2016 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[AgingBio123]

So given that BBS is emailing, is there such a thing as rolling emails? I imagine that if a program chooses to send emails it's because they just want to send all things at once.

[roostah536]

Does anyone have any advice about which 2 out of 3 interviews between Johns Hopkins (BCMB), Duke (CMB) and UWashington (MCB) I should attend? Anyone reading this a student at any of those programs? Wish I could visit them all... 

[Extra Espresso]

49 minutes ago, Neurolit said:

I'm new to this site and when some posts above reference "your signature," I don't know what that means. 

Can someone please explain? Thank you! 

Your signature is the block of text that goes below each post you write! A lot of people that are on this site during their application season use it to update their applications/interviews/admissions/rejections. It partly an excitement thing (hooray, I got an interview!) and partly a helpful thing for other readers so they don't have to read through nearly 70 pages of posts to figure out who all has sent out interviews. It's also helpful for future applicants who may read through the profiles in this thread in the future and want to know how the person with a certain profile fared in the admissions process. 

If you're interested, you can add one to your profile if you hover over your name and click "Account Settings" and then click "Signature."

[RaganSmash]

2 minutes ago, AgingBio123 said:

So given that BBS is emailing, is there such a thing as rolling emails? I imagine that if a program chooses to send emails it's because they just want to send all things at once.

I know that's what UW Immunology is doing. I reckon they want to make sure they fill all their slots and so if they want to interview 15, rather than asking 15 at once and then having 12 acceptances with 3 holes they have to fill, they invite 5, then 5, then 5? Or something like that.

[Farafeelo]

1 minute ago, roostah536 said:

Does anyone have any advice about which 2 out of 3 interviews between Johns Hopkins (BCMB), Duke (CMB) and UWashington (MCB) I should attend? Anyone reading this a student at any of those programs? Wish I could visit them all... 

JH and UW for sure! 

[peachypie]

8 minutes ago, michi1987 said:

I ended up calling them after posting before. They said all invites were sent out on Wednesday, and rejections are handled by the grad school itself and won't be released until january. That is so scary to me!

Sorry to hear that.  Rejections typically go out after invites/acceptances.  Some schools will do them nearly all at once others wait until april to let you know.  At some point people figure out their situation regardless but the "limbo" life is not fun. 

[kokobanana]

8 minutes ago, Farafeelo said:

does anyone know if harvard dms programs communicate with each other? like if u got an interview to one program at harvard does that mean bbs might not send u an interview since u got an interview to the other program? #harvardstress 

As far as I know, if you applied to multiple programs at Harvard, they don't know or look into it. It seems like applications are reviewed independently in each department and each department sends out interview invites separately (even if the dates conflict).

[Nero_Mustbethefeeling]

Question,

It looks like the NYU genomics and systems bio invitation email has a survey that allows you to fill out what dates you are interested in interviewing and what faculty members you would like to interview with. Is it necessary to reply to the admissions coordinator with an email thanking them and whatnot, or should I just fill out the survey and that's that? 

For those wondering, the interview dates are January 21st-22nd or Feb 4th-5th

[peachypie]

12 minutes ago, den-of-thieves said:

Hi, thanks for this!

Delaware is my only invite at the moment, but I'm neuro so not as many invites have gone out (out of my 8 schools, only Penn and Delaware have to my knowledge, and someone in this thread said on Wednesday that their PI at Penn is still reading apps so he suspects there may be a second wave). I was thinking about contacting admins at the other programs like you said but was worried about being a nag at this busy time, but I guess it's really not the biggest deal in the world and it would of course be very helpful for all of this. I only heard from Delaware about an hour ago so I definitely have time (5 business days wouldn't be until Christmas) but just wanted to see if any of you had any insight about just how much time would still be okay. I think I just got scared off by them bolding and italicizing that we should respond "right away" which, of course, I also really do not like, but I guess I understand considering their situation of having to schedule everything as well. 

I would feel comfortable waiting until Monday or Tuesday.  I'd aim to let them know by end of business day on Tuesday so they have time to schedule you.  I am aware that it is a difficult time for applicants but the programs also are running on budgets and timelines as well and it is important to be cordial to them as it affects the program and any potential applicant that may want to interview there.  The sooner you allow them to open or close that spot the sooner it is known for another applicant.  Being mindful of others in this process is important to remember since you are all in the same boat.  If you all held on to spots without letting people know youd essentially screw others over. 

[peachypie]

9 minutes ago, roostah536 said:

Does anyone have any advice about which 2 out of 3 interviews between Johns Hopkins (BCMB), Duke (CMB) and UWashington (MCB) I should attend? Anyone reading this a student at any of those programs? Wish I could visit them all... 

Do you not have an option to schedule an alternative interview?

[GeneWeaver]

20 hours ago, biosci said:

Any other UMich-PIBS people have trouble with selecting the Feb4 weekend?  I am worried that it is full and I can't go to the first one and am starting to panic a bit...

