[hamsterdog]

Yes, I heard from NC State on Jan. 26 and Buffalo on Jan. 27. I am going for analytical.

[msbenzene]

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?

[macman104]

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

[Cheemistree8889]

Yeah I still have not heard back from UM, Ann Arbor...is it time to throw in the towel? 

[macman104]

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

[Berettagtz]

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...

[theo]

Send them an email. Maybe you're on the waitlist....

[Cheemistree8889]

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. 

[macman104]

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.

[Cheemistree8889]

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?

[Wildcat08]

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? 

[macman104]

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.

[Wildcat08]

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?

[theo]

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

[Wildcat08]

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?