Chemistry Fall 2010

[Eyetea]

Any body out there applying for admission in Fall 2010 to a chemistry program?

[sencer]

there is one..

Any body out there applying for admission in Fall 2010 to a chemistry program?

[RAFT-LAND]

I am the second one lol

[prolixity]

Any body out there applying for admission in Fall 2010 to a chemistry program?

Yeah, I applied to:

Colorado Boulder

UC San Diego

Stanford

Wisconsin

Michigan

Harvard

UC Davis

UC Davis has already sent an accept letter, surprisingly.

[lbztvx]

Yes,

I've applied to:

Minnesota

WUSTL

Yale

Caltech

UCLA

Berkeley

for theoretical chemistry.

[UnlikelyGrad]

On 12/8/2009 at 12:33 AM, Raphael said:

Yes,

I've applied to:

Minnesota

WUSTL

Yale

Caltech

UCLA

Berkeley

for theoretical chemistry.

Wow. Not Stanford? If you're going for UCLA, Berkeley, and Tech, why not go for the fourth big California theoretical chem powerhouse? They have Hans Andersen and Vijay Pande (big names in the business!) and the area is beautiful.

Who do you want to work with at Berkeley?

[lbztvx]

Wow. Not Stanford? If you're going for UCLA, Berkeley, and Tech, why not go for the fourth big California theoretical chem powerhouse? They have Hans Andersen and Vijay Pande (big names in the business!) and the area is beautiful.

Who do you want to work with at Berkeley?

Actually I have no special reason not to apply to Stanford. I just think that the research interests of the professors of these other places are more compatible with what I want to work with in my PhD. Vijay Pande, for example, develops theoretical methods to study biological systems, and Hans Andersen is more in to statistical mechanics of liquids, which are fantastic subjects, though not the first ones on my list.

Prof. Martin Head-Gordon would probably be my first choice to work with at Berkeley. Although, I might also be interested in working with Professors William Lester and William Miller.

[UnlikelyGrad]

Actually I have no special reason not to apply to Stanford. I just think that the research interests of the professors of these other places are more compatible with what I want to work with in my PhD. Vijay Pande, for example, develops theoretical methods to study biological systems, and Hans Andersen is more in to statistical mechanics of liquids, which are fantastic subjects, though not the first ones on my list.

Prof. Martin Head-Gordon would probably be my first choice to work with at Berkeley. Although, I might also be interested in working with Professors William Lester and William Miller.

Despite my research background (my former PI was a HA student who hobnobbed with VP) I'm not really into theoretical chemistry myself. I asked about your Berkeley interests because my sister did theoretical chem at Berkeley and had a bad experience with her advisor. The guy isn't one of your possibilities though so I think you're safe.

[Eyetea]

Yeah, I applied to:

Colorado Boulder

UC San Diego

Stanford

Wisconsin

Michigan

Harvard

UC Davis

UC Davis has already sent an accept letter, surprisingly.

I was also just about to ask you the same question about Stanford. WEll I'm not a CA type of person but I bet I'd try. Though grad school is a matter of fit. I also got two acceptance letters so early. In other news- I'm a bit confused, people keep telling me to apply to bigger school (with more respected profs thus better prospects) but I'm sticking to Profs who do research in my line. Is that a dangerous mistake? Or is application panic catching up with me.

[prolixity]

I was also just about to ask you the same question about Stanford. WEll I'm not a CA type of person but I bet I'd try. Though grad school is a matter of fit. I also got two acceptance letters so early. In other news- I'm a bit confused, people keep telling me to apply to bigger school (with more respected profs thus better prospects) but I'm sticking to Profs who do research in my line. Is that a dangerous mistake? Or is application panic catching up with me.

It's better to do your PhD in smaller labs where the prof has something to prove and takes personal interest in your research. Save the big-name labs for the post-doc work where you'll get more than a form letter when you ask for a reference.

A school's reputation can only take you so far though; by far, it's better to amass personal achievements than ride on the ivy coat-tails.

[UnlikelyGrad]

It's better to do your PhD in smaller labs where the prof has something to prove and takes personal interest in your research. Save the big-name labs for the post-doc work where you'll get more than a form letter when you ask for a reference.

A school's reputation can only take you so far though; by far, it's better to amass personal achievements than ride on the ivy coat-tails.

I've heard both: that you should get as many "big names" on your resume as possible, and that you should try to find an advisor who will take a personal interest in you (not just your research). I applied to both sorts of schools and was accepted at both. The fact that I am where I am, instead of the top-10 school that accepted me, tells you which of the two schools of thought I ended up subscribing to.

I like the idea of doing a post-doc at a well-known school.

[Eyetea]

I've heard both: that you should get as many "big names" on your resume as possible, and that you should try to find an advisor who will take a personal interest in you (not just your research). I applied to both sorts of schools and was accepted at both. The fact that I am where I am, instead of the top-10 school that accepted me, tells you which of the two schools of thought I ended up subscribing to.

I like the idea of doing a post-doc at a well-known school.

Thanks guys for geting this thread going!

That was exactly my intention- do a postdoc at a reputable school. I wanted to do my PhD with a professor with something to prove. I know one professor who is really enthusiastic about my background and interests that he literally mentored me throughout the application process- including obtaining an application fee waiver! I feel that I may be able to derive greater benefits from such a school than from a top ten where I'm not doing something I like.

