Advice for undergrad sophomore?

[neuropanic]

Soooo, probably a bit early, but I'll be a junior after this semester so I'm panicked already. Basically, looking into programs that do work in neuropharmacology, molecular neuroscience, etc. I have a huge list of schools that I'm having a hard time pruning down. I would like to start thinking seriously about where I will be applying as I'm studying to take the GRE. I would also like to see what part of my application should be improved if I were to apply to these schools.

Should graduate Winter 2016/Spring 2017 depending on whether or not I want a fairly easy senior year or to graduate early.

Current GPA is a 3.5, but that's mostly due to getting a very low grade in Orgo I (was able to pull it up to a B in Orgo II and felt really comfortable with the biochem section, so looking forward to that class). I am mostly an A/A- student with like 2 B+'s aside from the Orgo shenanigans and do better in more focused/ upper level courses (motivation issues?), so I except to graduate with a 3.5-3.7ish.

I will be starting in a physiology/pharmacology lab next semester working with seizures doing immunohistochemistry and optogenetics, possibly behavior analysis and should have several publications. I am also required to do two independent projects for my major (BS, biology) and minors (neuroscience, chemistry) requirements. These need to result in at least poster presentations. My lab is with mostly post-docs and grad students, though, so I feel confident that I can get my name on publications- but is not working directly with your PI a negative? Also, pretty sure the lab usually publishes to journals with an IF around 2-3 if that makes a difference.

Right now, I'm starting to seriously look into Yale, UC-Berkeley/Davis, CSU Boulder/Denver, Duke, UNC-CH, UMT, UVA, Scripps, Stanford, UVT, Caltech, MIT, and possibly Cornell or Princeton.

Are there any other schools I should be considering? Obviously, it's hard to tell without GRE scores and another year's worth of courses, but I really want to make sure I'm on the right track and not overshooting things.

Also, any courses that I absolutely must take/ ace for certain programs? Any part of the application process that I should really focus and improve on so far?

Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

[GeoDUDE!]

Enjoy college.

[neuropanic]

Enjoy college.

 

Ha, I am thankfully in a sorority so that kind of forces me to enjoy myself. 

[Cookie]

 

I will be starting in a physiology/pharmacology lab next semester working with seizures doing immunohistochemistry and optogenetics, possibly behavior analysis and should have several publications. I am also required to do two independent projects for my major (BS, biology) and minors (neuroscience, chemistry) requirements. These need to result in at least poster presentations. My lab is with mostly post-docs and grad students, though, so I feel confident that I can get my name on publications- but is not working directly with your PI a negative? Also, pretty sure the lab usually publishes to journals with an IF around 2-3 if that makes a difference.

Right now, I'm starting to seriously look into Yale, UC-Berkeley/Davis, CSU Boulder/Denver, Duke, UNC-CH, UMT, UVA, Scripps, Stanford, UVT, Caltech, MIT, and possibly Cornell or Princeton.

Are there any other schools I should be considering? Obviously, it's hard to tell without GRE scores and another year's worth of courses, but I really want to make sure I'm on the right track and not overshooting things.

Also, any courses that I absolutely must take/ ace for certain programs? Any part of the application process that I should really focus and improve on so far?

 

If you are serious about applying to the top programs, your chemistry GPA should be improved a lot. 

Also, dont expect you will get publications because you will join the lab (It is a little far fetched). Work hard first. You dont get your name on publication(s) unless you actually make contributions to the project(s).

When you do research and develop some research interests, then you can pick programs to apply for grad school. Dont simply pick schools based on prestige. There are plenty of threads on here with helpful advices you can check out.

[neuropanic]

If you are serious about applying to the top programs, your chemistry GPA should be improved a lot. 

Also, dont expect you will get publications because you will join the lab (It is a little far fetched). Work hard first. You dont get your name on publication(s) unless you actually make contributions to the project(s).

When you do research and develop some research interests, then you can pick programs to apply for grad school. Dont simply pick schools based on prestige. There are plenty of threads on here with helpful advices you can check out.

 

I was told to not retake Orgo I and to just focus on improving in Orgo II and making an A in biochem. What do you think about this advice? I don't particularly think a C and a B are going to kill my application, but I could be wrong. I only have 2 more chem classes to take (one being biochem).

 

And obviously I'm not just excepting publications to be handed to me.

 

Thanks!

 

EDIT: Should maybe mention that I was having medical/psychological issues while taking Orgo I and then got really behind on a lot of the foundation, some of which transferred over to issues in Orgo II. I can't really tell grad schools I was having those issues, though, sooo...

