2015 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[Ivey0126]

I don't think it kills your chances -- why would UC Davis bother telling you about your transcripts if they weren't interested? I would email them a thank-you for notifying you of this and that you just arranged for them to be sent. You could attach an electronic copy of your transcript to that email as a temporary aid for their adcom meetings.

Thanks for the advice. I was literally freaking out. Like waiting for interviews isn't terribly stressful enough.

[poweredbycoldfusion]

Undergrad Institution: Research university
Major(s): Bio
Minor(s): chem, english
GPA in Major: 3.4
Overall GPA: 3.24
Position in Class: didn't rank it
Type of Student: domestic

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q:158
V:165
W:4.0
B:nope


Research Experience: 3.5 years as a tech in academic medicine, papers and posters to show for it (1 pending 1st author)

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: several HHMI scholarships, a summer REU, local and school scholarships

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: lab tech

Special Bonus Points: Who knows, really. Got some definite strengths and one glaring weakness.

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: 1st gen college, mentioned in diversity statements when/where appropriate.

Applying to Where:

UDub

UCSD

UCSF

UCLA

Yale

U Arizona

U Colorado

[redchiroptera]

Does anyone know some approximate stats about interviews? ie what percentage of people that get interviews are accepted? I got a request for an interview already and just wanted to know what my chances are once I get to the interview stage?

Edited December 5, 2014 by redchiroptera

[ballwera]

Does anyone know some approximate stats about interviews? ie what percentage of people that get interviews are accepted? I got a request for an interview already and just wanted to know what my chances are once I get to the interview stage?

I've heard that it's very program specific. Some programs see the interview as more of a formality and some take it seriously. 

[Chimeric Phoenix]

I've heard that it's very program specific. Some programs see the interview as more of a formality and some take it seriously. 

 

It is program-specific, but the majority of programs offer admission to most of the interviewees. It costs them quite a bit of money to fly each person out, put them in a hotel, and feed them for 2-3 days. In most cases, they're checking to make sure you're not crazy. You also have to think about the fact that they have to offer admission to more people than they can accommodate since most interviewees will have multiple offers to choose from.

[sqxz]

I don't think it's fair to say that most programs accept most of their interviewees. Last year, I estimate ~60 people interviewed (in person) for Biophysics/Bioinformatics at UCSF, and there are only 13 new students in those programs. For Computational and Molecular Biophysics/Biochemistry at WUSTL, I again estimate that ~60 people interviewed (in person), and there are only 11 new students in those programs. For QCB at Princeton, I estimate that ~40 people interviewed (in person), and there are only 8 new students in that program. Even if one assumes that these programs made offers to twice the number of new students, not one of these programs crack the 50% interviewee acceptance rate.

 

It is program-specific, but the majority of programs offer admission to most of the interviewees. It costs them quite a bit of money to fly each person out, put them in a hotel, and feed them for 2-3 days. In most cases, they're checking to make sure you're not crazy. You also have to think about the fact that they have to offer admission to more people than they can accommodate since most interviewees will have multiple offers to choose from.

[tito balisimo]

I don't think it's fair to say that most programs accept most of their interviewees. Last year, I estimate ~60 people interviewed (in person) for Biophysics/Bioinformatics at UCSF, and there are only 13 new students in those programs. For Computational and Molecular Biophysics/Biochemistry at WUSTL, I again estimate that ~60 people interviewed (in person), and there are only 11 new students in those programs. For QCB at Princeton, I estimate that ~40 people interviewed (in person), and there are only 8 new students in that program. Even if one assumes that these programs made offers to twice the number of new students, not one of these programs crack the 50% interviewee acceptance rate.

This bothers me. There's a good chance you will have two interviews on the same weekend and if you blow one off there is no guarantee either will accept you for attending. Hence, you may blow off the one that actually wants you, and you attend the one that has zero intention of actually recruit you. This is absolute shit, and not fair if you ask me.

[ballwera]

I don't think it's fair to say that most programs accept most of their interviewees. Last year, I estimate ~60 people interviewed (in person) for Biophysics/Bioinformatics at UCSF, and there are only 13 new students in those programs. For Computational and Molecular Biophysics/Biochemistry at WUSTL, I again estimate that ~60 people interviewed (in person), and there are only 11 new students in those programs. For QCB at Princeton, I estimate that ~40 people interviewed (in person), and there are only 8 new students in that program. Even if one assumes that these programs made offers to twice the number of new students, not one of these programs crack the 50% interviewee acceptance rate.

