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dat_nerd

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Everything posted by dat_nerd

  1. I want to learn how to build stuff I'm planning to (in the not-so-near future) build one of those tiny, 200 sq ft houses. I don't know how though... Any ideas on where I can take classes or learn where to start?
  2. It really varies by field. In computer science, I usually go for a casual button-up and jeans. I second this. I've started keeping a blazer in my desk drawer, just in case.
  3. Last year, I got a separate decision letter from each program at CMU.
  4. Interesting! I hadn't heard of that. What research field are you in?
  5. Leaving for a software engineering internship is, in my experience, uncommon. However, a summer research internship is not uncommon at all. Most students in my program are advised to intern at a research lab at least once, maybe twice, over the course of their PhD. If we're not interning during the summer, then we're either teaching or continuing research. It's a good question to ask your advisor -- how frequently do they recommend that you intern? Or, if you're not attending a PhD program yet, ask students at the schools you visit. They can give you an idea of what's expected at their program.
  6. Working on my first grad school conference submission. The deadline is in a week. Commence panic?

  7. I really don't recommend this! When I was waiting to hear back from schools last year, I saw that a lot of people were starting to get acceptances to a particular school I had applied to. When the week ended and I didn't hear back, I sadly assumed I had been rejected. Much to my surprise, I got my acceptance letter from the school a few days later. Moral of the story: It isn't over until it's officially over! Stop reading into the results page listings. Your application is rejected only when you receive an email from the school, and no sooner. Also, some people like to post unofficial acceptances to the results page. This is misleading and panic-inducing, so take everything you read on the results page with a grain of salt.
  8. 1. In my experience, very few CS programs conduct formal interviews. Some POIs may have informal interviews with individual applicants, but even that is not always the case. 2. No, schools are only just starting to send out acceptances. I estimate that you'll hear back from most schools within the next month. Edit: Are you applying to a PhD or MS program? I only have experience with the PhD admissions process.
  9. Some ideas: Apply for internships at a research lab; volunteer or intern at a professor's research lab; or work on a personal research project with a faculty mentor.
  10. Exactly. The excuse for avoiding exercise that I dislike the most is "I never have the time". Free time doesn't appear out of nowhere. I have to actively put aside time to exercise, sometimes at the expense of a half hour of work. It is much more important to keep your body healthy than to get that extra bit of work done. If all else fails, just substitute Facebook time for exercise time. Even 15 minutes a day keeps you active and keeps the stress down.
  11. I like to view exercise as a stress reliever rather than an obligation. Grad school is so much easier to manage when I make the time to de-stress, even if it's just by playing racquetball after work/classes.
  12. I don't have any advice to give about quitting smoking, but I wanted to chip in and say that I'm proud of you. I've had several family members who couldn't pull this off (or only quit for a short amount of time), and are now having to deal with the heath consequences. It takes a lot of persistence to quit like you have. Keep it up! When I'm dealing with a mental block, I like to buy a latte from the coffee stand downstairs and walk outside for a bit. It's nice to think about simple things like the weather and what coffee I should buy. When I get back to work 5-10 minutes later, I feel refreshed and ready to tackle whatever research problem I was dealing with.
  13. dat_nerd

    Blazers

    I got a nice one at Burlington Coat Factory. Cost was $30 with a coupon, it fits perfectly, and there were plenty of options.
  14. It's impossible to tell without knowledge of your qualifications or experience. Ask a trusted professor or advisor within your university, since they know more about your background and can read your statement of purpose.
  15. Often times, you'll need to have fulfilled a certain list of required courses before being accepted. For many top-20 programs, you'll need a lot more than two CS classes to start working on a MS. However, some programs do not require a CS background, such as this one: http://www.cis.upenn.edu/grad/mcit/ Do you know which programs you'll be applying to?
  16. I think that list is a bit dangerous. Everything looks fantastic!
  17. These are great for when it's late and you just realized there's a [fellowship app, class paper, research presentation] due in the morning. What are your favorite microwave-food "recipes"? I haven't tried these yet, but they look great: http://prudentbaby.com/2012/01/entertaining-food/2-minute-french-toast-in-a-cup/ http://fullthymestudent.com/1-minute-microwave-quiche-in-a-mug/
  18. I agree that these are the right qualifications for a top-3 school applicant. However, this is not necessary to be admitted to a top-10 school. More important are that you have any research experience (preferably at least a year), an excellent SOP describing what you did and what you learned, experience with communicating your results, and other people (recommenders) who are also willing to write positively about the quality of your research. It makes me sad to think that publications are necessary to be admitted to graduate programs. A publication may give you a better chance at being admitted, but I do not believe it to be a necessity. This was my biggest weakness during the application season, as I did not yet have any published papers, but it did not seem to raise as much concern with the admissions committee as I had expected.
  19. How is everyone's new semester going? I find winter break to be an awkward time span -- it always feels like too little time, but it's just enough that I have to get back into the swing of grad school afterward. I hope you all had a great break!
  20. Of course it's possible, but you may need to do some additional preparation before applying. It'd help to know why you're applying to a CS program in the first place. What CS courses have you taken? What program (MS or PhD) are you wanting to apply for? What research area are you interested in?
  21. Haha, it turns out that it works the other way too. I just moved to the South, and people here seem to think the US consists of the "South", the "North", Texas, California, and maybe Seattle.
  22. Agreed. I was referring more to a best-friend relationship like the OP had originally asked about.
  23. I don't see why they would worry. I took classes at a community college for over two years, and no concern has been raised whatsoever. Just make sure that you submit transcripts from each college, if asked.
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