Chemical Forums
Specialty Chemistry Forums => Chemical Education and Careers => Topic started by: Berettagtz on January 06, 2009, 12:14:20 AM
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Instead of opening entirely new topic, we can just continue on this one. Let's hear where you applied to and where you got accepted.
I applied to:
Clemson, NCSU, U of Cincinnati and GA tech.
My original list included a lot more schools, but I decided to apply to only 4.
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Nah, lets do a new topic thread. :)
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I applied to Michigan, Boston College, IU, UCSB, Colorado State, and Purdue.
Friday I was accepted to UCSB and Colorado State...we'll see about the others. I hope others have similar luck. Also, put what area you want to study (if known). I want to do a bit of organic.
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here is my final list of schools I applied to: NCSU, GA tech, U of Cincinnati, Clemson and U at Buffalo.
I have yet to send the application fees and transcripts to UC, Clemson and U at Buffalo. I am applying to analytical chemistry program.
besides the normal encouragement to finish the applications, I haven't heard from any schools yet. The hardest part is waiting... ::)
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I applied to U of Chicago, U of Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue (both the Chemistry and the Pulse Program (http://www.gradschool.purdue.edu/PULSe/indexFlash.cfm)), and U of Michigan - Ann Arbor.
All of them for organic chemistry (the pulse program was for the chemical biology lab group).
I just got my acceptance letter from U of Minnesota.
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If you don't mind me asking, what type of organic do you want to study?
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If you don't mind me asking, what type of organic do you want to study?
I expressed in my statements a strong interest in natural product synthesis and drug development or at least medically relevant synthesis. Not so much interested in method development or new synthetic strategies, but more taking existing chemistry and applying them in new and interesting ways.
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I got an email from NCSU stating that their graduate committee is in the process of making their decisions. Hopefully I will hear again from them sometime this week.
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UIUC decisions are out:
http://www.chemistry-blog.com/2009/01/25/yo-dawg-i-heard-you-like-grad-school/
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Accepted to Purdue, and a friend also just heard back from Purdue, so other departments as well besides Chem are sending out letters. Got rejected from U of Chicago (is it improper to inquire about a rejection?).
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Accepted to Purdue, and a friend also just heard back from Purdue, so other departments as well besides Chem are sending out letters. Got rejected from U of Chicago (is it improper to inquire about a rejection?).
Seems unusual to do so.
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Hi, got accepted into Northwestern on Mon and Berkeley on Fri. Still waiting to hear back from Stanford, Wisconsin, UIUC, PSU and Toronto.
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If you don't mind, could you also specify how they contacted you (mail, email, phone).
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Both via email. Was pretty surprise I heard back so quickly since I'm an international student.
Mitch, I know this isn't your area, but how's the physical chem dept at Berkeley?
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Technically, I'm in the physical chem division. It is very good program. The one thing Berkeley doesn't have is an Analytical program, otherwise it is strong in everything else.
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Accepted to Emory, Princeton, Scripps and Columbia...still waiting on Stanford, UIUC and MIT but as it stands still gonna be a hard decision! :)
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Those are all good schools! What area of chemistry are you pursuing? How did they contact you about the decision?
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How did they contact you about the decision?
The schools I have been accepted to first sent me a email with the letter, and indicated that a hard-copy letter would be arriving in the mail. U of Chicago sent me a letter, no email for rejection.
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Got informed via email for all of them (just got one from UIUC actually) except for Scripps which was with a phone call and email later.
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Oh and I plan to do organic chemistry, specifically something in total synthesis...
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Accepted to Clemson by email! :)
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Rejected by NCSU >:( :(
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Sorry to hear that, have you heard back from the other schools?
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Is there anyone who is still waiting to hear back from schools?
I'm still waiting for UIUC :-\
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I am still waiting to hear from Buffalo and Ga tech. One of my recommendation letter for Cincinnati never made it so I had to resend it this week. Hopefully I'll hear from them next week.
