Chemistry Applications Fall 2014

[Chemisto]

Time we continue the tradition by starting a 2014 Chem grad application thread..

Edited October 13, 2013 by Chemisto

[clickclick]

Area of interest: Organic Methadology

GPA: 3.56

Chem GPA: 3.76

• 2 years of undergrad research experience (will be almost 3 years once I start grad school in August 2014)
• 1st author publication (Feature Article in Synthesis)
• Honors thesis
• ACS Undergraduate Award for best undergraduate organic researcher at my school
• 2 department scholarships for research
• 1 school scholarship for honors thesis project
• 1 national acs poster presentation, 2 regional poster presentations, and 2 school poster presentations
• 1st place and 3rd posters at the regional conferences

1 great LOR, 1 good LOR, 1 ok LOR

Don't have either GRE scores yet

 

Schools Applying to: MIT, UC-Berkeley, CalTech, UI-Urbana-Champaign, Columbia, U-Penn, U-Michigan, U-Wisconsin-Madison

 

Does anyone know how much my GPA will affect my chances at any of these schools and the typical cutoff for GRE scores? I feel like my research experience is strong but is being held down by my GPA.

[Chemisto]

I think ur research profile makes ur application very competitive.But then u r eyeing for top schools

[clickclick]

Should I not be aiming for top schools? I feel like if I can just get my application looked at I would have a chance, but if gpa rules me out automatically then I obviously wouldn't have a chance.

[Faraday]

Should I not be aiming for top schools? I feel like if I can just get my application looked at I would have a chance, but if gpa rules me out automatically then I obviously wouldn't have a chance.

 

You shouldn't be aiming for top schools simply because they are highly ranked... Target schools that have professors doing research that interests you in your targeted area. Granted, most top schools will have plenty of options, but double check there are at least a few professors you would want to work with wherever you are applying to and discuss why that school is a particuarily good fit for you.

 

Your GPA might be a bit of a red flag to some people, but very strong GRE scores can help offset that, and your statement and LORs will still be much more important for your overall application package.

[loginofpscl]

Like the above poster mentioned, doing well on the GRE and cGRE will offset your GPA, and writing a focused personal statement is key.

Edited October 14, 2013 by loginofpscl

[clickclick]

You shouldn't be aiming for top schools simply because they are highly ranked... Target schools that have professors doing research that interests you in your targeted area. Granted, most top schools will have plenty of options, but double check there are at least a few professors you would want to work with wherever you are applying to and discuss why that school is a particuarily good fit for you.

 

Your GPA might be a bit of a red flag to some people, but very strong GRE scores can help offset that, and your statement and LORs will still be much more important for your overall application package.

 

I should have mentioned that my choices are highly based on the groups I am interested in at these schools. However, the rank of the schools do concern me because of my GPA. I believe my SOP is definitely strong and my LOR from my research adviser should be glowing.

 

Are you saying that if my GPA and GREs meet the minimum cutoff that acceptance is more heavily based on my SOP and LORs? Or would a strong GRE scores still be necessary to offset my GPA regardless of how good my SOP and LORs are?

[clickclick]

My biggest concern is actually Urbana-Champaign because my top choice group is there. While I believe I have a somewhat realistic shot at being accepted, I am still pretty nervous because of my GPA, although I have seen a number of accepted applicants with lower GPA than mine.

[loginofpscl]

I can tell you're seeking a more quantitative measure as to whether you will get in or not into your targeted schools-- there is none. Admissions processes are holistic, and while cutoffs are present (both official and unofficial in committee member's preferences and elsewhere), ultimately anything strong will help your application-- i.e., a strong LOR/SOP will help a low GPA/GRE, and vice versa.

 

That is not to say these factors are not equivalent. Many would say that the most important criteria are the LORs, Research experience, and SOP, while GPA/GRE scores are probably fourth in importance. Letters of recommendation are worth their weight and gold, research experience proves you can do it, and your SOP determines your fit and says whether you can really work as a researcher.

