2014 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[NeuroGirl042]

melissac042, would you just happen to know when Vanderbilt NGP's interview invitations are going to be sent out?  I am also applying to the same program.

 

I don't have a contact there, but from the results search on previous years it seems like we should expect a call very soon! 

[antibody89]

Hmm.  I am getting all of these mixed up.  I think that I did both.  I definitely sent it, but decided to upload an "unofficial" copy, too, haha.

 

Do you know if the MSU BMS program will pay for airplane tickets and hotel  for the interview?

[DuongVat]

Do you know if the MSU BMS program will pay for airplane tickets and hotel  for the interview?

They pay for everything.  If you have any questions about MSU BMS let me know, as I am currently a student here.

[antibody89]

They pay for everything.  If you have any questions about MSU BMS let me know, as I am currently a student here.

 

Wow thanks...GRE aside..what do you think are considered competitive gpa and research experience for the program? Do they accept a lot of people that they interview? Thanks again

[DuongVat]

Wow thanks...GRE aside..what do you think are considered competitive gpa and research experience for the program? Do they accept a lot of people that they interview? Thanks again

For the GPA it mostly depends on which professor reads your application, some value it a bit higher or lower than others.  I know some of the people who read applications and they for sure care the most about the last two years of undergrad.  Some professors don't even look at the first two.  Most of the people I know had a GPA of between 3 and 3.5, and a lot of people went to smaller universities for undergrad.

 

For research experience, most people here had a few summers or maybe 1-2 semesters during undergrad.  A significant amount of people here went to a university that did no research for undergrad, so their only opportunities were over summer.  Most people here didn't have a paper or anything during undergrad.  I would say about a year, or maybe 1.5 years is what most people had.  Having a really "good" research experience will be your best asset, as the people who read applications value that very highly.

 

For interviews, it's less of an interview and more of them trying to get you to come here.  But you can still get rejected if you totally mess it up.  I don't have an exact figure on this, but most people get accepted after interview.

 

Overall, just a solid application should be enough to be competitive here.  You don't need a 4.0 and 3 nature papers or anything like that.

[antibody89]

For the GPA it mostly depends on which professor reads your application, some value it a bit higher or lower than others.  I know some of the people who read applications and they for sure care the most about the last two years of undergrad.  Some professors don't even look at the first two.  Most of the people I know had a GPA of between 3 and 3.5, and a lot of people went to smaller universities for undergrad.

 

For research experience, most people here had a few summers or maybe 1-2 semesters during undergrad.  A significant amount of people here went to a university that did no research for undergrad, so their only opportunities were over summer.  Most people here didn't have a paper or anything during undergrad.  I would say about a year, or maybe 1.5 years is what most people had.  Having a really "good" research experience will be your best asset, as the people who read applications value that very highly.

 

For interviews, it's less of an interview and more of them trying to get you to come here.  But you can still get rejected if you totally mess it up.  I don't have an exact figure on this, but most people get accepted after interview.

 

Overall, just a solid application should be enough to be competitive here.  You don't need a 4.0 and 3 nature papers or anything like that.

 

Thanks for the response...did you have to give a presentation during the interview? 

[antibody89]

Just got an interview from MSU ..hope the rest of you hear back soon too

[Leuco]

Just got an interview from MSU ..hope the rest of you hear back soon too

 

Congrats!!

 

By email?  (freakish refresh time)  When did you submit your application?

[DuongVat]

Thanks for the response...did you have to give a presentation during the interview? 

For the interview weekend you just kind of hang out with current graduate students and listen to some professors briefly present their research.  There's no big presentation thing where you need to show what you've done in front of everyone.  You just talk 1 on 1 with professors on their office the entire day.  The interview is mostly them talking a bit about their research, and you talking a bit about yours.  It's pretty casual.  The general vibe is that the point of the interview isn't to filter people out, it's to convince the "better" candidates to select MSU.

 

Then some current graduate students kind of take you on a 1 on 1 tour of the buildings where all of the labs are (Biochemistry building, Chemistry building, BPS, Plant Biology, etc.).  And you also go to dinner in a local restaurant with some current graduate students (there are not many good places to eat in East Lansing, but Lansing has a bunch).

 

But yeah, the point isn't to squeeze the juice out of you, they all want you to come there, that's why they picked you to fly you out there and get you a room in probably the fanciest hotel near campus.

[antibody89]

Congrats!!

 

By email?  (freakish refresh time)  When did you submit your application?

 

By phone call...I submitted it on Nov 20

[DuongVat]

By phone call...I submitted it on Nov 20

Congrats!  See you when you come probably!  (Even though you probably won't know who I am, and vice versa).

[antibody89]

For the interview weekend you just kind of hang out with current graduate students and listen to some professors briefly present their research.  There's no big presentation thing where you need to show what you've done in front of everyone.  You just talk 1 on 1 with professors on their office the entire day.  The interview is mostly them talking a bit about their research, and you talking a bit about yours.  It's pretty casual.  The general vibe is that the point of the interview isn't to filter people out, it's to convince the "better" candidates to select MSU.

 

Then some current graduate students kind of take you on a 1 on 1 tour of the buildings where all of the labs are (Biochemistry building, Chemistry building, BPS, Plant Biology, etc.).  And you also go to dinner in a local restaurant with some current graduate students (there are not many good places to eat in East Lansing, but Lansing has a bunch).

 

But yeah, the point isn't to squeeze the juice out of you, they all want you to come there, that's why they picked you to fly you out there and get you a room in probably the fanciest hotel near campus.