 

Are we talking matriculation numbers or acceptance numbers? Because those are two very different things...

[sqxz]

Yeah, it's tough...I'm glad I was never put in that position! See this post for my thoughts on minimizing interview conflicts:

 

This bothers me. There's a good chance you will have two interviews on the same weekend and if you blow one off there is no guarantee either will accept you for attending. Hence, you may blow off the one that actually wants you, and you attend the one that has zero intention of actually recruit you. This is absolute shit, and not fair if you ask me.

[sqxz]

I tried to make it clear that the numbers I gave referred to the number of students who accepted their offers. In my opinion, a fairly liberal estimate of the number of offers given out is twice the number of students who accepted their offers.

 

Are we talking matriculation numbers or acceptance numbers? Because those are two very different things...

[gliaful]

Are we talking matriculation numbers or acceptance numbers? Because those are two very different things...

Those are matriculation numbers, as sqxz quoted the number of students IN the program.

But a few events upstream impact that number. 60 interviewees will lead to some number of acceptances, BUT how many accepted students "accept them back"? Especially with UCSF and WUSTL, the type of students that get interviews typically get interviews elsewhere; thus, the ratio of students that "accept a program back" is likely to be smaller for top-tier schools (only because students who apply to top-tier schools usually apply to at least a few of them, and thus have more options).

[Chimeric Phoenix]

I tried to make it clear that the numbers I gave referred to the number of students who accepted their offers. In my opinion, a fairly liberal estimate of the number of offers given out is twice the number of students who accepted their offers.

 

From personal experience (clearly not statistical significance) the overwhelming majority of people who I interviewed with got acceptances where they interviewed. I've also been told by faculty who are part of the admissions process that it's mostly about making sure someone is going to fit in. Of course that's coming from an extremely small sample size, compared to the number and types of programs that exist.

 

I would still say very confidently that the interview process is more about you deciding if you like them. Obviously you should know your research, be professional etc. etc. but you should seriously try to enjoy the process as much as you can. You're not going to get another chance to fly around the country and get wined and dined for awhile.

 

 

Note on WUSTL: At least for immunology, they really seemed to have had some history of students wanting to attend schools on the coasts. So, they probably have a lot of invites/admissions to make up for location. Especially considering that many of the people I met there had interviews at Harvard/UCSF/Stanford. Once you start the interview circuit you see a lot of the same people at different schools.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Chimeric Phoenix

[darwingirl]

Does anyone know some approximate stats about interviews? ie what percentage of people that get interviews are accepted? I got a request for an interview already and just wanted to know what my chances are once I get to the interview stage?

 

Very program specific. Two of the interviews I went on invited about 20-25 people, and extended offers to only 5-6 students and hoped 4-5 of those would accept. Both of these were private schools, so that could factor in.

 

One of the ones I attended told us when we got there that they invited only people they were serious about and would probably extend offers to all of us. I think they did end up extending offers to most but not all. This was a large state school.

Edited December 5, 2014 by darwingirl

[ss2player]

I don't think it's fair to say that most programs accept most of their interviewees. Last year, I estimate ~60 people interviewed (in person) for Biophysics/Bioinformatics at UCSF, and there are only 13 new students in those programs. For Computational and Molecular Biophysics/Biochemistry at WUSTL, I again estimate that ~60 people interviewed (in person), and there are only 11 new students in those programs. For QCB at Princeton, I estimate that ~40 people interviewed (in person), and there are only 8 new students in that program. Even if one assumes that these programs made offers to twice the number of new students, not one of these programs crack the 50% interviewee acceptance rate.

 

My anecdotal experience was that a fair number of people get rejected after the interview, as that happened on 3/6 of my interviews. Granted, two of these were small programs: one interviewed 43/~165 applicants and accepted ~half that and matriculated 10 total. Another interviewed ~18, accepted ~10, and matriculated 6. Another was regionally biased towards West Coast applicants and alums of that school.

 

If you're a top ranked applicant by the school, you should be fine. However, it's possible to be on the borderline and an interview can make or break you. I didn't ask feedback from those schools as I got into my 1st choice anyway, so maybe other folks can weigh in on that from previous years. 

