost some focus during undergrad but obviously have shown how serious I am about my academics now considering my performance in my masters program. I've got very strong LORs (my masters academic advisor/ Director of masters program) even asked me to guest lecture in his class this Fall, ::exciting:: in addition to two very tenured professors at JHU School of Medicine.

 

One LOR is a UNC immunology alum

One LOR is a Duke Immunology alum

I have one professional connection at Washington U. 

 

Honest opinions......

Applying to-

Johns Hopkins University-Immunology

JHU-MMI

UPenn-Hershey-Biological Sciences

Duke-Immunology

UNC-Chapel Hill-Immunology

University Miami (FL)- Biological Sciences

Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) - Biological Sciences, Immunology

 

Best of luck everyone!

 

P.S. When is everyone planning on completing their applications????

[mrmolecularbiology]

UPDAAAAAAATE.  Consider these relatively solid but I am retaking the GRE.

 

Undergrad Institution: Public, mid-sized

Major(s):  Biology

GPA in Major: 3.72

Overall GPA: 3.72

Position in Class: Top 15%.  Not quite top 10%, as Phi Beta Kappa hasn't sent me an invitation.

Type of Student: US citizen, female

GRE Scores (revised/old version):  Will update these scores as soon as I have results

Q: 158

V: 167 (what?!)

W: 4.0 (also what)

B: N/A

Research Experience: 2 summers elsewhere (Smithsonian, Woods Hole MBL), 1 semester home institution, 1 publication pending

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Departmental honors curriculum

Applying to Where:

 

This list is going to shrink by at least two.

Harvard BBS

Princeton Molecular Bio

Columbia Neuroscience

UCSD Neuroscience

Baylor College of Medicine Neuroscience

U of Miami Neuroscience

USC Neuroscience

U of Arizona Neuroscience

U of Oregon Neuroscience

Texas A&M Biology (may hack this off)

 

You know, I'm thinking of reconfiguring some of these.  The only ones I'm definitely applying to are the Ivies, UCSD, BCM, and Arizona.  The other ones I'm not sure.

Consider University of Texas southwestern medical center over Texas A&M. I think it's a better program. (although I'm  biased because I go there )

Edited August 27, 2013 by mrmolecularbiology

[mrmolecularbiology]

I wasn't planning on re-taking the GRE, but now my top choice (that I was almost waitlisted for last year) now has a cutoff for GRE scores and my math is one percentage point lower than the cutoff. I'm so depressed over this. This is my third cycle and I'm just not excited about it this time around. Self-preservation?

Is there anything keeping you in San Diego or is that just a preference? 

[ImmunoXX]

Is there anything keeping you in San Diego or is that just a preference? 

It's preference. I'm funds limited this cycle, and my top choice in which I was almost waitlisted last year (UCSD BMS) is my main target. Then UCSD allows another application for free and TSRI is free. It's the best I can do this year. If I'm still here next cycle I plan to expand throughout CA.

Also, I just took the GRE yesterday and managed to improve the bare minimum to exceed the cutoff! Not bad for one week of studying!! My verbal stayed the same at 162 (89%).

[ion_exchanger]

It's preference. I'm funds limited this cycle, and my top choice in which I was almost waitlisted last year (UCSD BMS) is my main target. Then UCSD allows another application for free and TSRI is free. It's the best I can do this year. If I'm still here next cycle I plan to expand throughout CA.

Also, I just took the GRE yesterday and managed to improve the bare minimum to exceed the cutoff! Not bad for one week of studying!! My verbal stayed the same at 162 (89%).

 

Pulling for you this year! Hope that you are successful!

[ImmunoXX]

Pulling for you this year! Hope that you are successful!

Thank You! I feel I've increased my odds by keeping my area of interest in line with my past research (cancer and immunology). NO mention of neuro!!!!

Though I realize that applying to only 3 programs is a hinderance. Best I can do this year! Such a weird feeling not having the time/energy to obsess about it this year....Although the wedding is in October, so I suspect that after that I'll be obsessing again!

[ion_exchanger]

Congratulations on your wedding! Yay! Hopefully the wedding is great, and you get accepted this year, and you can get your great life going!

