Applying for Neuroscience/Neurobiology Ph.D. programs for Fall 2015

[NWFreeheel11]

*sigh* You both are right and I know it. I just hate feeling caged in, having applied to only 6 schools, all of which seem like they may be a long shot. I thought that they seemed reasonable at first, but I'm beginning to doubt myself more and more. My R&D job in industry should qualify as research equivalent to that done in an academic environment, right? I don't think it would be a good idea to look for other jobs in warmer spots because I feel like it would look better to have two years of experience in the same job than a year of experience here and a year of experience there. It just seems to me like two years would look more solid. But this is all assuming that I don't get in somewhere. I'm really, really hoping that I get in somewhere. I'm ready to get this underway, I feel stagnant with just a BS.

 

And I know grad school is supposed to be the next step, but I don't see why it can't also be an escape

 

Grad school can be what ever you want it to be! That's most of the fun :-)

 

I agree, 2 years looks better than 1 & 1, and your R&D job should be as good as you get for professional experience. 

 

I know what you mean about ready to get underway. I graduated in 2011 and am ready for this process to roll! 

 

Have you considered starting with a Masters to boost your GPA if PhD doesn't work out? It could be a great option. 

[thudson686]

well you guys all make me even more anxious when I'm waiting for responses but I'll post anyway

 

Undergrad: Small northeast private school

Major: Biology

Minor: Chemistry

GPA: 3.46

Student type: First-generation Female

 

GRE Scores:

V: 148

Q: 151

W: 3.5

 

Research:

• REU in South Dakota. Looked at the impairments in autophagy seen in neurodegenerative disorders. Poster presentation but no publication
• Lyme disease research at home institution, promised to be an author but research hasn't published anything yet

Awards/Honors:

Pesident's and Dean's List

Biology Academic Excellence Award

Selected for a NSF REU

 

Applied to:

ASU (Neuroscience)

USC(Neuroscience)

UC-Denver (Human Medical Genetics)

UVM (Neuroscience)

Rutgers (Cell and Developmental Biology)

JHU (Neuroscience)-What the heck I'll give it a try

SUNY Upstate Medical School (Neuroscience)

[neuropanic]

I'm in the Master's portion of my combined Neuroscience BA/MS, and I'm applying to Neuroscience PhD programs along with you wonderful people. My school's MS in Neuroscience is basically all research, so I spend much of my day waiting for things to run. I used to spend that time reading or, more recently, working on applications, however yesterday I discovered this thread. Now all I do is wait for y'all to post, hoping that your insight with respect to the ongoing drama of this shared experience will somehow help to abate my crushing anxiety. I think it's helping. Please post more.

My school just started offering a combined BA/MS degree! I would apply next semester for it. What did you think of it? Are you glad you did it?

[SingingInTheColdRoom]

I absolutely love it. Ours is three semesters (starts Senior Spring), and for the first year you spend 100% of your time in lab. During the last semester you write and defend your thesis while taking graduate Neuroscience classes at the med school. Basically, I just nerd out all over the place and they're like, "Here's a degree."

I don't really know what kind of an influence that has on grad school admissions, but it has been a profoundly fulfilling experience. Also I haven't taken a real class since 2013, which feels really, really good.

[neuro4life]

Did anyone receive an interview invitation email? I saw that two people received invitations from Penn...and I didn't hear back from any of my schools yet, so I am kind of worried now. Thanks!!

[sxk055]

Did anyone receive an interview invitation email? I saw that two people received invitations from Penn...and I didn't hear back from any of my schools yet, so I am kind of worried now. Thanks!!

Have received invites from 2/10 schools that I have applied to (UTSW and UPENN) and have not heard anything from the rest. I would not worry a bit. Most schools have not even met to decide on interviewees and probably will not do so until after finals. 

 

Just hang in there!

[kiakian]

Did anyone receive an interview invitation email? I saw that two people received invitations from Penn...and I didn't hear back from any of my schools yet, so I am kind of worried now. Thanks!!

 

I've only heard from UPenn so thats 1/9 for me. I'm pretty sure I remember reading that UPenn started reviewing apps before the final deadline. I turned mine in sometime mid-November so that's probably why I heard back so soon. I bet they'll do a second wave.

 

I wouldn't worry yet.. most deadlines were December 1st and one week is a very short amount of time to review so many apps.

[neuropanic]

I absolutely love it. Ours is three semesters (starts Senior Spring), and for the first year you spend 100% of your time in lab. During the last semester you write and defend your thesis while taking graduate Neuroscience classes at the med school. Basically, I just nerd out all over the place and they're like, "Here's a degree."

I don't really know what kind of an influence that has on grad school admissions, but it has been a profoundly fulfilling experience. Also I haven't taken a real class since 2013, which feels really, really good.

 

Thanks! I would take grad. classes junior year and start rotations maybe the next semester and choose my PI around then. I'm starting in a participating lab soon, so we'll see. I'm just not sure it will be necessary for what I want to do.

[gliaful]

I see a WUSTL Neuroscience interview on the results page...who's the lucky applicant?

[gliaful]

Just got my first interview invite...! Iowa, January 29-31.

[chibimolinero]

Just got my first interview invite...! Iowa, January 29-31.

 

Congrats!

[gliaful]

Congrats!

Thank you!! It's my safety but it's nice to feel like somebody is invested in getting to know me. I really had my doubts.

[SingingInTheColdRoom]

My parents moved to Iowa City after I went to college. It's a really great town. Congrats!

