mentioning PI alma mater(s) in application?

[autocrave]

At an interview this week, I overheard an applicant saying that he listed in his secondary the credentials of the PI he does research under - as in the PI's undergrad, grad, and probably postdoc institutions. I asked him why, and he told me it was because the institutions were T20s and adcoms wouldn't be bothered to look it up themselves. Is this something I should have done on my own app? I've never heard of anyone else doing this, and it honestly seems vaguely gunner-y and immature to flaunt a PI's credentials like that. What say you, pre-med forum?

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[Microbug]

that's so extra and unnecessary

 

[Goro]

I can't imagine that anyone would care about this, and I agree that it would probably generate a negative effect.

 

[BombsAway]

"My PI can beat up your PI"

 

[HomeSkool]

At an interview this week, I overheard an applicant saying that he listed in his secondary the credentials of the PI he does research under - as in the PI's undergrad, grad, and probably postdoc institutions. I asked him why, and he told me it was because the institutions were T20s and adcoms wouldn't be bothered to look it up themselves. Is this something I should have done on my own app? I've never heard of anyone else doing this, and it honestly seems vaguely gunner-y and immature to flaunt a PI's credentials like that. What say you, pre-med forum?

It's ridiculous and you shouldn't do it. It's the professional equivalent of saying, "You better be nice to me because my dad is really important!"

 

[autocrave]

Good to know I didn't screw up, haha. Maybe if would matter if the PI was from the same institution that person was interviewing at?

 

[HomeSkool]

Good to know I didn't screw up, haha. Maybe if would matter if the PI was from the same institution that person was interviewing at?

Still a shameless and sycophantic thing to do.

By the way, if you interview at the University of Michigan, I recommend against citing any personal connections to UM alumni Jack Kevorkian and Ted Kaczynski.

 

[autocrave]

Thanks for your advice, everyone. I'm not doing as well as I had hoped this cycle and I'm getting to that point where I'm starting to think too much about what I could have done better. Here's hoping I snag that guy's acceptance from him.

 

[altblue]

Still a shameless and sycophantic thing to do.

By the way, if you interview at the University of Michigan, I recommend against citing any personal connections to UM alumni Jack Kevorkian and Ted Kaczynski.

I mean it'd help him stand out...

 

[DameJulie]

I used to think that having a professor who graduated from the same university that the one I am applying to to write me a LOR, but turns out that didn't help at all.