2014 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[musicalscientist]

Oh so the invites went out? oops. Guess I didn't get that one.

[lasercats11]

Congrats Lasercats!!  Was that your first invite?  If so, I bet it's doing wonders for your conscience

 

It was my first invite and it is such a relief. It definitely gives you some reassurance that your application packet wasn't complete garbage because a group of people sat down and read it and still invited you to interview. That's a good feeling.

[perfectionist]

I just found out that a friend of a friend works with one of my POIs (the friend is on the clinical side, not part of the research program) and offered to introduce me. I kinda feel like it's late in the season to be contacting PIs. Any opinions?

[TeriyakiSagan]

Got a feeling MIT bio will be tomorrow. *fingers crossed. Also ERR_alpha. I meant to upvote one of ur posts before but hit downvote on accident. Can't undo it. Whoops

[Red_Two]

 Long time lurker so I finally decided to post. Also, when I looked at last years stats I thought I wouldn't get any interviews because my super low GRE quant score (the reason I applied to so many schools). There is hope!

 

Undergrad Institution: CSU (Cal State)
Major(s): Cell and Molecular Biology
Minor(s): 
GPA in Major: 3. 54 
Overall GPA: 3.68
Position in Class: No idea (I should graduate magna cum laude)
Type of Student: Domestic female (minority)

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 49% (terrible, I know)
V: 81%
W: 93%
B:


Research Experience: Developmental Biology lab on campus (1.5 yrs), 2 national conference presentations, currently preparing a manuscript. 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: REU (at home institution), "prestigious" merit scholarship, minority scholarship (home institution), national minority fellowship, poster presentation award, and Dean's list 6/8 semesters. 

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 2 student research clubs


Applying to Where:  See Signature

[aba1984]

How long did it take for the coordinators to send you trip/booking information after accepting the interview? For one of my interviews, the coordinator received all my info and confirmed that she'll get back to me 17 days ago, but I have not heard anything yet. At the same time, I don't want to be a bother since I noticed people just started posting interview invites for this school today, so maybe she's waiting to accumulate each group to send a mass email? The interview is in 2 weeks. WWYD?

[ERR_Alpha]

Got a feeling MIT bio will be tomorrow. *fingers crossed. Also ERR_alpha. I meant to upvote one of ur posts before but hit downvote on accident. Can't undo it. Whoops

It's okay, I totally did it to someone once so it's like vote karma. 

[sunpenguin]

Long time lurker so I finally decided to post. Also, when I looked at last years stats I thought I wouldn't get any interviews because my super low GRE quant score (the reason I applied to so many schools). There is hope!

 

Undergrad Institution: CSU (Cal State)Major(s): Cell and Molecular BiologyMinor(s): GPA in Major: 3. 54 Overall GPA: 3.68Position in Class: No idea (I should graduate magna cum laude)Type of Student: Domestic female (minority)GRE Scores (revised/old version):Q: 49% (terrible, I know)V: 81%W: 93%B:Research Experience: Developmental Biology lab on campus (1.5 yrs), 2 national conference presentations, currently preparing a manuscript. Awards/Honors/Recognitions: REU (at home institution), "prestigious" merit scholarship, minority scholarship (home institution), national minority fellowship, poster presentation award, and Dean's list 6/8 semesters. Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 2 student research clubsApplying to Where:  See Signature

Congrats on getting eight interviews! Do you know if UW Biology has already sent out all their invites? I haven't heard from them and wonder if I should assume it's a no-go...

[lasercats11]

So, I just checked my secondary email out of sheer paranoia and found my invitation to Johns Hopkins Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Recruitment Weekend buried in my spam folder. The letter said that the deadline to respond was January 7th. I sent a quick, apologetic, hopeful email just now, but I am dying. The invitation to my top school has been in my email since the 27th of December and I didn't know it was there?! Fml.

[stizz]

So, I just checked my secondary email out of sheer paranoia and found my invitation to Johns Hopkins Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Recruitment Weekend buried in my spam folder. The letter said that the deadline to respond was January 7th. I sent a quick, apologetic, hopeful email just now, but I am dying. The invitation to my top school has been in my email since the 27th of December and I didn't know it was there?! Fml.

They have another recruitment weekend Mar 6-8.. I know this because I had to reschedule. They seem very nice and helpful.  Best of luck!

[Red_Two]

Congrats on getting eight interviews! Do you know if UW Biology has already sent out all their invites? I haven't heard from them and wonder if I should assume it's a no-go...

Thanks! I have no idea about the UW biology invite situation. My only insight is that when I was contacted they gave me two dates to choose from 1/10-1/11 and 1/16-1/17

[mvp713]

I just found out that a friend of a friend works with one of my POIs (the friend is on the clinical side, not part of the research program) and offered to introduce me. I kinda feel like it's late in the season to be contacting PIs. Any opinions?

Why would it be too late? No ones been accepted yet

[virion18]

Hey guys,

 

Newbie over here asking for some advice. UNC BBSP originally contacted me back in December for an interview, and I committed. They booked my plane ticket, hotel reservations and everything for the weekend 1/31, but Baylor emailed me yesterday with an interview offer and no feasible alternative interview dates were possible. My choice is BCM>UNC BBSP. How bad does it look if I pulled out of my UNC interview? If I don't, then I pretty much have a Baylor rejection since I can't attend their alternative interview weekends. 

[sqxz]

Didn't hear from Hopkins today Hopefully they don't send them all at once

 

I didn't hear anything either.   I'm hoping for better news today or tomorrow!

