PhD Neuroscience Queries

[PhDNeuroQueries]

Hi everyone,

 

Let me first thank you for reading through this!  

Here are my stats.

M.S. in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins - GPA - 3.91 (so far. Going to graduate this December.)
Bachelor of Engineering from India - GPA - 3.90.

Neuroscience Research - 4 months in Alzheimer's Lab.
7 months and still working in Psychiatry Lab.

Had laboratory experience for 4 years of undergrad, which was extremely different from neuroscience.

So far, no publications.

I'm working on two papers that could get published next year. Both aren't really relevant to Neuroscience. They're based on plants and heavy metal interactions.

GRE Score: 317/340.
Split Score: 155V (66th percentile), 162Q (84th percentile), 4.5 AWA (78th percentile).

TOEFL Score: 110/120.

Some universities require me to take the TOEFL again because my scores are expiring this September, but I have narrowed down the ones that do not need me to take it again, or are willing to consider old scores, or are just granting a waiver.

Here are the colleges I have selected.
1. Johns Hopkins University.
2. Ohio State.
3. Oregon Health and Science.
4. NYU.
5. UCB.
6. Vanderbilt.
7. Washington University in St. Louis.
8. University of Alabama at Birmingham.
9. Virginia Tech.
10. University of Chicago.

I might not be able to apply for UMD, because they are refusing to grant me a TOEFL waiver, and I have no intention of taking it again. If they would have accepted, I'd have been glad, since I might have been able to claim State Residency.

I do not wish to apply to aspirational universities like Ivies or UCLA or such, because I don't believe my candidate profile is strong enough. I'm keeping it on the safe side, applying to Universities that offer a greater chance to me. (My chances are sadly narrowed as I'm an international applicant.) Feel free to correct me!

I have also NOT taken any Neuroscience course in my major or otherwise. All information about Neuroscience that I have is based on lab work.

My Reco letters would be from my PIs at both labs, and one from my Professor of Managerial Finance in Biotechnology (She's at a really top position in NIH), or from my undergrad research professor.

Any feedback, and comments are appreciated.
Thanks!