 

GPA/GRE scores are a semi-quantitative measure that they use as a filter. If you're going into organic chemistry and you have Cs in Ochem, then that will probably hurt you a lot. But if they see that you got a C in History while applying towards Computational Chemistry, it probably doesn't matter that much. For the GRE scores, a low score will definitely hurt while a high score lets you get past the sieve. Recently, some admission committees claim on be focusing more on the verbal and writing sections (provided you meet a minimum quant) as they know you can game the test, and that research at upper-level institutions revolve much around writing, publishing, proposing, etc...

 

All of this is to say that your experience, LOR, and SOP are what truly matter. Do your best on your GREs and hope you can get in. Unless you have access to a pool of candidate profiles or averages for the schools you are applying to, with complete copies of their LORs and SOPs, there is no way to tell whether you are safe for a school or not. You are nervous and seeking certainty, but from what I've seen you've got a fairly high shot given your creds, and as long as you focus your SOP and your LORs speak of you positively and recommend a future for you as a researcher.

Edited October 14, 2013 by loginofpscl

[Chemisto]

From what I have observed(mostly through gradcafe), UIUC takes a much diverse pool interms of GPA/GRE scores than somewhere like Berkeley or MIT. So is there someone taking GRE Chem on 19th? What's ur last days prep plan?

[clickclick]

I can tell you're seeking a more quantitative measure as to whether you will get in or not into your targeted schools-- there is none. Admissions processes are holistic, and while cutoffs are present (both official and unofficial in committee member's preferences and elsewhere), ultimately anything strong will help your application-- i.e., a strong LOR/SOP will help a low GPA/GRE, and vice versa.

 

That is not to say these factors are not equivalent. Many would say that the most important criteria are the LORs, Research experience, and SOP, while GPA/GRE scores are probably fourth in importance. Letters of recommendation are worth their weight and gold, research experience proves you can do it, and your SOP determines your fit and says whether you can really work as a researcher.

 

GPA/GRE scores are a semi-quantitative measure that they use as a filter. If you're going into organic chemistry and you have Cs in Ochem, then that will probably hurt you a lot. But if they see that you got a C in History while applying towards Computational Chemistry, it probably doesn't matter that much. For the GRE scores, a low score will definitely hurt while a high score lets you get past the sieve. Recently, some admission committees claim on be focusing more on the verbal and writing sections (provided you meet a minimum quant) as they know you can game the test, and that research at upper-level institutions revolve much around writing, publishing, proposing, etc...

 

All of this is to say that your experience, LOR, and SOP are what truly matter. Do your best on your GREs and hope you can get in. Unless you have access to a pool of candidate profiles or averages for the schools you are applying to, with complete copies of their LORs and SOPs, there is no way to tell whether you are safe for a school or not. You are nervous and seeking certainty, but from what I've seen you've got a fairly high shot given your creds, and as long as you focus your SOP and your LORs speak of you positively and recommend a future for you as a researcher.

I appreciate your thorough input! I agree that I am seeking a quantitative measure, but of course, it is in my nature as a budding scientist. While I have read most of what you are saying many times before, your insight is organized in a way that gives a little more clarification to the process. Are you applying this round or have you already been accepted to the schools in your sig?

[clickclick]

From what I have observed(mostly through gradcafe), UIUC takes a much diverse pool interms of GPA/GRE scores than somewhere like Berkeley or MIT. So is there someone taking GRE Chem on 19th? What's ur last days prep plan?

Took the one in sept. and if you become familiar with the sample test questions provided by ETS and pace yourself well you will do well. The test itself is not that difficult once you get used to the questions, its the limited time that makes it challenging so practice pacing yourself.

[loginofpscl]

@Clickclick,

I am applying towards Fall 2014, just like you. Typing all that out was just as much for myself to organize my thoughts, and I apologize if I come off as prattling insight I've heard from others.

 

Chemisto, I will be taking the one on Saturday. I have gone through several practice exams in preparation, marking the problems I get wrong, and exhaustively studied them so I know the key concepts being tested. So far it seems that pacing is not a problem, 170 minutes is surprisingly a lot of time.

