PhD in neuroscience - clueless international student

[Meitarg]

Hey everybody!

so i'm starting to get nervous about applications.... I'm an international student so I don't really know who i'm competing against (experience-wise).

currently finishing my B.Sc.  in biology+psychology+emphasis in neuroscience (so I have a lot of neuro courses in my resume). GPA around 3.7-3.8.  

but I'm not sure if my lab experience is good enough - one biology and one psychobiology projects. my degree is only 3 years (not 4 like american undergrads), so i won't have time for another lab experience before applications' deadlines. 

took the GRE a couple of days ago, so i don't have the AW score yet, but the quant and verbal were 161 and 160. I could definitely score higher on the quant so i'm considering retaking the exam (though it will be only in October.... cutting it close to deadlines). 

My aim is to get accepted to a PhD in the biology-oriented neuroscience (molecular etc.), and of course the dream is in NYC. 

applying to Columbia, NYU, Weill Cornell and CUNY (as a safe choice). 

Are my chances good? should I consider more schools? and if so- any recommendations?

Thank you!!

[Berk]

Hello,

I am an international student as well but received my master from CUNY in Nutrition and Exercise Sciences. I am currently a first year PhD student in Exercise Physiology. You are obviously ahead of me as you got your bachelors  in biology+psychology+emphasis in neuroscience.

Just give you idea on my background I did my bachelors in Sports Sciences with the GPA of 3.54. I had one peer review publication 3 poster presentation in international conferences. For non-academic activities, I was involved in Special Olympics Organization for 4 years. Then, I came over the US and studied a year of Medical Assisting and then got accepted to Nutrition and Exercise Science master's degree at CUNY. I took 26 credit worth of prerequisite courses including biochem, organic chem, anatomy 1 and 2 physiology 1 and 2 etc. I collected the data for my thesis at Columbia University. We investigated the influence of task constraints on upper and lower body modifications in children with Cerebral Palsy. Also, I did my internship at Columbia at applied physiology lab. We investigated whether exercise can attenuate the side effects of antiretroviral therapy in people with HIV. I turned the study into an abstract presentation and presented at a conference. In addition, I was involved in another study at Columbia where we studied on people HIV again. 

Then I got accepted to PhD in Exercise Physiology and co-wrote a paper on exercise genomics and wrote another one as a first author. I have been involved in a major project where I do extensive heart rate variability analysis in firefighters. Further, I was involved in a meta analysis on hypertension.

EDUCATION

BA: Sports Sciences (BA): 3.54 GPA

MS: Nutrition and Exercise Sciences 3.77 GPA (research assistant)

PhD Exercise Physiology: 3.83 GPA (research assistant) -- I want to transfer to Neuroscience 

CERTIFICATIONS

Exercise Physiologist of American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM-EP-C)

Healthcare Provider of American Heart Association 

PUBLICATIONS

3 peer review publications + 5 poster presentations + involved in 3 other studies but not had my name on the papers.

GRE: 149/154, AW:3.5  

SOCIAL EXPERIENCE

Special Olympics 

Played professional soccer for 7 years. 

I just really want to get accepted to CUNY which is one of the best student friendly schools in the world. I know I am racing agains the guys like you with neuroscience backgound but jope my research experience get me in. Good luck!! 

[PokePsych]

Someone else here with a 3 year BSc (Dutch) - my experience is that MOST schools at least in Social Psych do not consider it sufficient to start a Master's or PhD. I've contacted a lot of schools at the end of my Bachelor's and 99% was like 'nop we want 4 years'. 

Best to contact the individual schools, especially the specific programs.