Chemistry Applications Fall 2014

[YaBoyAR]

Hey YaBoyAR,

Look like we are on the same boat, UCB was the last lingering name on my list too.

Are you coming to visit in Mar? Which area of concentration are you in?

We can share stories of our dismay over Berkeley in March because I'll be there! I'll be the cocky ginger who thinks his shit doesn't stink that's aiming to get into Stephen Buchwald or Tim Swager's group! Inorganic/Organometallics is my desired field of study though. How about you?

[Shinz]

ikr =(

But that's awesome, I'll be there too. I'm polymer so MIT had the lead from the start anw xD

I actually know a girl (2 classes ahead of me) who's in Swager's group, also inorganic. I can hook y'all up  

See ya in Mar.

[YaBoyAR]

ikr =(

But that's awesome, I'll be there too. I'm polymer so MIT had the lead from the start anw xD

I actually know a girl (2 classes ahead of me) who's in Swager's group, also inorganic. I can hook y'all up

See ya in Mar.

You da man!

[clickclick]

Anyone know the deal with UIUC? Seems like they havent sent out many acceptances yet but have sent out a few rejections. 

[Cogsprocks]

Emailed Caltech to see what was up, since I was told I would get notice of my decision a week ago. I got rejected. At least I got an interview, and came down to fighting foe the last 2 spots in pchem. I knew it was a long shot, but I got close! I guess my next top choice is Irvine. Can't wait to see that school again!

[chemistrylvl]

I checked the whole grad cafe survey about Berkeley accepting but I could see only few of them. Do they accept people via mail or email?

[Chemisto]

Anyone know the deal with UIUC? Seems like they havent sent out many acceptances yet but have sent out a few rejections. 

Yeah...any info will be appreciated!! Silence for past 10 weeks...

[fancyfeast]

Hopefully someone on here can give me an idea if I should take a year off to improve my research background - my lab is very hands-off so I sometimes think I move more slowly than friends in other labs, but I feel like I've learned a lot more because of this! It just sucks that I don't have much to show for it in terms of publications.

 

Major: Chemistry

Large state school

GPA: 3.95/4.00

 

Research:

2 years (including summers) in a materials/physical chemistry lab. 2 presentations (national conference and school conference) - got promising results but PI moved me to something he was more interested in that he felt had higher impact. No papers maybe, if I'm lucky, I can wrap up my current project this semester and at the very least get another presentation in. 

 

GRE:

No GRE yet.

 

EC's:

I do a lot of tutoring for the chemistry and athletic departments, will be an AI for a general chemistry course next semester, I volunteer weekly at the Boy's and Girl's Club and do science outreach there once a month or so. Involved with the chem frat Alpha Chi Sigma, but I don't do much except go to events where there will be food. 

 

Awards:

Dean's list, easy-to-get automatic scholarship, summer stipend scholarships, Phi Beta Kappa, best first-year student award from way back when I was a freshman.

 

Letters:

Don't actually know how much I need yet. Obviously my PI, who I think will write a really good letter. The other two will be from professors I had in class and they should be decent. I have more faith in one over the other, but I think if I sat down for a bit with the weak link to chat for 30 minutes about my goals she would write a great letter. 

 

Schools:

I'm still narrowing down my interests by reading papers in the fields I like (my lab now is not what I want to do in the future really). I'm interested in studying biochemical pathways, particularly when they result in disease. Also interested in estrogen-receptor related biochemistry. On the other hand, bio-inspired nanomaterials are cool. 

 

I'd really like to go to a top school. I think right now that might be a bit of a reach for me, but who knows. I want to be a professor, so I think where I go and who I work with matters, right?

 

Comments:

I know people do summer REUs, and I think it makes your application/skills look more varied and I kinda wished I had done one. It's too late for me to apply for one for the summer now I think, but I haven't minded staying and working full-time on things I'm familiar with.

 

I feel very unaccomplished. Compared to my peers who are above and beyond and super involved (albeit, premed), I feel pretty average. How can I make myself stand out?

 

TLDR: good grades, maybe slightly above average research, decent EC's, decent LORs. Do I have a chance for anything more than above average?

 

 

[Scarythefairy]

Anyone know the deal with UIUC? Seems like they havent sent out many acceptances yet but have sent out a few rejections.

I talked to them like last week, apparently they are accepting less people this year due to an unusually large incoming class last year.

[clickclick]

I talked to them like last week, apparently they are accepting less people this year due to an unusually large incoming class last year.

Does that mean that acceptances are already out and if we havent heard we should expect a rejection?

[Cogsprocks]

 

TLDR: good grades, maybe slightly above average research, decent EC's, decent LORs. Do I have a chance for anything more than above average?

