Neuro PhD - How competitive am I?

Neuro3582
Wed, 01 Jul 2015 15:16:20 +0000

Overview:

Double major Neuro and Psych - Major GPA (combined) ~3.5, cum GPA - 3.18 at a strong science liberal arts school. Rising senior applying for Neuroscience PhD programs. Schools I am applying to - Drexel U, Temple U, PSU, U of Vermont, U of Minnesota, and maybe a couple others around the same tier.

C+ in cell bio and genetics (freshman and Sophomore year); I didn’t study as much as I could have, it was my fault. I received an A- in my Psychopharmacology (400 level), and an A in my Cellular Neurobiology course (400 level) which is what I want to get a PhD in - these were taken my Junior year. I have taken more rigorous neuroscience and biology courses, and I did well in all of them except with those two bios. Freshman year screwed me over.

Since I received A’s in my 400 level biology/ BCMB courses, will this make up for my freshman year bio flaws? My lowest Neuro grade was in cognitive neuro with a B-, but that was Sophomore year. My upperlevel neuro courses I did much better in.

Experience (as of now) - 1 year of full-time research in a psychology lab (Only did it my Sophomore year), 1 year full time in my Neurobiology research lab on Parkinson’s disease. I am currently working over the summer on this project and I am also a mentor through a program funded by an HHMI grant and will graduate with 2 years of research in this lab. I also have 2 years full-time research in a neuropsychology lab (continuing it my senior year so I will graduate with 3 years in that lab), and starting my senior year I am conducting research in an organic chemistry lab on carbonnanotubes.

I have overloaded every semester since my sophomore fall semester, and have on top of a full course load done full time independent research in two labs at once. I work 3 jobs as a tour guide, a Senior Fellow (I interview prospective students interested in the college and give them information about the school as well), and I am the Dispatch Associate of our Campus Safety office (I train the other dispatchers and review our procedures and fix them). I work very closely with the Deans of the college, and all three of these jobs show a strong level of independence and leadership. Additionally I am an executive board member of a suicide prevention organization on our campus, and co-founder and co-president of the Neuroscience Club. I am also recruitment chair of my fraternity. So yes I have a lower end GPA, but on top of my hard classes taking 16 credits a semester, I am working simultaneously in three separate research labs on 4 projects in total, working three jobs that all involve me representing my college in a professional manner, and I am on the executive board for the two clubs, and serve as the recruitment chair for my fraternity. I don’t like to brag, but there are very few students at any campus that can handle all of this at once. Will this make up for my 3.18?

I was accepted into a summer research program which I currently am at, and I also was accepted to serve as a mentor for a community college student. I am working all three of my jobs on campus this summer too while spending 37-40 hours a week in my lab studying Parkinson’s disease, and studying for the GRE’s. On my first diagnostic practice test I scored a 153Q, 153V and 4.5 in writing, which are just above the averages.

Do I have a shot at getting into my PhD programs I want, or really any PhD program? I have shown a STRONG upward trend in my classes, but my C+'s are worrying me. I got a D+ in my Organic Chemistry class too, but it’s not all that relevant to neuroscience, and the psychopharm course which was more BCMB oriented in I did well with. I did poorly because I wasn’t interested in them until I decided I wanted a PhD in a neurobiology and mentally I was not okay my Freshman year, but I hate making excuses. My three LOR’s will be very very strong, and I interview very well. I appreciate any input you have, thank you in advance!!!