2018 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[factanonverba]

On 3/28/2018 at 12:17 PM, jlz319 said:

Hey everyone! I’ve officially joined the club of agonizing over decisions.

I’m deciding between Oregon Health & Science University (Program in Molecular and Cellular Biosciences), University of Chicago (Development, Regeneration, and Stem Cell Biology), and Weill Cornell (BCMB). The research at OHSU is amazing and Portland seems like a great place to live, but their grad program doesn’t seem as well established as the others. I really liked that UChicago had a very strong grad community, but they have fewer faculty whose labs I would be interested in joining. I checked with faculty, and two of them probably aren’t even taking students next year. Weill Cornell has a lot of faculty I would love to work with, and they seem to have decent grad community (though not quite as strong as UChicago). My main concern with Weill Cornell is that it’s located in Manhattan, and because I’ve lived in California my whole life, everyone keeps warning me how different New York is from the west coast and they’ve all made me nervous that I wouldn’t like living there.

I keep going in circles with this reasoning so if anyone could give me another perspective or a new angle of looking at this it would be much appreciated!

My two cents about living in NYC - yes, it's gonna be completely different from California. But you are young, if you want to experience something different, grad school is not a bad time to do it! It would be hard to live in NYC at any other stage of one's career, but if the grad school gives you a good community, subsidized housing, etc. then I think it's a pretty good deal. 

[purplepeach]

@DeepWhaleSlumber I am in the same boat as you (considering Harvard, Yale and Rockefeller).  I am leaning towards Yale or Rockefeller because for me Boston isn't the best location and I am somewhat concerned that there may be some truth to Harvard's competitive reputation.  However, I am less sure of my research area of interest (though I am leaning towards neuroscience or genetics).  One thing I would say is that if you are sure about pursuing immunology, you may want the wider breadth of choice that Harvard or Yale would provide in terms of PIs.

Good luck with your decision if you haven't already made it! 

 

 

[blc073]

1 hour ago, purplepeach said:

@DeepWhaleSlumber I am in the same boat as you (considering Harvard, Yale and Rockefeller).  I am leaning towards Yale or Rockefeller because for me Boston isn't the best location and I am somewhat concerned that there may be some truth to Harvard's competitive reputation.  However, I am less sure of my research area of interest (though I am leaning towards neuroscience or genetics).  One thing I would say is that if you are sure about pursuing immunology, you may want the wider breadth of choice that Harvard or Yale would provide in terms of PIs.

Good luck with your decision if you haven't already made it! 

 

 

I'm a graduate student at Harvard studying neurogenomics. The Department of Neurobiology is amazing and collaborative and the Department of Genetics is amazing and collaborative. I've never felt like I am in a competition. Everyone is open to working together and happy to meet for coffee to discuss their projects. I met with a post-doc from another lab doing similar work as my lab, and we discussed our projects and planned a collaboration. If I ever need help with computational analyses, I can always find someone to walk through it with me. 

Harvard College, HMS, Broad, all the hospitals, MIT, BU, Tufts - they all work together. 

Harvard is super collaborative, not competitive, and a great environment. Also, my fiancee and I love living in Cambridge, and we have a lot of friends who love Boston (Mission Hill and JP, primarily). 

Don't let a reputation from decades ago influence your decision. In my experience, smaller and mid-tier schools are more competitive than places like Harvard. 

[jasbee]

Just emailed UNC BBSP and apparently they’re starting to take people off the waitlist for whatever that’s worth 

[researchheaux]

Hello,

I was wondering how common it is to be considered "waitlisted" but not invited to an interview weekend. About a month after this school's interview weekends, I received a message via their application that I would be considered on the waitlist and that placement in the program may be possible based on recent past years. Is this a common practice among schools or just their particular program (this program is in biomedical sciences)?

I emailed them asking for an update but haven't had a response yet. I looked up my application and it was still 'under review'.

Thank you!

[BabyScientist]

12 hours ago, researchheaux said:

Hello,

I was wondering how common it is to be considered "waitlisted" but not invited to an interview weekend. About a month after this school's interview weekends, I received a message via their application that I would be considered on the waitlist and that placement in the program may be possible based on recent past years. Is this a common practice among schools or just their particular program (this program is in biomedical sciences)?

I emailed them asking for an update but haven't had a response yet. I looked up my application and it was still 'under review'.