[ImmunoXX]

Congratulations on your wedding! Yay! Hopefully the wedding is great, and you get accepted this year, and you can get your great life going!

Thank you! I hope so too, and if not this year, then I'm in it for the long haul!

[mrmolecularbiology]

It's preference. I'm funds limited this cycle, and my top choice in which I was almost waitlisted last year (UCSD BMS) is my main target. Then UCSD allows another application for free and TSRI is free. It's the best I can do this year. If I'm still here next cycle I plan to expand throughout CA.

Also, I just took the GRE yesterday and managed to improve the bare minimum to exceed the cutoff! Not bad for one week of studying!! My verbal stayed the same at 162 (89%).

That's awesome! I bet being persistent in addition to exceeding the cutoff will make you a strong candidate in this cycle. Good luck!

[ImmunoXX]

That's awesome! I bet being persistent in addition to exceeding the cutoff will make you a strong candidate in this cycle. Good luck!

That's what I keep telling myself, lol! Also staying in the area I have experience in!

[nns91]

My senior year is starting in 5 days! It's another round of application. Good luck everyone! We will get each other's back throughout this journey.

 

Undergrad Institution: Top 40 liberal arts school
Major(s): Biology
Minor(s): Philosophy
GPA in Major: 3.86
Overall GPA: 3.72
Position in Class: Top 13% percent 
Type of Student: Asian male
 

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 162
V: 157
W: 4.0
B: 

Research Experience:

-1.5 years at current lab, studying speciation in drosophila

-1 summer intern at Institute of Biotechnology in home country

-1 summer at Penn State College of Medicine

-1 poster presentation, 1 oral presentation

 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions:

-2 summer fellowships from home college

-1 summer fellowship from Penn State College of Medicine

-Dean's List

 

Pertinent Activities or Jobs:

-Student tutor for  Bio Department

 

Special Bonus Points:

-LoR should be strong since I am one of the first students of current research advisor and have been heavily involved in the lab. Second LoR is from former chair of a top 10 school and he was happy with the results that I produced during my internship.

-Hoping to push for a paper before applications (should be co-author) but it's tough since we are doing a new system. I am literally doing everything I can to finish this. Will paper in preparation count????

 

Applying to Where: Immunology or molecular bio programs

Princeton (Molecular bio)

Penn (IGG)

Columbia

Weil Cornell (IMP)

Harvard

Rockefeller

UChicago

Cornell

Pitt

UMass Medical School

Stony Brook (Molecular genetics)

Mount Sinai

Penn State Hershey

Brown (Pathobio)

Tufts

 

Any suggestion or comment would be helpful!

[Javier Galdón]

Undergrad Institution: Spanish public university (quite good in the country)
Major(s): Biotechnology
Minor(s): not such a thing in Spain
GPA in Major: 9.7/10
Overall GPA: 9.7/10
Position in Class: we don't have a ranking, but guess top 5% or more
Type of Student: International, Spanish
 

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 166 (93%)
V: 162(89%)
W: 4.0
B: not going to take it!

 

TOEFL Scores: to be taken in some days!

Research Experience:

-IAESTE internship in Newcastle University, UK (summer 2012)

-VISRA program in Vanderbilt University (summer 2013)

-One semester in UNLP, Argentina (that will be happening actually after the application deadline, will it count?)

Awards/Honors/Recognitions:

-Best results Awards from my home University

-Scholarship to develop a research project in Argentina

-Some other minor shcolarship or awards

 

Special Bonus Points:

-LoR from one member of the comitee at one of my choices, however the others may be somehow weak

 

 

Applying to Where:

 

IGP program at Vanderbilt University

Molecular Biology at University of Utah

David Program at Rockefeller (dream option)

PuLSE at Purdue

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (Japan)

 

I know it's a short list, but I don't feel my application is strong enough, and I'm sure I will be wasting time and money. I think my main drawback is lacking publications and not having a really wide experience (only summer programs, not years or anything). However, I really have experiences all over the world under competitive programs schemes, what may be helpful. Anyway, if you have anything to say about my options, I would really appreciate it!