[Chemwag]

Hello Everyone here are my statistics,

 

Area of Interest: Organic Synthesis

 

Transfer/B.S Degree from UC Berkeley

 

Overall GPA: 3.47

Major GPA: 3.43

 

3 summer and 1 winter research experience

(Recently submitted a paper for publication, not first author)

 

3 projects from one of my advanced organic laboratory class

 

and recently started another research regarding chiral differentiation  

 

Got all three letters

 

GRE haven't taken it yet, very soon though....

 

Haven't picked all of the schools I'm going to apply yet, currently looking through bios of professors.

However, I want to shoot for some top schools. (Minus Berkeley, had enough)

 

I'm hoping I'll perform well in the GREs so I can bolster my statistics because as of now I don't think I have a good chance at top institutions.

 

Insights anyone?

[Chemisto]

@clickclick

How much biochem part was there? (Terrible in biochem). Like @loginofpscl , timing fortunately has not been an issue for the practise exams atleast.But then exam pressure is a total different thing. And are REA's test any useful?

[clickclick]

I am a very slow test taker even when I know the information very well so maybe this was just my issue. There are very few biochem questions that are essentially organic questions anyways. Didn't use the REA tests just old practice tests from ETS.

[Electric_displacement]

@clickclick

How much biochem part was there? (Terrible in biochem). Like @loginofpscl , timing fortunately has not been an issue for the practise exams atleast.But then exam pressure is a total different thing. And are REA's test any useful?

 

I took the Chem GRE in April and had only had not taken any Biochemistry.  They did emphasize it more than I thought they would, but it was still just fine.  The Organic book I used to study had some Biochem sections that highlighted the important stuff.  That seemed to work well for me.  Good luck as you finish studying!

[Faraday]

My biggest concern is actually Urbana-Champaign because my top choice group is there. While I believe I have a somewhat realistic shot at being accepted, I am still pretty nervous because of my GPA, although I have seen a number of accepted applicants with lower GPA than mine.

 

You can do a "Results Search" to see what some of the hard statistics of students in the past were. That's probably gonna cause more stress than anything though. loginofpscl said everything else quite well.

Edited October 15, 2013 by Faraday

[alkylholic]

Area of Interest: Organic synthesis (natural products, mainly alkaloids)

 

2 year Community College, GE Transfer

 

1 year UCI, Chemistry BS 

 

Overall GPA: 3.90, Majors GPA: 3.93 

 

6x Graduate courses (5 organic, 1 inorganic) 

 

10 months research in a Chem Bio/Organic/Materials lab, no publications 

 

4x Awards/Honors 

-ACS POLYEd Undergraduate Award 

-Outstanding Senior in Chemistry

-Phi Gamma Upsilon Honors

-OC Chemistry Scholarship

 

4x LORs (from my PI and grad courses profs), all "stellar" according to one prospective prof who wanted them early. 

 

SOP is "quite good" according to another prospective professor. 

 

No GREs to report yet. 

 

For the PhD program, interested/considering: Scripps, Yale, MIT, Berkeley, Stanford, WashU, Princeton, UM Ann Arbor, UCSD, ETH Zurich. This is based solely on the professors there, not rank. I've met some professors in person and contacted most via email.

 

My concern is my research experience. I'm considering getting an MS to gain more experience in catalysis at lower tier schools and trying again later if things don't work out.

[prolixity]

zot. what kind of catalysis?    Also, your GPA is identical to what mine was.  I had two more years of research experience, and an REU, as well as 7 years in industry when I applied (though there were several people in my cohort who were similar to you in terms of research experience); but don't limit yourself to what you think you can achieve.. I was accepted into every university to which I had applied and I only applied to universities where there were heavy hitters in my discipline.

[alkylholic]

zot. what kind of catalysis?    Also, your GPA is identical to what mine was.  I had two more years of research experience, and an REU, as well as 7 years in industry when I applied (though there were several people in my cohort who were similar to you in terms of research experience); but don't limit yourself to what you think you can achieve.. I was accepted into every university to which I had applied and I only applied to universities where there were heavy hitters in my discipline. 

 

Fellow anteater?

