<p>Hello I want to get into a PhD program related with Biotechnology, Tissue Engineering or something related to that. Next semester is my first semester as senior (7th semester). I will be working full time with a professor this summer in a plant virology lab as a research assistant. My major is Biotechnology and Molecular Biology and I'm trying to get a minor in computer science. Below is a draft of my transcript with my previous grades and the classes that I am planning to take. My current GPA is 3.40. </p>
<p>I want advice about how can I improve my chances of getting into a good PhD program or if I am even able to do that. I am worried about my C's and W's. Any advice is apreciated. The classes are separated by semester</p>
<p>Chemistry 111 (A)
English 101 (P)
ISEM (B)</p>
<h2>Calculus (A)</h2>
<p>Biology 115 (A)
Chemistry 112 (B)
English 102 (A)
Survey of music (B)</p>
<p>At this point, your grades are set - don’t worry about them. They are what they are; you cannot change them. (You do have quite a few Ws spread out over three semesters; my first question is why? I think adcoms will wonder that, too. The answer I assumed is that you overloaded yourself too much and ended up having to drop something. I mean, in your fourth semester you were taking 7 classes not including the lab. But, like I said, there isn’t anything you can do about that now, so don’t waste time worrying about it.) A 3.4 isn’t too terribly low - it’s high enough, IMO, that with an otherwise outstanding application you can gain admissions to some good schools.</p>
<p>Is this summer your first research experience? If it is, you are not a very competitive candidate - the most competitive college seniors have typically started doing research by the end of their sophomore or beginning of their junior year in college. If you started research in your junior year, you might be ok.</p>
<p>At this point, here’s what you can do:</p>
<p>-Do very well on the GRE. The GRE is the least important part of your application, and a good GRE score doesn’t outweigh a bad GPA (not that yours is bad at all). But it is a somewhat important part, and you should aim for high scores.</p>
<p>-Begin drafting a personal statement over the summer so that you have time to refine it. Get feedback from professors and colleagues in the field so you can make it good. Fit is the most important criterion for applications; a good fit can overcome an average GPA.</p>
<p>-Solicit recommendation letters from professors who know you well and ideally one or two who have supervised you in research. For example, make sure you do excellent work this summer so that your summer supervisor will write you a glowing letter.</p>
<p>Hi Juillet! Thank you very much for the information. I was also thinking about doing research in two labs on each of the semesters that are coming. In that way I could have worked in 5 labs. Do you think that’s a good idea? In addition since I don’t have many classes left I was thinking about taking some easy classes just to improve my GPA. However I cannot improve my major’s GPA that much because I don’t have many classes left.</p>
<p>You are likely looking at a Biomedical Engineering program. One of the challenges for you is that you have not had as much Calculus as an Engineering major usually takes. This might hinder your application if the programs you apply to are set on a more engineering-like background. I agree with @juillet that a strong GRE score, particularly in the quantitative section, will be of use. When you apply, make sure you take a careful look at the admission requirements for the programs you are interested in and see that they match your academic background. </p>
<p>* Hi Juillet! Thank you very much for the information. I was also thinking about doing research in two labs on each of the semesters that are coming. In that way I could have worked in 5 labs. Do you think that’s a good idea?*</p>
<p>No, actually. Longevity in one lab is better than hopping around to different labs. You get to do more advanced tasks when you stay in a lab longer, not to mention that you foster a closer relationship with a professor who can write you a recommendation letter. I think it would be better to join a lab in September and stay with them through May.</p>
<p>Remember, though, that if you apply in the fall what you do in the spring won’t go on that application. And if you just start with a professor in the lab in the fall, you can’t really get a rec from that person for a December application. They won’t know you well enough. But they can be a good source if you have to reapply in Fall 2015.</p>
<p>In addition since I don’t have many classes left I was thinking about taking some easy classes just to improve my GPA</p>
<p>Don’t do this. Grad admissions committees don’t just look blindly at your GPA. They request your whole transcript, and they see all the classes you take. If you do decently well as a B+ student in difficult classes and then all of a sudden your senior year has like, I don’t know, intro psychology and poetry for non-majors it’ll be very transparent what you are trying to do. Grad professors like to see students who challenge themselves and largely succeed at those challenges. IMO you are better off getting a mix of As and Bs in really difficult senior-level or even graduate-level classes than getting straight As in basic classes in your senior year.</p>