Ocean/Marine Sciences 2014?

[oceanlover]

Anyone applying to graduate programs in ocean or marine biology/sciences for 2014? Doesn't seem to be that many people in this field on gradcafe, so thought i'd start a thread where did you apply, and has anyone heard anything back yet??

[Eco_Vibes]

Here!  I'm glad to see other people with similar interests on grad cafe.  I was starting to think I was the only one.   However, I should clarify by saying that I applied to MS/PhD programs in Biology with a focus on climate change ecology in marine ecosystems.  

 

I have yet to hear back from any of the nine programs about their final offers, other than a few interviews.  Where is your top choice and have you gotten any news??

[oceanlover]

Yay! That's still relevant, and pretty awesome! I see you applied to UW, what department did you apply to? I applied there as well, to SAFS. 

 

I don't really have a top top in mind, I don't want to get myself too excited about a specific school just to get declined, but bottom of my list is College of Charleston and UNE.  Morbid thinking, I know, but I'm trying to stay optimistic and hope to get in anywhere! How about you?

 

I also haven't heard back from any programs yet (granted I only applied fully to 3 and have 4 to go), but I did get a positive response from Texas A&M and had a phone interview with a POI in November.  I only had a Skype interview with my POI in Western Washington a few weeks ago, who said he was interviewing 5 applicants and would then notify us who he decides in early January.  Hopefully I hear back soon, fingers crossed!

[Eco_Vibes]

I applied to the department of biology at UW but there are others in various departments that I hope to collaborate with (assuming I get in haha).  As far as having schools at the bottom of your list, there is nothing wrong with having safety schools.  I have a couple, but really should have included more, just in case.  I think everyones sense of security goes out the window during the "waiting" process.  

 

That's good to hear you've had positive feedback thus far!  I've been pulling my hair out waiting to hear some kind of news, good or bad, but there just isn't much left to pull... . It's definitely hard for applicants like us to gauge approx. times of acceptance/rejection when all the results are in almost every other field.  Eh.  Until then, I'm going to need a new hobby 

[kdougs22]

Hey! I'm also applying to marine science programs. I just finished submitting all of my applications this past week. I contacted professors at schools beforehand whose research I was interested in and already have done interviews with most of the schools. I'm only applying to schools where the professors, whose reseach I was interested in, said they were interested in me and would be accepting students into their labs this application period. 

 

I'm definitely nervous and impatient to find out the results and it sucks we have no idea when we'll hear back. I am going to visit FIU, Nova, and Auburn this month as the professors invited me so hopefully all goes well.

[oceanlover]

Yay thats exciting! Are you getting funded for these interview trips or is it on your own type of deal?  That's the main thing holding me back from visiting, most of my schools are across the country and not really feasible to visit without financial help :/

 

I'm also applying to both VIMS and CofC! What was your contact with VIMS like? I also contacted profs at each school before applying and my VIMS interaction was a little different.  I'm interested in the fisheries department and nearly contacted everyone and my POI responded a couple weeks later wanting to know more about me so I answered and never got a reply.  Then like a week ago (this is like a month after I submitted my app) a prof who never answered me responded and said that he's not taking new students but noticed that I contacted Dr so and so (POI) and that she would be a great fit and excellent mentor.  I guess I shouldn't be so surprised that the professors in the same department talk among themselves about potential students, but I wasn't sure I made a good impression with my POI.  Anyway, glad I applied anyway! It was the only school I didn't really have solid contact but its the closest to home and my current research advisor has some connections with VIMS so thought i'd give it a shot

 

I also have no idea when we will hear back and it is super discouraging to see others from other departments receiving answers already! I literally check the results page 3 times a day every day hahah

[astondb4gtz]

You can count me in with this crowd as well.

 

I am a bit of a "non-traditional" student though - been working in industry for 20 years and now I am hoping to go back into school and pursue my passion.

 

I applied to several California schools as my wife has a potential job out there and so I could hopefully at least see her and the kids on the weekends.

 

I have no idea what my prospects are, my GRE's were good, and I coauthored one paper a few years ago. I have been working as an analytical chemist all that time but am trying to get into more of a marine ecology focused PhD, which is what I really love.

 

I am just sweating it out for right now, hoping for the best, I suppose like everybody else.