Thank you!

It's not super common, but I've heard of this happening. I'd say it's pretty unlikely you'd get in at this point though considering we're 5 days from April 15th. Good luck!

[researchheaux]

5 hours ago, BabyScientist said:

It's not super common, but I've heard of this happening. I'd say it's pretty unlikely you'd get in at this point though considering we're 5 days from April 15th. Good luck!

Thanks for responding! Is it possible the school would never respond to me? Would it be beneficial to call instead for an answer? I'm hesitant in case of rushing them or something, heh. I just wanted to have all the answers before making my choice I suppose.

[ChallengerSwimmer23]

On 4/9/2018 at 8:16 PM, researchheaux said:

Hello,

I was wondering how common it is to be considered "waitlisted" but not invited to an interview weekend. About a month after this school's interview weekends, I received a message via their application that I would be considered on the waitlist and that placement in the program may be possible based on recent past years. Is this a common practice among schools or just their particular program (this program is in biomedical sciences)?

I emailed them asking for an update but haven't had a response yet. I looked up my application and it was still 'under review'.

Thank you!

Rare, but does happen with some programs. Happened to me with Rice Cell Biology and Biochemistry where I was waitlisted but not invited to interview weekend and rejected me at end. They placed a select few people on this special waitlist in case needed. 

[StemCellFan]

Yep.  I don't know if it's happened to me specifically, but I did end up withdrawing my application from a couple places that invited me to interview because I already made a decision at that point.  This opened up a spot for other applicants to be invited out who may be admitted and attend those programs.  So I can see why a school would have a waitlist for those purposes.

[BabyScientist]

19 hours ago, researchheaux said:

Thanks for responding! Is it possible the school would never respond to me? Would it be beneficial to call instead for an answer? I'm hesitant in case of rushing them or something, heh. I just wanted to have all the answers before making my choice I suppose.

Totally possible that they would never respond. Some schools never send out official rejections to the people they didn't interview. If you want to have all the answers, it wouldn't hurt to call, especially considering it's a few days to the 15th. They might tell you there's still hope, or they might tell you it's unlikely. Either way, it'll make it easier to make your choice.

[researchheaux]

18 hours ago, ChallengerSwimmer23 said:

Rare, but does happen with some programs. Happened to me with Rice Cell Biology and Biochemistry where I was waitlisted but not invited to interview weekend and rejected me at end. They placed a select few people on this special waitlist in case needed. 

Thank you for responding! The school is UCSD - I called them (didn't answer so I left a message) and emailed them but I haven't had an answer. Should I just considered it a rejection? The deadline is in a couple of days, but not having a response might mean there are those accepted who hasn't given them an answer yet right? And so they might be waiting to hear from them before giving me an answer?

[Carina3737]

Hey guys,

I have applied to several biomedical programs. And I have an offer from Wake Forest MCB program. And I'm on the waitlist of USC PIBBS and Boston U PIBS programs. Since it's close to April 15th deadline. Is there anybody can give me some recommendation on what should I do right now? How is the program at Wake Forest. And how big is the chance for me to get admitted to the other two schools? I personally really want to join either USC or BU.... But I'm really frustrated these days.

Thanks!!!!

[ballwera]

On 4/10/2018 at 3:37 PM, researchheaux said:

Thanks for responding! Is it possible the school would never respond to me? Would it be beneficial to call instead for an answer? I'm hesitant in case of rushing them or something, heh. I just wanted to have all the answers before making my choice I suppose.

Entirely possible. I was sitting in my first graduate school lecture when I got my final rejection letter.

[MPhipps]

If a school says they would let me know AROUND  April 15th with their decision, should I call or not call? ALSO: I have another school waiting to hear back from me by the 15th AND the school I am waiting to hear back from is my top choice. I am nervous that if I didn't hear back by now then I am probably not accepted but I have hope! 

[StemCellFan]

At this point, I think it's safe to contact schools you are waiting to hear back from.  If they are your top choice, tell them that, and ask if there are any status updates on your application since the April 15th deadline is approaching really quickly.  And that other schools you've been admitted to are also awaiting your decision.  Hopefully this will give you some answers on your likelihood of receiving an offer or a rejection.

