Is it worth even beginning to try?

[m4vs]

Hi guys,

 

I am currently in the final year of my undergraduate degree (BSc) and considering applying for grad school in the US but I don't really know if it is worth even attempting the process based on my current credentials and was looking to see if any of you guys had some opinions or if any other international students that didn't study their undergrad in the US could give some advice?

 

This is my fourth year studying Immunology specifically (we don't have general Biology majors) at the #1 ranked university in my country (Australia) - our undergrad degree is a little different to the US in that in our final year we do 25% coursework 75% research project with a thesis, fully integrated into a lab that will take us on to do a PhD if we like as long as we win a scholarship at the end of the year.  I haven't done the GRE yet but would probably be aiming to take it in 2015 if I didn't continue studying in Aus and kind of placed all my bets on study in the US (ie commence 1.5 years after I graduate as our year finishes in November and that's when I'll graduate).

 

So, currently have a 4.0 GPA at my home institution and did a semester at Penn in my Junior year and also got a 4.0 GPA there although I doubt it's worth much being only a semester!  Have done a semester of part-time paid research at an institute separate from my university in a cancer research oriented lab for which I will definitely have 1-2 letters of recommendation but no publications.  Then I have this year in an Immunology lab at my home institution (best in Immunology in the Asia Pacific region) for which I would also receive at least 3? letters of recommendation at the end of the year.  I don't anticipate having any publications by the time I apply based on the research I've done.

 

Was wondering what my chances would be, based off this info alone and assuming a high GRE, of applying to Immuno/Biology grad programs at a handful of schools such as Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Stanford, Chicago, Penn...and if you don't feel I can aim that high feel free to say so but suggest what kinds of schools would be better to look into?

 

The whole process of applying for a grad program isn't something we typically do in Aus so I'm a bit lost and don't know if we're encouraged to do the kinds of things the average undergrad American student looking to get into a top program would do during our undergrad education....

 

Sorry for the wall of text!

[SciencePerson101]

You sound like a great candidate! Definitely apply to the top schools. 

[pcsteak]

I'd say you have more than enough in terms of skill and experience to shoot for those top schools. Don't worry about publications, most undergraduate students don't have those upon graduation (though it's a plus if it's in a journal like say, in Nature or something). My only suggestion is that you round out your application pool. Don't apply to all "Top Ten" institutions, because the chances you'll get into each of those separately, are already slim. I'd find the schools that you interested in first, then go by prestige after. I applied to eight programs, and only got accepted at one. Sometimes that's the way it is...some people don't get into any. That's the gamble you make when you apply to grad programs in the US. So ultimately, my suggestion is to apply to a couple "A" schools and "B" schools and "safety" schools where you think you'll get in regardless.

[username1824]

I think you make a strong candidate and would have no difficulties if you were a US student. But international students have a harder time because a lot of the funding for students comes from federal grants, which can only be awarded to US citizens. I would suggest that you consider applying to Rockefeller. I applied there and spoke to the dean, and he told me that they don't take domestic/international status into consideration, as they just want to get the best students they can. But it's definitely not impossible to get into Harvard or other top programs you listed as an international student

[bsharpe269]

It is mentioned on here a lot but do not apply to schools based on rank and prestige. Apply based on which schools have the research that you would be interested in doing as a graduate student. Figuring this out takes a lot of work and will require that basically look through the faculty research at every university you are interested in.

 

You sound like a great candidate but top 20 schools can be a lottery at times. It will depend on who has funding, needs students etc and you may be rejected even though you are a great candidate. If I were in your schoes, I would apply to around 10 schools and would apply to half in the top 20 ranking and half in the 20-50 range, assuming that you can find great research fits at universities in those ranges. Good luck!