 

Cycloisomerizations and similar ring closing chemistry have always appealed to me and was what I was thinking of going into after the PhD. I still need to do more digging, but right now I really like what the Zhang group (UCSB) and Ferreira group (Colorado State) are doing. 

 

I'm also interested in C-H activation and is partly why I'm interested in the Du Bois group at Stanford, though I'm mainly interested in the types of complex molecules they tend to target. 

 

Could you clarify what you mean by "don't limit yourself to what you think you can achieve?" Where did you apply to? 

Edited October 15, 2013 by alkylholic

[Chemwag]

Any feedback on my statistics anyone? I also feel like my research experience is low; about 10 months in total. I'm just hoping that the paper we submitted gets published by then.... My GPA isn't all that great either. 

[clickclick]

Hello Everyone here are my statistics,

 

Area of Interest: Organic Synthesis

 

Transfer/B.S Degree from UC Berkeley

 

Overall GPA: 3.47

Major GPA: 3.43

 

3 summer and 1 winter research experience

(Recently submitted a paper for publication, not first author)

 

3 projects from one of my advanced organic laboratory class

 

and recently started another research regarding chiral differentiation

 

Got all three letters

 

GRE haven't taken it yet, very soon though....

 

Haven't picked all of the schools I'm going to apply yet, currently looking through bios of professors.

However, I want to shoot for some top schools. (Minus Berkeley, had enough)

 

I'm hoping I'll perform well in the GREs so I can bolster my statistics because as of now I don't think I have a good chance at top institutions.

 

Insights anyone?

I am no expert but I will pass advice I have received from others and read online.

 

My GPA is not that competitive to most people that post on here, but I have made sure to enhance my strengths through my experiences and representing my characteristics in my SOP.

 

While your research experience is on the low side you still have some experience and you are submitting a paper so this is great. The admissions committee won't see it in the same light as a published paper but if you provide a clear description of the project and how you contributed it will definitely show the admissions you are a mature undergraduate researcher.

 

Also do your homework! Look up the groups you are interested in at each school and mention them in your SOP along with why you are interested in them. Make sure that your research interests match the groups (ie if you are applying for a focus in organic synthesis don't mention a group in an unrelated field such as bioorganic). Read some papers by these groups and if you feel like you understand them well enough mention one in your SOP, briefly stating why you find it interesting (1-2 sentences). You can really show how creative and well developed your problem solving skills are if you can propose a hypothetical project based on observations from the project. Of course, you will want to make sure it is relevant to the group's interest and a relatively recent pub.

 

I had written many drafts of my SOP, which started as describing my interest in chemistry and my experiences. Reading each draft, I thought they were all pretty good reads but I wasted a lot of space describing my history. My academic history isn't the greatest but there are lots of applicants who are in the same position so I ended up cutting my SOP from 1.5-2 pages down to 1 page flat. Now my SOP is right to the point with everything, talking about my interest in the program, my interest in a specific group or groups, my research experience, my career goals, my accomplishments and finishing it off with why I believe I would be a competitive student in their program. I think this shows maturity and rids of excuses which in research, PIs wont want to take someone who makes excuses.

 

If you can show that your interests and goals have been well thought out then I think you will have a good chance at a lot of programs.

 

Also, In my recent post I listed 8 schools but after a lot of thought I have cut this down to 5 based on where my true interests lie and ruled out schools based on prestige. If I get into any of my schools I know I have at least 2-3 groups that I would love to work in. While prestige is important for your career, a balance needs to be made and I think it will be obvious to the admissions committees who is applying for prestige and who is applying for genuine interests. Find a good balance and it will show in your effort.

 

Basically, you have your scores, you have your experience, you have your LORs, the only thing you have control of is your SOP and contacting groups you might be interested in. Your SOP can either make your application by outshining your weaknesses or have a neutral effect and leave the admissions board judging you more based off your other parts of your application. DO YOUR HMWRK and write that winning SOP.

[Chemwag]

Thank you so much for a detailed response! Hope for the best for both us

[Chemisto]

How much time does SOP takes usually? I mean it ll obviously be relative, but generally how many days for a good SOP?