<p>I am an international student from Guatemala, I will get my undergrad degree from University of Idaho in molecular biology and biotechnology with a minor in computer science.</p>
<p>I will graduate next year and I will have 2 years of research experience working in labs at my university and 3.61 accumulative GPA. My major's GPA is 3.67. I think I can get a couple of good recommendation letters. I have not taken the GRE yet. I have 5 W's and I retook 4 of them getting A's.</p>
<p>I would like to know what I need to get into a good PhD program. And how likely am I to get into a good PhD program in biotechnology or something related with the things I mentioned before. </p>
<p>I would also like to know how beneficial it would be to get a master before applying for a PhD program. I was also thinking about getting a master in Germany or Japan. Would it be better to get a master from one of those places than from a college in the U.S.? I want to get the PhD from the U.S.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help!!</p>
<p>If you ahve research experience and good GRE scores then you should be able to get into a Ph.D. program. In Biology, departments sometimes like to see applicants with a M.S. so it is possible, depending on where you apply, that a Masters is a good idea to do first. I don’t htink it matters where you get the Masters as long as it is research based.</p>
<p>As for getting into a good school, no one can really tell you your chances. Graduate admission is very individualized and they will admit applicants who are the best fit as well as being academically strong. Instead of focusing on rankings to decide where you want to apply, start by thinking about what area of research you are most interested in and then choose your schools based on that. I think that your minor in computer science is a plus in biology.</p>
<p>The W’s certainly won’t help. Also, most students who pursue a PhD go straight from the B.S. If you want to get a PhD in biotechnology, I’d recommend applying to programs directly for a B.S. -> PhD route. Like xraymancs said, graduate admission is very individualized and will depend a lot on your experiences as an undergraduate as they appear on your CV. Your GPA and good rec letters will go a long way.</p>