2016 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[Gram Neutral]

46 minutes ago, biosci said:

If I don't get in anywhere is there any way to get any feedback from any of the ad-coms?

Also, it's  super common/expected of rejected applicants to ask what they can improve on.  That's how I found out what to work on. I apparently gave off the impression that I wasn't enthusiastic about science, which couldn't be further from the truth. I was just super nervous, and I'm also quiet when I first meet people. That's like something you wouldn't think without someone telling you. I would have assumed it was my GPA. 

Edited December 8, 2015 by Gram Neutral

[biosci]

My quote function isn't working, sorry, but in response to GramNeutral:

Thanks.  That's good to know. How do you ask for feedback?  

Thanks

[TWitt]

Previous Institutions: Undergraduate; Big State School, Mid line reputation in Biology, Tier 1.  Masters: Medium state school, not much reputation but advisory well known, tier 2
Major(s): Biology
Minor(s): None
GPA in Major: Undergrad 3.2, Masters 4.0

Position in Class: Undergrad, near top. Masters, Very top
Type of Student: non minority domestic

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 161
V: 164
A: 4.5





Research Experience: 4 years, 2 published papers, 1 first author, 2 talks, 5 poster presentations, national and regional conferences

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: 2 within school fellowships, 2 outside school scholarships, one departmental grant

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: TA

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Volunteer work as an undergraduate on a research council

Special Bonus Points: Have very strong recommendation letters from three somewhat well known faculty, undergraduate adviser wrote that he treated me as a PhD student when i worked in his lab. Have had phone interviews with three potential advisers before applying. 



Applying to Where: UCSC EEB

TAMU EEB

ASU Behavior

UW EEB

UVA Biology

UM EEB

[Gram Neutral]

22 minutes ago, biosci said:

My quote function isn't working, sorry, but in response to GramNeutral:

Thanks.  That's good to know. How do you ask for feedback?  

Thanks

They usually listed contact info in the rejection letter saying if you have any questions, feel free to ask(I should know, I've gotten quite a few in my time lol) I just emailed them or called them at that contact. Or just the general email they list on their websites. 

[Microburritology]

I'll just keep working at the biotech company I'm currently working. Pay isn't much, but research is cool and I guess more experience and possibly a publication. But I seriously just want to finish and get it over with this time. 

I've head enough numbing headaches after coming back from work at 8 in the night and then studying 3 more hours for GRE.

4 hours ago, 4eyes said:

just wondering, what's everyone's back-up plan if they don't decide to do grad school?

also are there any psyc applicants on here or is that another forum?

Edited December 8, 2015 by Microburritology

[4eyes]

6 minutes ago, Gram Neutral said:

They usually listed contact info in the rejection letter saying if you have any questions, feel free to ask(I should know, I've gotten quite a few in my time lol) I just emailed them or called them at that contact. Or just the general email they list on their websites. 

that's good to know. other than enthusiasm (which I assume was a post-interview thing), do they usually give feedback for rejecting an application and not giving an interview? 

[123hardasABC]

5 hours ago, Microburritology said:

@123hardasABC Thank you!! Your recommendation letter tips helped me a lot. Would like to meet you if you'll be around in STL at the same time!

Glad I could help! Though now I need all the help and luck in the world!  And I live here permanently now! 

 

4 hours ago, 4eyes said:

just wondering, what's everyone's back-up plan if they don't decide to do grad school?

I've devised a 6 step plan for not getting into graduate school: 

1.) Cry.
2.) Drink.
3.) Netflix.
4.) Reflect on: Do I really need to go to graduate school twice? 
5.) Drink again.
6.) Find work. 

[Gram Neutral]

18 minutes ago, 4eyes said:

that's good to know. other than enthusiasm (which I assume was a post-interview thing), do they usually give feedback for rejecting an application and not giving an interview? 

Yup. They are used to it. In the end, the worst they can do is not reply. No harm in trying. It's not like you would get re-rejected for bothering them. 

[S.K.P.]

Has anyone heard from Princeton Molecular Biology? When will they start sending out invitations?

[MusMusculus]

Been lurking this forum hardcore since finishing applications. Figured I'd contribute because the anticipation is killing me...

