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Chemistry Applications Fall 2014


Chemisto

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Welp, scores are in. I'm rather disappointed with my scaled score of 600 (20%). I expected low because I'm not a good standardized test taker, but not that low. Oh well I'm not going to let it get me down, just going to keep pushing forward.

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Welp, scores are in. I'm rather disappointed with my scaled score of 600 (20%). I expected low because I'm not a good standardized test taker, but not that low. Oh well I'm not going to let it get me down, just going to keep pushing forward.

 

Don't fret. Northwestern (a top chemistry program) has an average of 694... meaning if you apply and there is someone who applies as well with an 800 or better, you could both get in and the average would actually increase. I could almost guarantee that there is someone who scored an 800 or above who got in and attended Northwestern. So you'll be ok. As long as your SOP and LOR are great, I'd still have confidence with the schools you're applying to. 

 

Also, if your schools don't require it...don't send it. I've also been told that for some schools, the chem gre is only a score that can help you (may not be the case with other "top" schools). Have confidence in yourself! You have a great resume from your former posts. 

Edited by asaprocky
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Don't fret. Northwestern (a top chemistry program) has an average of 694... meaning if you apply and there is someone who applies as well with an 800 or better, you could both get in and the average would actually increase. I could almost guarantee that there is someone who scored an 800 or above who got in and attended Northwestern. So you'll be ok. As long as your SOP and LOR are great, I'd still have confidence with the schools you're applying to. 

 

Also, if your schools don't require it...don't send it. I've also been told that for some schools, the chem gre is only a score that can help you (may not be the case with other "top" schools). Have confidence in yourself! You have a great resume from your former posts. 

I appreciate your encouragement. I have been letting it get to me a bit but its not in my control anymore. Talked to my PI today and he wasn't impressed either, but he has let me know that his LOR is very strong. Thanks for your kind words, I just hope it doesn't knock me out from the schools where my top groups are at.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Guess I'll join in. Has everyone begun applying?

 

Area of interest: Organometallics/Catalysis

GPA: 4.0

Chem GPA: 4.0

GRE: 162 Q / 157 V / 5.0 AW

Institution: Small school for 2 years, Georgia Tech for 2 years

I'm 27, hispanic. Took 5 years off of school after high school.

  • 1 year of research at small college in organic/inorganic synthesis
  • 2 years of research at Georgia Tech in C-H Activation and materials chemistry - Big-time professor
  • 1 Summer NSF REU
  • 1 Publication (3rd author. J. Am. Chem. Soc.) - Another in prep that won't be ready in time to matter to ADCOMS
  • 2-time recipient of Georgia Tech's Presidential Undergraduate Research Award
  • Presented a poster at ACS National Meeting (Indianapolis, IN)
  • Presented a poster at regional ACS Meeting
  • Undergraduate Thesis

 

I've submitted all of my applications.

Applied to: UC Berkeley, MIT, UW-Madison, U of Wash, Yale, UT-Austin, Purdue, Emory

 

Good luck to everyone. Big fan of the site and these types of threads in particular.

Edited by YaBoyAR
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Apologies if u find the Q stupid, but can anyone tell at what time does the GRE Subject scores are usually update? i.e if its 18th Nov...what time exactly? 12::00 a.m EST?

Edited by Chemisto
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Apologies if u find the Q stupid, but can anyone tell at what time does the GRE Subject scores are usually update? i.e if its 18th Nov...what time exactly? 12::00 a.m EST?

I literally got my score at 12:00 am EST. But that may be because I live in the EST time zone? so maybe it'll be time zone dependent...but if not, then 12:00 as EST was the time I got mine!

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Quick question for all. 

 

So I just realized that in the SOP that I submitted for one of my schools, there were two grammatical errors that should have been obvious. Without correction, they kinda sound bad...(ie. said 'pursue PhD' instead of 'pursue a Ph.D. and 'can subject to' instead of 'can be subjected to')

 

So my question is, should I not worry about it since they were really the only two mistakes and everything else sounds ok? or should I email someone to try and change my SOP?

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I wouldn't attempt to email anybody - it'll probably only draw attention to the fact. 

If they like you as a candidate the AdCom will most likely gloss over the typos (if they notice them at all). If they don't like you as a candidate then it will be for reasons other than 2 minor grammar errors. Basically, it is unlikely to break your application.

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After speaking with many faculty members from three different schools that deal with grad apps (in preparation for my SOP writing) I would say don't worry about it.  They want to choose good chemists and grammatical errors as minor as these aren't going to weigh in on that decision at all.

 

Now if the application hasn't been finalized just yet you can probably resubmit and overwrite the one stored in the system.  The schools I am applying to allow this.

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Area of interest : Theoretical chemistry.

GRE-314. Quant-159, Verbal-155.

