Where to aim with my profile

[pyruvate]

Hi everyone, I'm an applicant with plenty of research experience but a rather mediocre GPA.  Furthermore, I'm an international applicant so that complicates matters with American Graduate programs.  I'm applying in Fall 2015 and aiming for neuroscience programs.

 

Here's a summary of my profile:

 

I've finished 3rd year of undergrad, one more year to go.

 

Undergrad Institution: One of the top Canadian Universities

Major: Biochemistry

GPA: 3.5 at college I transferred from (50 credits), and 3.2 at current University

 

Failed 1 course in advanced calculus (which wasn't required, but I took it anyways because I was curious.  Dumb idea) and one course in advanced thermodynamics & kinetics (which was dependent on the advanced calculus, I hit 2 birds with 1 stone).

 

Research Experience: I will have 3.5 years of research experience in neuroscience by the time I graduate, of which 1 years and 8 months is full time research (i.e. summer research and full time internship).  The rest is research done while I was taking courses.  I'll be able to provide 3 recommendations from the 3 labs I've worked in by the time I apply.

 

I have 1 paper on which I am the 1st author, and featured on the journal cover.  Decent journal, not as great as Journal of Neuroscience but definitely better than PlosOne.  I've also given a poster presentation in 2 conferences.  I might get middle authorship on another paper from my current lab, but I'm not counting on it.

 

I'm currently on a 1 year internship at a highly prestigious research institute (among the best in the world), I wonder if this can make me stand out.

 

I think my research experience is great, but I'm mostly worried about GPA and the 2 courses I failed.  On top of this I'm an international student.

 

Are private school better at accepting international applicants?

 

Currently on my list I've got:

 

University of Rochester Medical Center - Neuroscience

Janelia Farm (is this too high to aim for?)

Stony Brook - Neuroscience -> perform thesis work at Cold Spring Harbor (good or bad idea?)

 

I'm not sure where I can realistically aim for, so I haven't added many schools yet.  I've got a few schools outside the US on list though.

Edited December 30, 2014 by pyruvate

[pyruvate]

I think I might get responses if I'm more explicit with my questions:

 

1. Is a place like Janelia Farm too high of a reach with what I have?

2. Does it make sense to go to Stony Brook because I can complete my thesis at CSHL?

3. How to address 2 F's in courses which were not required for my degree, and just taken as electives?

 

Thanks!

[ilovelab]

The more important question is: Do your research interests fit with these programs? IF so then you should give Janelia Farm a chance. They care far more about research fit than failing 2 courses. IF you are only interested in the work done in a lab or two its going to be harder for them to consider you for admission.

 Can you for sure do your thesis work at CSHL if you are at stony brook? I would email admissions at stony brook to see how common it is. Why not apply to CSHL?

[pyruvate]

Why would a student who is interested in a few labs not be appealing?  Most applications let you list up to 3 PI's you're interested in working with.  I would want to show that I'm interested in these few people in particular, but also open to exploring other areas.

 

By applying to both CSHL and Stony Brook I'm thinking that you could increase your chances of doing your thesis at CSHL.

[Ragneo]

Why would a student who is interested in a few labs not be appealing?  Most applications let you list up to 3 PI's you're interested in working with. 

 

There's always a chance that those specific labs may not be looking/can't afford for more students that the time of the application. Therefore, they want to admit students who are interested in many labs. Being in a lab you like = higher rates of success.

[ilovelab]

Why would a student who is interested in a few labs not be appealing?  Most applications let you list up to 3 PI's you're interested in working with.  I would want to show that I'm interested in these few people in particular, but also open to exploring other areas.

 

By applying to both CSHL and Stony Brook I'm thinking that you could increase your chances of doing your thesis at CSHL.

If the program you are applying to has 20 labs and you are interested in two of them and only one has funding for a student would you really expect the adcom to seriously consider you? If that one lab doesn't work out, you would either choose a lab you aren't interested in or leave which is a lose lose for you and the program.