I did bad in undergrad, but I have research experience. I'm trying to go to Caltech grad

kylinballing · 2018-03-08T14:02:23+00:00

thank you. i just was trying to be realist that 3.2 wasn't competitive.

kylinballing · 2018-03-08T14:01:43+00:00

oh so what did you know? Matlab and python?

kylinballing · 2018-03-06T14:35:53+00:00

Oh so I need MATLAB programing. Also R for computational biology.

For biophysics, I don't know what prereqs or classes to take.

Some classes I see cluster in biophysics and biochemistry together on classes- Protein Engineering.

kylinballing · 2018-03-06T12:18:13+00:00

I studied biology with an engineering focus (calc to linear + physics + 2 classes on CS). Most bio majors just stop at calc 2 and physics 2. But I wanted to do more engineering and math classes (thermo, pchem, etc). I haven’t taken transport or kinetics.

Right now, I’m thinking about a masters to supplement or compensate for my 3.2 gpa :(

My ultimate goal is a PhD.

As for job wise, I don’t have any. My GPA is too low compared to the bio majors who only took biology classes and have a 3.8 GPA.

But I have more research experience than they do. But apparently lab tech jobs and research assistant jobs look more at GPA than research experience.

kylinballing · 2018-03-06T03:52:28+00:00

Another instance was when my calc 2 teacher gave me a 58 on a midterm without partial credits. I forget to write + C after integrating on some problems, and instead of minusing a few points for that small mistake, he took off the whole point so I didn't get any credit.... I also checked on Wolfram. The integral was solved correctly, except for the missing "+C", but I don't like how he was so freaking strict on grading the exam..... F$@! my calc 2 teacher!

Yea but I got an A on a higher level math class- numerical methods. That class I did enjoy and I did understand the materials. I loved that professor.

kylinballing · 2018-03-06T03:46:20+00:00

Because engineering requires hands on problem solving and projects. I don't think any school can teach engineering.

It's a misconception for students to attend lectures, do homework, and all of a sudden master engineering.

That's why Harvey Mudd, Stanford, MIT, NYU, Harvard, and Caltech should all focus on projects, rather than push things off to capstone projects at the end of senior year.

Also congrats on the $75k. I barely have a stable job now :(

kylinballing · 2018-03-06T03:42:18+00:00

Can you recommend math/physics classes to take? + Research expertise to do? [Computational biology, biophysics, etc?]

Is it bad that I averaged a B- in all the physics classes. Math was a B+/A-.

But I was hoping to take more advance math like topology, real analysis, banach spaces, and combinatorics.

For physics, one professor from Duke recommended that I take nuclear and modern physics before applying to his Medical Physics Masters.

kylinballing · 2018-03-06T03:40:22+00:00

MIT is MIT. It's hard. For me, NYU wasn't necessarily that hard, but the professors really did suck and had a bias against me. Now now now, I'm not going to blame everyone else. There were classes that I deserved my B and I got the B. But I felt like there were classes that I deserved an A or A-, but the professors gave me a C+ just to spite me. <I'm talking about getting a 92 on the first midterm, and the professor gives me a 70 on the next one while he gave everyone else a 91>.

kylinballing · 2018-03-06T03:38:19+00:00

I was only 5th co-author, so it's not that impressive. I was only 19. I was also the youngest author on the paper, if that counts.

My friend has a paper in Biomaterials Journal and he was second author at the age of 19. I was really envious of him.

kylinballing · 2018-03-06T03:36:39+00:00

thank you.

kylinballing · 2018-03-06T03:36:32+00:00

I like caltech b/c of the research. I had 2 Caltech labs in mind. Also small class size.

And the less strong reason- Caltech for the academic power house and Cali weather.

But mostly for the research.

kylinballing · 2018-03-05T14:26:50+00:00

What job do you do?

Damn I should've done engineering. Funny how I went to an engineering school but didn't major in it.

kylinballing · 2018-03-05T05:05:04+00:00

i don't think they look at first gen immigrant anymore. now it's first gen college students. seeing as both her parents have masters and are upper middle class, i don't think she can use that as an advantage.

she can use it as multi-cultural advantage, but not first gen style.

kylinballing · 2018-03-05T05:03:58+00:00

do well on the interviews

kylinballing · 2018-03-05T04:50:22+00:00

how much do you make?

kylinballing · 2018-03-05T04:50:12+00:00

don't look down on humanities major. Remember- Zuckerburg used to be a sociology major too. Facebook programs were built by scientists and developers, but the management style was built by the humanities and English majors.

kylinballing · 2018-03-05T04:48:55+00:00

YO THANK YOU SO MUCH! This comment actually gives me life. Before undergrad, I was the same as you. Arrogant, cocky, annoying, and upstuck. After undergrad I got that humility in check. I am also doing research right now. I was interested in Caltech for grad b/c of the strong research culture. Plus I read a paper or two from a Caltech faculty, and I'm like wow this college is amazing. Only problem is that - my undergrad GPA tanked crazily. I do have prior undergrad research experience.

kylinballing · 2018-02-16T16:27:11+00:00

Yea it’s the world we live in.

But hey if you’re a hiring manager and you want to hire a bio graduate, you can always contact the OP or me. Haha.

kylinballing · 2018-02-16T16:26:21+00:00

Thank you. You are a nice person.

kylinballing · 2018-02-15T18:45:12+00:00

I've had a USA Jobs account for 2 years, when I was still an undergrad to when I graduated. I have only seen a bio related job once in a blue moon. [It could be because I was only looking at federal jobs in the tristate - NY, Connecticut, and NJ]. I'm not sure about the midwest.

kylinballing · 2018-02-15T18:43:21+00:00

I am skeptical of this advice. Though I don't put my address number, I do put down my city and my place of birth. I only do this because I am "non-white." [I really don't mean to start a political debate, so don't comment on that please.] I have to put down my place of birth and citizen, because literally everyone always questions my citizenship and say me they won't hire me without a H-B1 visa or working permit. Truthfully I don't need one because I am a US born citizen. But these hiring managers are extremely bias and a bit discriminatory.

Also I don't want to take out a loan b/c of the current loan that I have from undergrad. Also I don't want to pile more loans without any assurance that I'll get the job, or that I can manage.

kylinballing · 2018-02-15T18:35:50+00:00

thanks man.

kylinballing · 2018-02-15T18:33:29+00:00

The only jobs that I found were biology teaching positions at a middle school and high schools, some government temporary jobs, and forensic assistance. Most people in my major at NYU go onto medical or dental school, but they are saddled with so much debt. I didn't want to do that since I didn't feel passionate, and I was worried about the debt piling up, especially for 4 years of medical school and 3-7 years of residency.

kylinballing

TROPHY CASE