Subject GRE - 800 (76%)

TOEFL - 109 (26 in speaking)

Research experience : 4 summer research projects, all in theoretical chemistry. Year long project on modeling small molecule encapsulation inside CNT.

Posters presented : 2, one in theoretical chemistry symposium, got special appreciation for that. One in international conference on electronic structure and dynamics of molecules and clusters.

Have one great recommendation form a big shot in theoretical chemistry.

Planning to apply to : U. Florida, Ohio state U., U. Colorado at Boulder, UC Irvine.

 

What are my chances of getting through. I am planning to take my GRE again to improve my score.

will i get through UW Madison, UIUC and U Texas at Austin if I apply? 

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I wouldn't attempt to email anybody - it'll probably only draw attention to the fact. 

If they like you as a candidate the AdCom will most likely gloss over the typos (if they notice them at all). If they don't like you as a candidate then it will be for reasons other than 2 minor grammar errors. Basically, it is unlikely to break your application.

 

you're awesome. Thanks!

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After speaking with many faculty members from three different schools that deal with grad apps (in preparation for my SOP writing) I would say don't worry about it.  They want to choose good chemists and grammatical errors as minor as these aren't going to weigh in on that decision at all.

 

Now if the application hasn't been finalized just yet you can probably resubmit and overwrite the one stored in the system.  The schools I am applying to allow this.

 

All of my schools say you can't edit your applications after submission. But thanks! I appreciate it

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Research interest: analytical chemistry, specifically mass spectrometry instrumentation/method dev

GPA: 3.46 in biochem/mol bio @ large well-known public undergrad institute (graduated 2009)

Research exp: 3 years of undergrad research experience, 3 years post-bacc research experience (2/3 in my area of research interest)

 

Applying to UF, UNC, Vanderbilt, UWx2 (analytical and genome sciences programs)

 

hope to see some of you guys at interview weekends?!

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Area of Interest: Organic synthesis (Medicinal ,natural products, Physical organic, Computational chemistry)

 

 

Overall GPA: 3.0, Majors GPA: 3.3

Publications: one second author and one first author in Journals with an impact factor of around 5 and one in progress.
Four years of undergraduate research experience in Organic synthesis.
Trained in Physics and Chemistry.
Very strong SOP and very good LOR's.
Undergraduate studies done from one of the top research institutes of India.
No GRE's yet.
Applying for Purdue, Madison, UC-Berkeley, UI-Urbana-Champaign, Columbia, U-Penn, U-Michigan.

 

Will my low GPA effect my chances?

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Which material science programmes are worth looking into who generally accept people with Chem majors? Places like MIT seem to prefer people with material science background. I was looking for material science depts that have strong nanoscience groups.Any suggestions ll be appreciated!

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Which material science programmes are worth looking into who generally accept people with Chem majors? Places like MIT seem to prefer people with material science background. I was looking for material science depts that have strong nanoscience groups.Any suggestions ll be appreciated!

 

I heard Chapel Hill and Wisconsin, Madison have good programs (though i dont know if they specialize in nanoscience). I knew chem majors who got into their materials program with decent GPAs and chem research.

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Area of interest : Theoretical chemistry.

GRE-314. Quant-159, Verbal-155.

Subject GRE - 800 (76%)

TOEFL - 109 (26 in speaking)

Research experience : 4 summer research projects, all in theoretical chemistry. Year long project on modeling small molecule encapsulation inside CNT.

Posters presented : 2, one in theoretical chemistry symposium, got special appreciation for that. One in international conference on electronic structure and dynamics of molecules and clusters.

Have one great recommendation form a big shot in theoretical chemistry.

Planning to apply to : U. Florida, Ohio state U., U. Colorado at Boulder, UC Irvine.

 

What are my chances of getting through. I am planning to take my GRE again to improve my score.

will i get through UW Madison, UIUC and U Texas at Austin if I apply? 

I knew a 1st year theoretical chemistry graduate student with similar stats (he was also international) that got into those places, but chose to go to UC Irvine. I think you'll be alright. 

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How specific are you guys' SOP? Are you just listing profs, or are you actually focusing your SOPs on one particular prof, i.e. discussing his work and how you can fit into that?

 

 

I don't think u can talk too much about a particular prof's work in detail in SOP. I think 2-3 lines per prof u mention in SOP are enough considering u ll mention 3 profs atleast.

 

I mentioned one professor in detail. A paragraph's worth. Discussed specific research and why him/her and the school are a good fit. 

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Mentioning one prof is fine if u only want to work with him.However u ll be restricting ur chance of acceptance to availability of space in that certain prof's Lab. For instance, I know that in  a certain top 10 school,instead of admission committee taking decision,they will pass on ur application to the prof if u strongly focus him/her in ur SOP . Thus chances of acceptance can decrease.

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