Dude, your chances will be great, as your application looks better than mine. What you should focus on in my opinion is the things you have direct control, GRE and your essays. Your essays will help you stand out and make you memorable. You should also cultivate your LoRs. The top 10 schools are a crap shoot, but you have a chance. Also, I wouldn't look at what schools are "above average" look for schools that fit you and have research you want to do. How I started my school search was simple and basic. I took a map of the USA and blocked out states I want to live in, wouldn't mind living in, and dont want to live in. Then, I went to top 50 list, and dotted the ones on the map that weren't in "dont want to live areas." From there, I looked at school's research interests and faculties.

Grad school isn't about going to the best top 10. Yes, name brand may help, but this is a *job* essentially. You need to work and live somewhere you will be happy. But, you will be fine, and I'm sure you have chances at great schools.

[fancyfeast]

Dude, your chances will be great, as your application looks better than mine. What you should focus on in my opinion is the things you have direct control, GRE and your essays. Your essays will help you stand out and make you memorable. You should also cultivate your LoRs. The top 10 schools are a crap shoot, but you have a chance. Also, I wouldn't look at what schools are "above average" look for schools that fit you and have research you want to do. How I started my school search was simple and basic. I took a map of the USA and blocked out states I want to live in, wouldn't mind living in, and dont want to live in. Then, I went to top 50 list, and dotted the ones on the map that weren't in "dont want to live areas." From there, I looked at school's research interests and faculties.

Grad school isn't about going to the best top 10. Yes, name brand may help, but this is a *job* essentially. You need to work and live somewhere you will be happy. But, you will be fine, and I'm sure you have chances at great schools.

 

Thank you! That's a great tip! I think I came off a bit pretentious and I'm sorry about that. I just read a few posts of people with amazing stats and got worried. My friends are also above and beyond and I think since I'm at the bottom of that group I tend to forget that doesn't mean I'm at the bottom everywhere. Gonna go print a map of the continental US

[Scarythefairy]

Does that mean that acceptances are already out and if we havent heard we should expect a rejection?

I'm not sure... They may still have a few acceptances left. I just wish the departments would let us know if we are rejected or wait listed.

[coldplay32]

Rejection from Michigan......hope just betrayed me.

[Chemcki]

Hopefully someone on here can give me an idea if I should take a year off to improve my research background - my lab is very hands-off so I sometimes think I move more slowly than friends in other labs, but I feel like I've learned a lot more because of this! It just sucks that I don't have much to show for it in terms of publications.

 

Major: Chemistry

Large state school

GPA: 3.95/4.00

 

Research:

2 years (including summers) in a materials/physical chemistry lab. 2 presentations (national conference and school conference) - got promising results but PI moved me to something he was more interested in that he felt had higher impact. No papers maybe, if I'm lucky, I can wrap up my current project this semester and at the very least get another presentation in. 

 

GRE:

No GRE yet.

 

EC's:

I do a lot of tutoring for the chemistry and athletic departments, will be an AI for a general chemistry course next semester, I volunteer weekly at the Boy's and Girl's Club and do science outreach there once a month or so. Involved with the chem frat Alpha Chi Sigma, but I don't do much except go to events where there will be food. 

 

Awards:

Dean's list, easy-to-get automatic scholarship, summer stipend scholarships, Phi Beta Kappa, best first-year student award from way back when I was a freshman.

 

Letters:

Don't actually know how much I need yet. Obviously my PI, who I think will write a really good letter. The other two will be from professors I had in class and they should be decent. I have more faith in one over the other, but I think if I sat down for a bit with the weak link to chat for 30 minutes about my goals she would write a great letter. 

 

Schools:

I'm still narrowing down my interests by reading papers in the fields I like (my lab now is not what I want to do in the future really). I'm interested in studying biochemical pathways, particularly when they result in disease. Also interested in estrogen-receptor related biochemistry. On the other hand, bio-inspired nanomaterials are cool. 

 

I'd really like to go to a top school. I think right now that might be a bit of a reach for me, but who knows. I want to be a professor, so I think where I go and who I work with matters, right?

 

Comments:

I know people do summer REUs, and I think it makes your application/skills look more varied and I kinda wished I had done one. It's too late for me to apply for one for the summer now I think, but I haven't minded staying and working full-time on things I'm familiar with.

 

I feel very unaccomplished. Compared to my peers who are above and beyond and super involved (albeit, premed), I feel pretty average. How can I make myself stand out?

 

TLDR: good grades, maybe slightly above average research, decent EC's, decent LORs. Do I have a chance for anything more than above average?

I miss read your post originally, I thought you were a biochem major.

