2015 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[devneuro18]

Hey All, Congrats on acceptances and such thus far! I'm a current student at Weill Cornell (BCMB specifically). If anyone has questions about Weill or my experiences after 1 year, feel free to PM or ask here.

[Grumpymeow]

Interviewed at UNC Chapel Hill but haven't heard back from them since then. Does this mean I am rejected?

[mop]

Interviewed at UNC Chapel Hill but haven't heard back from them since then. Does this mean I am rejected?

Nope there is still one more weekend, the committees are waiting to send out acceptances until they can compare all the interviewees (though some acceptances have gone out to the very top ones)

Edited March 7, 2015 by mop

[blinchik]

I bit the bullet and did it, but it had been a month post-interview. It was a rejection and it stung, but it was worth it to know. 

 

I agree with kjc - I would email and find out. I did this for Chapel Hill, but unfortunately they won't let us know until mid-March or later.

[biotechie]

Haha I completely relate to this! I keep coming back to Wash U as my top choice but my interest is mostly emotional... I loved the environment, clicked with professors and students... I want to go to this school really bad. I was excited when I received all of my offers but I was actually so happy that I cried when I got this one. I was way more excited when I got Wash U's offer than when I got my first offer even...

 

It is a great research fit but others are even better research fits. The top "famous" professors in my field who I have always dreamed of working with at are a different school (and I was also accepted to that school - so I have the option of working with these guys). I clicked with professors and students at that school too but I don't feel emotionally attached to it like I do Wash U. I made a pro/con list and Wash U came in 3rd. When this happened I found myself wanting to rearrange weightings so that they would come out on top.

 

What do you guys think? Do I let instints or logic win? Do I go to the school that would give me the best job opportunities (I dream of tenure track...) or the one that I really want to go to, even if I cant articulate exactly why?

 

Just throwing in my two cents:

I had exactly this happen, but not at WashU. I could have gone to the school I felt I clicked with or the school that had exactly the professor and project that I thought I wanted (in theory), but didn't click with. I decided to go to the school I felt that I fit the best rather than to the POI that I liked, and I can say it was the best decision I ever made. I even ended up joining a lab outside of the field I thought I was interested in, and I'm even more passionate about it than I was about epigenetics. The environment you work in is going to be way more important for you to learn how to be a scientist and do great research than a famous PI's name on your resume. Most of those big shot PIs don't have a lot of time to spend mentoring, but that kind of environment is best for you as a post-doc when you're more independent and trying to figure out how to strike out on your own. Once you get to that point, the big shot PI's name on your CV is going to help you out as your post-doc research solidifies the field you're going to spend the rest of your life in. Your PhD studies don't have to do that... they're just about learning to be a good scientist and how to survive grant and publication attempts.

 

The bottom line is that I let instinct win, and I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything at all. If anything, I think my experience is more enriched because I am genuinely happy to be here, which allows me to work well. There's never a moment where I wonder, "What if I went to school X? Would I be happier?" Definitely give your instinct a lot of weight.

[BiochemMom]

Nope there is still one more weekend, the committees are waiting to send out acceptances until they can compare all the interviewees (though some acceptances have gone out to the very top ones)

I called last week to check and was told this too--the snow and ice pushed back the interviews so they're a little behind. They're on spring break this week so I'm not expecting anything until after next week.

But now I'm torn as to whether I'd accept. I really really hit it off with the prof at UGA and would love to work for him but I didn't love the university as much. I applied to the chemistry dept and now I wish I had gone through biochem instead like everywhere else. They're trying to see if I can enter in chem and transfer since his primary appt is in biochem and I'm waiting for the response to that before I make a final decision (assuming I hear positive news from CH). Sigh.

[eldiaade]

I just accepted an offer of admission from UNC-CH last week. I was between OHSU and UNC, but ultimately decided to go with my gut. I'm sad I won't have the opportunity to live in Portland, but I definitely felt that UNC was the right place for me. Best wishes for everyone else!