[ss2player]

Very program specific. Two of the interviews I went on invited about 20-25 people, and extended offers to only 5-6 students and hoped 4-5 of those would accept. Both of these were private schools, so that could factor in.

 

One of the ones I attended told us when we got there that they invited only people they were serious about and would probably extend offers to all of us. I think they did end up extending offers to most but not all. This was a large state school.

 

I had the opposite; state schools were more selective (see my post above) while a private school only invited people they knew they would accept!

[darwingirl]

I had the opposite; state schools were more selective (see my post above) while a private school only invited people they knew they would accept!

 

I guess I should have mentioned the others too since it really was so varied. I had 2 more large state school interviews, but one I missed the real interview weekend so I don't know how many they invited and accepted. But another invited around 15 and took ~4 (though I don't know how many offers they extended, not all 15 though). So it really is all over the place! Plus mine were in a variety of departments (Biology, EEB, Botany,CEB) so I'm sure that makes a difference in some cases.

 

I would never go into an interview assuming one way or the other; BUT, out of the 5 interviews I went on, almost all of them were pretty upfront with us about how many students they intended to accept. 

[ss2player]

I guess I should have mentioned the others too since it really was so varied. I had 2 more large state school interviews, but one I missed the real interview weekend so I don't know how many they invited and accepted. But another invited around 15 and took ~4 (though I don't know how many offers they extended, not all 15 though). So it really is all over the place! Plus mine were in a variety of departments (Biology, EEB, Botany,CEB) so I'm sure that makes a difference in some cases.

 

I would never go into an interview assuming one way or the other; BUT, out of the 5 interviews I went on, almost all of them were pretty upfront with us about how many students they intended to accept. 

 

No worries, not a criticism, just an observation. Most of mine were pretty transparent as well, which was appreciated. But hey, this is why we apply to so many schools, right? Can't guarantee anything.

[username1824]

I think the most selective schools offer acceptance to about 50% of the people they interview. That's not bad at all compared. I have a friend applying to med school and she tells me that she has to pay for all her travel to interviews and the programs accept about 25% of the people they interview. I totally totally get why people ask about the stats on how many interviewers get offered admission (I always asked that question at all my interviews), but it seriously doesn't help you to worry about it. It's not in your best intentions to treat an interview any differently based on how many people they accept.

[darwingirl]

No worries, not a criticism, just an observation. Most of mine were pretty transparent as well, which was appreciated. But hey, this is why we apply to so many schools, right? Can't guarantee anything.

 

Yep! No regrets here about how many places I applied/interviewed. Besides, interviews are the fun part  

[neverdecaf]

UNC BBSP interview invite   Nice surprise during finals!

Edited December 5, 2014 by neverdecaf

[rbear91]

If a school asks for an unofficial scanned copy of GRE scores, what do I send? 

 

On the ETS online portal, there's an option to print one's unofficial score report, which opens up a new window with a PDF (showing all the test dates, schools the scores were submitted to, etc.) -- is this what I should send? I never received any paper reports of my scores from ETS. 

 

Or am I an idiot and have missed some link where you can download your report...

[ss2player]

If a school asks for an unofficial scanned copy of GRE scores, what do I send? 

 

On the ETS online portal, there's an option to print one's unofficial score report, which opens up a new window with a PDF (showing all the test dates, schools the scores were submitted to, etc.) -- is this what I should send? I never received any paper reports of my scores from ETS. 

 

Or am I an idiot and have missed some link where you can download your report...

 

Yes, you send that. ETS probably just wants to save paper and postage.

[rbear91]

Yes, you send that. ETS probably just wants to save paper and postage.

 

Thanks, just sent it!

 

It was from a school whose deadline had passed, but notified me that they still hadn't received my official scores (which I submitted last Thursday -- what's taking ETS so long?!) and gave me till midnight to send in an unofficial copy. I don't want to read too much into it, but hopefully it meant they are at least interested in giving my application further consideration!

[sxk055]

Interview invites for UTSW DBBS (received yesterday) and UPENN Neuroscience (today)! Good luck to everyone else.

[Bonez]

Got an invite to Vanderbilt IGP yesterday! Hopefully more to come in the coming weeks!