 

 

[kdougs22]

I went to visit the schools on my own. Luckily, my parents helped me out with the costs as I wouldn't be able to afford it on my own. I just got done visiting Nova and FIU, both of which went really well.First off, although I haven't been accepted officially at Nova yet the professor who's interested in me and director of graduate admissions told me I would be accepted. It's definitely really exciting for me because they have the largest coral reef research center in the US and their program is growing rapidly. Plus, I already have a professor who wants to be my advisor and offered me a research assistantship. She's a new assistant professor and is coming from James Cook University in Australia and received about half a million in research funding the past two years, so I'm definitely really happy about it. I feel so much more relaxed now knowing I got into one of my top choices.

 

FIU was very nice as well and apparently I will hear in the next week if I am accepted and would potentially be offered a teaching assistantship. It seemed very positive as well and the professor I was visiting seemed to like me a lot and was very interested in my research interests, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. 

 

As for VIMS, I had a phone interview with a professor and he seemed to be interested as well but he did mention that this year they are having a big applicant pool so he would have to wait until he saw all the applicants. When I first e-mailed I heard back from him about a week later with him telling me that he would contact me again in 3 weeks since he was in the process of applying for a big grant. About 3 and a half weeks later he e-mailed me to set up a phone interview time, which we did, went well, and then he basically told me about being interested and the applicant pool being big. So yeah.

 

I know Auburn University doesn't review applications until after Feb. 1st (that is their deadline for applicants interested in assistantships), VIMS doesn't let people know until February as well if I remember correctly.

 

Connections are definitely the best way to get a professor to really notice you. The professor at Nova I know from some field work I had the opportunity to do at a research station in Okinawa, where she also did her field work when she was working in Australia. The professor at FIU I also know through a Japanese professor I met in Okinawa and now know pretty well. The professor at Auburn is familiar with my current PI's work so that was part of the reason she was interested in me. Basically, the professors that seem to like me the best I all somehow knew through a connection. So definitely take advantage of that to the fullest!

Edited January 18, 2014 by kdougs22

[kdougs22]

Oh and my background is working in a marine bioluminescence research lab for 3 years. I already have one co-author and am working on a second paper with a PhD student that we will try to get published later this semester. I also have two summers of fieldwork experience doing coral reef field experiments in Okinawa. My GPA is average but my GREs are really high. I have also had the opportunity to make a lot of connections with researchers in the field through my experience in Japan as I was the only undergraduate student there both summers. It was basically just PhD students, post-docs, and professors besides me there.

[McKenna]

There are plenty of positions out there, but the applicant pool in my department is huge this year.  Lat year there was a lack of funding due to the sequester and schools took far fewer students than they had in the past.  So I think a lot of applicants were offered unfunded positions and decided to wait and reapply.  I was accepted last year to every school I applied to (all in the West) and only one was funded.  I felt lucky that even one was funded.  I accepted at the funded program since I do not believe grad school is worth going in debt for.  Now that I am in the program I find that students in the schools with unfunded positions are lacking in projects and resources.  My obsevation has been that if they cannot afford to fund your stipend then they will be sorely lacking for lab equipment, supplies, travel expenses, etc.  Just my $0.02.

[doingthings]

I applied to UNE for marine sciences too. I already talked to my prospective PI over the phone before I applied, so if I did get past the first round, she probably won't be interviewing me. I haven't heard anything yet though. Keeping my fingers crossed. 

[hipstermermaid]

I applied to do a MA at BU and Texas A&M. So far I have gotten into Texas with a TA and funding. It sounds like discussions are happening at BU in the next week or so.

[doingthings]

I applied to do a MA at BU and Texas A&M. So far I have gotten into Texas with a TA and funding. It sounds like discussions are happening at BU in the next week or so.

Best of luck! 

[hipstermermaid]

They lied, they really have no idea when they're sending the damn letters out. :/

[doingthings]

They lied, they really have no idea when they're sending the damn letters out. :/

 

Jeez. I hope they send them out for you soon. Crossing my fingers for you that you hear back this week.

[hipstermermaid]

Heard back just a few minutes ago. Rejected from BU, my top choice. Man these people can really play with your future and emotions. Fuck :/

[McKenna]

Welcome to Texas?!!!  If you will be in Corus Christi I'd be happy to answer any questions.