althonse

Hey everyone! I've been browsing this forum for a while now, and just decided to make an account because....well it's time.

I'm feeling kind of bummed about the GRE, just took a practice test. I got 152 on quant and 154 on verbal, which I looked up translates roughly to 670 and 520.

I'm wondering how this, along with other things, will impact my chances at getting into a top 5 or 10 neuro PhD program.

Here's some info about me. I go to Lehigh University, I'm currently a rising senior Behavioral Neuroscience major. My GPA is 3.72, it's been going down recently, but I've pretty much gotten all A's in my bio and neuro courses. I've been working in the same neuro lab since the beginning of my sophomore year, including the summer after sophomore year. Right now I'm working a summer position in a neuro lab at Harvard Medical School. I think this is the strongest thing going for me right now. I am learning a lot, doing well, and should get a decent letter of rec out of it, and hopefully a publication too. Aside from that I don't have any publications.

Anyway, thanks for listening! As I said earlier, I was feeling pretty bummed about my low GRE scores, and am hoping it wont hurt my chances too much. Also I have considered doing a technicianship, but it's a fallback option for if I don't get into where I'd like to go.

pumiliod

neuroscience programs are quite competitive (e.g MIT BCS 40/400 receive offers), so any factor that is a weakness is a reason to keep you out. If your LORs are stellar, you may have a chance at a top 10, but 700+, if not 750+, on quant seems pretty standard for admissions to top 10 schools. I find it quite odd that you cannot get that score, considering your high gpa.

Elanorci

How long have you been in the HMS lab? I find it strange that you'd get a publication after just one summer - but if you've been there for multiple summers, it would make more sense.

althonse

Thanks for the responses!
To pumiliod:
I have a good relationship with my PI at Lehigh, as well as my current boss, so hopefully I will have some good LORs. I also thought I would be able to break 700 easily. However, it's possible that I am just rusty. I took Barron's diagnostic test a few days prior, and scored about 100 points lower on quant (old scores). This was the first full length practice test that I took (Kaplan), so hopefully I will keep improving.

To Elanorci:
I've just been there this summer, since the start of June. I think one of the reasons may be that I am working directly on a graduate student's project. However, the word hopefully is key. This is going to be the grad student's last year, and he already has a first author paper, so I'm not entirely sure if he's definitely going to try to publish again.

Also I forgot to mention that I'm graduating in December, and might be asked back to work here during the interim. Though this shouldn't really affect my application, right?

summerchica

What is the hms summer program like and what is the application process like? I've been interested in applying for it for a while since I'm majoring in the stem field and go to school right by there.