UC Berkeley MCB Graduate Program or bust, what are my realistic chances?

[Michaelson1984]

Just found this awesome forum, I love the (Sometimes brutally) Honest answers.  I was wondering if I could get some feedback from the experts.  I applied to graduate programs in Molecular and Cell Biology in 2012, and got into a few.  However, none where my wife (M.D.) ended up for medical rotations.  I have followed her around the country, and now as the light at the end of the residency tunnel closes for her,  I am thinking about restarting my Ph.D. dream.  It appears we will most likely be in the San Francisco bay area next year.  I have visited UC Berkeley's campus, and loved it, also, the faculty is world class.  Joining their MCB program for graduate studies would be a dream come true.  All that said, please peruse my stats and let me know if this is a fools' errand.  

 

Undergrad Institution: #1 Public Regional University in the Midwest
Major(s): Biology, B.S.
GPA in Major: 3.47
Overall GPA: 3.48
Graduate Institution: Small Private Medical School (I wanted to be a doctor, then I started doing basic science, I have not looked back)

Degree: Masters of Science, Biomedical Science
Type of Student: Domestic, Male

GRE Scores (revised/old version): I took this in 2012, Berkeley doesn't require a score, I don't know if should even include these 

156Q

157V

5W


Research Experience: Masters' Degree research: 1 Poster.  2 years as technician in a neuroscience lab: 2 posters, 2 published abstracts as first author.  2 years to present in intense MCB lab as Lab Manager: 2 publications, one first author in MBoC.  5 first author posters.  1 poster selected to be highlighted in microsymposia at ASCB this year.  This most recent experience is the only reason I feel I would be remotely competitive.

I will have no recommendations from "Well known" or "Celebrities" in my field.  I would describe my current boss as a rising star, but not exactly a household name yet.  Do programs really put a whole lot of weight into the person writing the letter? or the conten


Applying to Where:

UC berkeley MCB Graduate Program

[basketballfrost]

On 25/10/2017 at 11:39 PM, Michaelson1984 said:

Just found this awesome forum, I love the (Sometimes brutally) Honest answers.  I was wondering if I could get some feedback from the experts.  I applied to graduate programs in Molecular and Cell Biology in 2012, and got into a few.  However, none where my wife (M.D.) ended up for medical rotations.  I have followed her around the country, and now as the light at the end of the residency tunnel closes for her,  I am thinking about restarting my Ph.D. dream.  It appears we will most likely be in the San Francisco bay area next year.  I have visited UC Berkeley's campus, and loved it, also, the faculty is world class.  Joining their MCB program for graduate studies would be a dream come true.  All that said, please peruse my stats and let me know if this is a fools' errand.  

 

Undergrad Institution: #1 Public Regional University in the Midwest
Major(s): Biology, B.S.
GPA in Major: 3.47
Overall GPA: 3.48
Graduate Institution: Small Private Medical School (I wanted to be a doctor, then I started doing basic science, I have not looked back)

Degree: Masters of Science, Biomedical Science
Type of Student: Domestic, Male

GRE Scores (revised/old version): I took this in 2012, Berkeley doesn't require a score, I don't know if should even include these 

156Q

157V

5W


Research Experience: Masters' Degree research: 1 Poster.  2 years as technician in a neuroscience lab: 2 posters, 2 published abstracts as first author.  2 years to present in intense MCB lab as Lab Manager: 2 publications, one first author in MBoC.  5 first author posters.  1 poster selected to be highlighted in microsymposia at ASCB this year.  This most recent experience is the only reason I feel I would be remotely competitive.

I will have no recommendations from "Well known" or "Celebrities" in my field.  I would describe my current boss as a rising star, but not exactly a household name yet.  Do programs really put a whole lot of weight into the person writing the letter? or the conten


Applying to Where:

UC berkeley MCB Graduate Program

I am sorry, I don't have any idea whether you are strong enough for UC Berkeley or not. I can say I think your application is really strong, but it does depende on how you convince the school in your SoP and how your recommenders sell you as an applicant. And of course whether your research interests are genuinely alligned wih theirs.

Hope you do get into your dream school. Cheering for you!