2017 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[Katyya]

26 minutes ago, loveandcookies said:

I 100% believe you, but how do you know that Mt. Sinai is done? Why are you breaking my heart </3 lol

And yeah...I'm waiting on UPenn as well, though I knew it was a long shot.

I know a professor in micro and I asked him because my friend was also waiting to hear back after I got my invite. Sorry if that's bad news  but UPenn should still be sending out invites I believe! I hope we hear back this week today/tomorrow. 

[Katyya]

29 minutes ago, sivis said:

Yeah, unfortunately Mount Sinai has quite early interview slots so they no longer release invitations in waves. They've changed their interview process and timing pretty significantly in recent years in a bid to be more competitive with top tier institutions.

I can say that if you attend the interview, you will see they will really try to make you feel at home. Not that other programs don't, maybe I'm a bit biased 

Do you go to Mt. Sinai? I'm pretty pumped for my visit (Jan 19th-20th). I think it's a program I'll really like. I've heard from some people that competition among students and overall atmosphere in the PhD program is less cut-throat than other NYC and east coast top-tier schools. 

[sivis]

Just now, Katyya said:

Do you go to Mt. Sinai? I'm pretty pumped for my visit (Jan 19th-20th). I think it's a program I'll really like. I've heard from some people that competition among students and overall atmosphere in the PhD program is less cut-throat than other NYC and east coast top-tier schools. 

Yep, I'm at Sinai right now. Have fun during your visit! I THINK the interviews may be a little more intense, but the rest of the events are laid back. I think a lot of people have a vision of NYC being cold and people not being friendly, but the student and administrative bodies here are really wonderful. And you're right about the competition. We try to not push an overly competitive atmosphere, but there's still enough friendly competition that you always want to do better. I can't say anything about other east coast institutions as I haven't been around their programs, but I can say that you can be pretty confident in a good experience.

[Katyya]

1 minute ago, sivis said:

Yep, I'm at Sinai right now. Have fun during your visit! I THINK the interviews may be a little more intense, but the rest of the events are laid back. I think a lot of people have a vision of NYC being cold and people not being friendly, but the student and administrative bodies here are really wonderful. And you're right about the competition. We try to not push an overly competitive atmosphere, but there's still enough friendly competition that you always want to do better. I can't say anything about other east coast institutions as I haven't been around their programs, but I can say that you can be pretty confident in a good experience.

Thanks for sharing your perspective! I've also heard from my friend who just interviewed there for medical school that student housing is amazing. He also interviewed at Cornell Weill and NYU and said Sinai housing is superb compared to other NYC schools (and super cheap I think if I remember correctly). 

[sivis]

3 minutes ago, Katyya said:

Thanks for sharing your perspective! I've also heard from my friend who just interviewed there for medical school that student housing is amazing. He also interviewed at Cornell Weill and NYU and said Sinai housing is superb compared to other NYC schools (and super cheap I think if I remember correctly). 

Yep! Very close to the campus/hospital and literally a STEAL for Manhattan prices. Most PhDs are housed in one particular building, and it's not the nicest, but it has a (new!) quiet study room, gym, and doormen.

[Nomad1111]

17 hours ago, meioticmadness said:

Hey Everyone!

Finally got around to making an account. 

My list is: UChicago (BMB), Northwestern (IBiS), UCSD,  UCSF (TETRAD), UWashington, UMichigan (MCDB), Yale (BBS), and Columbia (Cell and Molecular).

So far I've heard back from UChicago (12/12), Northwestern (12/7), UCSF (12/15), UWashington (12/14), and Yale (12/15) with interviews! Has anyone heard anything back from the schools I haven't heard from yet? Thanks, and good luck to everyone! 

Hey! Congrats on hearing back from so many awesome programs  which Yale BBS program did you apply to? For Columbia, did you apply to the integrated program in cell/molecular? I heard back from them Friday for interview.

[Epigenetics]

1 hour ago, DGD4L said:

Not sure if you'll actually know anything about this but I figured I might as well ask since you've lived in Boston for quite some time! I already applied to Harvard and didn't hear back about an interview for the BBS, so I'm assuming it's not going to happen haha. 

I also applied to Tufts Sackler for their microbiology program. So my question is: do you know anything about Tufts Sackler? Like what is the general concensus that you may have heard? Do people tend to like the programs at the Sackler school?

Just asking generally about it and anything you may have heard! Let me know! Thanks!

Sorry I know nothing about Tufts! Good luck!

[desmond.bo]

Happy holiday guys!

So what should we expect this week? Any of MSKCC tri-instit, Princeton QCB, MIT, Harvard sysBio, et cetera?

[Katyya]

3 minutes ago, desmond.bo said:

Happy holiday guys!

So what should we expect this week? Any of MSKCC tri-instit, Princeton QCB, MIT, Harvard sysBio, et cetera?

I heard Cornell Weill last week from someone here. Not sure where the information came from but seems logical 

[KR Marksmen]

Anyone hear from UPenn BMB (Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics)?

[SysEvo]

49 minutes ago, desmond.bo said:

Happy holiday guys!

So what should we expect this week? Any of MSKCC tri-instit, Princeton QCB, MIT, Harvard sysBio, et cetera?

