Fall 2010 application season Chem responses

[prolixity]

On 1/26/2010 at 11:53 PM, cooller said:

Hello all,

I am an international candidate and I have just been accepted into the Chemistry program at Univ Washington, Seattle. I am mostly interested in Synthetic org chem with also some biology involved. So, basically an overlap of Organic and chemical biology.

Since I don't have an idea of how this university is perceived inside US, do you think its any good accepting the offer, or should I wait for other univs where I have applied. Like UTAustin, UNC, Stony Brook, WUSTL, UPenn?

Please let me know if the ranking of a university matters at the end of your Ph.D., or the most important criteria should be the professor I will get to work with, irrespective of the univ's ranking.

I'll be thankful for any advice.

Hi,

It's customary to hang on to no more than one acceptance offer at any given time. It's okay to not respond to the university immediately, as long as you ensure you respond by the deadline given in the acceptance letter.

University of Washington is an excellent school, but according to US News and World Report (for some reason people treat their rankings as if they meant something tangible), it isn't ranked as highly as some of the other schools. (here's the USNWR rankings list: http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-chemistry-schools/rankings)

You should definitely consider the socio-cultural aspects of the city at which you'll be studying. I'm not sure what your ethnic background is, but some areas of the country are more friendly to immigrants from certain areas than others (this is a gross generalization).

Professors are important and university prestige is also important. I've heard some say that there is a general rule that one cannot become a professor at a university ranked higher than the university one earned his PhD, but I know of many exceptions to this.

Good luck.

[UnlikelyGrad]

University of Washington is an excellent school, but according to US News and World Report (for some reason people treat their rankings as if they meant something tangible), it isn't ranked as highly as some of the other schools. (here's the USNWR rankings list: http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-chemistry-schools/rankings)

I agree that it's best to wait a bit to see how other schools respond. However, I have a somewhat different view of rankings than you. See, rankings fluctuate over time. So the #1 ranked school right now (Caltech, I believe) may not be #1 next time the rankings are done. Of course, it will probably be in the top 5. Generally speaking, schools tend not to go up or down too much over time, but they do go up or down. This matters because hiring committees are more likely to consider the ranking of your Ph.D. school at the time you look for your job--not the ranking the school had when you started.

I guess what I'm trying to say is this: consider any schools in the top 10 to have approximately the same ranking. Below the top 10, any schools within 15 of each other are probably about the same. Given that, I would put UW on the same par as Penn, maybe slightly below UNC.

With that said, go where you will feel the most comfortable: fit for research topics, environment of the city around you, etc. (Seattle is MUCH more diverse, esp. in terms of various Asian populations, than most of the other areas you're considering.)

I think UW is a fantastic school, but then I'm biased.*

I've heard some say that there is a general rule that one cannot become a professor at a university ranked higher than the university one earned his PhD, but I know of many exceptions to this.

I know a number of exceptions too. I think the best way to "move up" is to get a post doc somewhere more prestigious than your Ph.D. school.

*Both my dad (BS, organic chem) and my oldest sister (BS ME, interdisciplinary PhD) are UW alums. So take my advice with a grain of salt.

[so47]

I agree that it's best to wait a bit to see how other schools respond. However, I have a somewhat different view of rankings than you. See, rankings fluctuate over time. So the #1 ranked school right now (Caltech, I believe) may not be #1 next time the rankings are done. Of course, it will probably be in the top 5. Generally speaking, schools tend not to go up or down too much over time, but they do go up or down. This matters because hiring committees are more likely to consider the ranking of your Ph.D. school at the time you look for your job--not the ranking the school had when you started.

I guess what I'm trying to say is this: consider any schools in the top 10 to have approximately the same ranking. Below the top 10, any schools within 15 of each other are probably about the same.

This is pretty much how I am looking at it. My undergrad research advisor, who herself went to Columbia, went as far as to say that once you get out of the top 20, rank doesn't mean a whole heck of a lot. She also said that it doesn't matter between #9 and # 12, because the rankings do shift, but like you said, the schools tend to stay in the same bracket of 10-15 ish.

The way I am going about it, I applied to 3 top 20 school and as long as I got one of them I would go because it was in the best interest for my career (unless of course I hated it when I visit). Outside of them, I choose schools based on the geographic region, school and department size, research, etc. Not all schools are even ranked, so if they are ranked they are a good school. I was told it doesn't really make much of difference if you go to a number 50 or number 70 school.

