2016 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[biochemgirl67]

11 hours ago, PlanB said:

Your GPA is just too low.UC-Davis most likely will come through. If I were you, I would go get a masters. Then you would probably be able to swing most of the schools on your list.

 

11 hours ago, PlanB said:

Love the combo of Phil/Bioinformatics. Without GRE scores it is hard to evaluate. Philosophy papers and awards will most likely not help in the application process. Your GPA  is not high enough for duke, Princeton, yale, tri-state or cornell. THe average student admitted to those programs is like a 3.75+.  A higher GRE score, however, may help you out in the process. Mount sinai will most likely come through.

Dude.  You're speaking kinda out of your butt.  I think it's horrible to tell the people that they should go for a masters instead of a phd for something such as GPA.  I mean, I'll always encourage people to apply widely because you hardly know what will come through in your applications, but what you said about that person's GPA was mean.  If I remember correctly, they had held a research job all the way through undergrad.  I mean when I first read through it I missed that and thought that maybe their record wouldn't show the aptitude for grad school, but it really does.  Maybe no one else will agree with me, but I think you're trying to make yourself feel better by saying this stuff about other people.  Go look at the results board; people get rejected from all kinds of schools with a 3.9.

[Microburritology]

Couldn't have framed that better, perfectly written. *applause* I'm out of reps, else I'd have given you one.

Honestly, the first time I saw this person's response I thought he/she was a troll, and this is not a good a place to be one where you're actually hurting and misleading people with fallacious information.

19 minutes ago, biochemgirl67 said:

 

Dude.  You're speaking kinda out of your butt.  I think it's horrible to tell the people that they should go for a masters instead of a phd for something such as GPA.  I mean, I'll always encourage people to apply widely because you hardly know what will come through in your applications, but what you said about that person's GPA was mean.  If I remember correctly, they had held a research job all the way through undergrad.  I mean when I first read through it I missed that and thought that maybe their record wouldn't show the aptitude for grad school, but it really does.  Maybe no one else will agree with me, but I think you're trying to make yourself feel better by saying this stuff about other people.  Go look at the results board; people get rejected from all kinds of schools with a 3.9.

 

Edited December 11, 2015 by Microburritology

[pali123]

7 minutes ago, Microburritology said:

Couldn't have framed that better, perfectly written. *applause* I'm out of reps, else I'd have given you one.

Honestly, the first time I saw this person's response I thought he/she was a troll, and this is not a good a place to be one when you're actually hurting and misleading people with fallacious information.

 

I agree as well, it is not up to that person to decide if one is good for a Ph.D or not. My father's GRE/GPA scores were very low when he applied to graduate school, yet he still was able to enter a fairly good EE program, and now he is a senior design engineer at Intel making a lot of money. Graduate applications are a holistic process and not everyone with a 4.0 and great GRE scores will get in and same vice versa. It is really hard to predict and that is why we are all on here freaking out lol.  

[biochemgirl67]

Just now, pali123 said:

I agree as well, it is not up to that person to decide if one is good for a Ph.D or not. My father's GRE/GPA scores were very low when he applied to graduate school, yet he still was able to enter a fairly good EE program, and now he is a senior design engineer at Intel making a lot of money. Graduate applications are a holistic process and not everyone with a 4.0 and great GRE scores will get in and same vice versa. It is really hard to predict and that is why we are all on here freaking out lol.  

YAAAS.  That's why the next two weeks are weighing upon my brain!   And I think that person is just getting off on putting people down.  I hope that poster doesn't feel bad about it.

[parafilm]

Meh. Some people are really into numbers. Luckily for most of us, PhD admissions aren't so obsessed with numbers, probably because regurgitating equations during a physics exam has little to do with someone's ability to design experiments and conduct research.

I have a low GPA. I've spent a long time working in research to make up for that. Along the way I've had a dozen undergrad interns... the best ones weren't necessarily the ones with the highest GPA, they were the ones most excited to come into lab everyday.

[Microburritology]

I would actually love to see that person's stats and give him/her a piece of my "realistic" advice on where he/she is fit for 

[Bioenchilada]

4 minutes ago, Microburritology said:

I would actually love to see that person's stats and give him/her a piece of my "realistic" advice on where he/she is fit for 

Lol his stats are posted somewhere in this thread.