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I am waiting to hear back from Michigan Ann Arbor
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I've already heard back from Michigan. Did you check your status online? Seems like mine was not updated...
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That's what I hear. I've talked to quite a few people who have heard back. The office said that everything is complete and is currently under review, which doesn't seem to bode well for me since seems most people have heard from them.
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I've heard back from SUNY Buffalo, NC State, U of Arizona and U of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Still haven't heard from U of Washington, Vanderbilt, or Georgia Tech. For Michigan, if you check your status and there is a link that says "view decision" next to "view application data" and "view credentials" then it's been updated. The department sent me a letter on Feb. 16 saying that they recommended me for admission and that the graduate school would be sending me something soon.They eventually sent me something on Feb. 23 saying that I was admitted.
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I've heard back from SUNY Buffalo, NC State, U of Arizona and U of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Still haven't heard from U of Washington, Vanderbilt, or Georgia Tech. For Michigan, if you check your status and there is a link that says "view decision" next to "view application data" and "view credentials" then it's been updated. The department sent me a letter on Feb. 16 saying that they recommended me for admission and that the graduate school would be sending me something soon.They eventually sent me something on Feb. 23 saying that I was admitted.
so I am guessing you were accepted into buffalo and NC state?? When did you hear from them and which branch of chemistry are you pursuing?
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Yes, I heard from NC State on Jan. 26 and Buffalo on Jan. 27. I am going for analytical.
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I applied to 4 schools in late February: Purdue, U of Akron, Wayne State, and U of NM. I haven't heard back from any of them yet, but I got an email from U of Akron saying that my application was passed on to the dept for review.
Do grad schools have a deadline by which they have to make a decision?
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Most grad schools are part of the Council of Graduate Schools, which lays down rules for how schools can accept or rescind offers.
You can read about what the deadline means at the two links (first is the general info, second is the FAQ).
http://www.cgsnet.org/Default.aspx?tabid=201
http://www.cgsnet.org/Default.aspx?tabid=206
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Yeah I still have not heard back from UM, Ann Arbor...is it time to throw in the towel?
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Yeah I still have not heard back from UM, Ann Arbor...is it time to throw in the towel?
I'm thinking about it myself
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So at this point, do you guys think that if we haven't heard from schools we can pretty much assume we are not going to get accepted at those schools?
I was hoping the least they can do is to send us an email saying we've been declined. But like this we don't know whats going on...
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Send them an email. Maybe you're on the waitlist....
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I am on the waitlist, but they said they would send offers (if any) after April 15th. Why would I wait out for them?
On another note...anyone finding it extremely difficult to choose between schools? I have no idea how to pick. I'm going over and over in my head. I'm pretty sure that I don't want to attend Purdue (Arun is the only person there I would like to work for) but other than that I finding it extremely difficult.
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Cheemistree, did you meet with Chmielewski? She is doing some pretty cool organic work that is a little different? What would you think about living at Purdue for 5 years? It's a school I am thinking about as well.
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I did not meet with that professor. Personally I do not want to live in West Lafayette for 5+ years. I'm going to be in the lab all the time so I might as well be able to see the mountains (CSU) or ocean (UCSB). I think Boston may be a bit too big of a city for me. I visit Indiana this weekend and I think I might like some people there. Bloomington is a bit better than West Lafayette right?
Anyone have any thoughts on the organic departments of CSU, UCSB, IU and Boston College?
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I worked at CSU's chem department a couple of yrs back. There is one organic chemist I know of who is active in Vanadium chemistry stuff (Debbie Crans). The others, I don't know too much about. I worked in the physical chemistry portion of the department.
On another note, I am going to be applying to chem grad programmes this fall. How likely do you think it is I can land at a good grad school if my cumulative GPA is a 3.75?
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GPA is a good start, what kind of research/internship/etc experience do you have? Do you have 3 professors (that's what all of mine required this past year) that you have a good relationship with that will write you good letters?
