2015 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[mha931]

Got a Stanford cancer biology email this morning! So excited!

 

I got a Stanford Biosciences (Cancer Bio) invite packet in the mail today!!! I am in shock since I hadn't heard anything good since mid-December.

 

Congrats!! Email & postal mail? This is getting confusing

[Chrischigta]

Hey, I know I'm a little late to the party and all I can do is wait now anyway, but I've been getting more and more nervous over the past few days as notification dates are approaching. 

I guess I'm just hoping to hear some feedback whether I should or should not worry too much, here's my profile:

 

Undergrad Institution: Public university in Germany with a year abroad at UC Berkeley

Major(s): North American Studies

Minor(s): Latin American Studies

GPA in Major: 

Overall GPA: approx. 3.8 (1.5 German grade)

Position in Class: Top average?

Type of Student: female domestic (in Germany)

GRE Scores (revised/old version):

Q: 164 (88%)

V: 160 (84%)

W: 5 (93%)

B:

TOEFL Total: 113

Research Experience: Wrote a bachelor's thesis, did research with a Prof. from UC Berkeley for a couple of months

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: nope. that's not a thing in Germany I guess (though I did a high school exchange year too and was part of the NHS, haha)

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: internships in music marketing, internship at a museum, job at the student housing in Berkeley

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: member of a student marketing initiative, member of my major's student initiative, studied abroad

Special Bonus Points: none I think

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:

Applying to Where:

UC Berkeley - Film and Media Studies (PhD)

Stanford - Communication (PhD)

UPenn - Communication (PhD)

Columbia - Theatre (PhD)

CUNY - Musicology (PhD) 

Parsons New School - Fashion (MA)

USC - American Studies (PhD)

George Washington - American Studies (PhD)

Brown - American Studies (PhD)

Harvard - American Studies (PhD)

Boston U - American Studies (PhD)

NYU - American Studies (PhD)

Rutgers - American Studies (PhD)

Yale - American & Film Studies combined (PhD)

 

I know I applied to a whole lot of schools and different programs (I threw in some random majors that I have never dared to major in but that I would secretly love to study) but I figured if I'm paying so much money already I might as well go all in.

Also, I'm obviously not a native English speaker so I don't know if that makes any difference. 

 

Thanks for your input!

 

This is the "application profiles and admissions results" thread of the Biology subforum, so I think you made a wrong turn somewhere

[expandyourmind]

Hey, I know I'm a little late to the party and all I can do is wait now anyway, but I've been getting more and more nervous over the past few days as notification dates are approaching. 

I guess I'm just hoping to hear some feedback whether I should or should not worry too much, here's my profile:

 

Thanks for your input!

 

Sorry I think this is the wrong subtopic. This is for Biology related PhD's. I'm sure there's a sub page more tuned to your interests that would have better input!

Edited January 16, 2015 by expandyourmind

[abc12321cba]

Congrats!! Email & postal mail? This is getting confusing

Thanks! I think everyone should have received the email today, and they said I'm going to get an invitation packet in the mail soon. My guess is that the packet arrived a bit early for the other poster.

[bsharpe269]

My application status hasn't changed. On an app at another program that also uses "applyyourself.com," there's a line that says "your application is under program review" but there's no such indicator at UNC. Could someone who has an interview check their app and see if there's something like that? I submitted on the last possible day and had problems paying the fee so it wasn't officially completed until a few days after so I assume I'll be one of the last one's looked at.

 

I have an interview at UNC and my status still just says submitted. I submitted around 9pm on the due date and it didn't show as complete until a few days after too. I received an invite on 12/16 so i definitely don't think they are going in order of submission. It looks like some people received invitations in the past week or two so I think they are probably still going out. It is probably worth calling or emailing to ask.

[Shamrock_Frog]

I'm curious:

Anybody interviewing at EMBL Heidelberg at the end of Feb?

I have 3 other interviews:

1. Brown 22-24 Jan

2. TPCB (Cornell, Sloan Kettering, Rockefeller) 25-27 Jan

3. UT- Houston 4-7 Feb

Anyone on the forum I'm likely to meet?

 Looks like I'll see you at UT-Houston. I've got the same interview days.

[ashmatack]

 Looks like I'll see you at UT-Houston. I've got the same interview days.

Great!

 

What stream have you applied for?

 

I've applied for Cancer Biology. So they've called me a day earlier to visit the Molecular Carcinogenesis facility at Smithfield before the interview in Houston!

[Shamrock_Frog]

Great!

 

What stream have you applied for?

 

I've applied for Cancer Biology. So they've called me a day earlier to visit the Molecular Carcinogenesis facility at Smithfield before the interview in Houston!

Ah, I'm 5-7, lol. I applied for cell biology.

[profneuron]

does anyone hear from UCSD biological science?

[poweredbycoldfusion]

does anyone hear from UCSD biological science?

They've sent interviews and a large round of rejections. I assumed I was rejected because I didn't get an interview, but I didn't get a rejection today, either. Taking this to be a 'good, but not good enough' type of thing.

[GABA-daba-doo]

They've sent interviews and a large round of rejections. I assumed I was rejected because I didn't get an interview, but I didn't get a rejection today, either. Taking this to be a 'good, but not good enough' type of thing.

