Biology applicants Fall 2010

[phh]

Interest: Quant Biology

Major: Applied Math (Ivy)

GPA: 3.70

GRE: 780Q, 720V, 6.0AW

Research: 3 yrs, specifically biological network analysis through informatics approaches. 2 publications: 1 first author, 1 middle. Couple conference presentations, too.

LoR: 3 good LORs.

Applying to:

Princeton qcb

MIT csbi

Harvard systems bio / biophysics

Stanford csb / biophysics / bioinformatics

Columbia dbmi

Berkeley biophysics

i think a couple more by i don't remember right now...

i haven't heard from any programs yet. maybe soon?

I believe you are an extremely strong applicant. Great stats and research experiences.

A bit glad I are not applying to the programs you mentioned.

cheers,

[jaya2008]

I'm just wondering, how many people here got invitation from the MIT Brain and Cognitive Science (BCS) phd program? I guess above who applied to neurosceince program and got invitation from MIT BCS correct?

[imillan]

I got an interview invite for the MIT BCS program, it was sent in December 29th by email.

[grad101]

Does anyone know if UCSD and UCSF has finished sending out interview invites??

Thanks for the input!

[NeuroNerd86]

I was wondering if anyone heard from WUSTL neuroscience PhD program yet. Their application deadline was Dec 1st and when I emailed them about application status mid Dec, they said they would have information available late Dec/early Jan.

[MarA]

Does anyone know if UCSD and UCSF has finished sending out interview invites??

Thanks for the input!

I just got a call at 4pm PST from UCSF Tetrad inviting me for an interview today. Be sure to pick up any call with a number that is withheld. Even if the staff leaves a message, she will just tell you to call back (it happened to me) so be ware.

Edited January 8, 2010 by MarA

[ddnp]

hey-- has anyone heard from MIT's biology track (not BCS) about interview requests?

[ddnp]

Oh, and my stats:

GPA: 3.83 (3.95 in math/science)

GRE: 800Q, 740V, 5.5writing

2 pprs (2nd author), buncha abstracts

applying into mainly Cell Bio programs, and I'm a bit non-traditional

applying to Harvard (BBS), UCB, MIT, Princeton (molbio), Columbia, Rockefeller, Dartmouth, UMich, GPP Ox-Cam, Scripps/Oxford, Cambridge, Yale, Chicago, Penn (I know, I may have over done it)

interviews: Penn, UCB, Dartmouth, Yale, Mich, Caltech, Chicago

not sure if my non-traditional background will hurt me, esp since I see some ppl have already heard from Princeton and Scripps (two programs I really really like)--> but they ain't be callin' me yet

also a little worried about interviews

[bumikaze]

Has anyone heard from Tufts Sackler School Immunology department yet?

[ahm319]

Hi, I am new here; here are my stats:

GPA: 3.94 (4.0 in Biology) [big state school, Honors College]

Test Scores: 760 Math (86%) 710 Verbal (98%) 5.0 AW (81%)

GRE SUBJECT in Biology=93%,

95% in organismic bio subsection and 95% in ecology and evolution subsection (which is what I am applying for)

1 publication in an undergrad journal

a few local undergrad presentations

2.5 years of bioinformatics research experience, 1 year of molecular biology research experience

have applied for and received several undergraduate research grants

Applying to:

Harvard

WUSTL

Berkeley 

Yale 

UChicago

Haven't heard anything official yet,

although I was able to visit two of the schools unofficially and meet potential professors.

This board seems to be an informed bunch... what are my chances of getting into at least one of these schools???

[ahm319]

.

[bb9931]

Has anyone heard from Tufts Sackler School Immunology department yet?

I applied to this program and have not heard anything from anyone yet

[bb9931]

So I haven't heard anything yet suppose I have no rejections so that's a good sign but I'm really nervous. I applied to a lot of reach schools, but there were a few on my list that I really thought I'd at least get interviews at. I applied 10. Graduating undergrad in 3 years, honors biology degree with thesis research (no publications at the moment). I have a 3.69/4.00 GPA, and my GRE was 510 V and 700 Q. I know this is not phenomenal, but I'm hoping its enough to at least get interviews. Here is what I applied.

