<p>TVGradSchool - that Berkeley essay really threw me - I am white, white, white. Eventually, I decided to write about growing up in rural Alaska, in a hyper-conservative (think hyper-hyper-conservative, domestic-violence-condoning conservative) town with a hyper-conservative head of household. It's certainly a flavorful essay, but I think it comes off as a little too personal. And it definitely feels like a stretch to say that adds diversity.</p>
<p>haha. buffkitten. I think white, white, white does actually add diversity in Berk... you'll know when you get here.</p>
<p>I second that statement.</p>
<p>Heres my stats:</p>
<p>M.Sci Georgetown University 3.8 GPA Biochemistry
B.A. University of Colorado at Boulder 3.3 GPA Molecular Biology/Biochemistry</p>
<p>NIH IRTA Fellow, currently working in Bethesda on AAV gene therapy.</p>
<p>3 years of research experience from nano-engineering to gene therapy.</p>
<p>I've applied to WashU and two programs at the University of Missouri...</p>
<p>Hey y'all,</p>
<p>So I just took the GREs again today and did much better on them. I would like to send my schools an update of my scores, but the official reports don't come out until two weeks from today, and then it'll take another week or two for those scores to get sent out.</p>
<p>Can I just contact them and tell them my unofficial scores? Would it be of any help to my application if I do that soon?</p>
<p>Thanks for your help!</p>
<p>Yes, contact them to let them know the score usually by email will suffice "self-report" and then send them the official reports so that they can validate.</p>
<p>Yeah, you should tell them your unofficial scores. Did you submit your apps online already? Because if not, you can just write the new scores in the box on the online app, and you won't have to e-mail them.</p>
<p>BTW November subject test takes: your scores are available by phone today. It's probably worth paying to hear them, so that you can decide whether to order add'l. score reports right away.</p>
<p>I don't know about you guys but I've just started finalizing some of my applications and am a bit surprised how emotional this process is becoming. It is a bit scary to put all of the hard work of the past several years into these text boxes and give away for evaluation of your potential as a scientist. Hoping for the best.</p>
<p>Yeah, pretty emotional...I'm most worried about the letters of recommendation that still have not been turned in. The idea that all of those $100 application fees could be for nothing because someone didn't feel like writing the recs three days earlier <em>really</em> scares me. I've been burned in the past on late recommendation letters, so I know these things are taken seriously.</p>
<p>My story is that one recommender preferred to send paper recs instead of electronic ones. When I handed over the envelopes and evaluation sheets a while ago, I mentioned that the deadlines attached are the "received by" dates, not the "postmarked by" dates. Last week I went in to check up on it and nothing had been sent in; the secretary told me that yes, some of them would have to be FedExed (bad sign) and that she would e-mail me when they had been sent. "Don't come back again or I'll spit in the envelope," but phrased much more politely of course. My first app is due this Tuesday, and no e-mail so far. o_O At this point I <em>must</em> go in Monday and offer to pay for overnight shipping on the first four recommendations ($20 each...sigh), but I am scared she will breathe fire at me. I feel like an ass because this prof/secretary have always come through for me in the past, though often in the nick of time. How can I communicate just how important these apps are to the future of my career and long-term relationship?</p>
<p>Ouch that has got to be a big pain in the &**</p>
<p>I would definitely go back and tell her that your future is riding on those documents arriving on time, she will understand and if she doesn't just b-slap her! It does seem that meeting the application deadline is very important which I guess shows that you can meet deadlines even if a large part of the ap is dependent upon letter writers. Maybe they assume that if the PI values you as is stated in the letter they will get it in on time. I'm also waiting on a few to be sent through mail...</p>
<p>Screw this I'm going to the bar.</p>
