<p>I am #200!
Hope I can be the same lucky in my application.
PS: Do i need to connect to the PIs in those big programs?
I sent around 15 email but just get 1-2 reply.</p>
<p>sweetmuffin: Most schools do not require TOEFL, but you should call them and fight for the waiver.</p>
<p>@ hsp104: while CSHL is not placed on the same pedestal as the Ivy schools, MicroB2012 is correct in saying that it is much harder to get into CSHL. I was fortunate enough to participate in CSHL’s undergraduate program and according to the then-Dean of the Watson School, they only take about 5-7 graduate students for the entire campus, out of at least 800 applicants. </p>
<p>The interview itself cannot guarantee a position either; the interview itself spans for about 3 days, during which you meet with all of the research faculty members (it’s a relatively small campus). I, along with the other program participants, were strongly advised to delete all forms of social media for the time being in order to avoid any poor reflection on our potential as graduate students. </p>
<p>I’m fortunate enough to live so close to this lab and have kept contact with my PI and mentor. If you can manage to become a graduate student here, kudos!</p>
<p>Yeah, that’s probably what I’m going to do. Ugh I should have asked them and not assume that all schools will waive TOEFL for international students studying in the US.</p>
<p>It seems like everyone here is a crazy strong applicant (except me haha). I wish everyone who is just lurking around will post too so that we can get a better idea of things.</p>
<p>Eh, CC has always been a very self-selective sample… Don’t let them freak you out :). There are plenty of applicants who are not superstars.</p>
<p>I’m a 3.0er with terrible GREs, and one of my LORs is a total throw away, if that makes you feel any better. (I do have 5 years of research experience, a solid publication, a LOR from a well-known lab… but man, WHAT was I doing during undergrad? Was I drunk the WHOLE time?) We’re out there! We exist! Of course, I’m also not applying to Harvard/Hopkins/UCSF etcetcetc…</p>
<p>::Applause for Parafilm::</p>
<p>Thought it would be cool to join and see when everyone starts hearing!</p>
<p>Applying to umbrella programs/neurobiology and neuroscience programs</p>
<p>Math Major at large research university. 3.8 GPA, higher in major. Interested in computational neuroscience and biology.</p>
<p>1 year of research experience. Will have almost 2 years upon entry into a program.
No publications, but have presented paper at conference. Abstract in the works at current lab.</p>
<p>96/98/92 V/Q/W GRE</p>
<p>Have applied to:
Vanderbilt: IGP (Invited to interview earlier today)
Columbia: Neurobiology
MIT: Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Duke: Neurobiology
UCSD: Neuroscience
Stanford: Neuroscience</p>
<p>Hopefully will hear from a couple more to interview…Good luck to all!</p>
<p>Question: Is it useful to connect with PIs in big programs such as Harvard BBS/Yale BBS/UCSF Tetrad? Just never get positive reply from them…
THX!</p>
<p>@Aquakneek: you have almost identical research focus as mine! Are you applying to CSU MIP department in Vet School? Good luck in your applications! :)</p>
<p>@AmphioxusTang</p>
<p>I’ve heard to definitely do it from several people, and from others I’ve heard only do it if you have followed their work for a while. Some definitely won’t respond, but if a couple do and you have a good conversation, it’ll help a lot. If you do your research (read their papers etc.), I don’t think it could hurt.</p>
<p>That being said, I would imagine that many who get accepted did not make a connection with a PI prior to admission. If you don’t hear from from your first choice(s) I wouldn’t email choices 3-5 just to hear back. I don’t think that would be seen as a positive, especially if you don’t tell them you’ve emailed 4 other people…</p>
<p>@bedizen - could you clarify what you meant by “delete all forms of social media for the time being in order to avoid any poor reflection on our potential as graduate students”. Do you mean actually removing facebook account or do you simply mean to turn of the alert on IPhone? thx</p>
<p>THX so much!</p>
<p>@edukimi: my apologies for the confusion. As far as deleting social media goes, that means deleting/deactivating your facebook. Let’s face it, you can’t go back to the very first post you ever made or untag every embarrassing photo you’ve ever been tagged in. It’s easier to just deactivate your facebook during this time, or, if you’re like me and use facebook as a means to communicate with family, friends, etc., I would ensure my privacy settings are as strict as can be. I’ll admit that some of my previous posts and photos do not provide a high reflection of my academic potential, so I made sure to make everything private unless we are friends.</p>
<p>Hope this clarifies it.</p>
<p>@bedizen - your answer actually fits your original post. I had thought I was reading too much into it. Thanks for the clarification.</p>
<p>@ bedizen: Wow! I never knew this. CSHL takes a big fall in my rankings for this though. If a scientific institution is going to judge me based on my Facebook posts then I’d rather not be in that institution. Crazy folks</p>
<p>@hsp104 It’s probably safe(r) to assume that any school and any employer will be checking your social media prior to accepting you. </p>
<p>It’s become very common practice: [Half</a> of employers check Facebook | Macworld](<a href=“http://www.macworld.com/article/1145719/facebook_jobs.html]Half”>Half of employers check Facebook | Macworld)</p>
<p>Boy I’m changing my privacy settings right away!</p>
<p>As most of us are waiting on interview offers, is there a general consensus on what percentage of interviewees are accepted? Does it vary across programs? Being an aspiring scientist, I like lists of things. Data. Does such information exist?</p>
<p>Hey guys I need some advice-</p>
<p>My biology GRE scores have been posted-</p>
<p>I got a 720 68%</p>
<p>However my break down is:
Cellular and Molecular Biology- 89%
Organismal Biology- 57%
Ecology and Evolution- 44%</p>
<p>I’ve applied to either Molecular Biology programs or biomedical sciences programs. For the biomedical sciences programs, I stated in my application that I am interested in genetics and molecular cell biology.</p>
<p>I’m a biology major, but my specialization is biotechnology- my major track emphasizes molecular cell biology classes so I haven’t taken any classes in animal physiology, etc. In addition, I haven’t taken any form of evolution or ecology class which explains why my scores in those areas are so low.</p>
<p>I know I should have taken the biochemistry and molecular bio exam! I am supposed to email in my scores…should I go ahead and do so? Should I include an explanation in my email as to why the other two categories aren’t that great or do you think they will notice my lack of classes in those areas on my transcripts?</p>