A quick evaluation

[JakeHeebs]

Hello all,

I'm new the forums here, so far I really like them. I'm here to ask some questions. My stats are as follows:

BS Biochemistry from a small liberal arts college in NY

cum GPA: 3.77

major GPA 3.81

GRE: 157V 158Q 4.5AW

Chem GRE: 810 (79%)

2 very strong LOR and one strong LOR

Member of 3 national honorary chemistry societies, including the ASBMB honor society, Chi Omega Lambda.

Two poster presentations and one publication, also attended a metabolomics workshop put on by Bruker at their headquarters in MA.

3 years research experience, one doing natural products isolation and the other two doing synthetic organic. I am the only student under my advisor and do all hands on work independently in the lab. I have a TON of experience doing air-free synthesis and handling hazardous reagents such as butyl lithium. I also have one-on-one training and 100+ hours personal experience using instruments such as NMR, FT-IR, MALDI, and Q-TOF mass spectrometers. I have two years experience as a tutor for general and organic chemistry. I currently work as a lab hand with my research professor, separate from the research that we do.

I have applied to the following for fall 2015 chemistry PhD:

Harvard

Yale

Princeton

Stanford

Wisconsin-Madison

MIT

Caltech

UNC chapel hill

So my question is, any thoughts on my chances of success? I feel confident about everything besides my general GRE scores. Thanks for the feedback everyone!

[fancyfeast]

I think other than the GRE you're competitive. The GRE means nothing in my opinion, but I don't know if these schools use it as a way to screen out applications like med schools do with the MCAT. Maybe someone can comment on that. I think as long as your application gets reviewed by an actual person you stand a fair chance (the really competitive schools are a bit of a crapshoot for pretty much anyone). Good luck to you!

[ghostar]

Agreed with fancyfeast. Given highly competent credentials like what you have, I feel like acceptance would depend strongly on the LORs and fit with the program & research. One could have all first-rate stats and still be rejected if his/her research interests and goals do not align well with the program's, for example.

[JakeHeebs]

Thanks for the feedback my friends, greatly appreciated. Do you have any comments about my experience with instrumentation? I feel that it's something virtually zero undergrads have. All of our instruments are brand new, higher end Bruker models.

[Whisky-with-a-Y]

I don't think potential schools will care too much about that. A large number of undergrads have hands-on experience with many different instruments. I know at my school, an average state instituition, that I can walk into any room and get on any instrument I want, including the ones you have listed (As can any other student). I wouldnt be able to do my "undergrad-research" without sitting in front of an instrument all day. I know at some schools it is hands-off and restricted, probably a smart idea on their part (have seen a lot of NMR tubes break in not the best places). But for many colleges, students can engage almost any instrument involved in their research as soon as they receive their class on how to operate it. If they arent, it doesnt take too long to get trained on them anyway.

[ghostar]

Thanks for the feedback my friends, greatly appreciated. Do you have any comments about my experience with instrumentation? I feel that it's something virtually zero undergrads have. All of our instruments are brand new, higher end Bruker models.

I would expect instrumentation to be part of a student's research experience. I personally would be suspicious of students who claim to have experience in organic synthesis but don't know how to operate an NMR. Different models/brands work differently, yes, but one should have experience running "an" instrument that is crucial for research, like NMR, IR, and MS are for organic. Undergraduate research experience that doesn't provide training in relevant instrumentation is poor preparation in my opinion.

Edited December 30, 2014 by ghostar

[ghostar]

So I guess my response to your question regarding instrumentation is that it's not something that helps stand out any significantly.