[ChemHopeful]

I am applying to 9 schools

even after reading up online and talking to people i still dont have a good feel for how likely my acceptance at these schools is. if it were as easy as the push of a button, i probably would have applied to 30

[Eyetea]

I am applying to 9 schools

even after reading up online and talking to people i still dont have a good feel for how likely my acceptance at these schools is. if it were as easy as the push of a button, i probably would have applied to 30

I know the feeling, It's as if at times what you've done is not enough. But I guess its just the mind playing games on you. The whole application process brings out an inherent fear in each one of us, rejection. And the fact that rejection could be based on variables and figures beyond our control does not make it any better!

[KevinM]

Applying to 6 schools as of now.

Doing organometallics.

[prolixity]

So UCSD and UCD have both responded already.

My stats aren't all that stellar, so don't stress ya'll.

GRE: V650 Q730 A-5.0, Chem Subject: 680 3.7 GPA

2 years of UG lab experience

1 Summer REU in Germany

7 years of Industry chemistry (before earning B.S.)

[lbztvx]

So UCSD and UCD have both responded already.

My stats aren't all that stellar, so don't stress ya'll.

GRE: V650 Q730 A-5.0, Chem Subject: 680 3.7 GPA

2 years of UG lab experience

1 Summer REU in Germany

7 years of Industry chemistry (before earning B.S.)

What is your specialization?

[prolixity]

What is your specialization?

I'm interested in molecular spectroscopy, atmospheric chemistry, semiconductor nanocrystals.. Applied to P-Chem programs.

[Eyetea]

I'm interested in molecular spectroscopy, atmospheric chemistry, semiconductor nanocrystals.. Applied to P-Chem programs.

I'm also looking applying to P-chem programs- molecular spectroscopy, environmental chemistry and electroanalytical chemistry, to be precise.

[prolixity]

I just bought an old book on the chemical physics of cosmetics at a used bookstore for a friend of mine who wants to follow that route. This stuff is pretty sweet: reduction potentials of different additives related to their utility as pigmentation agents, colligative properties of make-up.. who'da thunk there'd be hardcore chemistry in make-up.

Anyone know of any schools that offer specialized curricula in cosmetic chemistry?

[chemmefatale]

Applying to:

UC Santa Cruz

UC Davis

UC Santa Barbara

University of Co Boulder

University of Washington Seattle

Trying to stay near my field of Materials Science and within my home base.

[Danilo]

I'm interested in organometallics, and have applied to:

Toronto

British Columbia

MIT

Michigan - Ann Arbor

Washington - Seattle

Actually, I haven't applied to the two Canadian schools yet (Canadian deadlines are generally later).

Applying to 6 schools as of now.

Doing organometallics.

KevinM, you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but I am curious: where are you applying?

[prolixity]

Applying to:

UC Santa Cruz

UC Davis

UC Santa Barbara

University of Co Boulder

University of Washington Seattle

Trying to stay near my field of Materials Science and within my home base.

I just toured a few labs at UC Davis and I was quite impressed. The professors were knowledgeable, friendly, and excited to talk about their research with me. There were some AWESOME laser systems including several home-built NOPAs, a Terawatt system for high energy nanoresearch, some really interesting work on photochemistry/water oxidation, and what I found to be fascinating (unexpectedly), was a forensics laboratory employing surface science techniques such as laser desorption, UHV apparatuses (FT-MS, FT-RAIRS) and some other cool stuff.

I've been accepted at much higher ranked schools, but rankings don't really mean anything in the broader scope. The research was exciting and dynamic, and the university itself is on an upward trend as older professors are being replaced with younger PIs.

I'm inching closer and closer toward sending Davis my SIR.

[UnlikelyGrad]

I just toured a few labs at UC Davis and I was quite impressed. The professors were knowledgeable, friendly, and excited to talk about their research with me. There were some AWESOME laser systems including several home-built NOPAs, a Terawatt system for high energy nanoresearch, some really interesting work on photochemistry/water oxidation, and what I found to be fascinating (unexpectedly), was a forensics laboratory employing surface science techniques such as laser desorption, UHV apparatuses (FT-MS, FT-RAIRS) and some other cool stuff.

I've been accepted at much higher ranked schools, but rankings don't really mean anything in the broader scope. The research was exciting and dynamic, and the university itself is on an upward trend as older professors are being replaced with younger PIs.

I'm inching closer and closer toward sending Davis my SIR.

Do they have funding for you? Just curious...because I probably would have gone to Davis if they'd had the money to pay me.

Of course, I had applied to one of their interdisciplinary grad programs (Agricultural & Environmental Chemistry), so would only have been able to TA if the chem department had a slot for me (which rarely happened, as they gave out most TAships to actual chem students), plus most of the people doing research in environmental stuff were funded by CA state agencies which had no money to give out that year. Your situation is probably completely different.

I think Davis is a really cool town, and UCD is a great school--though a little large for my tastes.

[prolixity]

Do they have funding for you? Just curious...because I probably would have gone to Davis if they'd had the money to pay me.

Of course, I had applied to one of their interdisciplinary grad programs (Agricultural & Environmental Chemistry), so would only have been able to TA if the chem department had a slot for me (which rarely happened, as they gave out most TAships to actual chem students), plus most of the people doing research in environmental stuff were funded by CA state agencies which had no money to give out that year. Your situation is probably completely different.

I think Davis is a really cool town, and UCD is a great school--though a little large for my tastes.

Yes, Davis offered me a generous stipend/full tuition with TAship or Grad Research stipulation. It's an expensive town to live in (compared to the surrounding area), but there are cheap options available.. I'm looking at maybe $900 for a 1 bedroom place near campus.

UC Irvine takes the cake when it comes to grad housing though.. I currently pay $900 for a 2 bedroom apt while the rates in the surrounding area are about $1500-1600 (wife is grad student @ UCI)