[baxter01]

At this point, mostly to keep my mind off it, I have resigned to the fact that the only time I am going to hear from any schools is in March with a rejection

[sunpenguin]

Thanks! I have no idea about the UW biology invite situation. My only insight is that when I was contacted they gave me two dates to choose from 1/10-1/11 and 1/16-1/17

 

Thanks. I think that with those dates coming up so soon, they must have extended all their invitations already.

[MrsWizard]

At this point, mostly to keep my mind off it, I have resigned to the fact that the only time I am going to hear from any schools is in March with a rejection

You aren't alone on that thought! What do you plan to do if you don't get in? I am already trying to set up contacts to work in a lab in the meantime. I am moving from Florida to New York this summer, so it's like starting over from day one with my life, lol. Then I am going to apply to the New York area programs again next year. Because of my family situation (older, married with a kid) I am limited to just that region (which is unfortunately highly competitive). I'll take another shot at this next year, and then after that I need to go for plan b and move on.

[tuba250]

UNC BBSP Update:

 

I sent a mail to the Grad Coordinator and got a reply saying the admissions committees are in their last stretch of meetings and all the remaining applicant will get response within next two weeks.

 

So lets just hope for the best.

 

I saw a few rejections on the results which said they got rejection via webpage (applyyourself). Where they post the rejection? At least they can send an email.It seems very rude to me.

[IncretinEffect33]

So, I just checked my secondary email out of sheer paranoia and found my invitation to Johns Hopkins Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Recruitment Weekend buried in my spam folder. The letter said that the deadline to respond was January 7th. I sent a quick, apologetic, hopeful email just now, but I am dying. The invitation to my top school has been in my email since the 27th of December and I didn't know it was there?! Fml.

 

That sounds like something out of a nightmare. Except not completely, because, congrats! You got an interview at Hopkins! Hopefully they're understanding about it. It probably has happened to someone before, and it's not long after the date, so at least it's not like you found it in February and are frantically emailing or something. I have hope it will turn out alright!

[username1824]

Hey guys,

 

Newbie over here asking for some advice. UNC BBSP originally contacted me back in December for an interview, and I committed. They booked my plane ticket, hotel reservations and everything for the weekend 1/31, but Baylor emailed me yesterday with an interview offer and no feasible alternative interview dates were possible. My choice is BCM>UNC BBSP. How bad does it look if I pulled out of my UNC interview? If I don't, then I pretty much have a Baylor rejection since I can't attend their alternative interview weekends. 

It would be like if you were going to prom and you bought yourself a suit/dress and reserved an expensive limo and then your date calls you at the last minute and tells you they are going with someone else. 

 

It would look REALLY bad, and UNC would almost certainly be pretty annoyed at you, so I wouldn't do it unless BCM >>> UNC for you.

[DirtyLabCoat]

It would be like if you were going to prom and you bought yourself a suit/dress and reserved an expensive limo and then your date calls you at the last minute and tells you they are going with someone else. 

 

It would look REALLY bad, and UNC would almost certainly be pretty annoyed at you, so I wouldn't do it unless BCM >>> UNC for you.

yeah, you are going to have a rejection in either case. pull out, UNC will dismiss you as not serious, stay...and risk Baylor..

[katethekitcat]

Hey guys,

 

Newbie over here asking for some advice. UNC BBSP originally contacted me back in December for an interview, and I committed. They booked my plane ticket, hotel reservations and everything for the weekend 1/31, but Baylor emailed me yesterday with an interview offer and no feasible alternative interview dates were possible. My choice is BCM>UNC BBSP. How bad does it look if I pulled out of my UNC interview? If I don't, then I pretty much have a Baylor rejection since I can't attend their alternative interview weekends. 

 

Would they be willing to do a Skype/phone interview? I don't think it would be wrong to let them know, hey, you're absolutely my top choice but I can't cancel on a school right after they've made expensive reservations.

[sayitaintso]

Does anyone think that Princeton MolBio is done sending out invites too ?

This is turning into a nightmare.

[persimmony]

Hey guys,

 

Newbie over here asking for some advice. UNC BBSP originally contacted me back in December for an interview, and I committed. They booked my plane ticket, hotel reservations and everything for the weekend 1/31, but Baylor emailed me yesterday with an interview offer and no feasible alternative interview dates were possible. My choice is BCM>UNC BBSP. How bad does it look if I pulled out of my UNC interview? If I don't, then I pretty much have a Baylor rejection since I can't attend their alternative interview weekends. 

 

I had this problem when I confirmed UC Denver in December and UW Madison emailed me on Monday with coinciding dates. Luckily, I live 20min from UC Denver and the program admin has been very nice to me since before I even applied. They had an alternative date available with two other applicants and shifted me around. If they hadn't, I would have had to make a difficult decision which would partly have been determined by post-interview acceptance rates. If you can figure out those numbers, do so.

 

I don't think it would hurt to at least ask UNC if they have an alternative date. 

[devneuro18]

I had this problem when I confirmed UC Denver in December and UW Madison emailed me on Monday with coinciding dates. Luckily, I live 20min from UC Denver and the program admin has been very nice to me since before I even applied. They had an alternative date available with two other applicants and shifted me around. If they hadn't, I would have had to make a difficult decision which would partly have been determined by post-interview acceptance rates. If you can figure out those numbers, do so.

 

I don't think it would hurt to at least ask UNC if they have an alternative date. 

 

I haven't found any post-interview acceptance rates published anywhere, care to enlighten me/us? All I've seen are # applied, # offers, and # matriculants.