Undergrad Institution: Big State School USA... Not much reputation.
Major(s): Biochemistry
Minor(s):
GPA in Major: 4.0
Overall GPA: 4.0
Position in Class: don't know
Type of Student: Domestic Minority Male

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 159 (75%)
V: 161 (87%)
W: 5 (93%)
B: n/a

Research Experience: 1 year at home institution in biochem lab, 1 summer REU in a cancer biology lab at prominent institution, currently guest researcher for 2 semesters in a bioengineering lab at a prominent institution. No pubs before grad applications. Presented at 8 conferences, 1 national, 5 regional, 2 institutional. 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Multiple awards for best oral presentation/poster, some STEM scholarships, won an Astrobiology essay contest.

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: NSF funded STEM tutor and TA for Microbiology lab, bunch of STEM outreach.

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help/Special Bonus Points/Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: Non traditional student getting second undergrad degree, first degree was not STEM, and have a bunch of totally non-STEM career experience. Have connections at 3 of the places I'm applying. 

Applying to Where:
University of Washington (MCB & M3D) 
UC Berkeley (MCB)
UCSF (BMS)
UCSD (BMS)
Rockefeller
Sloan Kettering
MIT (Biology)

Edited December 8, 2015 by MusMusculus

[mwgskol]

25 minutes ago, MusMusculus said:

Been lurking this forum hardcore since finishing applications. Figured I'd contribute because the anticipation is killing me...

Well welcome to the club  many schools are going to release invites by early jan so we only have like a month to go...

BTW, your application looks pretty solid and I bet you'll get a bunch of interviews

[biochemgirl67]

3 hours ago, Jyouie said:

Has anyone heard from Princeton Molecular Biology? When will they start sending out invitations?

Nope... but I applied and am waiting too!

[Caffeine Junky]

If you DON'T get an interview, do they notify you with a rejection email at the same time you would have gotten an interview email? Or do you just have to wait it out until they update your application status?

[biotechie]

46 minutes ago, Caffeine Junky said:

If you DON'T get an interview, do they notify you with a rejection email at the same time you would have gotten an interview email? Or do you just have to wait it out until they update your application status?

It depends on the school. Some of them send them out all at once, but others make you wait. They should still send you an email letting you know your status in the end. Some rejections don't come until right at the April 15 deadline to commit, but you'll sort of "know" since you will have missed the interview weekend.

[ballwera]

Just a quick note about interview invites, don't sweat it if you aren't getting any right away. A lot of schools send out invites in waves. I didn't get invites to some of my programs til late January. 

[adiJ]

47 minutes ago, biotechie said:

It depends on the school. Some of them send them out all at once, but others make you wait. They should still send you an email letting you know your status in the end. Some rejections don't come until right at the April 15 deadline to commit, but you'll sort of "know" since you will have missed the interview weekend.

There aren't any cases where top schools give acceptance letters without interviews right. So if mid February starts rolling around, then you might as well not wait for the April deadline?

 

6 hours ago, 123hardasABC said:

I've devised a 6 step plan for not getting into graduate school: 

1.) Cry.
2.) Drink.
3.) Netflix.
4.) Reflect on: Do I really need to go to graduate school twice? 
5.) Drink again.
6.) Find work. 

Wait, I'm doing it wrong then, because that's what I'm doing now haha (senioritis is a bitch)

[bicsy]

35 minutes ago, ballwera said:

Just a quick note about interview invites, don't sweat it if you aren't getting any right away. A lot of schools send out invites in waves. I didn't get invites to some of my programs til late January. 

Thanks. I can't help but sweat it

Fortunately I haven't seen any results posted for my specific programs, but when I do I'll need to find a distraction from refreshing my email every 10 seconds. 

Either way, it's really exciting seeing everyone's results on here! I was just thinking, it's crazy to know that we'll probably end up presenting to/citing/collaborating with each other &ct. over the course of our careers.

[Caffeine Junky]

11 minutes ago, bicsy said:

Thanks. I can't help but sweat it

Fortunately I haven't seen any results posted for my specific programs, but when I do I'll need to find a distraction from refreshing my email every 10 seconds. 

Either way, it's really exciting seeing everyone's results on here! I was just thinking, it's crazy to know that we'll probably end up presenting to/citing/collaborating with each other &ct. over the course of our careers.

