<p>I took the GRE today, and I was slightly disappointed. I got a 750 on the quantitative and a 520 on the verbal. I'm fairly sure I got a 5 on the analytical. Considering the list of schools below, am I aiming too high? I have a 3.75 GPA, a 3.9 CS GPA, 2.5 years of work experience, and 2 semesters of independent research. I am getting recommendations from two professors who know me well as well as my employer of 2.5 years. I am interested in bioinformatics, but I've taken mainly CS and math classes (though my research project involved bioinformatics). I'm also a Michigan resident (I didn't go to UMich or MSU, though), and so I am also a US citizen. This is my list of schools I'm planning on applying to:</p>
<p>Is this a reasonable list of schools? I'm particularly concerned with Michigan (CS) because they state that a 1300 GRE score is the minimum that they would like to see. Any other schools I may want to consider (preferably in the midwest, with an emphasis in computational biology/bioinformatics)? I will be discussing this with a professor, but I would still like as much input as possible. Thanks.</p>
<p>I think your lack of a background in bioinformatics will hurt you more than your GRE scores. Your verbal is fine for your field and if you do end up with a 5 on the writing section that will help mitigate your 520. The 750q may put up a red flag since you took mainly CS and math classes. Do you think that you could boost that quant score if you took it again? I'm a HORRIBLE math student and got a 720 so I'm sure that with your background you can do better.</p>
<p>Your research project was in bioinformatics. You have excellent grades. Your test scores wouldn't jump out at me as being particularly low as the difference between 750 and 800 is fairly minor. I think that you chose a reasonable list of schools, though as I am sure you know, bioinformatics programs are more competitive than many strictly biological departments because there are tons of disenchanted IT people whose jobs have been taken by outsourcing. Anyway, if I were hoping to stay in the midwest in the bioinformatics field, I would look at places like Wash U in St Louis, Univ of Illinois in Urbana Champaign and maybe Iowa State.</p>
<p>@VastlyOverrated
I'm pretty sure I could do better since I didn't prepare a lot, but I am weary of the risk of taking it a second time and getting the same score. When I do math, I usually have a little more time than 1.6 minutes to do the problem. :) In other words, I don't know that the skill between doing higher math and doing lower math without getting caught up in the word play has much of an intersection skill-wise. However, if other people here think that this would stick out to a sore thumb to the adcoms, I may have to retake it. Thanks for the honest advice.</p>
<p>@belevitt
One of my professors said that he believed that Washington University in St. Louis was underrated for bioinformatics, so I may end up applying there. As for Iowa State, I know it is an excellent institution, but...as I look out of my apartment window and see corn, I don't know that I can withstand going to a state with so much more of it than I've seen in rural Michigan my whole life! Joking aside, my main reasoning is that I want to try and be within driving distance of family, so Iowa is probably pushing the limits of the distance I would want to go. I am obviously applying to UCSF and UCSC as well, so its not a showstopper for me either. Anyway, I will definitely check out UIUC as well. Thanks for the suggestions.</p>
<p>I lived in the midwest, though not in Iowa. I have traveled through Iowa and have some family there. It can be beautiful, but I wouldn't say that that is its selling point. Low cost of living, no traffic, decent salaries, decent social welfare programs, good public education and conservative social values are its selling points. Also, as is the situation in most of the midwest, the character of the area is friendly. The interactions that you have with supermarket checkers, department store clerks, and people of the like, tend to be less rushed and more chatty.</p>