2016 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[michi1987]

48 minutes ago, scilinny said:

Just got accepted to U Chicago's Human Genetics program!! im so excited, I had so much fun there on my interview.

Posting because I wanted to give hope to others with only 1 interview - it can work out! At the end of the day you can only go to one place. 

Congratulations!!!

[pm666]

4 minutes ago, pm666 said:

On January 27, 2016 at 5:05 PM, YouCantBcereus said:

  I was afraid of that since I hadn't heard from them yet. thanks for the update though!

Yeah I called them as well. Apparently I was wait listed, but they selected the top 5 for the interviews. They don't plan on extending any more interviews at this point, even if you are wait listed that is..They received greater than 1300 applications and they are filling 85! Tough luck mate! Oh and if you are an international applicant to UNC BBSP, they are going to start their interview invites for internationals..they have only filled interview slots for domestic applicants..

 

Edited January 28, 2016 by pm666

[Ash04]

1 hour ago, michi1987 said:

I was told on Monday that they are still reviewing and sending out interviews and will be doing so for the next few weeks.

Hey, thank you! Did they tell you about the international applicants or domestic applicants?

[Ash04]

2 hours ago, scilinny said:

Just got accepted to U Chicago's Human Genetics program!! im so excited, I had so much fun there on my interview.

Posting because I wanted to give hope to others with only 1 interview - it can work out! At the end of the day you can only go to one place. 

That's awesome, congratulations!!

Edited January 28, 2016 by Ash04

[aufish92]

Has anyone heard back from UC Berkeley PMB yet?

[Claireisme]

I'm a international applicant. I have applied 18 programs but I only got a interview invite from UIUC MCB and a skype interview from Rice but they put me on waitinglist.

 

Checking email hundreds times a day without any news drives me crazy!!

 

Does anybody know something about UW(biological physics,and design program), Columbia (biological science), Dartmouth (molecular and cellular biology), BU (biology) and Brown (molecular biology, cell biology and biochemistry) ? These are my top choices.

[michi1987]

47 minutes ago, Claireisme said:

I'm a international applicant. I have applied 18 programs but I only got a interview invite from UIUC MCB and a skype interview from Rice but they put me on waitinglist.

 

Checking email hundreds times a day without any news drives me crazy!!

 

Does anybody know something about UW(biological physics,and design program), Columbia (biological science), Dartmouth (molecular and cellular biology), BU (biology) and Brown (molecular biology, cell biology and biochemistry) ? These are my top choices.

I spoke with Dartmouth MCB on Monday and Brown (but MMI, not what your program is), and both said they had extended all invitations to interview.

[michi1987]

1 hour ago, Ash04 said:

Hey, thank you! Did they tell you about the international applicants or domestic applicants?

Hey! No I didn't ask for clarification, just in general. But she made it seem like its a long process and that they still have a long way to go in terms of reviewing apps and extending interviews, so don't lose hope yet!! I was confused by the rejection I saw in the results section though.

[Claireisme]

29 minutes ago, michi1987 said:

I spoke with Dartmouth MCB on Monday and Brown (but MMI, not what your program is), and both said they had extended all invitations to interview.

Thank you. I think I may just wait for the rejection letter. 

[Clairefox]

On 12/14/2015 at 0:14 PM, neuronerd2016 said:

Hi everyone! Panicking from reading all of your acceptances- has anyone heard back from the UCLA biosciences PhD? I specifically applied for the neuroscience specialization if that makes any difference. I've gotten some other interview invites but thats my number one choice. Thanks!

Hey I have applied for UCLA Biosciences too! 

[Clairefox]

On 7/30/2015 at 10:53 AM, Ferroportin said:

Undergrad Institution: Top ranked UC

Major(s): Human Biology

Minor(s): None

GPA in Major: 3.67 (last two year GPA ~3.99)

Overall GPA: 3.61

Position in Class: Unknown

Type of Student: Domestic, Asian male

 

GRE Scores (revised/old version):

Q: 167 (94%)

V: 164 (94%)

W: 5.5 (98%)

B: Getting mixed opinions on whether the subject test is necessary or not…

 

Research Experience:

2 years as a research intern in HIV lab

-       well renowned PI has agreed to sign off on LOR, but has asked that I provide him a draft first.

 

6-month internship at another HIV lab

-       did some animal work and learned biochemical techniques (westerns, etc). didn’t feel like I left a strong impression here…won’t be asking for a LOR

 

Currently working as a research associate in a Lung Biology lab (~4 months)

-       strong LOR from here

 

(Last LOR coming from professor at home institution, should be strong)

 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions:

Provost’s Honors for multiple quarters (but not all)

 

Pertinent Activities or Jobs:

Teaching Assistant for 2 undergraduate upper division biology classes

Resident Advisor for summer high school STEM science camp (3 years)

Resident Advisor for two years during undergrad (not sure if this will help by showing “leadership”…do adcomms give any points for these activities?)

HIV Test Counselor

 

Special Bonus Points:

My undergrad institution, one of the undergrad labs, and the current lab I’m working in are three of the universities I’m applying to. LORs are also coming from faculty at those universities, not sure if this carries any weight at all?

