2014 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[BioBum]

Anyone on here apply to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for the NRES department? 

I applied 5 weeks ago and am starting to get rather antsy. 

Good luck, everyone.

[RR1]

Does anyone know when Baylor College of Medicine's IMBS program interviews are? 

 

Thanks in advance!

[Orims]

Does anyone know when Baylor College of Medicine's IMBS program interviews are? 

 

Thanks in advance!

Feb 6-8 or March 3-4.

[katethekitcat]

However, the first thing they told me at the interview was 'What if I told you that none of the people working on malaria is able to supervise you?'. I was thinking to myself 'WTF, why do you invite me for an interview then...'.

 

Were they presenting this as a, "No one working with malaria can work with you," statement, or as a hypothetical, "what if" statement? That doesn't sound like an implausible interview question - if you attended their program but none of the professors working in malaria had funding that year, would you have a backup plan or would you end up dropping out/transferring?

[Monochrome Spring]

So, here's a fun idea to help us pass the time in our little biology bubble. Based on the information that you have now about acceptances, rejections, etc., what do you think you're going to do this summer? Be specific. Are you planning for a road trip to move across country? Are you going to read through as many novels as possible before you sell your soul to academia? Are you going to get a head start on research? Will those plans change with a single email from the admissions committee?

[ss2player]

So, here's a fun idea to help us pass the time in our little biology bubble. Based on the information that you have now about acceptances, rejections, etc., what do you think you're going to do this summer? Be specific. Are you planning for a road trip to move across country? Are you going to read through as many novels as possible before you sell your soul to academia? Are you going to get a head start on research? Will those plans change with a single email from the admissions committee?

 

Good topic! I have a bucket list of things to do in my city in the (looking ever-likely) event that I end up leaving: restaurants, museums, parks, miscellaneous events. Also spend as much time with local friends as possible, hock as much material goods as I can, and read/listen to/watch ALL the media I've been meaning to. Maybe pick up odd jobs for ca$$$hizzle. 

[sunpenguin]

So, here's a fun idea to help us pass the time in our little biology bubble. Based on the information that you have now about acceptances, rejections, etc., what do you think you're going to do this summer? Be specific. Are you planning for a road trip to move across country? Are you going to read through as many novels as possible before you sell your soul to academia? Are you going to get a head start on research? Will those plans change with a single email from the admissions committee?

 

Fun question! It's looking very likely I'll be moving across country, so I'm hoping to turn the move into a camping road trip and visit some states I've never stopped in before. One thing I want to do before leaving California is go back to Yosemite one more time.

[Monochrome Spring]

Very cool!

 

As for me, I think I'll be heading out to Costa Rica to check out some field stations and national forests to check out possible research sites. And after that I'm planning on taking a road trip across the country to my new home. I'm trying to only travel with whatever I can fit into my car (which is not large by any means), so I've already started minimizing the belongings (trading physical copies of books for ebooks, etc).

[iheartplants]

Anybody here applies to UMD College Park, BSGP? I logged in to check the application status, and it is listed as complete. But they also say: "Decision information cannot be given out over the phone or in email correspondence." This pisses me off.

 

 

I don't know if they do. Sorry. I would guess that the late notification means no?

 

 

I second this. Like Mono says, applicants don't seem hear back until quite late in the game. Also, I've not heard mention of UMD CP extending interviews. You could ask the program, but they can't give you information via phone or email, so it wouldn't do a lot of good I suppose We'll just need to be patient.

I eat my words. There are interviews for Biological Sciences at least posted on the forum.

[Monochrome Spring]

I eat my words. There are interviews for Biological Sciences at least posted on the forum.

I wonder if you need an interview to be accepted? At this point, it's not really in the running for me, since I have other offers, but it'd be good to know.

[katethekitcat]

So, here's a fun idea to help us pass the time in our little biology bubble. Based on the information that you have now about acceptances, rejections, etc., what do you think you're going to do this summer? Be specific. Are you planning for a road trip to move across country? Are you going to read through as many novels as possible before you sell your soul to academia? Are you going to get a head start on research? Will those plans change with a single email from the admissions committee?

 

Leaving my current job (research specialist at a major research university) in a few months to spend three months working in land conservation. Thought it couldn't hurt to get some big-picture biology before delving into molecular for the rest of forever.

[pyrocide]

So, here's a fun idea to help us pass the time in our little biology bubble. Based on the information that you have now about acceptances, rejections, etc., what do you think you're going to do this summer? Be specific. Are you planning for a road trip to move across country? Are you going to read through as many novels as possible before you sell your soul to academia? Are you going to get a head start on research? Will those plans change with a single email from the admissions committee?

 

Continue working my lab tech job and finish up the last few experiments, and hopefully get that manuscript out. Rebuild my tiny power wheels gokart, race it all over the midwest. Maybe go on a field trip with my boy. Move to Boston in August (even if this app cycle doesn't work out for me.) Then start grad school or get another job and try again next fall. 