<p>Generally your LORs don't actually have to be in by the application due date -- you'd like them to be, obviously, but schools are particularly understanding about the absentmindedness of letter-writers. Many schools won't begin reviewing applications until after the holidays, anyway.</p>
<p>When I applied, one of my letters got lost in the mail, and the school contacted me to let me know they needed it by Jan 8 at the latest -- the original application due date for that school had been Dec 15.</p>
<p>So although you'd like for your letters to be in on time, they don't particularly need to be. Unfortunately, your professor probably knows this. :)</p>
<p>I know how you guys feel - my ETS drama has got me super-stressed out. I called them to check on the process of combining my two files, and resending my complete score reports. They told me that they hadn't done it yet, and it would take 7 business days at least... meaning it wouldn't be done until next Wednesday, and not sent out until Thursday or Friday.</p>
<p>And of course, Friday is the deadline for Harvard and Yale.</p>
<p>I e-mailed all my schools about this whole drama, and Yale asked me to scan my missing score report and e-mail it to them. I never heard back from Harvard (my reach) or UChicago (one of my top choices). So naturally, I'm freaked.</p>
<p>That, and some of my recommendations are still out. But I have enough time for those, and I see the profs every day.</p>
<p>Don't worry too much about Harvard. I e-mailed the mcb grad. coordinator (at the gradworld e-mail address) to ask whether they had received my GRE scores at the dept. number I'd used, and whether I should resend to a second dept. number. He was very helpful but apparently couldn't tell whether the scores had been received, and forwarded the question to GSAS, who never responded. I think that Harvard would be very understanding of your situation, but might be having trouble handling your scores because of this GSAS vs. HILS vs. department divide.</p>
<p>I would recommend contacting the dept. coordinator about it again, by phone if you can figure out how. If not, when I submitted my application they also sent me this number: (617) 496-6100, which you can contact from 2-5pm EST to check on the status of your application - maybe whoever picks up the phone there can help you.</p>
<p>I hate that I didn't see this board sooner! Though, all of you with your super amazing stats are freaking me out and now I'm worried that I might not get in anywhere...</p>
<p>GRE General: Q- 620 V- 500 W- not yet known
GPA: 3.2
Undergraduate major: Biochem
Pub: 1 co-author paper
Research: 1 summer research program, 1 summer fellowship, 2+ years working in the same lab
Programs: Toxicology/Pharmacology (Ph.D)</p>
<p>Schools I'm applying to: </p>
<p>UCSD
UCI
Univ of Oregon
Univ of Pittsburgh
Univ of North Carolina
Univ of Michigan
Northwestern
Dartmouth
Univ of Penn</p>
<p>Is there any hope for me? Or am I wasting my money... <em>sigh</em></p>
<p>About LORs from UCSF.</p>
<p>"We strongly encourage you to contact your recommenders as soon as possible to initiate the process, and continue to follow up with them to ensure that the letters are received by the deadline of December 7."</p>
<p>Ckings86 I think that you have applied to a diverse list with respect to selectiveness and think that UO, UCI, UMich are likely interviews and the rest might be a stretch, but it depends on a lot more than just the basic stats. If your letters are solid and your statement is good then all might be possible. Anyone else have an opinion?</p>
<p>Well, of course they're not going to tell people that it's okay to get letters in late. But it is almost always okay. These things happen every year.</p>
<p>Only justifying my claim.</p>
<p>When do you guys think is the earliest we will start hearing back from schools? </p>
<p>Mollie, when did you start hearing back? All this waiting is making me anxious...</p>
<p>I heard from some of the less-competitive programs around Christmas, but didn't start hearing from UCSF, Berkeley, Stanford, etc until around January 10. I know Harvard BBS doesn't start giving out recruitment notices until later in January (~25th). I'm not sure about MCB.</p>
<p>Just got my biochem GRE back and scored a 530 blah! Pretty much the score I expected preparing a week in advance for it. Should I include this score? I am a computer engineering undergrad/masters student so it shows I know something about biochem/molecular bio but I haven't mastered the subjects. UCSD is really the only school I am somewhat concerned about since it was required but "no hard cut offs"...</p>