 

Thank you so much...I am a little less stressed about it after seeing your response..is there anything that you recommend that I should do to prepare for the interview? 

[DuongVat]

Thank you so much...I am a little less stressed about it after seeing your response..is there anything that you recommend that I should do to prepare for the interview? 

I would just think briefly about what you would say if someone asked you the exact question "So tell me a bit about your research".

 

I wouldn't waste your time reading every paper from every professor who interviews you, they are going to assume you don't know who they are, and they will explain everything on pretty basic terms.  Just think of a few general questions to ask them, and also maybe bring some questions for the grad students who show you around as well.

 

The people showing you around/taking you to dinner don't really have enough power to push for your acceptance.  But just make sure you're polite and stuff to them, since the director asks the grad students about you as a person, and if the grad student says you were rude to everyone or something, it could lead to a rejection.

[Leuco]

I would just think briefly about what you would say if someone asked you the exact question "So tell me a bit about your research".

 

I wouldn't waste your time reading every paper from every professor who interviews you, they are going to assume you don't know who they are, and they will explain everything on pretty basic terms.  Just think of a few general questions to ask them, and also maybe bring some questions for the grad students who show you around as well.

 

The people showing you around/taking you to dinner don't really have enough power to push for your acceptance.  But just make sure you're polite and stuff to them, since the director asks the grad students about you as a person, and if the grad student says you were rude to everyone or something, it could lead to a rejection.

 

I was told to be nice to the staff, too: The office members.  I guess a few years ago, a student was amazing to the profs/grad students, and then terrible to the office staff.  They didn't offer him/her admission because of that.

[DuongVat]

I was told to be nice to the staff, too: The office members.  I guess a few years ago, a student was amazing to the profs/grad students, and then terrible to the office staff.  They didn't offer him/her admission because of that.

Yeah.  The rule of thumb to go by here (and probably everywhere) is that not everyone you interact with has the power to accept your application.  However, anyone could possibly have your application rejected by telling the director that you were rude to people.

[antibody89]

Yeah.  The rule of thumb to go by here (and probably everywhere) is that not everyone you interact with has the power to accept your application.  However, anyone could possibly have your application rejected by telling the director that you were rude to people.

 

Hi do you know roughly how many students they interview for the BMS program? Thanks

[DuongVat]

Hi do you know roughly how many students they interview for the BMS program? Thanks

Very many.  For the most part at an interview you stick with people applying to the same program (inside the BMS program) as you, like CMB, BMB or Genetics.  There were either 2 or 3 interview weekends (can't remember) and at least in the CMB program there was about 30 people at each.

[antibody89]

Very many.  For the most part at an interview you stick with people applying to the same program (inside the BMS program) as you, like CMB, BMB or Genetics.  There were either 2 or 3 interview weekends (can't remember) and at least in the CMB program there was about 30 people at each.

 

thanks for all your help! BTW are there usually a lot of OOS students? 

[DuongVat]

thanks for all your help! BTW are there usually a lot of OOS students? 

Just eyeballing it I would say that maybe 20% are in state, 50% out of state and 30% international.

 

Edit:  For what it's worth, though, most of the out of state people are from the general mid-west region that michigan is in.  Mostly Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, etc.

 

People from the south are probably scared of the cold up here, which is why there are not so many of them.  For those in that situation though, I promise it is not that bad.  People typically get used to the cold after a few months.

Edited December 11, 2013 by DuongVat

[antibody89]

Just eyeballing it I would say that maybe 20% are in state, 50% out of state and 30% international.

 

Edit:  For what it's worth, though, most of the out of state people are from the general mid-west region that michigan is in.  Mostly Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, etc.

 

People from the south are probably scared of the cold up here, which is why there are not so many of them.  For those in that situation though, I promise it is not that bad.  People typically get used to the cold after a few months.

 

Thanks..I'm from the west coast so I'm a little nervous about the weather as well..

[ERR_Alpha]

Officially finished all my applications! Freaking out that people are already getting interviews   Best of luck everyone!!!

[rl23gb]

Undergrad Institution: Large pulbic university
Major(s): Biology
Minor(s):Spanish
GPA in Major: 3.88
Overall GPA: 3.65
Position in Class: N/A
Type of Student:  Gringo

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 158 (75%)
V: 160 (85%)
W: 3.5 (35%)


Research Experience:

2 years research experience in a developmental genetics and evolution lab.

P.I here is extremely well known in research

1.5 of these has been working on an independant honors thesis

Middle author on publication recently submitted for publising

 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: ~Second place poster award

Pertinent Activities or Jobs:

Full Time Summer Research Intern while working on my thesis

Applying to Where:

UC Denver ( Cell Biology, Stem Cells, and Development)

UC irvine (MCB)

UW (MCB)

Columbia (Genetics and development)

Vandy (IGP Biomedical)

UPenn (pibs)

Mich (PIBSout

Northwestern (Driskill)

 

I'd love to get everyone's input on my chances.

I'm a little worried about the GRE scores but I think its pretty much average otherwise.

Edited December 11, 2013 by rl23gb

[immuno555]

Interview from Vanderbilt IGP! woot woot. Weight lifted off my shoulders. Application completed Dec 2.

[acetylcholine]

rl23gb, your primary weakness is your Analytical score.

[ERR_Alpha]

Rejected from Cornell BMCB even before they have all my LORs. I wonder if they had a GPA cutoff. (3.71 in my major here) they're sending my app over to Biophysics for consideration. Great addition to finals week.