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

[tito balisimo]

Univ of Arizona neuroscience skype interview next week! 

[littlemissnomer]

Univ of Arizona neuroscience skype interview next week! 

 

UofA is my alma mater!  I can vouch for the excellent research and faculty there.  Good luck!

[tito balisimo]

UofA is my alma mater!  I can vouch for the excellent research and faculty there.  Good luck!

Thank you, awesome!

[monkeybrains]

While we are all anxiously awaiting a call or email...what is everyone's research interest?  I'm interested in studying sensory systems using computational/theoretical methods, as well as modeling simple model organisms. 

[noguarantee777]

Received an interview invitation from Vanderbilt IGP; very excited!

 

[NWFreeheel11]

While we are all anxiously awaiting a call or email...what is everyone's research interest?  I'm interested in studying sensory systems using computational/theoretical methods, as well as modeling simple model organisms. 

 

I'm interested in neuro-rehabilitation technology such as brain-computer interfaces and devices used to assist people with developmental disabilities such as context dependent learning systems. 

[bsrhng]

Congrats to everyone on their interviews!

 

While we are all anxiously awaiting a call or email...what is everyone's research interest?  I'm interested in studying sensory systems using computational/theoretical methods, as well as modeling simple model organisms. 

 

Ah, good, more computational neuroscientists. Right now I'm reorienting myself towards learning in networks of neurons. I'm mainly interested in spike timing-dependent plasticity. Before that I had two completely different projects; one on information transmission in the retina and one on inferring the "conductome" of excitable cells.

[tito balisimo]

While we are all anxiously awaiting a call or email...what is everyone's research interest?  I'm interested in studying sensory systems using computational/theoretical methods, as well as modeling simple model organisms. 

I'm interested in the molecular and cellular mechanisms behind genetic disorders. I wish I had a chance to work in a computational lab, but genetics is fun too.

[fluttershy]

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

Congrats! Did they call or email you?

[Ivey0126]

I'm interested in the molecular and cellular mechanisms behind genetic disorders. I wish I had a chance to work in a computational lab, but genetics is fun too.

 

Those are my interests too! I see your applying to a few of the same schools I'm applying to. Good Luck and hopefully I see you at the interview weekends.

[joeypotatoes]

Undergrad Institution: University of Missouri-Columbia

Major(s): BS- Biochemistry
Minor(s): Chemistry and Biology
GPA in Major: Undergrad 3.0

Overall GPA: 2.75
Position in Class: No clue
Type of Student: Domestic male

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 152 - 48%
V: 157 - 74%
W: 4.0 - 56% 

Research Experience:

1 year undergrad research in fish toxicology lab of USGS

2 years postgrad research in a neuro lab at a top 10 institution, 2 independent projects, one middle author publication

 

 

Applying to Where:

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai- Neuroscience

Weill Cornell - Neuroscience

NYU- Neural Science

CUNY- Bio/Neuroscience

OHSU- Neuro

UW-Seattle- Neuro

WashU in STL- Neuro

 

Worried about low undergrad GPA, almost everyone here has stellar gpa and gre scores. My research experience is solid, I talked about it in my SOP, I think my LOR are quite good. 

 

Not hopeful about OHSU seeing the the other applicants stats here. 

 

Thoughts?

[chibimolinero]

Congrats! Did they call or email you?

 

I got an email from them

[tito balisimo]

Those are my interests too! I see your applying to a few of the same schools I'm applying to. Good Luck and hopefully I see you at the interview weekends.

Absolutely, I hope to see you there! I wish you the best too in your applications!

[gliaful]

 

Not hopeful about OHSU seeing the the other applicants stats here. 

 

Something about OHSU that may be helpful to you is that they highly favor applicants with at least one year of post-bacc research (ie, people without this are widely rejected and are told this -- see survey results for evidence of this).

I emailed OHSU about this rumor prior to applying and they said it wasn't "entirely true" and they "encouraged me to apply" (but man, who doesn't want $70).

 

I applied anyway because I'm fond of the research strengths, I grew up around the area (Salem, Corvallis), and my parents did two years of their pharmacy school at OHSU (OHSU and OSU have a joint PharmD program). Of course, none of this is worth anything to the admissions committee, but I just couldn't not apply if there's a sliver of a chance...

[joeypotatoes]

Something about OHSU that may be helpful to you is that they highly favor applicants with at least one year of post-bacc research (ie, people without this are widely rejected and are told this -- see survey results for evidence of this).

I emailed OHSU about this rumor prior to applying and they said it wasn't "entirely true" and they "encouraged me to apply" (but man, who doesn't want $70).

