URGENT- Desperately need advice on whether I'm applying to the right grad schools!!!

Graduate School
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I'm a 4th year student doing my M.S. in Biological Sciences from BITS Pilani (India), which is ranked 7th among the top colleges here. I would be applying to grad schools this year for a PhD in Neuroscience. My GRE score is 1550(750-V & 800-Q) & 4 in the AW section and my net CGPA is 7.94/10 & major year CGPA is 8.6/10. I’ll be taking the TOEFL in this July.</p>

<p>As far as research is concerned, I've done study oriented projects on "How mutations in p53 gene and proto-oncogenes cause cancer" & "A study of the role of adhesion molecules in causing organ failure in severe P. falciparum infection." Also, I've had 50 days training at 'Orchid Biomedical Systems', Goa, studying "One step membrane and Elisa based tests for Fertility, Infectious diseases and Parasitology" besides completing 4 purely bio-lab based courses.</p>

<p>So taking all this into account, what are my chances of getting a PhD in the following universities with full funding?</p>

<ol>
<li>John Hopkins University (JHU)</li>
<li>University of Wisconsin- Madison</li>
<li>Bayor College of Medicine</li>
<li>Vanderbilt University</li>
<li>Purdue University</li>
<li>Univ. of Colorado -Health Sciences Center</li>
<li>SUNY Stony Brook</li>
<li>Univ. of Pittsburgh</li>
<li>Texas A&M University (TAMU)</li>
<li>Univ. of Rochester</li>
<li>Clemson University</li>
<li>SUNY Buffalo</li>
</ol>

2

<p>It’s impossible to chance applicants to PhD programs because they’re not as numbers based as undergraduate admissions and a lot rides on how your research fits with a given department/advisor. With that said, you don’t have any obvious red flags and it seems you’ve done all the right things (i.e. research experience, decent GPA) so you have a chance everywhere.</p>

3

<p>VO is right about things being difficult to gauge, particularly for internationals. You really aren’t going to have any luck with Vanderbilt but you probably will have terrific luck with UCHSC. Vanderbilt gets insane numbers of applications from China and India and accepts almost none. UCHSC (btw it’s no longer called that, its now UC Denver) doesn’t get that many applications and has a tough time filling their ranks from domestic apps.</p>

<p>You might find that private schools are a bit more friendly towards international students than publics are.</p>