[biotechie]

For those of you trying to solidify your final choices for biomed type programs, this virtual grad school fair happens one last time on October 24. It is how I finalized my list, and also where I found out about my dream program. Even if you think you have your list finalized, it is a good idea to still participate.

 

Generally they have admissions officers at the very least, but many programs also have current students and professors for you to talk to. It was really helpful to me when I was making my choices, and it is FREE. Just register ahead of time. Many of the schools on your lists are listed on the site.

 

http://biomed.careereco.net/virtual-fair/chat-with-organizations/

 

Let me know if you have any questions about the fair or anything I can help you with as far as grad programs go. I'm currently approaching finals for term I at my dream program, so I will be here procrastinating!!!

[Monochrome Spring]

Research Experience:

-IAESTE internship in Newcastle University, UK (summer 2012)

-VISRA program in Vanderbilt University (summer 2013)

-One semester in UNLP, Argentina (that will be happening actually after the application deadline, will it count?)

 

I know it's a short list, but I don't feel my application is strong enough, and I'm sure I will be wasting time and money. I think my main drawback is lacking publications and not having a really wide experience (only summer programs, not years or anything). However, I really have experiences all over the world under competitive programs schemes, what may be helpful. Anyway, if you have anything to say about my options, I would really appreciate it!

 

 

I would put the research experience on your CV and put the year as 2014 (expected). This way, you can show that you are going to do this research.

 

Also, I feel like your application is strong, at least in terms of numbers. Maybe contact some of the professors at the programs that you want to attend, and ask their opinions. Good luck!

Edited September 13, 2013 by Monochrome Spring

[cardboardboxes]

I'm a bit lost in terms of which schools to apply to, so any help/comments would be appreciated!

 

Undergrad Institution: Top 10 public
Major(s): Immunology, Plant Biology
Minor(s):
GPA in Major: 3.50 (Immunology)
Overall GPA: 3.48
Position in Class: slight above average?
Type of Student: Asian female

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 164 (89%)
V: 164 (93%) no idea how that happened
W: 4.5 (78%)
B: nope


Research Experience: I'm kind of all over the place...

At my school:

- 1.5 years studying plastid evolution in the grasses

- 1.5 years studying stress resistance in C. elegans

One summer abroad:

- studied prostate cancer metastasis

... but sadly no papers or posters

Awards/Honors/Recognitions:

- Dean's honors once (the lone award of my undergraduate career haha)

Pertinent Activities or Jobs:

- Grader/reader for a few plant classes

- peer advisor for immunology

- co-created and taught a few classes (special program at my school allows undergrads to create and teach their own classes)

- helped organize an interdisciplinary research conference twice

 

Special Bonus Points:

Haven't asked yet but the plan is:

One LoR from each of my two PIs on campus and one LoR from a professor I took an intensive lab class with (really small class).

Applying to Where: looking at immunology and some cancer programs

- UWashington: immunology, pathology, MCB

- Berkeley

- UChicago

- NYU Sackler

- Stanford

- Yale

? UCSF, WUSTL, Columbia, Brown ?

 

GPA's not the highest and no publications, but I'm hoping my LoRs and research experiences help.

 

I'm not sure if I'm looking at appropriately ranked schools. I'm assuming Yale, Berkeley and Stanford would be my reaches, but does anyone know if I stand a good chance at the other schools?

Also, is applying to three programs at UWashington overkill? It's just that I'm a little freaked out after reading comments about how competitve UWashington Immunology was last year. All three programs are appealing to me, and I just want to increase my chances a bit.

Lastly, assuming the first six schools are fairly to really competitive, should I apply to a few other places (the last four) as well? And are there any other schools I should be looking at?

[ERR_Alpha]

Just got my list down to 10 schools (finally!)

 

Undergrad Institution: Medium sized state school
Major(s): Biochemistry
Minor(s): Gender and Women's Studies, Math
GPA in Major: 3.71
Overall GPA: 3.76
Position in Class: I should graduate magna cum laude.
Type of Student: Domestic female

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 161 (81%)
V: 159 (81%)
W: 5.5 (97%) [that really surprised me]
B: Taking the biochem subject in a couple weeks


Research Experience: Research since freshman year at my institution, summer REU at a larger research university, Two posters presented and two papers in progress.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Random small scholarships from my school

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: General Chemistry and Biochemistry Tutor and TA. Resident Assistant since Sophomore year.

