2015 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[Farafeelo]

I called Harvard BBS and they said all interview invites have been sent out.

[Farafeelo]

Question - would you rather spend a year or two to do a post bacc at an Ivy League or go straight for your phd at a good school that's not Ivy League. How much does it really matter where your phd is from if you want to stay in academia?

[amertume]

I called Harvard BBS and they said all interview invites have been sent out.

 

Thanks for calling =) poo though

[pachydermatus]

I was distracted by the pizza cat as your avatar.

 

All hail pizza cat!

[gliaful]

Question - would you rather spend a year or two to do a post bacc at an Ivy League or go straight for your phd at a good school that's not Ivy League. How much does it really matter where your phd is from if you want to stay in academia?

I've heard that where you do your postdoc is more important than where you do your PhD, and that an ivy is the "ideal" for a postdoc. I've been told numerous times that fit is the most important thing about choosing a grad program. And really, it makes sense. You want a place that you fit well so that you get the most out of your experience. As far as I'm aware, "fit" is really just a condensed way of saying that the program's research strengths/interests match yours and you actually get along with most of the people there. Both of these things, of course, will impact how much you take away from your education.

[expandyourmind]

Northwestern Driskill Graduate Program Interview!

[Farafeelo]

I've heard that where you do your postdoc is more important than where you do your PhD, and that an ivy is the "ideal" for a postdoc. I've been told numerous times that fit is the most important thing about choosing a grad program. And really, it makes sense. You want a place that you fit well so that you get the most out of your experience. As far as I'm aware, "fit" is really just a condensed way of saying that the program's research strengths/interests match yours and you actually get along with most of the people there. Both of these things, of course, will impact how much you take away from your education.

But wouldn't a phd from an ivy help you get the post doc that you want? 

[expredator]

everybody can get a postdoc position anywhere, it does not matter where you do your postdoc. what matters is what you do while you're a postdoc. its all about research success.

[VLSB4Life]

I called Harvard BBS and they said all interview invites have been sent out.

Thank you for calling. 

 

Does anyone know if it is it common or a good idea for current undergraduates to send fall grades to graduate programs they have not heard back from? 

[canuck02]

Any word from Harvard systems bio anyone?

[guialera]

Has anyone heard from UCSF Neuroscience? I saw the two posts on the results page but wanted to see if anyone else has gotten an email. 

[lilbert5]

Question - would you rather spend a year or two to do a post bacc at an Ivy League or go straight for your phd at a good school that's not Ivy League. How much does it really matter where your phd is from if you want to stay in academia?

 

I have been told my numerous professors/advisers/my PI that it doesn't matter where you get your PhD, but who you work with and the quality of your thesis. 

[gigabyte3000]

Any word from Harvard systems bio anyone?

 

Nope. It looks like there are around 4 of us here who haven't heard back from them, and nothing has popped up on the results search, so I'm assuming we'll just have to wait until January.

[sxk055]

Has anyone heard from UCSF Neuroscience? I saw the two posts on the results page but wanted to see if anyone else has gotten an email. 

Nope. Nothing yet. 

[kaew]

Has anyone heard from UCSF Neuroscience? I saw the two posts on the results page but wanted to see if anyone else has gotten an email. 

I applied and have not yet heard back. It makes me so anxious to see that some invites have been sent out already! However, the website says up to mid-January so I am trying not to freak out too much.

[pcc90]

Could anyone provide the dates for UCSF BMS?

Edited December 22, 2014 by pcc90

[Soupinacanoe]

Interview at Brown Pathobiology!

[Farafeelo]

Could anyone provide the dates for UCSF BMS?

 

jan 22-24 and feb 5-7 .... february visit is encouraged for those interested in immunology or Microbial Pathogenesis and Virology. 

[bhammerson]

Rejection from OHSU PCMB Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. The email had an attached PDF letter which was kind of a form letter, but kind of not. It said unless otherwise noted reasons for the decline are unavailable, however it did give me some reasons. It mentioned improving GRE scores, but also asked about explaining frequency of changing jobs. Especially frustrating because of their ridiculously short 250 word essay fields on the application, where a normally fuller version of my SOP/Personal History Statement would have explained just that, that I was trying to either stop being a volunteer to get paid, or to get a more research oriented biology opportunity.

[acetylcholine]

Interview at UT Houston, February 5-7.

[neverdecaf]

Does anyone have input on doing two interviews in similar areas on the same weekend? I was offered an interview for Duke Feb 5-7 and since I already had a conflict with UNC, they offered me the same weekend as a second option. Since they're in similar areas, I thought it might be possible to do both during the same weekend. Thanks!!

[virus guy]

Rejection from OHSU PCMB Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. The email had an attached PDF letter which was kind of a form letter, but kind of not. It said unless otherwise noted reasons for the decline are unavailable, however it did give me some reasons. It mentioned improving GRE scores, but also asked about explaining frequency of changing jobs. Especially frustrating because of their ridiculously short 250 word essay fields on the application, where a normally fuller version of my SOP/Personal History Statement would have explained just that, that I was trying to either stop being a volunteer to get paid, or to get a more research oriented biology opportunity.

Been waiting to hear from that exact program today. Any idea if they're letting everyone know today or tomorrow?

[Vene]

Does anyone have input on doing two interviews in similar areas on the same weekend? I was offered an interview for Duke Feb 5-7 and since I already had a conflict with UNC, they offered me the same weekend as a second option. Since they're in similar areas, I thought it might be possible to do both during the same weekend. Thanks!!

I kind of wonder how you plan to do such. Do the days actually overlap or are they just close? Because every interview I went to was an all-day affair. I'm assuming with the dates you have listed that they expect you to arrive on the 5th, interview with professors on the 6th, and then have a fun event on the 7th. It can be possible to skip the fun event, but you absolutely need to be there during the time when you interview professors to have a shot.

[Octopus28]

Been waiting to hear from that exact program today. Any idea if they're letting everyone know today or tomorrow?

Same boat as you. According to the PBMC website, decisions are finalized today!

[neverdecaf]

I kind of wonder how you plan to do such. Do the days actually overlap or are they just close? Because every interview I went to was an all-day affair. I'm assuming with the dates you have listed that they expect you to arrive on the 5th, interview with professors on the 6th, and then have a fun event on the 7th. It can be possible to skip the fun event, but you absolutely need to be there during the time when you interview professors to have a shot.

They are the same days and trying to fit both in (while obviously being there for the actual interviews) might be tough, but I could maybe suggest extending the stay or coming early to accommodate UNC. This would only be if UNC can't provide another weekend and it's kind of a last resort. I'll see what UNC suggests!