<p>Narrowing the bioscience programs to apply to. Finding it difficult. There are so many programs. Do graduate programs have informal meetings with grad students over the summer like colleges do? My daughter's list of grad schools is too long. She has narrowed it by location and flexibility of the program within it to rotate thru labs in her interest but it's hard to know where to apply when you have no idea if you have a chance in getting in or not. I really think she has to talk to even one grad student who has been thru it. She goes to an LAC where she is actively involved in research and her other research experience last summer has been at a medical center affiliated research center so her contact with grad students has been limited. Thanks, she wanted me to post this. She is interested in Boston, NYC, PA, NC, or California, and places that have access to stem cell research exposure if that helps.</p>
<p>Has she taken her GREs?
What is her gpa?
Look around at thegradcafe.com</p>
<p>Sigh.
“Do graduate programs have informal meetings with grad students over the summer like colleges do?” – No, this isn’t a LAC (I went to LAC, visited tons of LACs when choosing a UG school and went to these ‘info sessions’ that you are referring to).
This is time for your daughter to do this on her own. Picking a biosci related grad program, she should answer these types of questions:
-Basic science or biomedical/translational? (lots of schools have both types of grad programs, usually as separate ‘umbrella’ programs. Example: Hopkins BCMB vs. Hopkins CMM, or UCSF Tetrad vs. BMS, etc.)
-Umbrella program or departmental?
-(Most important): which PIs are you interested in? (Go through every prof and make a list of the ones you would be happy to rotate with. If there aren’t at least 3(+), cut the school)
Have her ask her PI/profs/etc. what they think about the types of grad schools to apply to (to judge her competitiveness). If they don’t think she is ‘top 10’ (or 20 or however ambitious she is) worthy, perhaps she might consider taking time between UG and starting grad school. Look around the site for arguments about there being no safety schools in the biosci. and waiting to go to the best school you can.
But, seriously, (not trying to be mean here, but) she she be doing all this work, not you.</p>
<p>Thanks for your advice. From what she has told me she has been doing alot of what you suggest and has preferences in types of programs. I know she is looking at depts for actual research interests so I guess she is on the right track. She is away right now doing research but her mentor will be back next week and she is meeting again with him as well. Her application and recommendations are ready to go but she is waiting for her GRE scores to narrow her list. I appreciate the advice. Sounds like she is on the right path, I just didn’t realize how overwhelming it can be to apply to grad school. And don’t worry, I am not doing any of the work. I am too busy myself, just thought college confidential buddies can keep her pointed in the right direction.<br>
Good luck to you.</p>
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<p>You can always contact individual professors and grad students to meet with them. But you generally shouldn’t spend time and money to do so unless it’s convenient (ie you’re already in the area). Most programs have interviews as part of the admissions, where you can determine if it’s a good fit or not. Programs will reimburse you for flights/hotels for interviews.</p>
<p>Check out this site written by Stanford for their undergrads interested in biosciences research [Stanford</a> - HHMI Pregrad program](<a href=“http://pregrad.stanford.edu/phdfaq.html]Stanford”>http://pregrad.stanford.edu/phdfaq.html)</p>
<p>Thanks for the stanford site.</p>