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: I play rugby (people seem to remember this about me and nothing else, it seems)

Special Bonus Points: Female, my advisor seems to have a lot of connections. Especially at Yale.

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: Not that I can think of.

Applying to Where:

All biochemistry or biophysics programs:

 

- Yale 

- Cornell

- Illinois Urbana Champaign

- UMass Amherst

- Penn State

- UConn

- Princeton

- Harvard

- Boston University

- Hopkins

[Monochrome Spring]

Undergrad Institution: top 10 public research university, top 40 overall US universities
Major(s): Evolution, Ecology, and Biodiversity
Minor(s): N/A
GPA in Major: 3.52 cum. / 3.70 upper
Overall GPA: 3.56 uni. / 3.75 with CC
Position in Class: Top 16-20%, possibly cum laude
Type of Student: domestic female

GRE Scores (revised version):
Q: 164 (89%)
V: 164 (93%)
W: N/A
B: 750 (75%), retake in September

Research Experience:

~1 year (to present) undergraduate research assistant - plant ecology

          leading to publication in winter

          presented preliminary results of publication research at uni. UG conference

~1/2 year undergraduate research asssistant - plant floral morphology

~1/2 year undergraduate research assistant - plant cell wall protein analysis

Awards/Honors/Recognitions:

- Uni. honors program

- Uni. dean's list

- Phi Kappa Phi

Pertinent Activities or Jobs:

~6 years tutoring experience - high school, junior college, and university - core science, core math, and Spanish

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:

- possible research experience and publication with abroad course in tropical conservation in winter

- possible senior honors thesis

~1 year (to present) volunteer with local habitat restoration group

~1 year (to present) volunteer with Society for Conservation Biology

~1/2 year volunteering with uni. arboretum

Special Bonus Points:

- well-known PI at current research position

- postdoc I work under personally knows 2 of my POIs

- made phone/skype conversation with all POIs

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

Applying to Where: See signature

 

[ERR_Alpha]

Question for those (particularly looking at BBS) programs :

 

Are you planning on taking the subject GRE in biochemistry? I'm planning on taking it this Saturday but the practice exams have not been going well, probably going to leave it off my application unless a miracle happens. Anyone know how bad this could hurt me?

 

Thanks.

[BeakerBreaker]

For the majority of schools, the subject GRE is not required. I would only take it and put it on my application if either 1) the school requires it or 2) your grades in biochem/molecular biology were poor.

Edited September 26, 2013 by BeakerBreaker

[Monochrome Spring]

Update to my GRE scores:

AWA 5.5 (97%)

No biology subject test retake.

[xieming90322]

Grad Institution: State University/top 30 Public

Undergrad Institution: foreign university

Major(s): reproductive biology

GPA: Undergrad: 3.6  MS first year: 3.13

Position in Class: not available

Type of Student: International male

 

GRE Scores (revised/old version):

Q: 800 (93%)

V: 500 (58%)

W: 3.5

Biochem: not take

 

TOEFL Total: waived

 

 

Research Experience:

1.5 years undergrad research before senior 

+

1 year capstone project

+

1 year or 2 years for current MS project

+

1 summer school/research volunteer before senior

 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: one national scholarship/several university scholarships/two LLC fellowships (all during undergrad years)

 

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Graduate Research Assistant for MS. One semester Graduate Teaching Assistant. Supervising one undergrad assistant.

 

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: one co-authored poster for national conference/ one first-authored departmental poster/ one second-authored manuscript under review

 

Special Bonus Points: one LOR from adviser (should be strong or at least not bad), one strong LOR from committee member (he said it would be very strong)

 

Good luck everyone!

 

Applying to Where: programs focusing on cell and developmental biology or biomedical program

Vanderbilt

WUSTL

Northwestern U (DGP)

U Alabama Birmingham

U Virginia

U Pitt

Penn State

U Mass Medical School

Indiana U

 

Most are interdiscipline biomedical programs...and I know the GPA for MS is really stumbling block for the application....

