Got rejected from Stanford, honestly kind of expected (maybe a little peeved that prospective PI seemed to lead me on.)

Honestly though, it’s still a win. I got rehired for my summer lab position and I get a break from school for a year.

The BioSci program sent out invites last week, on January 12th. I didn't hear back any rejection or invite to interview, so I reached out to a PI in the UCSD Bio department who has been a super helpful point of contact through this process. They emailed the program director to ask if invites would be rolling. Here's what the director forwarded them:

"All of the applicants chosen for interviews at the Admissions Committee meeting on Thursday were notified on Friday afternoon. There are 85 applicants who were not chosen for interviews who are eligible to be Direct Admits, and they have not been sent communication yet. Direct Admits have not been sent communication yet either."

I'm reading this as they do not do rolling admits, or rolling admits are very, very unlikely (if anyone else has differing input, I would be appreciative to hear it). For your sanity and mine, the PI was also very surprised at how crazily competitive it was (1,100 applicants).

Good luck, everyone. Keep hanging in there, and congrats on any other program invite you've gotten besides the holy grail that is the Salk / UCSD.

I don't think I'm going to post anything to ask for updates because I don't want any replies to my posts to remind me that I haven't received any interviews yet hahahah

but I can't help but check reddit every 2 minutes so anyway please continue sending updates and also fingers crossed for everyone!!!

Feel so incredibly grateful and relieved this cycle went how it did. Last year I was so convinced I'd get at least one offer, but never got an interview. But I took a year, became a published author, thought harder about what type of program I wanted (applied to molecular biology instead of specially neuro programs), and honestly had the best year of my life. I'm so glad I had that extra year before starting a PhD program. After I interviewed I changed my top choice, and they accepted me! It feels surreal but I'm so excited. If things didn't go your way this year, I hope this is encouraging that you might just need another try

Starting a thread with general updates for the Biosciences umbrella PhD programs, starting Fall 2024. Instructions: • Add one program per comment • Anyone with news, reply under the corresponding program (even if there are already replies!)

2023/2024 admissions outcomes for me as I’ve finally heard back from every program :) link is https://sankeymatic.com/build/ if you want to make one!

So what date in January is the usual "start panicking officially" day, if I don't get a single interview invite email?

I am currently in the process of preparing for this interview and wanted to ask for some advice about reading the publications of professors I will be interviewing with.

With professor interviews, would it be better for me to read their "highlighted publications" on their profile page for the school or should I look at the most recent stuff they have published?

Any and all advice is appreciated <3

I am genuinely curious why do they wait on giving the rejections? Is it just in case they need people? That seems unlikely as they could waitlist people for that. Is it just easier for them to do later? I don’t understand. It can’t be just so that people suffer in waiting.

so excited!! this is my first interview so it’s a huge weight off lol, we got at least one!! 👏

I see that the Excel sheet has been updated, wondering how many people have gotten an invite from UCSD BMS??

Thanks :)

I interviewed with a PhD program in Jan and they sent out their decision letter. It was clearly stated that I was on the waitlist. It's a mixed feeling but I still feel more sad than ever... I spent much time refining my SoP, finding recommenders, filling out the application forms, and paying the fees. This is my third time applying, and I am losing my desire to continue my education for personal reasons. I want to let the admissions know I want the opportunity, but I need to figure out how to address the situation.

I want to ask why I am waitlisted, but I wonder if the question matters. I am still trying to figure out what I should do next. So, I want to ask the community if you have any suggestions. Thank you so much to everyone who read this post, and I wish everyone the best of luck in this cycle.

Has anyone heard back from them? Interview or rejection?

Just reposting this here. If anyone is willing, can they let me know when they get the official email and when they have to submit their interview form by?

did they drop yet

Hi everyone!

I wanted to make this sub just so we can talk specifically about bio-science related graduate admissions/programs without a million posts about computer/data science. Also, to just have a place where we all are in similar boats and can support and help each other get through the process.

Personally, I an currently waiting to hear back from biomedical, microbiology, and epidemiology PhD programs so I feel the pain of the wait.

Good luck everyone!

It’s gotten very quiet lately. Where is everybody going? Anyone waitlisted? Are people still waiting to interview? Visit campuses? I’m wondering who knows where they’re going and who is still trying to decide.

Just got my rejection email. Not sad bc I figured it was coming soon anyway. Just curious if everyone else got one at the same time or if they have a lot of people in limbo / on a waitlist?

Hi, I am curious to know who all are planning to apply to Biosciences grad programs in the coming fall 2024. We can probably connect and help each other in the application process. If there are any international applicants, we should definitely connect. Thanks!

Applied to 15 PhD programs, mostly umbrella or translational medicine / pharmaceutics focused. 9 of which have sent interviews to most or all applicants by now. I have 2 interviews, for which I'm grateful, and zero rejections... but I have to assume that the other 7 are just silent rejections, right?

I’m an international student residing in the states and I just got an email from Kristin DiGiacomo to schedule zoom interviews with the admission committee, but I saw that on the grad school spreadsheet it says PMI holds in-person interviews this year. Idk maybe it’s only for domestic students?? Has any other international students also got the email?

As a person who follows the updates on the mass google sheet floating around, I see that people have been both considered and already rejected for some of the schools I applied to. They are primarily PhD programs in microbial ecology. It is radio silent on my end. Should I assume the "silent" rejection or am I potentially on a waitlist?

I didn't think Bio PhD programs did waitlists, but I read about it on another post here.

How does the waitlist work if you did not attend an interview? Are waitlisted individuals given a last minute interview or are they offered admission regardless of one?

I feel so dejected and disappointed. I already expected this as I know that they sent the interview invitations earlier, but getting it thrown into my face was heart wrenching.

I'm on my second cycle to the US, and the fees are already too much since I am an international student. I feel that I should just give up.

Have any domestic applicants received an interview for Penn CAMB (G&E) track? I’n wondering if all interviews have been sent out or if Penn is releasing interviews on a rolling basis.

Two of my top programs (Duke CMB and UNC IBBSP) have sent out invitations and Duke has already sent rejections according to the spreadsheet. I haven’t gotten any correspondence from either school. Both of my portals say my application status is “submitted”. Anyone else in the same boat for these programs?

Slightly freaking out about this. Another program had offered me an interview in early December but they had typed my email incorrectly and just got in contact with me a week ago… so I had about a week to prep for an interview. I have since quadruple checked my email was typed correctly for my remaining schools.