TheFez

I couldn't live without a printer.  It's one of the top priorities for me. 

 

In our first year PhD program we had to read about 10-15 articles a week, plus more for research. 

 

I hate reading electronic PDFs. I like to make manual notes and highlight.  So I print a lot.

 

I have purchased two HP B&W laser printers on eBay for around $30 each.  I have one at home, and one in my office at school. Even though we are on a networked department printer/scanner - I am so glad I have my own printer in my office.

 

Often the printer at school is down (it's a Kyocera that is always having trouble) and it's slow with printing PDFs. The faculty grumble when a student is delaying their copying because we are printing off our papers. So during prime time - I print in my office.

 

Amazon has refurbished toner cartridges for less than $15. It's worth the cost.

Everyone here is so much nicer than me.  I must be taking crabby pills.

 

As a PhD student who teaches - it sounds like a nightmare for your profs.  You said you F-d up, but now are trying to hunt down any point you can find or negotiate. What happens when you find every legit point and come up a little short?  I would hate having a student putting me in that spot.

 

Second, a B- average would be on the cusp of failing out of grad school where the work will be much harder. So you might want to find a more successful strategy to assure doing well if  you get in.

You can address your GPA if you have something persuasive to say. If there is some extenuating circumstance that led to your low grades (e.g. illness, or other hardship). If it comes across as a weak or feeble excuse for just doing poorly - it will hurt more than help since you could be using the SOP to make a strong case for why your coursework does not reflect your true potential.

Oh, and then of course there's the girls.

How odd... a professor was reluctant to write him a LOR. Go figure.

It's "rabid" dog - as in a dog infected with rabies. Not rapid dog.

You are in the wrong place... this is a forum for grad school topics.  Do a search in JSTOR.

1. If you want to go into academia then you must have a PhD

2. If you don't then it's probably not useful.

3. You should have a very strong desire to do research and to be an academic. At many schools that means also teaching.

That's it.

"Because I am to smart to work...."

That's to too funny.

Posts like this always leave me scratching my head.

If you are applying for a PhD in CS at a top school like Harvard or MIT don't you already sort of know the answer...?

Of course you run a risk of losing a Top 14 slot since the competition changes, funding changes, the decision makers change.

There's also an odd lack of weigh to the original post.  I agree that finding a mistake in a problem (perhaps one of zillions who found that same error) doesn't belong in the same zip code as having published in several fields... assuming this is in legit journals and you made a significant contribution to the papers.

Talking about writing ACT math problems and teaching SAT students only calls into question why you only got a 160Q on the GRE -- so better to avoid that IMO.

Your chances are 65.3%

Seriously... how can we answer that with the scant info you have provided.  I suggest you go to URCH (Test Magic's) econ forum and post your full profile there for better evaluation.  Unless you are  looking for folks to comfort you because of a mediocre GRE-Q score which the Grad Cafe folks do a pretty good job at.

LOL... These GRE discussions attract some goofy discussions.

OF COURSE what matters are percentiles - since you are trying to find the best candidates.

AND OF COURSE percentiles are directly related to the numeric score - that's why ETS has been struggling to fine tune the percentiles associated with different scores. In fact the old 800 point system as revised, in part, to provide more granularity to the high end.

And people should quit bitching about the GRE.  It's a reality. And it's actually a useful tools since without some standardized test of some sort you cannot compare "apples to apples". But a score is just another expression of a percentile. Most people who complain about the GRE are not those with high GRE scores.

And - what many students don't want to face is that a good GRE score can be achieved with some effort AND THAT is part of what the score reflects to a smart Ad Comm.  A student who doesn't have top ability and doesn't practice or study for the GRE will not do well. But even a limited ability student who applies themselves can score in the 80+ percentile.  SO the GRE is a signal of how well a student prepares.

The Top 10 Reasons Why I want a PhD:

1. So I can play doctor with girls.

2. I have this cool frame that a diploma would fit perfectly in.

3. I have 5 years on my hands with nothing else to do.

4. I like getting student discounts at the movies and on magazine subscriptions.

5. I am addicted to the Grad Cafe and it would be weird to lurk here without being a grad student.

6. I spent $160 on the stupid GRE exam - so I am pretty committed financially.

7. I really wanted to be a post-doc but they told me I need to be a doc first.

8. I look really good in a six-cornered cap.

9. I thought a P.H.D. stood for a Pizza Hut Driver

10. I did it for the health insurance.

These days most schools prefer, and some schools mandate, electronic submission of letters.  In the case of hard-copy letters, it is more customary for the Professor to mail the letter directly to the school - but it's not uncommon for them to give them to the student in a sealed envelope, signed across the flap.  This is the way I did it to better manage the process - since I read too many horror stories about missing LORs.  But make sure you fill out and sign the waiver form that is common with hard copy letters.  Sections of those forms are for the professors to fill out and sign as well, and then include with their letter.

Who knows?  Probably not.  But if you are asked for a reason I would come up with a better explanation than "I was bored".