 

It looks like most of the rejections today were Biomedical Sciences not Biological which are different departments at UCSD

 

No idea what the status is but I haven't heard anything

[poweredbycoldfusion]

On 1/16/2015 at 12:24 PM, GABA-daba-doo said:

It looks like most of the rejections today were Biomedical Sciences not Biological which are different departments at UCSD

Good catch! I applied to Biomedical, so that was relevant to me. My application page didn't say anything different, either (the eponymous 'under review'). I will say UDub sent out their first round of rejections, and I got one of those, but didn't get one from UCSD. #keepingthedreamalive

[Chrischigta]

I also applied to Biomedical Sciences. I think I am a really good fit with the program research-wise, but they seem to admit only 1 or 2 international students per season... So I am rather expecting to receive a rejection at some point throughout the day. My girlfriend applied to UCSD Biological Sciences and got the offer for a Skype interview today via email (She is American but lives abroad). She got some admissions information along and I actually found out, that about 33% of the Biological Sciences students are international, so this seems to be a better choice for internationals, if the programs are both equally appealing. But now this knowledge won't help me anymore^^

 

EDIT: I just took a look on the Biological Sciences Homepage and the 33%-info is actually given... Should have paid more attention to such things when I chose programs to apply to

Edited January 16, 2015 by Chrischigta

[profneuron]

I also applied to Biomedical Sciences. I think I am a really good fit with the program research-wise, but they seem to admit only 1 or 2 international students per season... So I am rather expecting to receive a rejection at some point throughout the day. My girlfriend applied to UCSD Biological Sciences and got the offer for a Skype interview today via email (She is American but lives abroad). She got some admissions information along and I actually found out, that about 33% of the Biological Sciences students are international, so this seems to be a better choice for internationals, if the programs are both equally appealing. But now this knowledge won't help me anymore^^

 

EDIT: I just took a look on the Biological Sciences Homepage and the 33%-info is actually given... Should have paid more attention to such things when I chose programs to apply to

Yeah that's why I chose the biological science rather than neuroscience and biomed. But you've got interviews from great places! Good luck with your application with your girlfriend! Same boat!

[jezzie05]

I just called Stanford Biosciences. I called the Micro and Immuno administrator. She answered and said that the committees were still reviewing applications and they would be done "soon." Based on previous grad cafe result entries, I thought they would send their last emails today, but their answer makes me think they'll continue sending interviews into next week at least. Good luck everyone!

[macchiato15]

Congrats!! Email & postal mail? This is getting confusing

 

Thanks!! I got the mail yesterday (I live in the Bay Area) and an email this morning.

[blinchik]

@jezzie05, thanks for the update! I've been calling and emailing, but to no avail.

[reformedlearner]

Are rockefeller invites all out? From last year's results it looks like they only sent out invites Jan 14/15. 

 

They sent an earlier email confirming applications which said "All applicants who are selected for an interview will be notified the week of January 12th, 2015."  I haven't heard anything yet (invite nor rejection) but there are still a few hours left in the day...

[expandyourmind]

They sent an earlier email confirming applications which said "All applicants who are selected for an interview will be notified the week of January 12th, 2015."  I haven't heard anything yet (invite nor rejection) but there are still a few hours left in the day...

 

Wait did you contact them or was that an e-mail sent to all applicants? I didn't get that memo :-/

[ashmatack]

Thanks!! I got the mail yesterday (I live in the Bay Area) and an email this morning.

 

Congrats!

 

Was the e-mail sent to all applicants or only those with missing documents (eg: transcripts?)

[Catria]

One question for you guys: how often is getting a PhD treated, in biology, as a backup plan to med/dental school?

[reformedlearner]

Wait did you contact them or was that an e-mail sent to all applicants? I didn't get that memo :-/

 

For me, this was part of the generic "your application is complete" email from months ago.

[abluefox]

One question for you guys: how often is getting a PhD treated, in biology, as a backup plan to med/dental school?

I feel like it isn't for the most part as both are vastly different and would be a mistake for anyone to consider it as such. A PhD emphasizes research while dental/med you are a practitioner. I think more common backup plans are nursing or PA, etc jobs in similar field. The only people I see kind of switch to PhD from medicine normally only did so because they found they really like research more.

[expandyourmind]

One question for you guys: how often is getting a PhD treated, in biology, as a backup plan to med/dental school?

 

I hope its not treated as a backup plan. I think at this stage people will know what route they want to take. My friends in medical school are extremely passionate about what they do, and I can't even imagine them as anything but in the medical field. Those generally applying for a PhD really enjoy research and genuinely want to take part in academia. I think if it's treated as a backup then you're definitely in it for the wrong reasons and won't enjoy graduate school or take advantage of the experience fully. 

I think if you're dream is to go to medical school you shouldn't give up on it!

[Biochemistry]

One question for you guys: how often is getting a PhD treated, in biology, as a backup plan to med/dental school?

I have a friend who applied to medical school, but when she didn't get in, she applied to get a PhD in biochemistry and was admitted. Mind you, this was in the same application cycle, and to be honest she got extremely lucky in being accepted and coming to the realization that research was better for her in terms of her own ability and interests. But as others were saying, normally they are considered different paths that diverge way before when you begin to apply. 

Edited January 16, 2015 by Biochemistry