2014 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[DirtyLabCoat]

Would not be at the top of any list of mine

[mvp713]

Thinking about applying to Clemson as a safety school, but honestly, the $20,000 stipend is awful considering that the cost of living is the same as anywhere else. I already got my LORs in, but I already feel cheated considering this is my most expensive application so far to a school that pays the least from my list. Tell me honestly, would you guys pay $80 for an application that only gave you a $20,000 stipend? Help me weigh this.

To me it doesn't sound like you have any interest in going there anyways.  Plus you are already applying to 9 institutions. 

 

I know you said it's a safety, but if the low stipend would make you that miserable I would not waste the 80 bucks.  Buy yourself a nice dinner when you get an interview at your #1 school!

[mvp713]

I'm noticing a lot of Harvard invites on the results page today.  Keep your F5 keys primed, folks..

[DirtyLabCoat]

I'm noticing a lot of Harvard invites on the results page today.  Keep your F5 keys primed, folks..

we can only hope!

[teddybong]

Hey guys, I found this blog of biotechie. Very helpful I think.

Congrats to those getting interviews. And best of luck to those waiting - we'll all be fine eventually

 

[mvp713]

Hey guys, I found this blog of biotechie. Very helpful I think.

Congrats to those getting interviews. And best of luck to those waiting - we'll all be fine eventually

 

Damn, you've heard from WUSTL and UCLA!

[acetylcholine]

At what point can we assume we're not going to Harvard BBS if we applied for it?

[CanRes]

I guess I'll take a go at it.

 

Undergrad Institution: Big State
Major(s): Chemistry
Minor(s): Biochemistry
GPA in Major: 3.1
Overall GPA: 3.0 (Last two years ~3.5 average)
Position in Class: Probably not that great
Type of Student: Domestic Male

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 160 (78%)
V: 154 (64%)
W: 5.0 (93%)
B: N/A


Research Experience: Two summers in a lab not at my institution, one manuscript submitted to the top journal in the field (not including Nature/Science/Cell).  Three years in a lab at my institution, one first author manuscript written, awaiting submission to a mid-range journal in the field.  The lab I was in for three years is in the field I am applying to.  In total, 2 oral presentations and 2 poster presentations.  Applying directly out of undergrad.

 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Two research fellowships within institution and deans list for a semester.  Award for one of my poster presentations.

Special Bonus Points: Took two grad classes, other than that nothing that special.  All three of my letters should be great, for what it's worth.  By far the strongest point of my application.

Applying to Where:

 

In all cases applying to the "Cell and Molecular Biology equivalent" department, and "cancer biology equivalent" where applicable.

 

Current Institution

Duke

Harvard

Sloan-Kettering 

Weill Cornell 

UPenn

Northwestern

University of Chicago

UC Boulder

UCSF

My numbers are pretty weak but my letter writers convinced me that it is worth a shot to apply to these places.  I already have an interview at my current institution and I would be more than happy to stay here, and you miss 100% of the shots you don't take I guess.  So I kind of just applied to the places that I would really  want to go, without worrying too much about my odds of getting in.

[teddybong]

Damn, you've heard from WUSTL and UCLA!

 

I did hear from them last week. But I'm sure WUSTL is still inviting students in Jan and Feb. Which home area did you apply for at UCLA? I did Molecular Pharmacology. It depends on how fast the home area works on the applications also.

 

Best of luck!

[ab2003]

To me it doesn't sound like you have any interest in going there anyways.  Plus you are already applying to 9 institutions. 

 

I know you said it's a safety, but if the low stipend would make you that miserable I would not waste the 80 bucks.  Buy yourself a nice dinner when you get an interview at your #1 school!

 

Yeah, UAB is my pleasant surprise so far, so I think it will probably be reason to pass up the Clemson safety application. I was kind of hoping on hearing back from Vanderbilt IGP since there's one professor in the neuro dept whose lab I could basically jump right into without much training since my current MS thesis actually uses his methods and is pretty much the same subject. The cool thing is that he suggested to meet up once I get my interview. I know a lot of people have gotten invites from Vanderbilt IGP, so it looks like I might have overestimated my application. You never know what's going on behind these adcom closed doors. Luckily, I can prepare for my final course left in the spring to get my mind off applications.