But seriously, don't be afraid to at least ask them.  I was on the waitlist for a few schools the year I was ultimately rejected everywhere, and around the first week of April is when I asked about my likelihood of being admitted to the program, and they told me that I would likely hear a rejection at this point and that the applicant pool was strong this year, etc.

Edited April 12, 2018 by StemCellFan

[researchheaux]

2 hours ago, MPhipps said:

If a school says they would let me know AROUND  April 15th with their decision, should I call or not call? ALSO: I have another school waiting to hear back from me by the 15th AND the school I am waiting to hear back from is my top choice. I am nervous that if I didn't hear back by now then I am probably not accepted but I have hope! 

I am in the same boat! I think it'll be a good idea to call, which reminds me I will probably try to make a call again today.

2 hours ago, StemCellFan said:

At this point, I think it's safe to contact schools you are waiting to hear back from.  If they are your top choice, tell them that, and ask if there are any status updates on your application since the April 15th deadline is approaching really quickly.  And that other schools you've been admitted to are also awaiting your decision.  Hopefully this will give you some answers on your likelihood of receiving an offer or a rejection.

But seriously, don't be afraid to at least ask them.  I was on the waitlist for a few schools the year I was ultimately rejected everywhere, and around the first week of April is when I asked about my likelihood of being admitted to the program, and they told me that I would likely hear a rejection at this point and that the applicant pool was strong this year, etc.

Yeah, I feel so guilty for making the other programs wait. I've been receiving emails from the director offering to answer any questions. U___U

3 hours ago, ballwera said:

Entirely possible. I was sitting in my first graduate school lecture when I got my final rejection letter.

Man, it's kind of infuriating they take so long to give an answer! It's like what 3-4 months after the decision date, what took them so long?!

[biochem2018]

I'm trying to decide between University of Washington MCB and Scripps (San Diego) for my PhD program. I liked the research the most at Scripps and have been offered a Skaggs Fellowship, which basically provides my own funding for the first 3 years. However, I had the best interview weekend at UW and really enjoyed all the current students (they seemed super happy) and liked Seattle the best. Does anyone have any thoughts on these two programs that could help me decide??? Thanks!

[biomed_PhD]

On 2018/4/14 at 12:19 AM, biochem2018 said:

I'm trying to decide between University of Washington MCB and Scripps (San Diego)

I'm a University of Washington undergrad here. I'll say the Seattle has a great vibe. A lot of grad students have fulfilling lives outside of lab that frequently involve nature and being really fit. Get yourself a car or make friends with people who have cars and go out every weekend! If you love nature, Seattle is truly the place to be. Downsides, however, are the relentless rain. I'm not sure if you got a sense of that during your interview, but during the Winter you may never see the sun for weeks on end (this is real). Every year around Winter I was a victim of Seasonal Affective Disorder and it was rough getting through schoolwork like that. Biggest complaint from grad students, however, is the cost of rent. The UW offers housing but it's about as expensive, if not more expensive, than the surrounding apartments. On the stipend they provide, housing in the Seattle area is much too expensive. If you were hoping to budget a reasonable amount for rent (30% post-tax income for instance) it would be possible but more difficult than you would expect. UW also levies grad student fees that can actually be adjusted. A few years back the grad students were protesting about increases to these fees so I would be careful about that. They might seem reasonable now, but know that they're not set in stone. 

Overall, I think Seattle is a great place to live. It's got a vibrant, unique culture and a wide host of activities outside of the lab. Unfortunately, it's a bit ruined by one of the most expensive rental markets in the country and UW not keeping up with it's stipend. Ultimately, if you can budget responsibly, it should be alright. 

[Baller123]

On 4/13/2018 at 9:19 AM, biochem2018 said:

I'm trying to decide between University of Washington MCB and Scripps (San Diego) for my PhD program. I liked the research the most at Scripps and have been offered a Skaggs Fellowship, which basically provides my own funding for the first 3 years. However, I had the best interview weekend at UW and really enjoyed all the current students (they seemed super happy) and liked Seattle the best. Does anyone have any thoughts on these two programs that could help me decide??? Thanks!

I can’t give insight into the program at scripps, but I was an undergrad at UCSD. If weather is important, then SD really can’t  be beat. It’s coastal, without the humidity the east coast suffers from. Lots of nature to explore and the ocean as well. If you’re into clubbing/bar hopping, PB is pretty good I’ve heard. 