[Gram Neutral]

I think people should apply wherever they damn well please. However, some people do need to temper their expectations. I'm a low GPA person myself. While people with lower GPAs get in sometimes to the higher up programs, it's very hard. You should be ready for/expect a rejection, and then he presently surprised when you get an interview. I've seen too many people over the years come in with high expectations only to be trampled and yet rejected everywhere because they aimed too high up. It's always good to believe in yourself, but you've got to be realistic too. 

But don't let strangers too you what to do. If you think you're good enough, go for it. You know yourself the best. 

[GeneWeaver]

I was starting to get really worried with the all latest talk in this thread about not having a high enough GPA (~3.5, lower for science) but just got my first interview invite from Duke this morning! What a relief!

[biosci]

6 minutes ago, GeneWeaver said:

I was starting to get really worried with the all latest talk in this thread about not having a high enough GPA (~3.5, lower for science) but just got my first interview invite from Duke this morning! What a relief!

Congratulations!

[biochemgirl67]

6 minutes ago, GeneWeaver said:

I was starting to get really worried with the all latest talk in this thread about not having a high enough GPA (~3.5, lower for science) but just got my first interview invite from Duke this morning! What a relief!

Congratulations!  And don't think 3.5 is low... that's a good GPA!

[NeuroMetro]

Never expected to be on another forum... but so many people here dealing with the process of grad admission, and social facilitation is positive.

SO, here goes...

Undergrad Institution: Low rep inexpensive state school (that I love dearly).
Major(s): Biology and Psychology
Minor(s): None (but extensive coursework in chemistry)
GPA in Major: 4.00 - Bio, 3.93 - Psych
Overall GPA: 3.96
Position in Class: Top 5%
Type of Student: (Domestic)

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 155 (expected much better but did not retake)
V: 167 (97th)
W: 5.5 (98th)
 
Research Experience: Three small-conference presentations in with Bio Advisors (Behavioral Neuroscience, Animal Behavior, Ecology). Almost 20 conference presentations (regional and national) in Psych covering a range of topics (behavioral neuro, teaching psych, social psych, cog etc.). Two Psych publications (One top tier, and one more obscure journal), and two more in submission (national undergrad journal).

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Commencement speaker (President's award), every departmental award eligible for in psych, regional research award, two honors societies, honors curriculum, summa cum laude, etc.

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Multiple tutoring, RA and TA positions

Special Bonus Points: Not sure, other than doing my best to build rapport with POI's (somewhat successfully thus far). Definitely strong LORs also.

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: Had some NCs (non-punitive W's) on my transcript from a decade ago. First time taking college courses, needed to drop classes for financial reasons (and didn't know what I wanted to do with my life yet). Though it also shows a completely separate return to college period of solid full-time coursework (summers included) over 3.5 years.

Applying to Where:

Fairly diverse interests

UC Denver Anschutz - Neuroscience - decision-making, neurogenesis, motor control
UC Boulder - Behavioral Neuroscience - developmental neuropathology
Brown + Brown/NIH - Neuroscience - BCI's
Yale - Clinical Psychology - developmental neuropathology
Colorado State - Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience - POMC neurons, ion channels

- Yeah, I know "One of these things just doesn't belong here."

 

All apps are in, and I'm waiting. Otherwise, I am currently trying to increase my Matlab skills, and to find a tech or PRA position in the mean time.

[adiJ]

16 minutes ago, GeneWeaver said:

I was starting to get really worried with the all latest talk in this thread about not having a high enough GPA (~3.5, lower for science) but just got my first interview invite from Duke this morning! What a relief!

Haha, that was my exact response (with the same GPA lol) this morning as well. My dates are 2/5-2/6 and 2/19-2/20. You?

Edited December 11, 2015 by adiJ

[bicsy]

I love that the posts here have been [mostly] helpful and positive, but seeing discouraging and argumentative comments is disheartening for anyone looking at this thread. Most of us come here to relieve the anxiety of application season, not to propagate it.

Remember that behind every username is a real person! The internet makes it easy to forget this.

[NeuroMetro]

12 minutes ago, bicsy said:

I love that the posts here have been [mostly] helpful and positive, but seeing discouraging and argumentative comments is disheartening for anyone looking at this thread. Most of us come here to relieve the anxiety of application season, not to propagate it.

Remember that behind every username is a real person! The internet makes it easy to forget this.