That's what's currently happening to me! Just saw a few people posting about Vanderbilt interviews and (although of course I'm really hoping for an interview) I just really want to know the outcome! Had no idea Vanderbilt accepted applications so early, the people that have gotten interviews submitted their applications weeks before I did. Hope to hear soon, and good luck to you too!

[ms_green_genes]

Caffeine Junky, thanks for that info about the Vandy invites. My daughter submitted her completed app on Nov 30. We've been trying to figure out if those with invites already had submitted much earlier in the process than she did. 

She has pretty high stats and a great research record, at least in my not-so-unbiased opinion as her mom. She doesn't really do forums while I'm a forum geek in general, so I've done research here and shared some of what I've learned with her (at her request). I think I'm more nervous for her than she is right now. 

 

[Caffeine Junky]

3 minutes ago, AmyShelton said:

Caffeine Junky, thanks for that info about the Vandy invites. My daughter submitted her completed app on Nov 30. We've been trying to figure out if those with invites already had submitted much earlier in the process than she did. 

She has pretty high stats and a great research record, at least in my not-so-unbiased opinion as her mom. She doesn't really do forums while I'm a forum geek in general, so I've done research here and shared some of what I've learned with her (at her request). I think I'm more nervous for her than she is right now. 

 

I can't say for sure if the interviews are based on the application submission date, but that's what I have gathered from reading a couple of posts. Had I known it were rolling, I would have submitted much earlier! I submitted on the same day as your daughter. Good luck to her!

[ms_green_genes]

Good luck to you, too, Caffeine Junky! We live fairly close to Nashville, and I go there quite a bit. I also did my first two years of undergrad at Vandy. Let me know if I can answer any questions about the area for anyone. 

Daughter's first choices right now, pre-interview, are Vandy and Rockefeller (tie). I'm rooting for Vandy!

Edited December 9, 2015 by AmyShelton

[bioconfused]

Hello everyone, 

Are there any international students from India out there? who are applying to biomedical programs? I got an interview invite from Mount Sinai today and they asked me to choose between two options. Id really like to hear from an international applicant about interviews. or someone already attending to give some insight  about attending interviews for international students. Do they expect us to fly to the other side of the globe? Im willing to do it if it is necessary. But I have to add that the interview dates fall during the semester and travelling to the US is no joke. Its at least a 20 hour flight, to say nothing of the cost.

Edited December 9, 2015 by bioconfused
needed notification if anybody replies

[Infinito]

6 minutes ago, bioconfused said:

 

Hello everyone, 

Are there any international students from India out there? who are applying to biomedical programs? I got an interview invite from Mount Sinai today and they asked me to choose between two options. Id really like to hear from an international applicant about interviews. or someone already attending to give some insight  about attending interviews for international students. Do they expect us to fly to the other side of the globe? Im willing to do it if it is necessary. But I have to add that the interview dates fall during the semester and travelling to the US is no joke. Its at least a 20 hour flight, to say nothing of the cost.

Not international here, but most schools will not fly international students for interviews. They usually have you do Skype or something. Wasn't that part of your options?
As far as how much it would be worth it for you to fly here on your own, I have no clue. I would assume that a good Skype interview would weigh just as heavily as an in-person one, except that you won't be able to get a good feel for the area, other graduate and potential students, and some of the minutia. 

[aichan93]

Hi bioconfused, I'm from Singapore in the same boat. I'm traveling. Tons of my friends who apply to grad sch from here fly there. I applied quite a few schools so hopefully I get some interviews and I won't be traveling there for just 1 school. I'm working as a research officer now so i have to take annual leave

 

Edited December 9, 2015 by aichan93

[bioconfused]

41 minutes ago, Infinito said:

Not international here, but most schools will not fly international students for interviews. They usually have you do Skype or something. Wasn't that part of your options?
As far as how much it would be worth it for you to fly here on your own, I have no clue. I would assume that a good Skype interview would weigh just as heavily as an in-person one, except that you won't be able to get a good feel for the area, other graduate and potential students, and some of the minutia. 

Hello Infinito,

Yes, from my seniors that ive spoken to, they have had Online interviews. But in my email, an online interview was not given as an option. They only asked me to choose between 7,8 jan or 10,11 jan. So I'm a bit confused and I have to decide and let them know by tomorrow. Im willing to do it, but it would be useful to hear from other places first and see if flying there would make more sense if i could interview at multiple places on the same journey.