Umass Worcester GSBS (Cancer)

Sackler Tufts Immuno

Boston University Medical Sciences (Immuno)

Harvard (Biomedical sciences thru med school)

MIT (Microbiology)

NYU (Sackler Molecular Onc/Immuno)

WashU (DBBS)

Umiami Miller School of Med (cancer)

Dartmouth (MCB)

Columbia (molecular pathogenesis)

Anyone got interviews at these specific programs yet? I'm really nervous that I haven't heard anything

[disco]

I just got a call at 4pm PST from UCSF Tetrad inviting me for an interview today. Be sure to pick up any call with a number that is withheld. Even if the staff leaves a message, she will just tell you to call back (it happened to me) so be ware.

Crap! No call here--guess this means I'm not getting an invite to UCSF Tetrad?

Has anyone heard from Colorado (MCDB)?

[disco]

Also, forgot to mention, a friend in my lab got an invite to Princeton QCB last week, so they've definitely sent out invites.

[NeuroNerd86]

Oh, and my stats:

GPA: 3.83 (3.95 in math/science)

GRE: 800Q, 740V, 5.5writing

2 pprs (2nd author), buncha abstracts

applying into mainly Cell Bio programs, and I'm a bit non-traditional

applying to Harvard (BBS), UCB, MIT, Princeton (molbio), Columbia, Rockefeller, Dartmouth, UMich, GPP Ox-Cam, Scripps/Oxford, Cambridge, Yale, Chicago, Penn (I know, I may have over done it)

interviews: Penn, UCB, Dartmouth, Yale, Mich, Caltech, Chicago

not sure if my non-traditional background will hurt me, esp since I see some ppl have already heard from Princeton and Scripps (two programs I really really like)--> but they ain't be callin' me yet

also a little worried about interviews

You sound like a VERY strong applicant to me, and your lengthy list of interviews only confirms that:)

[evolve]

Okay here we go:

B.S. degrees in Biochemistry and Zoology with a Genetics minor from a large state school.

GPA 3.80 cumulative--3.91 bio

GRE 700Q 460V 4.5 AW --my GRE's are horrible, I know. I took them late and while sick with what was later found to be H1N1

2 years in a molecular endocrinology lab

1st author publication, some presentations and abstracts

Research award from Sigma Xi

2 semesters teaching experience (Intro. Biochem class)

Glowing letters of recommendation.

My largest concern is (obviously) the GRE. However, a couple of my LOR writers addressed the score in their letters.

I am applying to PhD programs in Environmental Physiology at Berkeley IB, UCSB EEMB, and UC Davis.

I have been contacted by the potential PI at Berkeley, who has informed me that he is very impressed with my application, and that my GRE score seems out of place considering my grades, experience, and letters. I'm not sure how to interpret this?

Have also been contacted by UCSB, and will be going out there in Feb. Potential PI there informs me that the GRE score will not heavily influence the decision. Also not sure how to interpret.

At this point I am very nervous, and am considering retaking the GRE for the sake of grant applications.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Good luck to everyone!

[AlexM451]

hey-- has anyone heard from MIT's biology track (not BCS) about interview requests?

I received an invitation to interview at MIT by email today. The interview dates are 2/8, 2/22, or 3/8. Needless to say, I'm elated. Good luck to you!

[bio1]

Crap! No call here--guess this means I'm not getting an invite to UCSF Tetrad?

Has anyone heard from Colorado (MCDB)?

I'm quite certain that USCSF Tetrad isn't finished sending out invitations.

I am also intersted in when we will hear from Colorado MCDB. Their first interview weekend is February 4-7th, which means they must notify people soon to make flight arrangements (or so you would think).

Edited January 9, 2010 by bio1

[bio1]

Okay here we go:

B.S. degrees in Biochemistry and Zoology with a Genetics minor from a large state school.

