<p>Hey Everyone,</p>
<p>I applied to graduate school last year (was addicted to this forum btdubs), and am currently a first year graduate student in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Just for the record, I love the place–it was in all honesty the only school I really really wanted to go to (although I loved a lot of the other places I got into).</p>
<p>First, I’d like to say that I went to a small liberal arts college and to any applicants out there who are secretly freaking out that having gone small liberal arts will hurt their chances: STOP IT. I worried about this constantly during the application process as everyone else seemed to come from an Ivy or a huge research university…but I ended up getting in everywhere I applied. Your ability to talk about your lab work and meaningful contributions you have made matters more than anything. That is what you will be judged on. </p>
<p>Second, GPA and GREs do matter. They are not unimportant. I know way too many people who think that if their research is great, it will totally make up for suck ass record. I know a couple of people who have won interviews based on purely impressive research as some schools take chances but in the end, you are a package and every aspect of that package reflects on your ability to survive grad school. Point: There is no way that GPA and GREs can get you into a school…but they can keep you out.</p>
<p>Third, I had all of my interviews (Yale, Princeton, Penn, UChicago, Duke, Chapel Hill, 4 departments at Hopkins, IU) two days before Christmas. I had my acceptances to programs that don’t interview (Harvard) by mid-January. Schools usually give interviews in two or three tiers. I knew people who were still hearing from Duke and Chapel Hill well into January. Don’t panic. Do not call the school a million times…THEY WILL NOT TELL YOU. Wait for the call, and sit patiently. Everyone else is going through the same thing.</p>
<p>Fourth, please don’t be that guy on the interview. Maybe you’ll win a Nobel Prize one day…but you don’t have to let everyone know. Also, be warned that if the current students think you’re an *******, they will tell the administrators and program heads–this can seriously affect your chances. So be nice, be social, and don’t do anything really stupid.</p>
<p>Fifth, sell yourself. I went into every interview telling myself to take the approach that said school was my top and only choice. I was passionate about the school and why I wanted to be there. I also made the point very firmly that a PhD in the biomedical sciences is the only thing I have ever wanted to do with my life–I’ve had successes and I’ve had huge failures in the lab but this is my path. I am going to finish the degree. From various sources, I’ve heard that showing absolute committment to grad school and getting the degree is really helpful.
Btdubs, if you have a research mentor that is a role model for you…talk that person up. What you’ve learned from them, how they influenced you to apply for a PhD. It’s a good talking point.</p>
<p>Sixth, let the PIs talk as much as they want in the interview. Some love to tell you about their research–it’s cool and it uses up some time if you’ve run out of things to discuss.</p>
<p>Sorry I am an ******* rambler. This is it for now. Feel free to ask questions!!!</p>