<p>Hi!
I'm a Junior at UCLA interested in applying to Graduate Programs for a Ph.D. this coming Fall. I am trying to figure out what a good range/field of schools for me to apply to would be.
I am interested in doing some form of Biomedical Science with a specialty in Pathology, Pathobiology, or Immunology/Infectious Disease.
Here are my current stats:
I am a Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Major (MIMG) with a Human Complex Systems Minor
3.4 Cumulative GPA
3.1 Science GPA
1 Year of Research Experience (Still going...)
1 Year as a Resident Assistant
1 Year as an Orientation Counselor
Haven't taken GRE Yet.
My dream school is UW (Seattle) Pathology or Pathobiology program...is this a huge stretch? Other schools I'd be interested in are UCLA and UCSD.
Any thoughts/other school suggestions would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>Your science GPA might be a bit low. 3.0 is the baseline but most people are above a 3.5. You can abrogate that with GRE and experience (which you’ve already started so you’ll have 2 by the time you graduate). Grad schools aren’t going to care about your extracurriculars except for research, so your RA and OC experience aren’t very relevant.</p>
<p>According to the [UW</a> Admission Stats](<a href=“http://www.grad.washington.edu/about/statistics/admissions/index.shtml]UW”>http://www.grad.washington.edu/about/statistics/admissions/index.shtml) for 2009, there were 52 applicants for Pathobio and 9 offers (17% acceptance rate) which is good compared to a lot of other top schools/fields. Pathology had a 25% acceptance rate, so you probably have a shot. You might also think about applying to the Immunology and Microbiology programs at UW (microbio is where all the infectious disease faculty are).</p>
<p>I don’t really know anything about pathobio programs and the problem with figuring out reach/safety school based on GPA/GRE is that schools don’t really post those stats, so you have to go looking for application/admission ratios. Youshould also ask your professors/PI for recommendations.</p>
<p>I’m going to be matriculating to UW for microbiology in the fall so if you want to PM me later in the year for more info, you can do so. </p>
<p>I would suggest applying to schools and to post-Bacch research programs this fall. That way if you don’t get into a school, you may get into a research program as a back up. I know that I got into a much higher caliber of schools because I did a 2 year post-Bacch fellowship, than if I had applied to grad schools staright out of undergrad. The NIH, ASM, and CDC all have infectious disease based fellowships.</p>
<p>Yeah, it’s a stretch. This is one of the best departments in the country in its field and so it receives a lot of interest from students. If you are deadset on going straight to grad school then you should definitely apply otherwise you could consider working as a tech to make yourself more competitive as an applicant. If I were looking at west coast Phd programs in Micro, I would definitely include Berkeley, Stanford and UCSF on my list.</p>
<p>Berkeley, Stanford, and UCSF are all top 10/15 programs as well and are probably a bit more of a stretch, TBH.</p>
<p>Apply, but also look at taking a year or two off for more research.</p>
<p>thanks for the input, really appreciate it…
what about UCLA/UCSD? Are those going to be difficult as well.</p>