APPLICATION TIPS

1.     Start early! Make sure you allow enough time to obtain your transcripts and format your CV. Computer systems can go down at the last minute, or people can be out of office. You don’t want to be scrambling at the last minute to prepare these materials.

2.     While you aren’t required to use the CV template provided (available here), we ask that your information be presented in the order indicated in the template. This format is standard for scientific CVs, and you can use it for future applications to internship or graduate programs.

3.       Please provide a .edu email address in your application, if possible, and be sure to check messages at the email address you provide. Our initial contact with you will be via email. You wouldn’t want to miss out on an internship because you didn’t see a message from us!

4.     Request recommendation letters early, ideally 1-2 months ahead of time. Be mindful of the winter holiday schedule—some faculty may not be checking their email during this time. Remind your recommenders again 1 month and also 2 weeks ahead of the deadline. It’s not rude. Just respond to your initial email, thank them again, and ask if they need anything. If you feel comfortable, you can send them your resume and/or your transcript and/or your answers to the essay prompts.

5.    If you’ve worked on an independent research project, please provide a recommendation letter from the faculty member whose research group you worked in. If you worked closely with a senior lab member, you could ask this person to contribute to the letter. We’re really interested in hearing about your aptitude for research, so this letter will be a valuable addition to your application.

6.       Essays #1 and 2 are a chance for you to tell us what types of science motivate you, and how you think about scientific questions. We’re interested in hearing about what scientific questions you’re excited about, what sorts of approaches you like to take to address them (do you want to study biology in a tube or in animals? Do you want to work with organisms or algorithms or both?), and how you envision integrating concepts from math or physical sciences into biological research. We are not looking for evidence of technical skills. We want to get to know you as a budding scientist who will solve the next big problems in the world!

7.     If you are invited to interview, congratulations! We hope you enjoy interacting with our scientists. Relax and enjoy the conversation. Do be prepared to discuss your research. Remember that you may be talking to scientists whose expertise is far outside your own. We recommend that you practice explaining your research projects to peers and mentors both within and outside your field. This will help you feel calm and confident during the interview, and will help ensure that your work is appreciated by diverse audiences.