 

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:

My first two years of undergrad were not reflective of my academic ability. I was dealing with personal family issues during the first two years of my undergrad (LGBT related, unfortunately enough). However, my last two years were much better; taking almost entirely upper division biology courses (the “harder” classes). My GPA for these courses are ~3.9 and account for roughly over half of my graduating credits. Is this something I need to explain in the SOP? Or will the academic improvement speak for itself in my transcripts?

 

Applying to Where:

I’m interested in disease pathology and will be applying mainly to cell bio/molecular bio programs.

 

UCSF (Tetrad)

USC (PIBBS)

UCI (Cellular and Molecular Biosciences)

UCLA (IMMP)

UC Berkeley (MCB)

Scripps Research Institute

UCSD

Stanford

UC Davis (MCIP)

 

Not too sure how competitive I am for these schools, so any advice or thoughts would be appreciated!

Hey have you heard back from UCLA

[michi1987]

33 minutes ago, Claireisme said:

Thank you. I think I may just wait for the rejection letter. 

I would go out of my mind doing that haha but thats just my personality. I would just email and ask though I know some on here would disagree with me.

[YouCantBcereus]

7 hours ago, pm666 said:

 

wow, that's a lot of people that applied. Explains why it took so long for them to fish everything though. 

At least now I can fully focus on the interviews I do have! 

[DJ]

anyone heard from Cornell BCMB program?

[partydon'tstarttillIwalkin]

51 minutes ago, DJ said:

anyone heard from Cornell BCMB program?

nope. not a word.

[cephnerd]

Is anybody going to the UCSB EEMB Grad Student Symposium/recruitment event next weekend? Have you been told what else we should prepare for?

[majorlurker]

Just got my first acceptance! Hopkins CMM 

[HopefulPHD14]

So is the general assumption around here that if we don't start hearing back from schools soon we might as well start giving up on them?  I have 5 schools I still haven't heard anything from.  I am happy to go to any of the 3 I have heard from, but I also want to start planning and thinking ahead.  There is no point in continuing to think about the schools I haven't heard from if a rejection is inevitable.  

I've heard stories of people hearing late in to February about an interview, but should I start just assuming the rejections are coming?  Most of the schools left were my reach schools anyways.

[Ferroportin]

52 minutes ago, HopefulPHD14 said:

So is the general assumption around here that if we don't start hearing back from schools soon we might as well start giving up on them?  I have 5 schools I still haven't heard anything from.  I am happy to go to any of the 3 I have heard from, but I also want to start planning and thinking ahead.  There is no point in continuing to think about the schools I haven't heard from if a rejection is inevitable.  

I've heard stories of people hearing late in to February about an interview, but should I start just assuming the rejections are coming?  Most of the schools left were my reach schools anyways.

I think it's probably safe to say that if you don't hear from them within the next few days you can just move on.

I personally would just call the program and ask for your own peace of mind. I know there's a general consensus on this forum that you should avoid calling program admins, but at the same time, you did pay over $100 to apply to each of these schools and to be left in the dark at this point is frustrating. 

[lethalallele]

1 hour ago, HopefulPHD14 said:

So is the general assumption around here that if we don't start hearing back from schools soon we might as well start giving up on them?  I have 5 schools I still haven't heard anything from.  I am happy to go to any of the 3 I have heard from, but I also want to start planning and thinking ahead.  There is no point in continuing to think about the schools I haven't heard from if a rejection is inevitable.  

I've heard stories of people hearing late in to February about an interview, but should I start just assuming the rejections are coming?  Most of the schools left were my reach schools anyways.

Type your school into the list and see when people got results last year

 

http://thegradcafe.com/survey/index.php?t=n

[Ash04]

On January 29, 2016 at 7:36 PM, michi1987 said:

Hey! No I didn't ask for clarification, just in general. But she made it seem like its a long process and that they still have a long way to go in terms of reviewing apps and extending interviews, so don't lose hope yet!! I was confused by the rejection I saw in the results section though.

Thank you!

[ForScience!]

Got my first acceptance just 30 mins ago! Cornell BCMB I am going to be a grad student starting next fall, folks!

[biotechie]

5 hours ago, HopefulPHD14 said:

So is the general assumption around here that if we don't start hearing back from schools soon we might as well start giving up on them?  I have 5 schools I still haven't heard anything from.  I am happy to go to any of the 3 I have heard from, but I also want to start planning and thinking ahead.  There is no point in continuing to think about the schools I haven't heard from if a rejection is inevitable.  

I've heard stories of people hearing late in to February about an interview, but should I start just assuming the rejections are coming?  Most of the schools left were my reach schools anyways.

My latest interview invite was in March. If you haven't heard by mid to late February, I would probably assume rejection.

[BioChallenger12]

Finally got a rejection letter from ND. Not surprised & wasn't my first choice anyways. Maybe I'll give ND another crack when I apply for Ph.D. 2 years from now. 

Btw is anyone here also applying to UMich Molecular Biology Masters Pathway Program? My app was submitted like 3 months ahead of the March 15th deadline. I think UMich is busy conducting interviews with PIBS & Ph.D. applicants. So I am guessing it won't be until April that I hear back from UMich.

Edited January 30, 2016 by SwimmerBio12

[shadenitro]

On 1/29/2016 at 11:54 AM, DJ said:

anyone heard from Cornell BCMB program?

Are you talking about the Weill Cornell program or the Cornell BMCB program?

 

I'd applied to the program at Cornell and haven't heard back yet :/