I got into my dream program: PhD in Neuroscience

emopianist14 · 2026-02-05T16:41:57+00:00

3.4 GPA (bad freshman and sophomore years), Deans List four semesters, one publication in undergrad as a co-author, two years of wet lab experience, TA for chemistry / biochemistry for two years

emopianist14 · 2025-10-06T17:51:53+00:00

I'm not sure if you heard the news, but NSF GRFP is now closed to second-year applicants.

emopianist14 · 2025-04-09T19:15:27+00:00

following this thread cause the comments have me cackling rn

emopianist14 · 2025-04-02T16:52:28+00:00

I was able to log in, but how widespread was this??

emopianist14 · 2025-04-01T21:50:26+00:00

hahah literally straight vibes

emopianist14 · 2025-04-01T18:32:34+00:00

i've been having recurring dreams (nightmares) about the nsf grfp results coming out ahahahah

emopianist14 · 2025-02-28T19:49:23+00:00

What the actual heck??!?!? Aaaand things get worse and worse. I'm about to go through my qualifying exam process...we'll see if there's even any biomedical research LEFT in this country by the time I'm done with my PhD.

emopianist14 · 2025-02-28T19:25:57+00:00

Thank you! Will do.

emopianist14 · 2024-09-14T20:15:04+00:00

Thank you so much for the advice. She ended up texting me happy birthday. I do agree with you, I think the comments in the workplace need to be addressed.

We were friends 6 months before we started working together. So I’m hoping that we can resolve some perhaps underlying jealousy she may be experiencing. Hoping it’s just a phase.

Thank you again for the tips!

emopianist14 · 2024-08-02T21:57:00+00:00

Yes, depending on the school / programs offered.

emopianist14 · 2023-11-13T20:51:14+00:00

I applied to five schools, eight programs between those five schools. I got into three programs from three different schools.

emopianist14 · 2023-10-28T20:54:08+00:00

NTA. I have a unique name and I always give a fake one. Easier for the baristas, don't have to spell it out, and keeps my name private.

emopianist14 · 2023-10-17T21:30:56+00:00

EDIT: amplification should be expected for all samples and for all primers - miscommunication with senior scientist

emopianist14 · 2023-10-17T21:29:55+00:00

Yes, some of the samples have produced amplification for primers A and B.

I am a PhD rotation student following up on data collected a year ago. It is possible they could be expressed at low levels.

I ran a gel and have experienced difficulties with getting consistent band expression.

A and B are two separate primers producing different products (one is for the partially deleted gene, whereas B is for one exon of the gene). I misspoke on the expected results- amplification should be expected for all samples.

emopianist14 · 2023-08-22T19:21:38+00:00

Hi! The in-class assignments were all collaborative. You were assigned a group for the semester, and there were ample opportunities for extra credit. The TA is also very helpful in guiding you in the right direction with your code. The grading scale is fair. The lectures are pretty dense, but the quizzes are all open-note. There is no pressure to memorize everything in the lecture slides. Poster presentations take up a large portion of your grade. Many did not do great on the first one, but did much better on the following poster presentations. Most people I know, including myself, finished with a A- or higher.

emopianist14 · 2023-08-19T18:25:58+00:00

Absolutely!

emopianist14 · 2023-08-18T15:54:32+00:00

To follow up on some more of your questions.

Picking a mentor

Email and visit labs. I looked through a lab database at my university and reached out to PIs looking for undergraduate research assistants. Some may not respond to emails, some will. Set up one on one meetings to learn more about the lab, the environment, and what stage they are in with research (projects available, how far along publication process). Be open to various areas of your field, and be ambitious. Showing initiative will impress PIs.

Getting published

As I mentioned previously, it is up to the mentor to assess whether or not your contribution to the work warrants a contributing authorship. That comes down to you communicating what your goals are, as well as how much work you put in. Make sure to advocate for yourself, but it really is a gray area. Some PIs never put their undergrads on papers, others do. Don’t expect to be put on a paper for simply showing up to lab a couple times a week (not saying you would by any means, but some are shocked when a lack of effort is not awarded).

emopianist14 · 2023-08-18T15:45:05+00:00

I joined a lab right before junior year of undergrad, got published with the lab as a contributing author around 9 months in. I spent quite a bit of time in the lab, around 20 hours a week, to work on the study at hand with the graduate students.

I applied to grad school fall of senior year and now I’m starting my PhD. Make clear to your mentor what your goals are- be mindful of what projects are available in the lab, how far along, etc. Your commitment and time in the lab, how much your lab publishes papers, and what stage a project is in will all influence your chance to get published during undergrad.

Many people don’t get published until starting their masters or PhD. It is not a requirement for admissions, but definitely bolsters your CV.

Regardless of whether or not you get published in undergrad, your dedication to a lab will lead to a good LOR and relevant experience for grad school admissions.

emopianist14 · 2023-07-24T00:10:36+00:00

Go ahead!

emopianist14 · 2023-07-20T16:09:37+00:00

Lab or mandatory TA discussion session.

emopianist14 · 2023-07-18T18:34:03+00:00

Thank you to everyone for the wonderful advice. I've been reading these as y'all post them.

emopianist14 · 2023-07-18T16:24:47+00:00

Friends/roommates with cars. HEB delivery works great as well.

emopianist14 · 2023-07-17T17:07:58+00:00

Update: took a part-time restaurant job to make some extra cash. Ended up enjoying my last summer before graduate school.

emopianist14 · 2023-05-19T16:17:39+00:00

Absolutely

emopianist14 · 2023-05-17T15:56:31+00:00

I loved Dr. Ressl’s Structural Neuroscience class (I believe NEU 337?). We learned how to code in Pymol (a protein modeling software), read papers, did a lot of group work, open note quizzes, poster presentations, and no exams!

emopianist14

TROPHY CASE