So all in all, wait until you get all your acceptances to decide, and VISIT THE SCHOOLS. You may find that you visit a top school, and you just don't like the feel atmosphere of the department. If you were accepted, you are in. You have the spot until April 15th, so take your time.

[hollygolightly]

does anyone know when NYU's visit weekend is? Heard it was in February last year so it seems like they'd notify people soon, but haven't seen anyone report it...

[so47]

Anyone who was accepted at UNC-CH:

Have you received info on stipend and visitation weekends yet? If so, how long did it take to get it after you got your admissions letter? I am super impatient and wondering when it will come. Thanks!

[laurakat2]

My interview weekend for Michigan is February 4-7. It's for the Medicinal Chemistry program, which is almost totally separate from their Chemistry program which may have different dates.

Interesting... I also applied for Med Chem. It appears they operate on a rolling interview/admissions basis. Which means I am lower priority...sad. Oh well it isn't my top choice, and I am pretty sure I want to go to Vanderbilt where I have already been accepted

Good luck on your interview. If it is at all like my Vandy "interview" it means you are basically in unless you totally misrepresented yourself on your application!

[Megan_Shelby]

anyone heard from Cornell or Northwestern?

Heard from Northwestern a few days ago (Pchem), got accepted via email. Nothing has come in the mail yet. Also heard from Davis (with fellowship!), and got rejected from Chicago and UC Berkeley, but still waiting on Stanford, Caltech, Scripps, UCSF, Boulder, Madison, Michigan, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, UNC, and UIUC.

[chemchem]

Heard from Northwestern a few days ago (Pchem), got accepted via email. Nothing has come in the mail yet. Also heard from Davis (with fellowship!), and got rejected from Chicago and UC Berkeley, but still waiting on Stanford, Caltech, Scripps, UCSF, Boulder, Madison, Michigan, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, UNC, and UIUC.

I applied for PChem too. Heard positively from Madison(visiting Mar 12) and UPenn(visiting sometime in March). Rejected from Chicago. No words from Northwestern, Cornell, Stanford, Berkeley, MIT, Caltech, UIUC, Michigan. Looks like we have pretty much applied to the same schools.

[prolixity]

Accepted at Stanford today.

Hard decision now, since the profs I'm looking at at Harvard and Stanford tend to collaborate quite a bit. I guess I have to choose if I want a Chemical Physics degree vs a Physical Chemistry degree.

[so47]

Just got an email acceptance to Cornell! It's my top choice, I am floored!

And I heard back in less than 20 days since I submitted my application, so I am happily surprised to hear back so soon!

[AChemist]

Hello,

So far I heard back from WashU, USC, UCSB, Univ. of Arizona and Georgia Tech. I am waiting for Stanford and Texas at Austin, but I do not feel really positive about getting admission in those two schools.

My question is, considering WashU, UCSB and GA Tech, which would be a good place for me to do some theoretical, biophysical chemistry? Does any of you have a list up-to-date ranking of PhD Chemistry program? I tried the link someone posted above, but it didn't work.

Thank you and good luck.

[UCLA Chemist]

In at Penn State, Out at Princeton. Waiting on UCLA, Cornell, Stanford, Northwestern, Columbia, Brown. ..

I heard from Penn State this morning and from Princeton 2 weeks ago

[lbztvx]

Accepted at UCIrvine by email from a Professor - stipend info and visiting dates still to come.

Still waiting on Caltech, Berkeley, Minnesota, Yale and UCLA - but pretty happy already.

[Synth]

It sounds like Harvard's P-Chem notifications have gone out. Has anyone heard anything from their Organic side? Does anyone know if they send it out as a batch of Chemistry? Or do they split it by division?

[gmr02]

Does anyone who applied to Penn (admitted or otherwise) have a "complete" application on the website? It still lists mine as incomplete (Subject scores not showing up). ETS said they sent them; Penn Chem graduate office said they were still looking though stuff in late December... it's already late January.

[Ziegler1988]

Does anyone who applied to Penn (admitted or otherwise) have a "complete" application on the website? It still lists mine as incomplete (Subject scores not showing up). ETS said they sent them; Penn Chem graduate office said they were still looking though stuff in late December... it's already late January.