 

Agreed, though I will say that as online forums go (and this is largely why I avoid them) there is much more camaraderie here vs. the vitriol you find in most.

[NeuroMetro]

Congrats GeneWeaver

[GeneWeaver]

21 minutes ago, biochemgirl67 said:

Congratulations!  And don't think 3.5 is low... that's a good GPA!

Thanks! Yeah, I guess I was just worried because I went to a liberal arts school and took a lot of non-science classes so my science GPA is lower, like a 3.2

15 minutes ago, adiJ said:

Haha, that was my exact response (with the same GPA lol) this morning as well. My dates are 2/5-2/6 and 2/19-2/20. You?

Same dates and probably same program! Cell and Molecular Biology? Leaning towards attending the second weekend. Congratulations on the invite!

[Microburritology]

Anyone know what the expected dates for the Yale BBS MCGD interview invites going out are?

[adiJ]

10 minutes ago, GeneWeaver said:

Thanks! Yeah, I guess I was just worried because I went to a liberal arts school and took a lot of non-science classes so my science GPA is lower, like a 3.2

Same dates and probably same program! Cell and Molecular Biology? Leaning towards attending the second weekend. Congratulations on the invite!

Yep CMB! I have no clue about other programs so I really don't have a preference, someone should make a chart with other interview dates on, so I can gauge which weekend to go to. Also, I'm planning to wait 2 business days to respond, so I can have some lag with other (hopeful) interview invites.

Edited December 11, 2015 by adiJ

[Crucial BBQ]

40 minutes ago, parafilm said:

Meh. Some people are really into numbers.

Eh, I blame College Con. and the College Board for this.  

26 minutes ago, GeneWeaver said:

I was starting to get really worried with the all latest talk in this thread about not having a high enough GPA (~3.5, lower for science) but just got my first interview invite from Duke this morning! What a relief!

I posted this in last year's Profile, a few times, but here it goes again:

 

I know someone who got into Duke with way lesser stats than yours (and of practically everyone posting here) and from a "no name" State school at that.  I am not saying that Duke has low standards or anything, just that if she got in you stand a chance, too.   

[parafilm]

3 minutes ago, Crucial BBQ said:

Eh, I blame College Con. and the College Board for this.  

I posted this in last year's Profile, a few times, but here it goes again:

 

I know someone who got into Duke with way lesser stats than yours (and of practically everyone posting here) and from a "no name" State school at that.  I am not saying that Duke has low standards or anything, just that if she got in you stand a chance, too.   

I blame pre-meds!

Edit for context: I blame pre-meds for GPA obsessions, haha.

Edited December 11, 2015 by parafilm

[jaesango]

1 minute ago, parafilm said:

I blame pre-meds!

This is too true at my school and in my major. I'm definitely generalizing here, but most pre-meds just study for exams to ace them...then post misleading reviews about how the "material taught in the class is bland" when it's certainly not to people who are actually interested!

[biosci]

Just now, jaesango said:

This is too true at my school and in my major. I'm definitely generalizing here, but most pre-meds just study for exams to ace them...then post misleading reviews about how the "material taught in the class is bland" when it's certainly not to people who are actually interested!

I used to be pre-med.  Unfortunately at my school there is a pre-health funnel and not really anything for people like us.  One of the reasons I started a science club

 

[jaesango]

3 minutes ago, biosci said:

I used to be pre-med.  Unfortunately at my school there is a pre-health funnel and not really anything for people like us.  One of the reasons I started a science club

 

Same here! During sophomore year I decided I wanted to grad school though. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against pre-meds personally and I think my research interests in cancer and human disease will put me in contact with lots of MDs-- I just don't agree with the way they approach learning

creating knowledge > regurgitating knowledge imho

Edited December 11, 2015 by jaesango

[BiochemVitD]

I used to be pre-med as well, but realized I was much better suited for research.

Interestingly enough, the entire biochemistry department at my school has blacklisted pre-med students from their labs. A couple of PIs told me they refuse to hire them as undergrad researchers, mostly because they only ever seem to want lab experience for their med apps without actually engaging the research. Not to knock on pre-meds, but that's just what I was told.

Edit: I should clarify I was told this by a few of the PIs I am personal friends with after I graduated, not told this when I applied to work in their labs.

Edited December 11, 2015 by BiochemVitD