[BabyScientist]

On 4/13/2018 at 9:19 AM, biochem2018 said:

I'm trying to decide between University of Washington MCB and Scripps (San Diego) for my PhD program. I liked the research the most at Scripps and have been offered a Skaggs Fellowship, which basically provides my own funding for the first 3 years. However, I had the best interview weekend at UW and really enjoyed all the current students (they seemed super happy) and liked Seattle the best. Does anyone have any thoughts on these two programs that could help me decide??? Thanks!

First, research should be the most important thing. If you can see yourself happy at Scripps, it's probably the way to go. 

Another thing to consider is networking opportunities. Scripps is right by UCSD, and in close proximity to UCLA, USC, and other renowned institutions. The networking/collaboration opportunities between these institutions are limitless. 

[mdas]

Hi, I am an international student (from the UK) who is looking to apply to PhD programs in Cancer Biology both in the US and UK. I am intimidated looking at everyone's profiles here (everyone seems to have a lot more experience than I do)! I have a good amount of research experience, but no publications as of yet - not sure if that's bad? 

Please comment what you think / what I should work on! Thanks! 

Undergrad Institution: King's College London (good reputation for biomedical sciences)
Major(s): Biochemistry
Minor(s): --
GPA in Major: --
Overall GPA: 74% (equivalent to 3.83)
Position in Class: near top
Type of Student: International, female, asian 

GRE Scores (revised): planning on retaking - hopefully will be in the 160's this time round! 
Q: 150
V: 155
AWA: haven't received yet (probably around 3.5 though)

Research Experience: 

- Have a home office license to conduct animal research/in vivo work (rare in the UK)

- Spent 2 months working at a renowned PI's lab over the summer in breast cancer biology (Dr. Justin Stebbing) 

- 12 months of full time experience (10+ hours a day) in cancer biology lab at MD Anderson Cancer Center - working on my own project, have gained skills in a lot of different techniques! 

- Another 3-4 months of experience in cancer biology - writing my final year thesis on this project 

** No publications as of yet sadly ?

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: N/A ?

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Student Ambassador for Biomedical Sciences 

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: not that i can think of... 

Special Bonus Points: 

- Fairly confident I will get a good LOR from my PI at MD Anderson 

- Fairly confident my 2 other LORs will be well written too (one from the head of the Biochem department at King's, another from my current PI in the lab I am writing my thesis)

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:

Applying to Where:

UK

Bart's Cancer Institute

Institute of Cancer Research

UCL

King's

Imperial College London

Cambridge 

Oxford 

Francis Crick Institute 

US

UC Berkeley 

Columbia 

Scripps 

Rockefeller

Memorial Sloan Kettering 

 

Please let me know if this is unrealistic haha! Any help would be greatly appreciated

Edited June 1, 2019 by mdas

[pm3220]

Want to study genomics/bioinformatics. Have some math/coding background, but I feel I would need to improve it over my 'gap year' and during the early part of my PhD.

Undergrad Institution: Non-flagship state school
Major(s): Biology
Minor(s): Philosophy
GPA in Major: 3.7
Overall GPA: 3.75
Position in Class: Top 10%
Type of Student: Domestic, white, male 

GRE Scores (revised):  
Q: 161
V: 162
AWA: 5

Research Experience: 

- 2 years in an evolutionary genetics lab

- 1.5 years in a molecular bio lab

- 2 months in cancer research at St. Jude

Pubs: 1 late author publication in name journal, 1 first author publication in undergrad journal

Presentations: 1 talk at a national conference, 1 talk at an undergrad conference

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Dean's award for most outstanding Biology major, finalist for the same award for the college of arts and sciences, obtained an undergrad research grant

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 3 years as tutor, ~6 months as a lab manager 

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: N/A 

Special Bonus Points: 

- Should have two very good letter from my PI in the genetics lab and the molecular bio lab; third letter may be kind of generic though:(

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:

Applying to Where:

NC State

UC Berkley

Penn State

MIT (long shot)

Baylor

Harvard (long shot)

 

Is this list any bit reasonable? If not which schools should I add/remove? Thank you!

[bolicks]

@pm3220 I was admitted to UC Berkeley with similar stats, you should have a chance. In my opinion, it's best to only apply to programs that you'd be excited to attend!