My Application Status says "Completed on 12/31/2009 2:12:00 PM."

[spybear]

It sounds like Harvard's P-Chem notifications have gone out. Has anyone heard anything from their Organic side? Does anyone know if they send it out as a batch of Chemistry? Or do they split it by division?

wondering the same thing. Anyone know when they get back to you?

At least from previous record on the results page, seems like they get back around 1st-2nd wk of feb.. so i'm guessing pretty soon.. but just wondering if anyone's heard yet.

[prolixity]

wondering the same thing. Anyone know when they get back to you?

At least from previous record on the results page, seems like they get back around 1st-2nd wk of feb.. so i'm guessing pretty soon.. but just wondering if anyone's heard yet.

Dunno. Got my chem phys letter (which is offered by the Chem Dept. in conjunction with the Physics dept.) about a week ago (small envelope, btw). Maybe the chemistry committee hasn't met yet? I mean the timing of these things are all pretty arbitrary.

[Synth]

Some of PChem is definitely out. I know three people have already gotten their letters. (I haven't heard of a notification by email yet) I just haven't heard of a organic yet, but I don't know how they do it.

I've also heard of people last hearing as back as mid Feb. So I'm not sure how they do it. Perhaps they also do it in waves.

Edited January 30, 2010 by Synth

[Synth]

I can't seem to edit my last post. But, yeah, it seems like Harvard has sent out some acceptances for all branches of their chemistry. Org, Phys, Biochem.

Best of luck guys.

[UCLA Chemist]

Don't expect to hear from UCLA for the Inorganic Department for a while. I know the professor that reviews that applications and he takes forever. He didn't start looking at the apps until recently.....Some grad students I know said they heard from UCLA in as late as march or early april....

[UCLA Chemist]

Does anyone who applied to Penn (admitted or otherwise) have a "complete" application on the website? It still lists mine as incomplete (Subject scores not showing up). ETS said they sent them; Penn Chem graduate office said they were still looking though stuff in late December... it's already late January.

My application showed complete a week ago....maybe penn hasn't updated it yet, or they haven't received it??? You should call them if you want to find out what is happening faster. Just out of curiosity did any of you people have to pay for Penn States application??? I didn't i thought that was wierd. I emailed them asking if my application went through and they emailed back telling me when my application was going to be reviewed.

[Ultraviolet Catastrophe]

Hi all,

So far I've gotten positive responses from:

Penn

UNC

BC

Still waiting on:

UIUC

Harvard

MIT

Berkeley

Applied for organic synthesis on all counts. I guess this is the big week when a lot of the responses come out, so fingers are crossed! Not stressing too much though, I'd be thrilled to wind up any of the places I'm in to. UNC was my first response a few weeks ago, and a professor there called to tell me. It caught me so off guard and I was so thrilled that I'm pretty sure I just babbled a stream of "thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!" until he hung up lol.

[so47]

Hi all,

So far I've gotten positive responses from:

Penn

UNC

BC

Still waiting on:

UIUC

Harvard

MIT

Berkeley

Applied for organic synthesis on all counts. I guess this is the big week when a lot of the responses come out, so fingers are crossed! Not stressing too much though, I'd be thrilled to wind up any of the places I'm in to. UNC was my first response a few weeks ago, and a professor there called to tell me. It caught me so off guard and I was so thrilled that I'm pretty sure I just babbled a stream of "thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!" until he hung up lol.

Have you tried to arrange your UNC visit via the visitation website they setup? I tried, but my PID they gave me doesn't work. I tried calling them and they don't answer either phone line, so I emailed them and finally got a one sentence response that they will be fixing it this afternoon. Have you had any problems with it?

And do you know if they are covering travel expenses as well? The letter only mentioned lodging...

[Tarheel_or_Bluedevil?]

Have you tried to arrange your UNC visit via the visitation website they setup? I tried, but my PID they gave me doesn't work. I tried calling them and they don't answer either phone line, so I emailed them and finally got a one sentence response that they will be fixing it this afternoon. Have you had any problems with it?

And do you know if they are covering travel expenses as well? The letter only mentioned lodging...

They will cover up to 300 dollars for travel and the website is back up.