<p>None of the tippy-top programs in biochemistry/molecular biology require the subject test. However, it may still be to your advantage to take it and perform well if you come from a school of unknown academic rigor.</p>
<p>kryptonsa36 is correct in that although not required, subject test can be helpful. This is especially true in getting an invite to the recruiting weekends. Once at the University it’s up to you to present yourself and your research in the best light, but whatever you can do to stand out and get the invitation is worth the effort, especially with top programs. If you don’t do as well as you’d like in the subject test, you don’t have to submit it.</p>
<p>I agree, most schools don’t require it, but I still want to take it. For the schools that I listed, I feel that my GPA isn’t that great and hopefully the biochem score will compensate a little. Plus, I do not have any publications yet. There’s one in the works, but that won’t happen until after apps… It seems like a lot of people that get into top 10 schools have a publication of some sort. </p>
<p>I come from a large school that is pretty strong in research (well top ~25 that is), in case you were wondering. What would you guys say that cut off is to send subject scores? From last year’s forum, it seems like people were only sending it if the scores were above 80/85%. For those that have taken the biochem test, what has your experience been like? It emcompasses a lot of material, which is fine, but I hate having to memorize EVERY DETAIL.</p>
<p>Hi okcomputer</p>
<p>here’s where you can find some tips I wrote 2 years back
[GRE:</a> Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology TIPS!](<a href=“http://www.urch.com/forums/gre-biochemistry-cell-molecular-biology/88960-gre-biochemistry-cell-molecular-biology-tips.html]GRE:”>GRE: Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology TIPS! - GRE Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology - Urch Forums)</p>
<p>My feeling is GRE biochem is too broad to cover all, comparing to GRE biology where possibility of getting above 90 percentile in the test is 90% if you study well whereas GRE biochem, possibility of getting above 90 percentile is lower than the former. </p>
<p>I remember reading somewhere written by a professor regarding GRE subject score. It’s not compulsory but admission committee look at the score to gauge applicant’s strength in biosciences if an applicant is coming from little known institutions. </p>
<p>You don’t need to memorize every detail, but I’d suggest to do otherwise for important cell cycles. For eg, how many carbons are added when pyruvate kinase enters the Kreb’s cycle? Or beta-oxidation removes how many carbons? Just a recall from my experience. </p>
<p>If you’re a domestic applicant, I guess the test is not a pressure at all, but for me, international applicant out of the states, it’s a heck lot of another pressure for admission chances. </p>
<p>Hope this helps. :)</p>
<p>So i’m starting to stress about applications and would love some feedback about my chances, or anything I could do to better them.</p>
<p>My list (still tentative):</p>
<p>These are definites:
Columbia
Cornell
Harvard
Mount Sinai
Stanford</p>
<p>these i am still deciding which to apply to:
BU
MIT
NYU
Rockefeller
Tufts
UC berkeley
upenn
yale
ucsc</p>
<p>I’m interested in studying cancer bio. I’m graduated from a very well respected science program with a 3.5 gpa, and got 690V (97%), 780Q (89%) and 5.5W on the gre’s. I didn’t do so well on the bio subject test, but have decided not to send it at all. </p>
<p>i have considerable research experience. i had a few brief stints in various labs in college, and did a full research thesis my senior year (hoping to publish soon). I graduated in 2009, and have been working since in a cancer lab at Dana Farber (Harvard).</p>
<p>any feedback would be much appreciated! Thanks!</p>
<p>Hi all, I’m glad that this year’s thread is finally out and running.
I really don’t know what to expect of my applications, and I’d really like some feedback.</p>
<p>Here are the schools I’m applying to:
Harvard MCB
Harvard BBS
MIT Biology
Stanford Neurobiology
Columbia Biological Sciences
Biology@Princeton
UCSF TETRAD
Rockefeller
NYU Biology</p>
<p>My stats:
GPA: 3.75 (Major:3.83)
GRE: 680V, 800Q, 5.5AW
GRE Biology subject: 930(99%)
TOEFL iBT: 120</p>
<p>The problem for me is the total duration of my undergrad research experience. I’ve worked on 3 research projects so far (all extremely rigorous) - but only during summer vacation, so it adds up to a total of a bit more than 9 months. I’m an international(Korean)- and in my university at least, we don’t really have that kind of system that allows undergrads to engage in long-term research projects. I’ve taken one semester at NYU as an exchange student, and my most recent research project was at Harvard MCB following my semester at NYU. The other two projects were at my home univ. in Korea.</p>
<p>I have a graduation thesis out (not published)
and I’m listed as a co-author for a publication in Science. </p>
<p>LOR’s: one from Harvard professor, 2 from professors at home univ. all strong.</p>
<p>jennie56, have you asked your professor at Harvard for a recommendation?</p>
<p>yes i have. all my LORs should be fairly strong, and all are from various people i’ve done research with.</p>
<p>Jennie56, I don’t think you have much to worry about. If you are interested in cancer biology I would look at the Gerstner Sloan Kettering faculty and see if anyone interests you. The Rockefeller program tends to be more basic science with a strong immunology group as well. I was also very impressed with UPenn when I interviewed with them last year. Not too many strong opinions or familiarity with the other schools you listed.</p>