[neurojock]

Just got my first interview invite...! Iowa, January 29-31.

Congrats pasteltomato!!! That's great news! When did you submit your application? I think they do somewhat of a rolling invite based on when you submitted.

[gliaful]

Congrats pasteltomato!!! That's great news! When did you submit your application? I think they do somewhat of a rolling invite based on when you submitted.

Thanks! I submitted my application on October 30th, and all of my LORs were submitted by 11/5.

I got an email from Gloria Lee, who was a prof I mentioned in my SOP. So it might be the case that invitations are to be sent by individual professors.

[neurojock]

Thanks! I submitted my application on October 30th, and all of my LORs were submitted by 11/5.

I got an email from Gloria Lee, who was a prof I mentioned in my SOP. So it might be the case that invitations are to be sent by individual professors.

Oh wow you submitted your applications early! I didn't submit mine until late November. Well congratulations again and good luck on your interview!

[gliaful]

Oh wow you submitted your applications early! I didn't submit mine until late November. Well congratulations again and good luck on your interview!

Thank you! Good luck to you as well   

[ethanoleverything]

Undergrad Institution: Top 20 Public University

Major(s): BS - Biology
Minor(s): Chemistry
GPA in Major: Undergrad - 2.8 / Graduate Coursework - 3.9

Overall GPA: 3.9
Position in Class: Top of Graduate School
Type of Student: Domestic male

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 159 - 74%
V: 157 - 74%
W: 4.5 - 80% 
B:

Research Experience:

2.5 years Start-up Synthetic Biology Company - Associate Scientist - now multi-billion dollar company

2 years Lab Manager in a Neuroscience lab - manage post-docs and undergrads

1 manuscript, 2 studies nearing publication

 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions:

A few poster awards

Pertinent Activities or Jobs:

Involved in public outreach scientific education program

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:

Accomplished marathon runner

 

Applying to Where:

 

Duke - Neurobiology

UNC - BBSP

UVA - BIMS

WashU - Neuroscience

Princeton - Biology

VCU - Neuroscience

Yale - Neuroscience

 

Worried about low undergrad GPA, but I hope admissions committees take my extensive experience into consideration for interview invites!

[gliaful]

Oh wow you submitted your applications early! I didn't submit mine until late November. Well congratulations again and good luck on your interview!

Another thing -- I just checked my application and Iowa does indeed review applications on a rolling basis. Their true deadline isn't until January 1st, so I'd say you are a-okay!

[neurojock]

Another thing -- I just checked my application and Iowa does indeed review applications on a rolling basis. Their true deadline isn't until January 1st, so I'd say you are a-okay!

Thank you so much for checking up on that for me, I appreciate it. It's hard to understand all of the different schools admissions process because they all seem to be different. It's really cool that you got an email from your POI, did you mention just one in your SOP?

[gliaful]

Thank you so much for checking up on that for me, I appreciate it. It's hard to understand all of the different schools admissions process because they all seem to be different. It's really cool that you got an email from your POI, did you mention just one in your SOP?

I mentioned three. Also, I just realized my POI is actually director of the admissions committee, so she might just be the person emailing out all of the invites.

[GABA-daba-doo]

Welllll guess there's no harm in throwing my info in here

 

Undergrad Institution: Ivy

Major(s): BA - Biology
Minor(s): Italian

Overall GPA: 3.3
Position in Class: Graduated magna cum laude (yes this is real, my school combined your GPA and honors thesis ranking.. was voted one of the top thesis in the department)
Type of Student: Domestic female

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 164 - 88%
V: 161 - 87%
W: 5.5 - 98% 
B:

Research Experience:

2 years full time lab tech in Nobel Laureate lab after graduation

3 years in undergrad- honors thesis

2 summers in research programs (both summers in same lab)

 

5 publications, another in preparation, multiple posters and presentations

 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions:

Honors Program, Honors Fraternity, magna cum laude, lots of leadership in my sorority/fraternity/TA/Bio department

Pertinent Activities or Jobs:

Biology Adviser, Lab Tech, TA, done lots of outreach- run a tutoring service for refugees

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:

should have excellent letters of rec- all from PIs and one from Nobel Laureate

Have talked to professors at every University I applied to and encouraged to apply

I dunno... have lots of lab skills very pertinent to what I want to do 

 

Applying to Where:

 

UNC - BBSP

Vanderbilt - IGP

Alabama Birmingham- Neuro

U of U- Neuro

OHSU- Neuro

CU Denver- Neuro

UCLA-Neuro

UCSF- Neuro

Stanford- Neuro

UCSD- Neuro and Bio

UC Davis- Neuro

UW- Neuro

 

Yeah... so low GPA (school notorious for grade deflation which most places I have contacted have mentioned) but from most people I've talked to, my research will hopefully shine through! Lots of reach schools, but only need one Have one interview at this point. 

Edited December 10, 2014 by GABA-daba-doo

[chibimolinero]

Just got my first interview offer at Wisconsin! Pumped that at least one school wants to talk to me

[gliaful]

Just got my first interview offer at Wisconsin! Pumped that at least one school wants to talk to me

Congrats!

 

I suspect UW's Neuro program will be sending out invites on Friday (12/12)! The last two years, the program has sent out all invites on the 2nd Friday of the month.

[chibimolinero]

Congrats!

 

I suspect UW's Neuro program will be sending out invites on Friday (12/12)! The last two years, the program has sent out all invites on the 2nd Friday of the month.

 

Oh gosh, I don't know if I can handle two days of anticipation. I am not a patient person...