<p>I gave my GRE and got a verbal 570 and math 780 and writing 5.0. I am applying for biology programs, should I be giving my GRE again. I looking to apply to top 10 grad schools?? Could someone help me with this?? Thanks!!</p>
<p>The math and writing scores are fine. The verbal's a little low, but what's the percentile? (If it's above 60th percentile, I wouldn't worry at all.)</p>
<p>I know little about bio, but don't you have to take a subject test for that? If so, I would think programs would care far more about that score than your general.</p>
<p>Most of the top programs don't require the subject test, although they will all accept it, and it's somewhat useful to do well. I still knew somebody who got in the 70th percentile on the subject test and still was admitted to several top-five programs (the rumor is always that a 90th+ percentile score is required even for an interview).</p>
<p>Thanks for the input...I need more input..plz help me..I am a biology major applying this fall for Phd. Top choices- John Hopkins, Stanford, UC berkley and UCSF. GPA 4.00. GRE: verbal 570 math 780 writing 5.0 (should I give GRE again?>???)...research experience in 2 labs since 2 years and internship...no papers published though..What do you think are my chances of getting in??? How can I improve or do something to improve my chances. (I am an international student)...Please help.. thanks</p>
<p>When I was interviewing, the buzz from other applicants was that Stanford was particularly difficult to get into for international students in biology. I don't know if that's true or if it was just rumor.</p>
<p>What is the percentile for the GRE verbal score?</p>
<p>thanks mollie for very helpful replies</p>
<p>for an international student with the same scores listed by MCBartist
can you list us about 20 schools for molecular biology/biochemistry good programs that an international student can manage to get into ?</p>
<p>what is considered as a hook in this case ??</p>
<p>I think your stats are fine....my recommendations are:</p>
<p>1) Make sure you can get glowing recommendation letters.</p>
<p>2) If you are certain that you can't get anything published by the time you apply, at least make up a scientific report summing up your research work (make sure it's written in true scientific style and reviewed/proofread by your professors), so that during the interviews, you can show them your writing samples to demonstrate your technical writing ability. </p>
<p>3) If you still have the chance, present your research in the undergraduate research symposium/conference at your school.</p>
<p>My GRE verbal percentile is about 75th or so...I havnt got any publications, but I have received a Research Award (seaweed, do you think this helps??) Also, do you guys think I should take the GRE (general) again, and many schools are like GRE subject test is recommended but not required etc, JHU for instance, do you think I should take it? Also, do my senior year grades matter,because I will be applying this fall and my grades wont be up by then :D Thank you everyone for giving your suggestion/advice etc..</p>
<p>Is anyone already done with this whole application stuff..If so would you mind posting the schools you got into and the ones you applied to (accepted as well as rejected)..and your stats (GPA, research, GRE, etc. etc..)</p>
<p>If that verbal score is 75th percentile, I wouldn't bother taking the test again. The actual score isn't that important for admissions, and the verbal score in particular is almost certainly used as a benchmark rather than for its own sake.</p>
<p>Senior year grades will not matter if they're not available by the time you apply. When you pick a school, you will have to send them a final transcript to prove you graduated, but that's all.</p>
<p>The trouble with the GRE subject test is that you won't be able to see the scores before you have to decide whether or not to send them to schools. If you're confident you can get a very good score (80th%+, preferably 90th%+), then take the test and send it to schools. If not, don't bother and don't worry.</p>
<p>I applied two years ago for biology PhD programs. I had a 3.4 GPA from MIT, 800Q/740V/5.5A on the GRE general test, a 97th percentile on the biology subject test (can't remember what number that is -- 880?), a summer at the NIH, and three years of research in the lab of a well-known scientist in my field (including authorship on a high-impact paper). I was accepted to Harvard BBS, MIT Biology, Stanford Biosciences, UC Berkeley MCB, and UCLA Access; I was interviewed but ultimately rejected at UCSF Tetrad.</p>
<p>For Biology PhD admission, is there such thing as a weed-out course, like organic chemistry for med school? Or do grad schools just look at overall science GPA?</p>
<p>wow mollie .. may god bless you for those scores
how could you score 74o on the verbal ??</p>
<p>can you please list us around 20 schools that an international applicant is adviced to apply to having scores in the range of MCBartist listed above ?</p>
<p>I really don't have any clue, to be honest. Your best bet is to ask your professors which schools students like you applied and were accepted to -- they will usually know better than anyone which schools you should be investigating. I think the general rule of thumb is that it's much easier for international students to get into the second-tier-type schools, but I don't have any intuition as to where that second tier starts.</p>
<p>
[quote]
For Biology PhD admission, is there such thing as a weed-out course, like organic chemistry for med school? Or do grad schools just look at overall science GPA?
[/quote]
A weed-out course isn't a course that admissions officers look at particularly closely -- in the case of organic, it's a class that some aspiring pre-meds do badly in, and therefore decide not to pursue a pre-med path after all. It's a weed-out on the applicant side, not on the admissions side. </p>
<p>Biology PhD programs will generally ask for your overall GPA, your major GPA, and sometimes your junior/senior GPA.</p>
<p>Hey Mollie, wow....thats an amazing score...based on your experience and looking at my record, do you think I ll be able to get in to these schools? If there is anymore info you need to evaluate where I stand plz lemme know. Thanks!! you have helped a lot!! :D</p>
<p>And also, I did get a Research Award (if that helps you evaluation)</p>
<p>I really can't predict, because admission to the top programs isn't very numbers-based. The different departments seem to be using the same criteria, because you see the same group of applicants at different programs' interview weekends all winter, but I don't know how they sort through the pile of applicants with great research experience and recommendations and solid GPAs and test scores.</p>
<p>Again, a trusted professor in your field will be your best source of information and tips. My favorite professors predicted my eventual results quite accurately -- since they sit on admissions committees themselves, they have a better eye for competitive applications.</p>
<p>So, I was checking the various websites for the GRE subject tests, and their requirement didnt make much sense to me. They say- encouraged/recommended/strongly recommended/not required/etc..What does this imply??? Thanks</p>
<p>If you are good enough at biology to be applying to top PhD programs, you should be able to get an excellent score on a subject test. Take it.</p>
<p>Thinking about letters of recommendations....I think my manager from my internship will be able to write me an excellent one..but do you think this would be valued accordingly or do they only value recommendations from professors etc...? Please let me know. Thanks</p>