<p>Bio2nerd, good luck with everything! The fact that you’re research experience is so disjointed may not look great on paper. Just try not to bring any attention to it and focus on writing a great personal statement. As long as the LOR present you in a positive light I don’t think it will be held against you if the opportunities were not available to you at your home institution. It can be hard to tell how international applicants fair in the admission process.</p>
<p>bio2nerd, your stat is impressive, I’m going to drop UCSF from my list. :P</p>
<p>Thanks GCN2 (and theholme)-
are you a grad student? If so, could you give me an idea of how much research experience accepted students have on average when they start grad school?</p>
<p>I’m interested in obtaining my Ph.D in neuroscience. </p>
<p>3.77 GPA at a private rigorous university
B.S. Psychology
580 Verbal/670 Quant (not thrilled about the gre scores, but hoping it won’t be too bad)
3 years research experience
2 first author manuscripts under review for publication
1 second author manuscripts under review
numerous abstracts at international and regional conferences
oral presentations of work at regional and local conferences
4+ years of work experience where I had leadership positions</p>
<p>Georgetown
Johns Hopkins
U Maryland at College Park
U Maryland at Baltimore
George Mason University
U Texas at Austin</p>
<p>I am kind of limited to the D.C area or U Texas at Austin due to certain circumstances. Any other good schools near the D.C. area that I’m overlooking? Any thoughts on my stats?</p>
<p>Not any I would consider grad school. I remember having looked at Virginia Commonwealth Univ in Richmond which is about 2 hours away from DC. If you can stomach two and a half hours, that would get you close to Philly with its wealth of schools.</p>
<p>bio2nerd,
I’m a first year grad student. It seemed like most people who had just left undergrad had around 2 years of experience, some more some less. People who had taken time off after undergrad and worked as a lab technician seemed typically had more. I think what’s more important is what you did with your time, and the impression you made on your advisors during that time who will be writing the letters of recommendation.</p>
<p>@ belevitt</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback, I’ll look into it. I don’t know if I can swing 2.5 hours for a commute.</p>
<p>Neurotexasgal, you will not be able to commute daily at that distance. The I95 corridor between Philly and DC can be a nightmare. It’s not uncommon for graduate student couples to live in different cities and then to take turns visiting on the weekend – say, one weekend in NYC and the next in DC. These long distance relationships allow for intense work during the week without going for long periods without seeing each other. One couple I know did the Boston/Philly long distance relationship, and they remained happily married. It does require a commitment to make it work.</p>
<p>GCN2,
I see. That’s a bit more reassuring, thanks! This whole application process is really nerve-wracking…</p>
<p>For applicants considering applying to UPenn, I would strongly recommend their program! I am a first year grad student in the Cell and Molecular Biology(CAMB) Program and I simply love it here!! At first I thought, it would be very competitive considering their medical school is top ranked in the research field, but everyone is very supportive here (not to mention I have heard some horror stories of cut-throat environment at other comparable schools). </p>
<p>There are some really great perks to being here–funding resources are limitless, labs here are usually well-funded and productive, otherwise they wouldn’t be recognized by the institution, right? Stipend levels are very generous for the Philly area since its cheaper to live here than any other big city with higher cost of living!! Best of all, if you are not into teaching–you don’t have to TA at all!! That would actually be advantageous because you would be focused more on your research and finish your program in a reasonable amount of time. </p>
<p>Also, they have a beautiful campus for an urban city, and great cultural, social scene, and Philly is generally a very student-friendly city considering it has so many schools! Its proximity to DC and NYC/NJ area is also very prominent/important if you want to do internships at either NIH/FDA or other industrial companies such as Merck, JnJ, Astrazeneca, etc. </p>
<p>Another great thing about Penn is the huge influence of its Wharton Business school–there are so many big, famous companies who recruit students here on campus, its simply amazing and the best thing is you don’t have to be a MBA student to attend their events! I am only in my 1st semester, but I went to couple info sessions from different consulting companies such as McKinsey, BCG, patent law firms, and I am getting so much information on considering careers outside of bench science(which is what I am thinking about doing maybe in the future). </p>
<p>Anyways, I can go on and on about the greatness of Penn, but seriously the fact that it has a “one-campus” structure where all its professional and undergrad schools are in the same location makes resources abound and opportunities limitless!! For example, you could be taking Wharton classes even though you are in a different school and nobody would frown upon you for doing that! </p>
<p>If anyone has any questions about Penn or the application process in general, feel free to PM me. I would be glad to help.</p>
<p>Good luck to everyone applying this season–I wish you all the best!!</p>
<p>If we’re volunteering ourselves as current students, then I’ll speak up, too. 
I’m a fifth-year in the Harvard BBS program within the Division of Medical Sciences, although I know about the Neuroscience program as well, since I’m in a neuro lab. I’m happy to correspond with people via PM about life in the program, although I have no insight about admissions and can’t tell you if you’re likely to get in.</p>
<p>hi yaygrady. I too had a “honeymoon period” where I just loved everyone and everything. I would offer the same services to anybody wanting a balanced, insider view of the biomedical programs at Duke.</p>