From what I gathered, experience and letters are a pretty important factor. Obviously if your GPA and scores are miserable then it will impact you, but I'm not sure at 3.75 is going to severely impede you.
Are you planning on taking the Chemistry GRE? You should figure out early if schools you're interested in will require it. If they do, you'll want to start studying so you can rock it. It touches on everything you've learned: general, analytical, pchem, inorganic and orgo.
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I am planning on taking both the GRE and chem GRE. I have letters lined up from 3 faculty members. 1 letter is from the professor whom I worked for at CSU. At CSU I studied the physical dynamics of the LH receptor. The work may be published, I don't know at this point. My top choices are University of Washington, or Northwestern. I want to study physical chemistry. Is that doable?
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Totally doable. Northwestern accepted me for physical chemistry with a 3.70 cgpa. My GRE scores weren't that hot and I had no publications.
However, you may want to apply to a couple of safe schools just in case... NU told us that they accepted 35% fewer students this year and may do the same next year
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I was planning on applying to some safety schools. Thanks for the info. I am having trouble finding information on the GPA's and GRE scores of students accepted to various programs. Does anyone know where I can find that?
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Couldn't find a website when I applied. I ended up emailing some of the departments to ask for averages. Cornell and NU directed me to their websites. Stanford emailed me with these scores: 3.7 GPA, 636 verbal, 774 quantitative, 5.0 analytical writing, 805 chemistry subject exam.
I'm not sure if this is helpful but getting profs who are alumni of the schools to write your recommendation letters may help... Of course you must have worked with them/aced their course etc.
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Any other tips for someone applying to graduate school?
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Spend some time studying for the GRE chemistry
I spent 6 weeks and it definitely wasn't enough. Also, don't underestimate the importance of the GRE general.
State clearly what you are interested in (laser spectroscopy, mass spectrometry etc) and try to tie your interests to the interests' of the school's faculty members.
I was advised to do so in my statement of intent by some of my profs. Was also told to mention about 3 names (just in case two of them are not taking in new students)
Can't seem to think of anything else to say... Is there any other specific questions that you may have?
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Talk to who you want to work with ahead of time. Its a waste to go to a school only for its name and not for the research you want to do. Convince your prospective supervisor you would be an asset and they can usually grease the gears of academia.
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If I were to take two courses, I could go to UIUC. Somehow astrology (as a QII course) is relevant to being a bio major *sarcasm*. The other course would be a non-western course (I took world religions; UIUC didn't call it equivalent -- pricks; it was taught by an Christian priest for God's sake. *irony*). World religions and philosophy in general are nice to know when talking about contemporary/moral issues in biology.
Think I should take them to go to UIUC?
I did apply, and I was sent a rejection/apology letter in the mail.
Other than that, I was sent something by MIT and told to apply.
It was a... what's that called... fortune teller. Some silly oragami fortune teller.
To say the least, I wanted to burn it or eat it. I wasn't sure what to do with it.
It seems like the only reason that place is around is because of mobocrats and government investment.
Technically, even if I took calc and physics, they wouldn't let me in because I'm beyond sophomore year.
Same thing for UofC. I wouldn't be able to afford UofC, and it kind of personifies the lack of religion and morality in the midwest with many of its students spouting atheistic propaganda.
Northwestern would make me retake courses, which I don't feel like taking second semester English again: It's all subjective *insert expletive*.
I sometimes wonder if I should try to raise my standards above UIC. The school is in the ghetto. Lots of violent muggings. Loyola Chicago accepted me, but it's got a 20% graduation rate, which is disturbing.
Personally, I don't really like how the public educational system is working. There is too much bias with diversification of funds. It all makes me want to move to California.
What bothers me is that even at undergrad, it seems like there isn't too much research to do until you cover the basics. I guess I could sit around watching lab mice do funny things. But I might not be able to do a toxicology report on them.