[Grumpymeow]

Nope there is still one more weekend, the committees are waiting to send out acceptances until they can compare all the interviewees (though some acceptances have gone out to the very top ones)

 

Thank you so much for the information!!! I have been worried for several weeks!!!

[Grumpymeow]

I called last week to check and was told this too--the snow and ice pushed back the interviews so they're a little behind. They're on spring break this week so I'm not expecting anything until after next week.

But now I'm torn as to whether I'd accept. I really really hit it off with the prof at UGA and would love to work for him but I didn't love the university as much. I applied to the chemistry dept and now I wish I had gone through biochem instead like everywhere else. They're trying to see if I can enter in chem and transfer since his primary appt is in biochem and I'm waiting for the response to that before I make a final decision (assuming I hear positive news from CH). Sigh.

 

 

Thanks a lot for the information as well!! I hope you can go to your dream school and program. Wherever I interviewed with, the students and PIs always told me that it doesn't really matter which school you attend because you will mostly likely get a similar quality training anywhere if it is a decent program. What really matters is who you work with and what you are passionate about. That is what people are seeing in you  when they are talking to you. So I would say that if you really want to work for a PI at UGA and that is also what you are interested in studying (I assume it is biochemistry), then don't really worry about the school too much. You will be in lab doing research most of the time anyway and every school has its beauty and you just need to know more about it before you fall in love. 

[BiochemMom]

Thanks a lot for the information as well!! I hope you can go to your dream school and program. Wherever I interviewed with, the students and PIs always told me that it doesn't really matter which school you attend because you will mostly likely get a similar quality training anywhere if it is a decent program. What really matters is who you work with and what you are passionate about. That is what people are seeing in you  when they are talking to you. So I would say that if you really want to work for a PI at UGA and that is also what you are interested in studying (I assume it is biochemistry), then don't really worry about the school too much. You will be in lab doing research most of the time anyway and every school has its beauty and you just need to know more about it before you fall in love.

My first half of the day was in biochem and I felt like I clicked and fit just as well if not better than UNC. But then my lunch and second half were in chem and it was just NOT a good fit culture or student body wise. I feel like my research would be in biochem, my friends would wind up in biochem, and I'd have to spend half my life for two years shuttling over to a dept for classes and seminars where I didn't feel at home, welcomed, or comfortable with. If I can get the biochem transfer id go in a heartbeat. But I don't know if I could stick it out and stay motivated if my first two years were predominantly in the other department. It's becoming a significantly harder choice than I ever anticipated and that's assuming I'll get a choice.

I feel so strongly about my lack of fit in the program I applied to, if I got in nowhere else, I'm heavily considering turning down the offer, working for a year at RTI and applying again next year for the other dept to work with this PI.

[ilovelab]

I feel so strongly about my lack of fit in the program I applied to, if I got in nowhere else, I'm heavily considering turning down the offer, working for a year at RTI and applying again next year for the other dept to work with this PI.

 

 Talk to the PI about this. They have way more pull with departments than we realize. If HE want you in his lab and you want to join his lab it shouldn't be an issue. Your situation is actually not uncommon. We had a graduate student switch from Neuroscience to Developmental Biology and all it involved was paperwork. Granted she was an older grad student ( had to re-do thesis committees)but still.

 Would you want to rotate through labs or Direct admit into his lab? IF its the latter than this won't be an issue as the department won't be paying for you, he will.

[sfrie]

Not sure what all departments you guys applied for at UNC, but I was just invited to a recruitment weekend on March 30th. All hope is not yet lost for those of you who haven't heard back, I really just think they're holding out until after that weekend to respond to everyone. 

[BiochemMom]

Talk to the PI about this. They have way more pull with departments than we realize. If HE want you in his lab and you want to join his lab it shouldn't be an issue. Your situation is actually not uncommon. We had a graduate student switch from Neuroscience to Developmental Biology and all it involved was paperwork. Granted she was an older grad student ( had to re-do thesis committees)but still.