I don't know if we were offered the same dates (Cancer Biology here) but yeah, I'm having the same problem

I just got off the phone with Michigan saying they wanted me to visit Jan 28 or a backup weekend on Feb 4, when immediately Emory calls and asks if I can come down on Jan 28 and I said yes thinking I could go to the Feb 4 weekend at Michigan. Then I check the Michigan website and the Feb 4 weekend is crossed out!

I'm hoping it's just because they want people to go to the primary interview weekend. Hopefully, they'll let me come on Feb 4 if I explain it's my only option. Otherwise I guess I'll have to look into an independent visit or Skype interview.

[SpartanNerd1021]

I see Harvard BBS is sending out interview invites. Does anyone know if Harvard MCO is under a different umbrella program? I'm pretty sure that it is Biology and not Biomedical. I applied to MCO, so just wondering if I still have a chance!

[Gram Positive]

Harvard BBS and Michigan PIBS!!! OMG! I can't even...

I selected Feb 11-14 for Harvard BBS and Jan 28-30 for Michigan PIBS. 

[biosci]

3 minutes ago, GeneWeaver said:

I don't know if we were offered the same dates (Cancer Biology here) but yeah, I'm having the same problem

I just got off the phone with Michigan saying they wanted me to visit Jan 28 or a backup weekend on Feb 4, when immediately Emory calls and asks if I can come down on Jan 28 and I said yes thinking I could go to the Feb 4 weekend at Michigan. Then I check the Michigan website and the Feb 4 weekend is crossed out!

I'm hoping it's just because they want people to go to the primary interview weekend. Hopefully, they'll let me come on Feb 4 if I explain it's my only option. Otherwise I guess I'll have to look into an independent visit or Skype interview.

Congrats.  I emailed them about it and they did it manually for me, so it shouldn't be a problem.

[Infinito]

6 minutes ago, Gram Positive said:

 

Harvard BBS and Michigan PIBS!!! OMG! I can't even...

I selected Feb 11-14 for Harvard BBS and Jan 28-30 for Michigan PIBS. 

Congratulations!

At this point, if I receive and e-mail from Harvard, I'll be in conflict with Michigan PIBS (which is already in conflict with UW CMB). 
Schools really need to try and talk to one another to not have these conflicts ><

[Neurolit]

45 minutes ago, Extra Espresso said:

Your signature is the block of text that goes below each post you write! A lot of people that are on this site during their application season use it to update their applications/interviews/admissions/rejections. It partly an excitement thing (hooray, I got an interview!) and partly a helpful thing for other readers so they don't have to read through nearly 70 pages of posts to figure out who all has sent out interviews. It's also helpful for future applicants who may read through the profiles in this thread in the future and want to know how the person with a certain profile fared in the admissions process. 

If you're interested, you can add one to your profile if you hover over your name and click "Account Settings" and then click "Signature."

Oddly, I'm not seeing that block of text beneath anyone's posts. 

[mwgskol]

1 minute ago, Neurolit said:

Oddly, I'm not seeing that block of text beneath anyone's posts. 

It doesn't show on phone! Try your laptop 

[bicsy]

18 minutes ago, SpartanNerd1021 said:

I see Harvard BBS is sending out interview invites. Does anyone know if Harvard MCO is under a different umbrella program? I'm pretty sure that it is Biology and not Biomedical. I applied to MCO, so just wondering if I still have a chance!

I applied to MCO as well. It's under a different area than Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS); MCO's host department is Molecular and Cellular Biology. From past years I would have expected MCO invites to be out by early next week, but someone posted here recently saying they talked to someone in MCO and learned that they are meeting later than normal this year (like after finals). So I'm expecting invites either right before Christmas, or right after the new year. 

[biosci]

another weird question: If a school gives you a choice of staying with a current student or staying in a hotel, does it look better to the school if you choose to stay with a student?

[Gram Neutral]

3 hours ago, Focus said:

Thanks for this! It makes my (not very) patient waiting just a tiny bit more bearable.

In other news I got an invitation to my "safety" school, U Iowa. Great research fit, but kind of hundreds of miles from anybody I hold dear.
Hopefully the research and faculty more than make up for the distance from family. 

Which program? Their due date for me isn't till Dec 20th.

[wintergreens]

Did anyone who applied to UCSF's Cancer Biology and Cell Signaling hear back?

[Bioenchilada]

I think BBS sent all of their invites. 

*listens to Adele in repeat forever*

[Infinito]

2 minutes ago, Bioenchilada said:

 

 

I think BBS sent all of their invites. 

*listens to Adele in repeat forever*

Well, that makes it easier to accept another conflict that I had, and look forward to Stanford, lol.

Also Yale BBS (MCGD) just sent out the official letter.

Edited December 18, 2015 by Infinito

[biosci]

2 minutes ago, Infinito said:

Also Yale BBS (MCGD) just sent out the official letter.

I haven't gotten my official letter yet... cue the anxiety

[Farafeelo]

6 minutes ago, Bioenchilada said:

I think BBS sent all of their invites. 

*listens to Adele in repeat forever*

what makes u say that?