Questions about application strength

[Californianchemist]

Hello gradcafe, I have stalked the forums for a little bit, but as the summer is rolling around and I am starting to think about applications, I wanted a little peer feedback on my application, and weather or not I am competitive for a top tier program.

 

GPA

3.94

 

School:

UC, not Berkeley or LA

 

Research experience:

3 years in a prestigious high impact materials chemistry lab

1 summer REU at U of O

1 summer REU in Europe (another high profile professor)

 

Publications

None

 

GRE

Not taken (but i got a 2280 on the SAT so I am not too worried)

 

Class experience

Started taking upper divs as a sophomore

Taken three graduate level courses as a junior

Emphasis (minor if they had one) on materials science (taken an intro series, and a couple electives)

 

Awards/scholarships

Goldwater

ACS ochem award

Regents scholarship (award given upon entering the school)

 

LOR

My PI (well known)

My PI from a summer program (well known)

A teacher in which I took a senior level class as a sophomore, and a graduate class as a junior (well known in the research community)

 

 

 

Looking at materials chemistry programs (although i might apply into materials or into chem e)

Cornell, UIUC, Umass Amherst (PS&E), MIT, Harvard, northwestern, Wisconsin-Madison, tamu, austin, 

 

I have lived in California my entire life and want to get out so that is why Cal and Stanford are not on the list

 

Also If I have missed any top tier chcem/materials/polymer program let me know, as everything is a learning experience

 

[eeee1923]

You look pretty solid as of now. Score high on the general GRE and take the subject GRE as well (some programs require it) and aim for the 80th+ percentile.