MIT won't send out invites until early Jan according to themselves 

[Nnnm]

19 hours ago, meioticmadness said:

Hey Everyone!

Finally got around to making an account. 

My list is: UChicago (BMB), Northwestern (IBiS), UCSD,  UCSF (TETRAD), UWashington, UMichigan (MCDB), Yale (BBS), and Columbia (Cell and Molecular).

So far I've heard back from UChicago (12/12), Northwestern (12/7), UCSF (12/15), UWashington (12/14), and Yale (12/15) with interviews! Has anyone heard anything back from the schools I haven't heard from yet? Thanks, and good luck to everyone! 

Just made an account too, I was wondering if you know the interview dates for UChicago? I've heard back from CMB but don't know the dates yet

[Pepperoni]

1 hour ago, Katyya said:

I heard Cornell Weill last week from someone here. Not sure where the information came from but seems logical 

Saw you're applying for Cancer Bio & are from Chicago - did you apply to U Chicago's program, and have you heard anything from them if you have?

[Pepperoni]

16 hours ago, Bioenchilada said:

I think that the overall grad process is pretty holistic, and I personally know people with low GREs, so i wouldn't lose hope just because of that.  

likewise applied to UPenn's Cancer Bio program - I haven't heard anything yet - should I wait until tomorrow and call and see if they've sent out all the invites? Any harm in doing so either way?

One frustrating aspect of this is, if you don't get an interview, obviously you won't be accepted. But they (any of the schools) don't tell you then and there that you won't be accepted, and just wait until they're practically done with admissions before letting you know.

[Browncoat5871]

Is anyone else applying to UC Denver-Anschutz Biomed program?  And, if so, has anyone heard back from them?

[hihello742]

On 12/18/2016 at 1:30 AM, ilovelab said:

I know a couple of the professors on the UC Davis adcom. They haven't even looked at apps yet, the review will happen early next week. You might hear after christmas. 

Thank you for letting us know! Awaiting Davis here too

[Born-to-pipette]

Yikes, how on earth has there been two pages of posts since I last checked this forum yesterday? Clearly I've not been stalking this sufficiently.

20 hours ago, Epigenetics said:

As far as I've seen the interviews are casual wear, I haven't seen much discussion of needing to dress up for this!

Perfect. I'm ready to bundle up into sweaters and waddle to my interviews  

Friend of mine DID wear business professional/casual to her interviews though, so may be program-dependent... I will check.

20 hours ago, Bioenchilada said:

I read online that they accept a third of the students they interviewed. 

Lord help, that's not intimidating at all!

Edited December 19, 2016 by Born-to-pipette

[Born-to-pipette]

26 minutes ago, Browncoat5871 said:

Is anyone else applying to UC Denver-Anschutz Biomed program?  And, if so, has anyone heard back from them?

I did! Nothing yet. I think I looked it up and they were late December in previous years.

[Epigenetics]

Just FYI UCSF Tetrad told me the interviews are mainly one day on Friday with some optional activities on Saturday, they're designed not to overlap with UC Berkeley, so it's not four days like was reported. 

[pepmochaa]

Does anyone know the admissions statistics from UCB after interview?

[vnatch]

15 minutes ago, Epigenetics said:

Just FYI UCSF Tetrad told me the interviews are mainly one day on Friday with some optional activities on Saturday, they're designed not to overlap with UC Berkeley, so it's not four days like was reported. 

I also applied to both of those programs, heard back from UCSF but not Berkeley as of yet... Do you have any idea about the chances of admission after the UCSF interview? That's my first one so I'm a bit nervous!

Also, have you heard back from Berkeley MCB yet? Saw on here that a few people got calls from professors on Friday, I'm hoping that wasn't the only wave of interview invitations lol.

[Browncoat5871]

32 minutes ago, Born-to-pipette said:

I did! Nothing yet. I think I looked it up and they were late December in previous years.

Thanks!  I keep looking back at emails to see if they mention anything.  I keep forgetting to look up the past records here.  Good luck with it!

[AGradStudentHasNoName]

2 hours ago, desmond.bo said:

Happy holiday guys!

So what should we expect this week? Any of MSKCC tri-instit, Princeton QCB, MIT, Harvard sysBio, et cetera?

I think we should expect Harvard BIG this week. In the past they have sent between Dec 17th and 21st. Tho a few years they have sent in january... I hope not.

[Epigenetics]

4 minutes ago, vnatch said:

I also applied to both of those programs, heard back from UCSF but not Berkeley as of yet... Do you have any idea about the chances of admission after the UCSF interview? That's my first one so I'm a bit nervous!

Also, have you heard back from Berkeley MCB yet? Saw on here that a few people got calls from professors on Friday, I'm hoping that wasn't the only wave of interview invitations lol.

No idea on the admission rate, though it seems like most PhD program interviews exist in the space of "most of you will get in". I heard back from Berkeley on Friday, got a call from a professor. Seems like professor calls are likely error-prone though (professors can be quite scatterbrained) so I wouldn't necessarily fret quite yet.

[DGD4L]

Just got a call from Loyola Chicago for an interview on Jan. 20th!