Edited November 10, 2014 by neuropanic

[ashiepoo72]

Start building strong relationships with potential rec writers. Take several classes with the same professors and do well in them, visit office hours, apprise them of your progress and goals, etc. I did not do this as an undergrad, and it's part of the reason I applied to MA programs the first time around instead of PhDs.

 

It wouldn't hurt for you to start studying GRE vocab, but I think you can wait on taking the actual test. You have plenty of time to study, so why not take your time and pick up some good habits? Take up reading some high quality magazines and journals in your field. Personally, I like The New Yorker and The Economist. Regardless of the GRE, getting well-versed in high-brow and scholarly writing is a good idea for graduate school.

 

Now is also the time for you to do research for a writing sample. Try to work that out if you can. Make sure you spend a lot of time working on your research and writing. I look at the writing sample like a wine glass test for limo drivers--some limo companies make their job applicants drive the limo with wine glasses in the back seat, and if one tips over and breaks they don't get hired. Your writing sample should be the wine glass, and you're the driver. Polish it until it's clear, analytic and convincing and it won't fall flat with the adcomm.

 

Good luck!

Edited November 10, 2014 by ashiepoo72

[neuropanic]

Start building strong relationships with potential rec writers. Take several classes with the same professors and do well in them, visit office hours, apprise them of your progress and goals, etc. I did not do this as an undergrad, and it's part of the reason I applied to MA programs the first time around instead of PhDs.

 

It wouldn't hurt for you to start studying GRE vocab, but I think you can wait on taking the actual test. You have plenty of time to study, so why not take your time and pick up some good habits? Take up reading some high quality magazines and journals in your field. Personally, I like The New Yorker and The Economist. Regardless of the GRE, getting well-versed in high-brow and scholarly writing is a good idea for graduate school.

 

Now is also the time for you to do research for a writing sample. Try to work that out if you can. Make sure you spend a lot of time working on your research and writing. I look at the writing sample like a wine glass test for limo drivers--some limo companies make their job applicants drive the limo with wine glasses in the back seat, and if one tips over and breaks they don't get hired. Your writing sample should be the wine glass, and you're the driver. Polish it until it's clear, analytic and convincing and it won't fall flat with the adcomm.

 

Good luck!

 

Thank you! I just feel weird about going to office hours when I am not having an issue in the class sometimes. I have one professor that I visit to discuss neuroscience with (she is very passionate about undergrads in neuroscience) and am probably going to choose her as my advisor. Another professor is a post doc in the lab I will be going into. I have interacted with another neuroscience professor who is one of the professors of my neuroscience class. He let me borrow books on neurochemistry and tried to help me out a lot with choosing my majors and minors, but I am just not sure that we click well. I guess that plays a major role, too.

[ashiepoo72]

Thank you! I just feel weird about going to office hours when I am not having an issue in the class sometimes. I have one professor that I visit to discuss neuroscience with (she is very passionate about undergrads in neuroscience) and am probably going to choose her as my advisor. Another professor is a post doc in the lab I will be going into. I have interacted with another neuroscience professor who is one of the professors of my neuroscience class. He let me borrow books on neurochemistry and tried to help me out a lot with choosing my majors and minors, but I am just not sure that we click well. I guess that plays a major role, too.

 

I totally get the feeling. It's always been hard for me to drop in to office hours, but it makes a big difference. I'm not saying be one of those students that's always waiting outside a professor's office and never has anything to say, but I think it's totally appropriate and helpful to drop in and talk about intellectual problems you're thinking about, papers, research, and graduate school goals. Professors WANT to help their students.

 

I want to stress that getting close to potential rec writers shouldn't just be a means to an end. These are people who can be part of your intellectual journey long after you graduate. They can mentor you, read your statement of purpose, and point you in interesting research directions. They are training you to be part of the next generation of scholars in your field. As someone who did not get close to professors during my undergrad years, I can safely say it was the biggest mistake I made (yes, even bigger than that F I got my first quarter haha). It sounds like you've already built some good relationships, so that's great

[GeoDUDE!]

Ha, I am thankfully in a sorority so that kind of forces me to enjoy myself. 

 

 

Thats good. I'm glad your not one of the many serious undergrad robots who usually make posts like this.

 

Many of my colleagues make it to graduate school only to find they haven't developed the social skills required to succeed.  Having friends is important, learning to trust people is important.  More than that, graduate schools want to take people more than robots. Remember, its your colleagues in graduate school that you are going to collaborate with to make great scientific studies, its your colleagues who are going to send you promising graduate students. Its your colleagues in graduate school who you are going to ask for advice down the road. While your research is your own, running the program is a group effort. 

 

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