<p>to roxannecellbio:
I say that to myself every day… waiting and waiting and waiting…</p>
<p>Every weekday, when 5pm rolls around, I just sigh and hope I’ll hear something the next day.</p>
<p>Acceptance from Cornell (Ithaca) BMCB - no interview</p>
<p>I’m international.</p>
<p>beemeaw, no interview?! wow! Cong! I am international too…</p>
<p>Acceptance! Weill Cornell (Pharmacology deparment) by email! =)</p>
<p>Hey All, </p>
<p>I’m curious to hear your opinions on this. I have narrowed down my list of programs (all Neuroscience PhD) to three schools, all of which are top-tier. The third school offered me a one-time “merit scholarship” for $6000 on top of a stipend of $28,000 and subsidized NYC housing. Now, I’m broke as all hell, so keep that motivating factor in mind, hah. The other two schools all have similar stipends, plus the standard $2000 incidental academic expense thingy, and one has the name-brand Ivy classification in it’s favor. I am curious what options I may, or may not, have on seeing if the other two schools may offer a similar package if I inform them of the third’s offer. </p>
<p>Specifically, I do not think it would be appropriate to directly ask them if they can match the third schools offer. But perhaps it would be acceptable to say something to the effect of “I have received a financial offer that is difficult to turn down” and see if they can take the hint. Then if they want me there enough, they have an opportunity to at least put something out there. </p>
<p>Is it completely inappropriate to inform the other two programs, either directly or indirectly? Or is this a standard aspect of the grad school admissions process? Any thoughts welcomed.</p>
<p>Looks like pharma acceptances are rolling out already… buckle up guys! I’m personally waiting to hear from their immuno and PBSB depts.</p>
<p>QUESTION! What is considered “top tier” school as far as PhD goes?? This is a question I’ve asked myself many times but I’m just not sure… is it the US News ranking that makes it “top tier” and if so, what number and up would be “top tier”?? A friend of mine who has been accepted to a number of law schools told me that for law school, top 100 or something crazy number is considered “first tier.” I canNOT imagine that to be true in the case of biological sciences. Please enlighten me if you know the answer! :)</p>
<p>I, too, would be interested if someone has experience in getting a school to improve their financial aid offer based on the offers other schools have made. I’ve gotten a fellowship offer from one school and I would like to try to leverage this to get a similar offer from my top choice program.</p>
<p>I’d like to know what is considered a top-tier program as well. I want to have my own lab one day in a very strong school so I’d like to know what is “acceptable” for my goals?</p>
<p>@drugs- you have never had a salary negotiation before have you? Google salary negotiation and you will find tips on how to do this right. You should express sincere interest in the program and let them know the other institution’s offer and see if they can match it.</p>
<p>anybody else hear back from Weill Cornell yet?</p>
<p>also, anybody waiting to hear from UW Seattle??? :(</p>
<p>Hello all,</p>
<p>I guess I am done with this process as I have received my last official acceptance today so I will post my stats for future individuals.</p>
<p>Applying to Phd programs in Microbiology
Applied: Duke, UNC, Harvard, Vanderbilt, U Michigan, U Minnesota, Baylor COM, UTHSC Houston
Rejected: U Michigan, Harvard (I think)
Interviews: Duke, UNC, Vanderbilt, Minnesota, Baylor, UT Houston
(I declined all but UNC, Duke and Vanderbilt)
Acceptances: Duke, UNC, Vanderbilt
Attending: Duke</p>
<p>UGPA UW Madison 3.3 in Bacteriology
GGPA U Colorado 3.7 (a few classes in micro and immu)
Research experience- 3 years as an undergrad, 4 years after undergrad
2 publications, 2 in submission/press, Conference presentations, Poster session awards, published abstracts, </p>
<p>If i can offer one piece of advice to future applicants- make a real effort to check the publication records of the labs you are targeting. That turned out to be a deciding factor for me.</p>
<p>Re Patches post, <<a friend=“” of=“” mine=“” who=“” has=“” been=“” accepted=“” to=“” a=“” number=“” law=“” schools=“” told=“” me=“” that=“” for=“” school,=“” top=“” 100=“” or=“” something=“” crazy=“” is=“” considered=“” “first=”" tier.“=”“>></a></p><a friend=”" of=“” mine=“” who=“” has=“” been=“” accepted=“” to=“” a=“” number=“” law=“” schools=“” told=“” me=“” that=“” for=“” school,=“” top=“” 100=“” or=“” something=“” crazy=“” is=“” considered=“” “first=”" tier.“=”">
<p>I can’t answer for your specialty, but I can answer for law schools in a way that may be helpful for biostudents. There is no way that the top 100 law schools would be considered first tier by almost anyone in the legal profession. The correct answer to your question depends upon what you mean by first tier. If you mean, “Is this law school arguably the best in the country?”, then the answer is probably around three (Harvard, Yale, Stanford). If you mean, “Does this law degree allow me, depending on other factors, access to the slots that stress credentials?” (such as Supreme Court clerkships, law professorships at such schools, etc.), then the answer is probably more like 10. If you mean, “Does this law degree allow me to get a promising job in the field afterwards (meaning with a big time law firm) assuming I do a reasonably good job there?” then the answer is probably around 25.</p>
<p>What your friend was probably answering was, “Does this law degree allow me to get into the profession at some level afterwards?” That answer is probably around 100, but that’s not my definition of “first tier.” That’s more my definition of places that are worth the time and money required to go there. </p>
<p>Anyway, my definition of first tier is the answer to the second question I listed above, but different people use the term differently. You have to ask yourself what YOU mean by first tier and whether it really matters to your future prospects whether you go to a first tier school or not.</p>
</a>
<p>belevitt, I take it you heard back from Duke today? Congrats on the acceptance! I’m driving myself crazy waiting to hear back from Duke Genetics, so hopefully today will be my lucky day too.</p>
<p>Congratulations belevitt! I hope to make a similar post in a few weeks as I am waiting for my last program to get back to me…</p>
<p>@Patches</p>
<p>What program at UW-Seattle were you waiting to hear from? I’m headed there for an interview weekend next week for Pharmacology. I know that their Neuroscience program has already had their interview weekend and sent out pre-interview rejections.</p>
<p>Patches, I heard back from UW-Seattle the following week after I interviewed for MCB. I interviewed on 2/11.</p>
<p>To Biopatentlaw, thanks for your answer!
I know that for life sciences it matters MOST what LAB you work in rather than what school - but the reputation of the department does matter a little bit unfortunately. In the end though, I guess you’re right, all that matters is what’s important to ME…</p>
<p>** UW Seattle **
I went to interview for their immuno program this past weekend, and LOVED it! NIURO, best of luck on your interview, you’ll love Seattle! If anyone hears back from UW immuno, please post here. Thank you! :)</p>
<p>@belevitt or anyone else</p>
<p>Have you actually done this negotiating with grad schools or heard of someone successfully doing it? I’m in the same situation.</p>
<p>Recruitment weekend starting this Thursday (Pharmacology)</p>