GPA 3.80 cumulative--3.91 bio

GRE 700Q 460V 4.5 AW --my GRE's are horrible, I know. I took them late and while sick with what was later found to be H1N1

2 years in a molecular endocrinology lab

1st author publication, some presentations and abstracts

Research award from Sigma Xi

2 semesters teaching experience (Intro. Biochem class)

Glowing letters of recommendation.

My largest concern is (obviously) the GRE. However, a couple of my LOR writers addressed the score in their letters.

I have been told that GRE scores are the least important part of the application, although I'm sure that varies from school to school. My scores are much, much worse than yours and I already have an interview at a top-5 school and a top-20 school in molecular biology. (Other parts of your application seem better than mine as well). If you think you can do better, it might be worth taking it again. However, if you take it again, make sure you do A LOT better - schools will expect you to study for a re-take, so only scoring 50 points or so better will look bad.

Just the opinion of a senior undergrad - so take it with a grain of salt!

Edited January 9, 2010 by bio1

[ddnp]

I received an invitation to interview at MIT by email today. The interview dates are 2/8, 2/22, or 3/8. Needless to say, I'm elated. Good luck to you!

yep.. got the email

ain't heard from Rockefeller though..

[bb9931]

Hi everyone,

I have been watching this thread since it started, but am too shy to post my stats.

The past few days have been very tough 'cuz I have seen many of you getting invites/acceptances. Though my programs are not quite same as yours.

I am hoping ppl applying to the same/similar programs would be willing to share news as well as comments to my applications.

Research interests:

Computational bio, esp in population genetics and human evolution.

International applicant; currently work as a research associate in a research institute in the States

Degrees:

BS in CS(GPA: 3.6) and 1st MS in EE(GPA: 3.8) from my country

2nd MS in Computational Bio (GPA: 3.3) from a US-university

Papers:

One ISMB poster (2nd author)

One IEEE conf full-paper (1st author, but not in Bio)

One technical report of national science foundation in my country(1st author, awarded, and is related to Bio)

One MS thesis in EE (not going to publish due to a stupid reason, sigh....)

Two papers in Bio are expected to be submitted soon.... though I believe they will not be accepted before the application results are out.

So they would not be that helpful I guess.

LOR:

well, this part of my application is tricky. only know one of them is excellent.

The other two are unknown. could be ranged from fairly good to neutral I think.

Applying to:

Harvard(OEB)

Berkeley(IB)

UChicago(Molecular Biosciences)

Cornell(Tri-I Comp Bio Med)

Upenn(GCB)

UCLA(Bioinfo)

UMich(Bioinfo)

UCI(MCSB)

UA(EEB)

Any comments are welcome!

Thanks.

I wouldn't worry yet, I haven't heard anything yet (good or bad) and I applied to 10 programs. I'm also a U.S. citizen...so if we are supposed to hear earlier than you I haven't heard anything . Good luck, I'm sure most of us are more worried about things than we should be (Although my GRE wasn't great, so I might be worried for a good reason if it makes a big difference).

[AlexM451]

yep.. got the email

ain't heard from Rockefeller though..

Is Rockefeller your top choice? It's mine...I've never visited but I've heard they treat grad students extremely well. And no, I haven't heard from them yet either.

So what do you think about staying with current grad students vs. staying in a hotel for MIT's open house?

[phh]

I wouldn't worry yet, I haven't heard anything yet (good or bad) and I applied to 10 programs. I'm also a U.S. citizen...so if we are supposed to hear earlier than you I haven't heard anything . Good luck, I'm sure most of us are more worried about things than we should be (Although my GRE wasn't great, so I might be worried for a good reason if it makes a big difference).

Ya... I agree with you totally. Though it is very difficult to let myself not thinking/worrying about the applications. Time of sending out interview invitations varies from school to school and also from program to program for sure. By far I only heard one of the programs I applied sent part of their invitations and still working on applicaition review. I am keeping my fingers crossed. As time close to Feb, I expect there should be more messages sending out form schools/programs, either for domestic or for international students. Wish you best luck with your applications.

[bb9931]

Well your stats look pretty damn good to me, would be shocked if you don't get into any (wish my stats were that good).