2014 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[DirtyLabCoat]

I spoke to another applicant that called the program today...I want to vomit

[MrsWizard]

So, I'm not feeling too good about getting into school. Time to start updating linkedin. How many plan on applying next year if you don't get in this year?

[DirtyLabCoat]

Yeah just got an email reply from me asking about the interviews for the coordinator saying I wasn't selected for one

[T.J]

Thats sad @ DirtyLabCoat. I'm sorry! Is it specific for IMP or any program at Weill? I applied to BCMB (allied program)

[katethekitcat]

So, I'm not feeling too good about getting into school. Time to start updating linkedin. How many plan on applying next year if you don't get in this year?

 

Guys. Calm down! Look through the results selection - search your school and then look at all the interview results from last year. Time and time and time again, there are interview requests sent out mid-to-late January. It's not even 2014 yet; most applications were only due December 1. As desperate and worried as we are, and as much as we want to know today, on the university's end, they have hundreds of applications to comb through and only so many personnel to do it. The professors have research and classes and a plethorea of current students they're also dealing with. Not having received an interview offer by December 30 is not make-or-break; it just means the office is busy. Calling, e-mailing, etc - it's just going to stress you out. If they want to interview you, they'll make sure you know. They also have 50 other people e-mailing/calling desperately wanting to know about interviews. They're not going to "forget" to e-mail an applicant they want to talk to.

 

It's like applying for a job. The applicant needs the job and it's their only priority to get it. The person hiring, while they need someone to fill the position, also has a thousand other priorities. Maybe the person who's responsible for sending out interview requests took a week off. Maybe they're doing applications in batches. There are a thousand factors you cannot control. Don't write off your whole future because you haven't received a plethora of invites by today. Other people getting interviews means one thing and one thing only: the person who got an interview, got an interview. It doesn't mean you didn't. It doesn't mean you won't. It doesn't mean you will.

 

Take a break from the forum. Go do something sciency. Read a paper that interests you and remember why you love biology instead of stressing about where you'll be in a year. It will all work out, one way or another.

[DirtyLabCoat]

It's just sad. How much more research were they looking for me to have accomplished? I literally couldn't not have fit more into the period between high school and now. If it was based on blah gre score then God help me

[thebigbang]

Buck up, my comrades in anxiety! This uncertainty is what you will experience most of your careers! A former lab mate told me that.

[ERR_Alpha]

Rejection stings, I know. When I got mine from Cornell it sucked. But what some wise people told me on here (thanks guys): having perfect GRE scores, a great GPA, and research experience isn't all they look at. They look at program fit too. Maybe they thought your interests didn't quite align, or funding is low this year, who knows. Don't stress out wondering why, take it from me.

[elanorci]

Sorry to hear that, DirtyLabCoat :/ but ERR_Alpha is right! Maybe they thought you'd be a better fit somewhere else and it'll all work out for the best. And if it was really just because of a silly GRE score - would you really want to go to a program that admits good test-takers rather than good researchers? 

 

I also think (read: hope) that the ~second week of January will bring a lot of news. Until then, let's try to relax and enjoy the end of the holiday season (I'm still eating xmas leftovers!) and New Years! 

[immun0]

Blah heard Weill sent out all invites ...

 

It's okay.  We've got UW, right?  :/ That's pretty good!

[tuba250]

On 12/30/2013 at 10:44 AM, DirtyLabCoat said:

It's just sad. How much more research were they looking for me to have accomplished? I literally couldn't not have fit more into the period between high school and now. If it was based on blah gre score then God help me

Don't lose hope yet. You already got invited for interview by UW! It proves that you are good enough. And GRE score is just another factor but not the deal breaker. If GRE was the only parameter then trust me, a lot of good researcher would never go to Grad school. I am not satisfied with my scores either and wish I could retake it but one of my seniors said that sometimes they dont even consider it as a way to judge an applicant. So lets just hope for the best.

[tuba250]

So, I'm not feeling too good about getting into school. Time to start updating linkedin. How many plan on applying next year if you don't get in this year?

 

I will apply next year if it doesn't work out for me this year and will keep trying no matter what... I know I want to stay in the field of research (hopefully cancer bio) and there will be no alternative for me other than getting into school. I struggled a lot to come this far and a few rejections can not change my mind. I really hope we all succeed this year and dont have to go through this waiting game again.

[sqxz]

Been creeping for a while...guess it's time to post some stats!