[ERR_Alpha]

At what point can we assume we're not going to Harvard BBS if we applied for it?

Until we get rejections or until April 15th. Sometimes schools send them late depending on who accepts and what not.

[ccarcharias]

At what point can we assume we're not going to Harvard BBS if we applied for it?

 

 

Until we get rejections or until April 15th. Sometimes schools send them late depending on who accepts and what not.

 

I don't think that's the case with Harvard BBS? Taken from the website:

 

"Applicants who have not received an invitation to interview by January 15, 2014 should expect to receive a letter from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, regretfully informing them that they have not been accepted.  These letters are generally sent in March."

[acetylcholine]

I don't think that's the case with Harvard BBS? Taken from the website:

 

"Applicants who have not received an invitation to interview by January 15, 2014 should expect to receive a letter from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, regretfully informing them that they have not been accepted.  These letters are generally sent in March."

I was under the impression they were sending ALL their interview invitations today, as in not sending any after today.

[ccarcharias]

I was under the impression they were sending ALL their interview invitations today, as in not sending any after today.

 

Yeah, I have no idea whether today was the only wave, or just the first. ^^;

[ERR_Alpha]

Yeah, I have no idea whether today was the only wave, or just the first. ^^;

I thought someone had called and they said interviews would go out today? Not sure. I've just counted it out for my own sanity. Based on that though it seems like you could receive an invite up until January 15th.

[nns91]

Based on the number of people on here received an invitation from Harvard BBS, I assume that all invites were sent out today

[biotechie]

Hey guys, I found this blog of biotechie. Very helpful I think.

Congrats to those getting interviews. And best of luck to those waiting - we'll all be fine eventually

 

 

Teehee, that's me. If you all want to comment questions on the blog or message them to me, I can include them in future blog posts. 

 

Also congrats on your WashU interview! I applied there, last year, but got rejected (wrong school's name in the SOP can do that to you). Let me know if you have questions about the area as I grew up a little ways away from there. Another user, Glow_Gene, could be helpful, too!

[DirtyLabCoat]

Yeah, still unsure about the Harvard Immunology program not through BBS. I think I only saw one on here so far

[immun0]

UC Davis Immunology interview came in today just five minutes ago!

 

Congrats!  I'm looking for one, too, hopefully.  Anybody have news on Davis?

[mgg]

Undergrad Institution: Small private research university

Major(s): Biochemistry 
GPA in Major: 3.33
Overall GPA: 3.56
Position in Class: averageish 
Type of Student: Domestic

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 166
V: 168
W: 4.0
B: 79%ile
Research Experience: Heaps and heaps.  4 years at school, 18 months scattered over 4 years at big government research institution. 1 published paper, 1 submitted paper. 

Special Bonus Points: Female! 
Applying to Where:
Rice

UT Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston

UT Austin CMB 

Emory MBCD

Georgetown BCMB 

Yale BBS

Princeton Biology@Princeton

Harvard BBS

UC Berkeley MCB

Stanford Biosciences

 

I've been lurking for a while and finally decided to actually post.  I got an interview at UT Austin a little over a week ago, UT GSBS Thursday, Emory Thursday, and Yale yesterday.  I was really worried that my major GPA would somehow automatically disqualify me, but I'm breathing a lot easier now.  Good luck everyone!

Edited December 22, 2013 by mgg

[phalloidin]

Yeah, still unsure about the Harvard Immunology program not through BBS. I think I only saw one on here so far

Same with the neuroscience program. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

[musicalscientist]

I see a couple Harvard MCO interviews on the results page. Anyone know which program in particular those are for??

[rexzeppelin]

I have no clue, but I wouldn't worry too much since it seems they commonly send out invites in January.

[lengtq]

I sent her an email about something this morning and got an out-of-office reply saying she is gone until Jan 2nd.

DirtyLabCoat you should really see this...

It's good news isn't it. We are going to find out if we are in or not in the new year - and don't have to obsessively refresh in the next couple of days. Unless cytokinestorm you have already received the interview invite and was asking her about the interview schedule...

[Sylvia88]

I received yesterday and invite by email from SysBio-Harvard.

 

Anyone knows about Chicago U-Genetics, Genomics and SysBio or from ColumbiaU-Integrated Program on Cellular, molecular and biomedical studies?