How to find "safety" schools? (Immunology PhD)

[immuno9780]

Hello!

 

I am in the middle of applying to PhD programs in Immunology and am really frightened how competitive this field is. I have a solid application (high GPA, great research experience) but I know that there is no guarantee to get in any of the schools I am applying to. Does anyone have advice on how to find some schools that are not as competitive but still have okay research in Immunology/Molecular/Micro Biology? I really appreciate any advice you have on this process.

 

-Terrified applicant

[bsharpe269]

My approach is that I would rather apply twice than apply to safety schools. I am focussing on applying to schools that are the best Research fit and am not really taking prestige into account at all. Do you really want to go to a school that is only okay in your research area? I recommend applying based in research fit and I'm sure you'll be fine!

[biotechie]

Hello!

 

I am in the middle of applying to PhD programs in Immunology and am really frightened how competitive this field is. I have a solid application (high GPA, great research experience) but I know that there is no guarantee to get in any of the schools I am applying to. Does anyone have advice on how to find some schools that are not as competitive but still have okay research in Immunology/Molecular/Micro Biology? I really appreciate any advice you have on this process.

 

-Terrified applicant

 

We call them safety schools, but what we should be really saying to applicants is that they should be applying to a range of schools where the schools have things you desire in a program. I actually didn't look at rank when I applied until after I submitted (and I am glad I didn't).

 

What you should be doing is looking into schools which have the type of curriculum you want as well as several PIs (not just one!) with whom you might want to work. I did not contact PIs during my application process, but many students seem to. It is not required.

 

Look for programs where the students are happy, and look at those students and see if you can see yourself among them. It is usually pretty easy to find out, but if you don't find out at application, you'll see it at the interview. Also look online to see where their students end up. Many programs even have a dedicated webpage for this.

 

Select programs where you also like the location. I recommend going somewhere different from where you will ultimately end up. I went from super small towns to a city of millions. The city is not my favorite, but now I've lived here and I don't hate it. It is helping me decide what kind of place I ultimately want to end up in, and that probably isn't a gigantic city!

 

If you want to look at rank, you can, but it really seems to stress a lot of people out. Rank should not be one of your highest worries. I would pick your top schools but also make sure you pick a couple of programs a little lower in rank. Like I said, I didn't look at rank during applications, but all of mine were in the top 50. I got into my top choice, which is in the top 25, and I turned down an interview at a higher ranked school because I was happier with the other one, but I know I could have been happy at any of the schools I applied to.

 

Now, with all of this, I'm sure you've had a specific research area in mind. Research environment is important, and should be the largest component of what you constitute as "fit." Select places where you know you will have the resources to do the great research that is going to be required for you to graduate. Please go into your graduate applications with an open mind as far as your research area goes. I thought I would go in and join an epigenetics and autoimmunity lab, but the lab I ultimately joined does neurometabolism and lipids. There may be a brand new PI who will have startup funding and more time to spend working with you who may not have been listed when you applied. The PI you're interested in can lose funding, decide they don't want to take a student (even if you have talked to them previously), or even move across the country to another institution.

 

Please feel free to message me with any questions!