 

Hope can get on campus interviews in the recruiting season....! Please provide comments and suggestions, thank you.

[biotechie]

Xieming, WUSTL is super competitive, so make sure you work really hard on that application. It needs to be immaculate. They're ranked high in our field. I got rejected from there with a 3.65 masters GPA and 6 years research experience. You may have a better chance than me as you have more publications. I would probably take the GRE again to raise that Writing and Verbal score... These guys use a cutoff since they get so many applications, and I'm fairly certain the writing score needs to be a 4 or a 4.5 for most schools.

 

If you do retake the GRE, spend a week or so going over one of the prompt books and learn to write in the format they expect. My writing score went up when I took it to go from masters to PhD.

 

I'd also suggest adding Baylor College of Medicine (Their Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences program (used to be CMB) is super awesome and is interdisciplinary), University of Florida (Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences) and University of Utah (MCB). The last two aren't quite as highly ranked, but they're still great programs, and they might not be as strict with GRE or GPA requirements. BCM and University of Utah are also FREE applications.

 

I'm happy to help if anyone has any questions about the application process and picking schools. I have the next week off from classes because I survived my first term of classes!

[user165]

Question for those still on this forum from last year's application round:

 

What was your experience with conflicting interview dates? I get the impression that schools have set interview weekends, and they will not meet with you outside of those times. 

 

The reason I'm particularly worried is this: I'm a domestic applicant (US citizen) but am living overseas (UK). I recently contacted one admissions office and was told that, in the case of being granted an interview, I would be expected to fly myself to the states, but they would then pay for any domestic flights. This means that I will likely be able to make only a single trip. I'm also applying to a lot of schools and am hoping for a decent amount of interviews. 

 

To what extent are schools likely to be willing to work with me to make interviews possible and ideally within a few weeks of each other? I think I'll probably have to do some picking and choosing of which schools to interview at, but how many will I have to cut. Lets say I theoretically get 10 interviews. How many would one expect I would need to forgo? 

 

Thanks!

[biotechie]

Question for those still on this forum from last year's application round:

 

What was your experience with conflicting interview dates? I get the impression that schools have set interview weekends, and they will not meet with you outside of those times. 

 

The reason I'm particularly worried is this: I'm a domestic applicant (US citizen) but am living overseas (UK). I recently contacted one admissions office and was told that, in the case of being granted an interview, I would be expected to fly myself to the states, but they would then pay for any domestic flights. This means that I will likely be able to make only a single trip. I'm also applying to a lot of schools and am hoping for a decent amount of interviews. 

 

To what extent are schools likely to be willing to work with me to make interviews possible and ideally within a few weeks of each other? I think I'll probably have to do some picking and choosing of which schools to interview at, but how many will I have to cut. Lets say I theoretically get 10 interviews. How many would one expect I would need to forgo? 

 

Thanks!

 

I think that when interviews start being awarded and announced, you need to let those schools know of your situation. The school I ultimately ended up attending had several students unable to attend either interview weekend, and they allowed them to visit the campus on another day. Another option utilized by many schools will be an interview via Skype. There may be some picky schools that refuse to interview you unless you're present, but I really haven't heard of any of those.

 

I would say wait for interview invites, and when they come in, see which ones you can attend and which ones you can't. Tell them about your situation. They'll probably suggest Skype or an alternate date, but make sure you let them know you're genuinely interested in their program. Most programs understand that we students are on a budget. If not, maybe that helps narrow your selection. If you feel the need to narrow schools once you're selected for interviews, you can also cull down by number of PIs you're interested in working under and program requirements.

Something I noticed last season is that some schools will give you notice 3-4 weeks before your interview, and others as little as a week. I was literally at one interview that had been planned for over a month when I was getting notified about a second interview that they wanted me there less than a week from the notification date. You might not have adequate time to design travel plans to attend multiple interviews. I think Skype is going to become your best friend. If they don't suggest it, make sure you do!

Edited September 29, 2013 by biotechie