 

Undergrad Institution: Large public research institution

Major(s): B.S. Physics (Biological Physics), B.S. Computer Science (Computational Science)
Minor(s): None
GPA in Major: 3.65, 3.79
Overall GPA: 3.754
Position in Class: Cum Laude (or higher, expected)
Type of Student: Domestic white male

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 167 (95%)
V: 164 (93%)
W: 5.0 (93%)
B: N/A

Research Experience:

Home Institution - Biochemical Physics (computational) - 4 months (ongoing) - Thesis (expected), 1st author of 1

Home Institution - Biochemical Physics (computational) - 15 months - Informal publication, 1st author of 1

Home Institution - Chemical Physics (experimental) - 5 months - Informal publication, 1st author of 2

Home Institution - Chemical Physics (experimental) - 11 months - Acknowledged in publication

Awards/Honors/Recognitions:

Honors Program Scholar

Dean's List, 5 semesters of 10

8 Scholarships (5 internal, 3 external)

Pertinent Activities or Jobs:

Paid undergraduate researcher at my home institution

Intern in a chemical engineering research and development lab for a major corporation

Special Bonus Points:

At least one of my recommenders has a fairly high profile.

I have taken three graduate-level computer science courses.

Does a non-racial minority status count?

Applying to Where:

Carnegie Mellon University - Computational Biology

Johns Hopkins University - Molecular Biophysics

Princeton University - Quantitative and Computational Biology

Rutgers University - Computational Biology and Molecular Biophysics

University of California, San Francisco - Biophysics

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Biophysics and Computational Biology

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center - Molecular Biophysics

Washington University in St. Louis - Computational and Molecular Biophysics

[elanorci]

As if to reward my resolution to stay calm, I just got a Princeton QCB invite! Sorry to have worried Princeton applicants unnecessarily >> they're still going out! 

 

EDIT It might also be worth mentioning that I sent them (the general Princeton graduate office) my midyear grades a few days ago, as Princeton asks for them. Not sure if they were waiting on these to extend interview invites or if the timing is coincidental. 

Edited December 30, 2013 by elanorci

[ERR_Alpha]

As if to reward my resolution to stay calm, I just got a Princeton QCB invite! Sorry to have worried Princeton applicants unnecessarily >> they're still going out!

Yay!! Congrats! I was hoping that result was you.

[elanorci]

Actually that one wasn't me -- but that did cause me to check my email and to then see my invite, haha. That's so nice of you, though

 

Edit: /now/ mine is up  

Edited December 30, 2013 by elanorci

[Sulay Patel]

Had anyone heard from Albert Einstein School of Medicine?

[MrsWizard]

Had anyone heard from Albert Einstein School of Medicine?

Looks like 2 people got invites already, which is a few weeks earlier than previous years. I keep checking, nothing yet.

[0908]

Anyone know if Emory BCDB and Arizona ABBS have sent out all their invites??

[yeso89]

I spoke to another applicant that called the program today...I want to vomit

Dude, you got an interview with UW. That is a huge accomplishment! They're very selective with that program from what I hear. My PI has a connection at the school and it's one of the best programs for your field. Lots of cool stuff being done there. No sure what type of work you want to get into, but the HIV research there is really interesting. I've learned just to relax and enjoy the holidays. You stood out to a program that takes 7 people each application cycle. You'll be fine! 

[T.J]

Looks like 2 people got invites already, which is a few weeks earlier than previous years. I keep checking, nothing yet.

Haven't got mine either. Waiting...

[ERR_Alpha]

As if to reward my resolution to stay calm, I just got a Princeton QCB invite! Sorry to have worried Princeton applicants unnecessarily >> they're still going out! 

 

EDIT It might also be worth mentioning that I sent them (the general Princeton graduate office) my midyear grades a few days ago, as Princeton asks for them. Not sure if they were waiting on these to extend interview invites or if the timing is coincidental. 

 

I just sent mine in... haha, can't hurt. Did anywhere else require them...? I didn't even think to look.

[Fun_Cookie]

Got the Princeton Molecular Bio email for interview today. The 2 weeks that they have planned I can't go. Should I just say I can't come at all?

[elanorci]

I just sent mine in... haha, can't hurt. Did anywhere else require them...? I didn't even think to look.

 

Not that I know of, but I was planning to recheck their websites, as I almost missed that Princeton wants them...! I'll post here if I find any (: 

 

@fun_cookie Congrats! I'm in a similar situation: QCB only offered me one weekend and I can't make it. I emailed back and asked if I could attend on an alternate weekend after explaining that I had another interview scheduled for that weekend and the flights are already booked. I think that it's pretty common for people to have conflicts (there are only ~6 weekends in this period, and most of us applied to more schools than that), so I'm hoping that they'll be accommodating (: 

Edited December 30, 2013 by elanorci

[CanRes]

UChicago giving me a heart attack.

 

I get this email:

 

Hello,

 

An update has been posted to your online account for your application to the University of Chicago Division of Biological Sciences.  Please log back into your online account to view this update.

 

Best,

Sarah

 

So I try to open my application on my phone (which took a very long time, since I was in the middle of nowhere with poor internet).  About 20 minutes into loading all of the pages (almost done!) I get another email:

 

Reynolds, Sarah [bSD] - GRA would like to recall the message, "Update to your UChicago application".