<p>I know it’s super late to be doing this, but I’ve been going back and forth between a few different home programs, trying to decide which to list as my top choice. I had to let my letter writers know a while ago which program I chose as my first choice, and all of them have submitted their letters already. However, I’m having second thoughts and want to change the order of the home programs that I originally selected.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t think that this would be a problem unless any of my letter writers mentioned the program that I named as my top choice before. I feel like there’s not really enough time left now to ask them either, especially if they would then have to change their letters (if that’s even possible).</p>
<p>There’s a section on the app where you can explain your choice of home program. So, if I do keep my top choice the same, would it be okay for me to say that I’m also very interested in another home program? Or would that be a red flag?</p>
<p>Also, one of the programs I’m considering lists an undergraduate physiology course as a requirement. I haven’t taken a physio class yet, but I will be taking one next quarter. Would my application be disregarded just because I haven’t taken this one class yet?</p>
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This wouldn’t be a problem.</p>
<p>It’s my understanding that your top-choice home program gets your application first, and can decide whether to invite you for an interview or pass your application on to your second choice. So it’s most likely that you would get an interview from your first-choice program or no interview at all, but it’s not a problem to be very interested in more than one home program.</p>
<p>Oh okay thanks! So many of their home programs overlap so I’ve been having a hard time choosing one over the other. I guess I can relax a little more now. :)</p>
<p>you can be interested in more than one home program, but your application will only be reviewed in depth by the top choice. they will be the ones who interview you, and should you find your interests change before the interview itself, you will be out of luck. </p>
<p>so if/when you get the interview and the choice of which faculty you want to speak with, you might want to choose the ones who have joint appointments in the other program you’re interested in. this way, if you don’t get in, you can have a case to switch your application over to the other department for a shot at admission. the interview / admission process is not really as flexible as they make it seem, which if played the wrong way can backfire on you.</p>
<p>my source for this is a faculty advisor at stanford, current students there, and a friend who was in the same situation that i described above and had to apply twice to get in because his application procedure was mishandled by his home program choice. just be a little careful.</p>
<p>Oh…so it’s unlikely that I could get an interview from my other choices? :(</p>
<p>In that case, I’d prefer to change my top choice now, but how do I explain it if one or more of my letter writers mentions my original top choice by name in their letter? I imagine it would look bad if one of my letter writers says I’ll be a great fit for program X if I listed Y as my top choice…</p>
<p>you have to remember that each program has to invite people to interview almost independently. therefore, if your top choice decides not to interview you, your second choice will have already sent out invites. as i was saying, the flexibility of the home program choice comes in during interviews / admissions…if your top choice doesn’t accept you, your application can be passed on to your second choice and they might accept you instead. but again, this only works if you interview with faculty affiliated with both programs so that they both get to know you in order to accept you. play it the right way, and it can work.</p>
<p>if i were you, i would stick with the home program of your interest that accepts the most people. especially since you can work with anyone at stanford anyway. i had the same difficulty when deciding which program to apply to.</p>
<p>Oh okay that makes sense…Well would you happen to know whether molecular & cellular physiology or chemical & systems biology accepts more students? They have roughly the same number of faculty so I’m guessing they’d probably admit around the same number too.</p>
<p>cancer biology admits a lot then hopefully? looong list of faculty</p>
<p>From what I’ve heard, you will have the most success in applying to Stanford Biosciences if your application is focused, even though you can list multiple home program preferences. If your application shows good fit with one program in particular (especially your first choice), then you stand a better chance of receiving an interview offer than if you tried to “broaden” your essays/interests to fit all your choices.</p>
<p>I suspect that, if your LORs and your essays convey different programs as the one most in line with your interests, this is an inconsistency that could hurt your chances. If you decide to keep your essays focused on your “old” home program of top interest (and therefore increase your chance of receiving an interview offer from them), you can then attempt, as rocafella said, some post-interview offer negotiations.</p>