[immuno555]

Vanderbilt IGP acceptance!

[lasercats11]

So, here's a fun idea to help us pass the time in our little biology bubble. Based on the information that you have now about acceptances, rejections, etc., what do you think you're going to do this summer? Be specific. Are you planning for a road trip to move across country? Are you going to read through as many novels as possible before you sell your soul to academia? Are you going to get a head start on research? Will those plans change with a single email from the admissions committee?

 

Quit my job - yay! Regardless of whether I get into grad school this cycle, I am moving so I am spending winter/spring dreading the logistics of that move. A single email from an admissions committee would really help me figure out where I am actually moving to. My master's thesis will be done (!) so I will have some time to read for fun again and I want to get a basic working knowledge of R and practical computing/programming. Eat at all my fav restaurants and spend time with all the friends until the big move. 

[sunpenguin]

Any thoughts about this? I received an invitation to interview in the same city where my other two interviews will be held next week. This newest invitation is for late Feb., but I have two free days between interviews next week during which I'll be staying in town. I just emailed them and asked whether it would be possible to interview on those days instead of the official weekend, while making it clear I would be more than happy to come to the official weekend if next week doesn't work. They haven't replied yet, and now I'm having second thoughts. Even if they say yest to working with my schedule, I might miss a lot by not being there for the official event. Any opinions from those of you who've already attended some interviews?

[T.J]

Mount sinai? Einstein? ... they are so silent! 

[knightrunner]

Very cool!

 

As for me, I think I'll be heading out to Costa Rica to check out some field stations and national forests to check out possible research sites. And after that I'm planning on taking a road trip across the country to my new home. I'm trying to only travel with whatever I can fit into my car (which is not large by any means), so I've already started minimizing the belongings (trading physical copies of books for ebooks, etc).

 

I did a summer internship in there.  Costa Rica is a fabulous place, very eco-friendly, and beautiful blue waters because of the sulfur of the volcanoes.  They get most of their electricity from rainfalls alone too.  I love traveling to new adventures even though I am a molecular genetics/computational biology type of researcher.

 

I am wondering, but did anybody heard form Brown's MCB?

[0908]

Any thoughts about this? I received an invitation to interview in the same city where my other two interviews will be held next week. This newest invitation is for late Feb., but I have two free days between interviews next week during which I'll be staying in town. I just emailed them and asked whether it would be possible to interview on those days instead of the official weekend, while making it clear I would be more than happy to come to the official weekend if next week doesn't work. They haven't replied yet, and now I'm having second thoughts. Even if they say yest to working with my schedule, I might miss a lot by not being there for the official event. Any opinions from those of you who've already attended some interviews?

  I just had my first interview. You will actually be missing a lot b/c they have events after the interviews are over and that night. You also would have less time to get to know your potential future cohort. The biggest thing is that its going to be a hassle to reschedule the interview just for you. You might not get your list of PI's you wanted and could end up with PI's you are not interested in working with.

[0908]

I did a summer internship in there.  Costa Rica is a fabulous place, very eco-friendly, and beautiful blue waters because of the sulfur of the volcanoes.  They get most of their electricity from rainfalls alone too.  I love traveling to new adventures even though I am a molecular genetics/computational biology type of researcher.

 

I am wondering, but did anybody heard form Brown's MCB?

I know one girl who is interviewing at Brown MCB. She heard back early. I don't know about the rest of us though. i applied and my app was completed on the 14th of Jan.

[sunpenguin]

  I just had my first interview. You will actually be missing a lot b/c they have events after the interviews are over and that night. You also would have less time to get to know your potential future cohort. The biggest thing is that its going to be a hassle to reschedule the interview just for you. You might not get your list of PI's you wanted and could end up with PI's you are not interested in working with.

 

Thanks for the input! This pretty much confirms what I've been thinking.  

[lasercats11]

I got my wish - UW-Micro finally sent out my rejection email. Still a little disappointed (even though I had already assumed it was coming) but it is nice to have closure and now I can focus on the interviews that I do have without wondering about UW in the back of my mind.

[Monochrome Spring]

Has anyone else received official funding offers from any programs?

[byt2104]

Random question - anyone know how grad schools feel about deferral requests? 

[Monochrome Spring]

Random question - anyone know how grad schools feel about deferral requests? 

 

I think it depends on the program and professor. More importantly, you need to figure out if you can defer any funding, which may not be possible. In general, I think deferral is okay if you have a family issue or a major obligation. But I don't think they're as likely to approve it if you're deferring to take an extra year to relax. Again, it'll be very program/professor specific.

[sunpenguin]

Random question - anyone know how grad schools feel about deferral requests? 

 

It probably depends on the program. Some say in the admissions materials that admissions offers can't be deferred but that you're welcome to reapply in future years.