 

Chem major usually do well in Biochem. Get a good GRE, you will have a good chance. If you want yourself stand out, you need publication in Biochemistry, if not at least good recommendation from a Biochem professor. Materials science research is really different from Biochemical pathways, and what is golden in your research might not be so obvious for a biochem professor. Also, you should realize that many Biochemistry programs out there are really Molecular Biology more than Biochemistry.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Chemcki

[Lina1504]

I'm not sure... They may still have a few acceptances left. I just wish the departments would let us know if we are rejected or wait listed.

Agreed. No hope though anymore after that post

[fancyfeast]

I miss read your post originally, I thought you were a biochem major.

 

Chem major usually do well in Biochem. Get a good GRE, you will have a good chance. If you want yourself stand out, you need publication in Biochemistry, if not at least good recommendation from a Biochem professor. Materials science research is really different from Biochemical pathways, and what is golden in your research might not be so obvious for a biochem professor. Also, you should realize that many Biochemistry programs out there are really Molecular Biology more than Biochemistry.

 

I think I could get a good letter of rec from the upper level biochem courses I've taken. I've taken pretty much the same sequence of courses as the biochem majors here, I just took the chem analytical classes rather than the biochem ones and I won't be taking biochem lab. But I really don't think I could get a publication in biochem unless I took a year or two off and worked as a research assistant at a university or hospital or maybe the NIH IRTA program. I asked a professor I had in class if she would recommend switching labs for a year, but she told me that she felt that I should stay where I am if I'm enjoying it, which I do. 

 

Basically just trying to ask if I should get more experience in a relevant field for a year after college.

Edited February 4, 2014 by fancyfeast

[Alchemist921]

Sent Harvard an email inquiring about my application. Said I was not recommended for admission.... will be sending out official decisions February 7th. Expected but it was my first rejection :-(. Now I know how that feels. Congrats to those that got in!!!

[aralat]

Sent Harvard an email inquiring about my application. Said I was not recommended for admission.... will be sending out official decisions February 7th. Expected but it was my first rejection :-(. Now I know how that feels. Congrats to those that got in!!!

 

Same just happened to me...

[Chemcki]

I think I could get a good letter of rec from the upper level biochem courses I've taken. I've taken pretty much the same sequence of courses as the biochem majors here, I just took the chem analytical classes rather than the biochem ones and I won't be taking biochem lab. But I really don't think I could get a publication in biochem unless I took a year or two off and worked as a research assistant at a university or hospital or maybe the NIH IRTA program. I asked a professor I had in class if she would recommend switching labs for a year, but she told me that she felt that I should stay where I am if I'm enjoying it, which I do. 

 

Basically just trying to ask if I should get more experience in a relevant field for a year after college.

 

You asked how you could stand out and that was the answer.

 

No you are right, just finish what you are doing. You don't "need" to have a publication. Most don't because the cycle for publication in Biochem usually take longer commitments. Taking a year off would not do much good. Good GPA and good GRE can get you there. Like the other response from the other person, a well prepared SOP will be very important. 

[snpiano]

Has anybody heard from CU-Boulder recently? I emailed a week ago and they said their "committee has until March 1^st to make decisions." 

I'm wondering if all their remaining applicants will be rejected. Didn't want to pester the office again

[Scarythefairy]

Has anybody heard from CU-Boulder recently? I emailed a week ago and they said their "committee has until March 1^st to make decisions." 

I'm wondering if all their remaining applicants will be rejected. Didn't want to pester the office again

Seriously, the wait is getting painful.

[Faraday]

Has anybody heard from CU-Boulder recently? I emailed a week ago and they said their "committee has until March 1^st to make decisions." 

I'm wondering if all their remaining applicants will be rejected. Didn't want to pester the office again

 

The visiting weekends are March 6-8 and 13-15, so the first round of notices should have already been sent out. Not to burst your bubble but having an answer is better than none I hope.

Edited February 5, 2014 by Faraday

[Poncho]

Has anybody heard from CU-Boulder recently? I emailed a week ago and they said their "committee has until March 1^st to make decisions." 

I'm wondering if all their remaining applicants will be rejected. Didn't want to pester the office again

I happened to call today.  I was told by the office that I had been made placed into the second round, and that they were currently determining how many students in my division would admitted, but it sounds like a wait-list to me.  I applied for Materials Chem.

[Chemisto]

I happened to call today.  I was told by the office that I had been made placed into the second round, and that they were currently determining how many students in my division would admitted, but it sounds like a wait-list to me.  I applied for Materials Chem.

I also applied in the same division and they had replied couple of weeks ago that the material chem adcom was on their second round of decisions....As somebody mentioned earlier, they notify as soon as the adcom makes final decision....