 

I applied anyway because I'm fond of the research strengths, I grew up around the area (Salem, Corvallis), and my parents did two years of their pharmacy school at OHSU (OHSU and OSU have a joint PharmD program). Of course, none of this is worth anything to the admissions committee, but I just couldn't not apply if there's a sliver of a chance...

Well that's good to know in my situation. Everyone in my lab says that post-bacc research is the most important thing and they all seem to think I'm going to get into a few schools. So hopefully that's the case.

[GABA-daba-doo]

Well that's good to know in my situation. Everyone in my lab says that post-bacc research is the most important thing and they all seem to think I'm going to get into a few schools. So hopefully that's the case.

I think having post-bac research is huge... really shows that you know what you're getting into and that you know that you actually enjoy research. I am in a similar boat as you and have gotten the same feedback from advisers and my lab members. Good luck! I 

[joeypotatoes]

While we are all anxiously awaiting a call or email...what is everyone's research interest?  I'm interested in studying sensory systems using computational/theoretical methods, as well as modeling simple model organisms. 

My post-bacc research has been studying the effects of concussive brain injury on the accumulation and aggregation of tau intra-axonally specifically in injured axons, and developing a reliable and reproducible way to quantify tau oligomers. I think I want to continue studying neurodegenerative disorders, I don't think I can leave the game. I would like to perhaps look at the epigenetics in alzheimer's disease, or the metabolomics of axonal injury. 

[PeterPanComplex]

Reading this forum is making my heart race faster than submitting my applications   But I want/need to participate in this convo...
 

Undergrad Institution: Top 10 in US

Major(s): Biological Sciences

GPA in Major: Undergrad - 3.00 or so

Overall GPA: 3.41
Position in Class: No clue
Type of Student: International hispanic female

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 166 - 92%
V: 163 - 92%
W: 4.5 - 80% 
B:

Research Experience:

2.5 years in 2 different labs and counting (I'm actually lab manager in my current lab). 2 co-authorships on published papers.

 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions:

Dean's list every year (yes, my school is not generally known for grade inflation) and graduated with General Honors

 

Applying to Where:

All Neuro..
UW

WUSTL

Yale
Columbia

Stanford

UChicago
Northwestern
Wake Forest
SUNY
Rochester
UMichigan 
NYU
Columbia
Brown

 

Worried about low undergrad GPA and being an international student ... but I have a very interesting work experience that is sure to stand out! Also, even though I haven't read my letters of rec (waived my right), I am sure they are really strong. We'll see...

Can't wait to vent with the rest of you and hopefully get invited to an interview and meet some of you! 

[melc_hammer]

Update from UNC: The committee is taking today and tomorrow to look at BBSP apps. Heard this from a neurobio grad student.

[monkeybrains]

For anyone applying to Brown (neuro), Cornell (comp. biology), MIT (bcs), and UCLA (neuro):

 

After trawling through some of the results from past years, interview invites (some but not all) have occurred in the third week of December, around Dec. 14-19 (sorry if this adds to your anxiety...)

[PeterPanComplex]

I'm trying to distract myself so I'm gonna ask a question... Does anyone know what to do if you get interviews for 2 places that have the same interview weekend? Do you just have to pick one and basically lose your chance at the other program? (I think 2-3 of the places I applied to share the same interview weekend...)

[KINGLOUP]

For anyone applying to Brown (neuro), Cornell (comp. biology), MIT (bcs), and UCLA (neuro):

 

After trawling through some of the results from past years, interview invites (some but not all) have occurred in the third week of December, around Dec. 14-19 (sorry if this adds to your anxiety...)

 

For MIT BCS.

Although, you are right about last year, it seems like it is going to be later this year. I got an email on Dec 4th (and I guess all applicants did) saying this:

"All submitted applications will be reviewed in December and January.  Interview invitations will be sent in January.  Interviews will take place in late February by invitation only.  Initial decisions will be sent in mid March.  Final decisions will be sent in late March."

 

I'm also applying to UCLA and am super stressed thinking that the first round of invites will probably be this weekend!!!

[gliaful]

I'm trying to distract myself so I'm gonna ask a question... Does anyone know what to do if you get interviews for 2 places that have the same interview weekend? Do you just have to pick one and basically lose your chance at the other program? (I think 2-3 of the places I applied to share the same interview weekend...)

On the "seasoned interviewees" topic (in the Biology thread), peachypie and others said that there's usually more than one weekend. An invitation email might just say one weekend, but you should ask if there are others before you assume that you can't go at all. I would think that there would be multiple weekends especially at schools that receive a lot of applicants, but that's just speculation.

[chibimolinero]

Who posted that they were accepted to UCSF on the results page, eh?

[gliaful]

Who posted that they were accepted to UCSF on the results page, eh?

Ha! I noticed this too. They probably meant "interview" instead of "accepted" but it's an accomplishment nonetheless -- so whoever you are, congrats!