<p>I am applying to Neuroscience Graduate Programs, I currently have a 2.9 GPA from UCLA, 1 and a half years worth of research experience (in Behavioral neuroscience, UCLA is ranked number in the field, i dont know if that is a positive for me?) extra curricular leadership experience. I don't have any publications yet but I am working on two projects that I will be able to get first author credit for according to my PI. Unfortunately that wont be until after applications. I just took the GRE and got a terrible score of 690 on the Quant and 500 on the Verbal. I was wondering if I should retake the GRE to strengthen my status as an applicant or do I still have a chance otherwise? </p>
<p>Would I have a chance at schools like NYU and UCSF (or UCLA) with these credentials? If not, would you recommend any match and safety schools that have relatively good neuroscience programs? Thank you!</p>
<p>I think most programs require at least a 3.0 to even considered your app and since you dont have that you definitely cant afford to have a poor GRE score.</p>
<p>You might want to pursue a masters first, getting a great GPA and continued research credits plus proving you have grown up from the time you got the 2.9 and that you know what you are getting yourself into with a PhD.</p>
<p>Neuroscience can be approached both from the psych and bio sides, so you should begin looking for your area of interest and your fit. My DD has both a BS in Bio and BA in psych, but found the best professorial fit in psych PhDs, thought skills from both areas are required all the time. It is all about fit and the PI having confidence you are prepared and ready and have investigated your options. A 2.9 is low for most graduate programs, you would likely be admitted to the masters probationarily and with no up front funding, but may be able to attain funding via TA/RA/tuition remission once you have proven yourself.</p>
<p>If you do apply file FAFSA in January to reserve a spot in line. My DD got the first ever graduate work study at her masters school because she applied early before the funds were gone. Most matriculants did not complete the FAFSA until they were admitted and chose their school. It was a huge financial help as she was hired as an RA for work that she would have had to volunteer for without the WS.</p>
<p>I forgot to add, that I am also a Gates Scholar so I actually already have funding for graduate school, both masters and PhD upto 5 years of it. Would that be a big positive for my application, since the labs wont really have to worry about funding me? And if so, how would I highlight that in my application?</p>
<p>I dont know what that scholarship is but some admissions committees might look at your app and see good research and this scholarship and your low GPA will probably raise a red flag. Is there a reason your GPA is low? Is your major GPA better?</p>
<p>Your GPA is very low. Without the funding your probably would not be considered, but the funding will probably change this. I would call some programs (I did this and what they said was accurate) and apply broadly.</p>
<p>This is the gates millennium scholarship, from the bill and melinda gates foundation. To be completely honest, there isnt any real reason for my low GPA i was just very stupid scheduling 18 units every quarter and trynna do too much, even though i knew that I am just not that great of a test taker. I cant really make an excuse for that :/</p>
<p>Ah, I thought that particular scholarship was only for undergraduate study. Sorry for misunderstanding. The Gates Foundation also has a graduate scholarship for a non-UK student to study at Cambridge, commonly seen as a competing scholarship to Oxford’s Rhodes Scholars program.</p>
<p>You will definitely get a bump due to having your own funding. Include it both in your statement of purpose and in your r</p>
<p>Would you guys recommend retaking the GRE on December 1st (the earliest i can retake it) considering that the application are due December 15th. Would that particularly help improve my chances much? Or should I just go with these stats and apply broadly, as everyone has suggested? Would applying to around 15 schools be enough with maybe around 8 schools similar to Baylor in terms of acceptance rate?</p>
<p>Being that you will be funded, althou it’s better to double check your policy–they don’t have minimum GPA requirement? 3.0 is usually a cut-off line for many scholarship recipients</p>
<p>I’d say apply more schools, top schools are not lack of money, they care more about the quality of their students</p>