Would you want to rotate through labs or Direct admit into his lab? IF its the latter than this won't be an issue as the department won't be paying for you, he will.

Direct admit. He's trying to get the dept to let it go through and told them he'd pay for me from the beginning if they'd let me switch. So I'm really hoping they approve it and it works.

[Sarochan]

I hope it all works out, BiochemMom!

[ilovelab]

Direct admit. He's trying to get the dept to let it go through and told them he'd pay for me from the beginning if they'd let me switch. So I'm really hoping they approve it and it works.

Then I wouldn't worry too much. The biggest thing is your going to have to be patient which is hard. Bureaucracy is what will drag this whole situation out.

[bsharpe269]

yayy my last decision came in this morning! It feels great to be officially done with interviewing and applications!

[luckyuan]

So have you received offer from USC? I also applied and went to the interview weekend, but no replies yet

[Sarochan]

First rejection certainly doesn't feel great, but I was kind of expecting it, so at least it wasn't a surprise. Still have at least two good offers, and I'm trying to take solace in that.

[reformedlearner]

Andddddd I'm going to UW-Madison

[bearhat]

I am waiting to hear back from stanford, and the wait is KILLING ME!

[insaneinthemembrane]

Haha I completely relate to this! I keep coming back to Wash U as my top choice but my interest is mostly emotional... I loved the environment, clicked with professors and students... I want to go to this school really bad. I was excited when I received all of my offers but I was actually so happy that I cried when I got this one. I was way more excited when I got Wash U's offer than when I got my first offer even...

 

It is a great research fit but others are even better research fits. The top "famous" professors in my field who I have always dreamed of working with at are a different school (and I was also accepted to that school - so I have the option of working with these guys). I clicked with professors and students at that school too but I don't feel emotionally attached to it like I do Wash U. I made a pro/con list and Wash U came in 3rd. When this happened I found myself wanting to rearrange weightings so that they would come out on top.

 

What do you guys think? Do I let instints or logic win? Do I go to the school that would give me the best job opportunities (I dream of tenure track...) or the one that I really want to go to, even if I cant articulate exactly why?

Actually, I know it's a really late point but to offer the opposite viewpoint, my PI actually did the same ranking system and it turned out to be the school that he had less of a gut feeling for (he was deciding between Stanford and UCSF and he wanted to go to UCSF). He actually chose to go to Stanford because it won out on the list, which is a very logical viewpoint and very opposite the emotional response. He hasn't regretted going to Stanford over UCSF but the point of this I feel is that it's very hard to make a wrong decision when you're comparing schools of this caliber essentially. There's a good choice and a better choice but it's a personal decision as to why one school is better, resources or environment or some combination of the two. 

[insaneinthemembrane]

I am waiting to hear back from stanford, and the wait is KILLING ME!

Tell me about it, I really want to hear from them also

[eeee1923]

The verdict is in - I'm going to Duke!

[velli]

Tell me about it, I really want to hear from them also

 

The decisions should be out this week, likely by Friday at the latest. Given a reasonable showing at the interviews, most of the home programs don't have much to talk over at this point if you do the math, though a few were surprisingly selective (BMI being the big one that comes to mind). 

 

It seems like Stanford really has an advantage going last. That's the feeling I got, anyway. They have some ridiculous matriculation rates (>67% for many programs). 

Edited March 11, 2015 by velli

[bsharpe269]

I am jumping out my skin to accept my top choice... as in, I want to do it today! I am going out to visit again in a few weeks though and feel that it is more responsible to wait until I go out again to basically double check my decision. I already visited once and feel 100% certain but since it was one of my earlier visits, the back of my mind wonders if I remember it better than it is. Everyone around me knows that I want to go there, I have already told everyone at school that I will be accepting their offer. My PI confirmed that it was a good decision. I did an objective ranking system and no other school even came close. My gut says that this is the one. Accept today or wait until I visit again to double check my decision?