languages-etc

I wasn't sure whether to post this question under Advising or Bank, but I think I'd like to hear from linguists more than grad students in general, so here's my question: I'm a first year PhD student and I'm interested in researching a particular language and its related languages -- let's call it Basque and Basque-related languages. (Would rather be sort of anonymous here.) I'm pretty sure the reason I got accepted to my school, which is super competitive for someone like me who didn't major in linguistics, is because of my interest/experience in Basque, and my previous experience living in the Basque area. And my advisor has been doing work in Basque, so he probably pulled for me during the admissions process. One more note: my advisor doesn't speak Spanish, but I speak it fluently and would be able to travel around to do research quite easily. I will be applying for various funding/grants on my own, to do fieldwork. However, given that my academic background was in a slightly different (but related) field, I realize I am not the strongest candidate for some of the larger grants. I think if I applied for something with my advisor as a co-researcher, I'd have a much better chance of winning some of them. I've heard of cases where the faculty member was listed as "primary" and the grad student as "secondary" researcher, and only the grad student traveled to do the actual fieldwork. How do I approach this with my advisor, whom I've known for only 2 months now? Does anyone have experience with this sort of situation? Is it usually the faculty member who initiates this sort of joint project? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Des Grieux - congratulations!

Don't try to cram or learn new material. But some people say that an hour before the test it's good to "warm up" -- do a few medium-level Q questions, give yourself a writing prompt and practice making an outline within 2-3 minutes. You might have heard this already, but if you need some extra time to gather your thoughts/stretch/sneak a snack, when you begin each section, the first screen is the "Instructions" screen, which asks you to click "Continue" or something like that. This screen is not timed, i.e. won't take away from your 30 minutes. So you can leave the screen up while you rest a few mins.

chamber orchestra

If you have been practicing the quantitative for awhile and don't seem to be improving: 1) First ask yourself: do you have the basic mathematical knowledge and skills under your belt? Do you know immediately (without having to look back at a crib sheet) how to figure out things like percentages, mean-median-mode, probability, area and volume of different shapes, properties of triangles and the angles of other shapes, ratios, how to multiply and factor polynomials? Are you comfortable with reading graphs, reducing fractions, finding LCD etc? 2a) If you aren't comfortable with the basics, then it might not improve your score if you're just doing lots of practice exercises. First take time to get the basic concepts down well. Not everyone can learn math on their own -- so perhaps a math tutor could help for a limited time, within your budget. They'd be teaching you a very limited range of concepts for the GRE, so a few sessions might make a big difference. 2b) If you're very comfortable with all of the basic skills required, then it's just a matter of learning the test. What I mean is that the GRE questions are predictable: the quantitative section always has the same types of questions which you should expect to encounter. As others have said, practicing a lot helps, but more than just trying to plow through dozens of problems, read the answer explanations thoroughly. Also, try to figure out for each type of problem, what the best strategy for that type of problem is. Again, not everyone can learn math on their own, so a course or tutor might help here also. That's my 2cents. During college, to earn extra income I taught for one of the major test prep companies. Keep in mind -- test prep courses vary a lot -- those that just have students do lots of exercises are not as helpful as those that teach strategy and understanding how to score the most points within the time you have. Good Luck!

bomb squad

DeeGripp - I'd say to continue, unless you are heading to a really dark place where your mental health is at stake. I say this because you have a mere 4 months left, and at the end of that you will have a degree and be able to say to yourself that you stuck it out, despite the terrible situation. Later, explaining why you have 2 degrees is easier than explaining why you dropped out of a program. Look at the positive side, you now know what you want to do (Advertising), and you can develop a plan during these next few months to pursue that direction. Good luck!! ===== btw, fuzzylogician, I consider your English to be native-level, even if another language is your 'first.' Without needing to know your personal bkgd, your family/parents or education or some other combination of factors has given you amazing language ability! (Yeah, linguistics helps too.) During my many years of working with foreign/international students, they've always said that N. American students who are native speakers are not as intimidating as some non-native speakers who are amazing at English! Just adding that as an interesting perspective that I hadn't considered before. (Sorry for being a bit off-topic here.)

In this situation it's really your relative who is losing out -- perhaps even being taken advantage of. If it is one of those for-profit universities, her degree won't be worth much after she graduates and she really doesn't have the knowledge and expertise that a doctor of philosophy in her field should have. I feel sorry for her. That being said, she WILL have a PhD, and she DID do the work required by her institution, so I'd try to be gracious and not say anything negative about her. Most people who have not been through the PhD grind won't understand the difference between her degree and a research PhD, and you'll sound petulant. You can just clarify that you're going for some very competitive programs where they actually pay you to attend.

There have been many posts related to the GRE in this section, so you should just read through those for suggestions and tips. For a first step: Buy a GRE practice book/CD (such as Barrons) or download the free materials from the ETS. Take a practice GRE test, using the time limits as the actual test. Then score yourself, and you'll have a better idea of which kinds of questions you answered incorrectly, and need to study more.

Some good suggestions here - I also recommend teaching English abroad, which can be exciting and a great adventure (but only if you like to experience new cultures, foods and places.) Have you considered going to night school to obtain a professional certification? You wouldn't have to go too much into debt if you are working at the same time. Nurse, paramedic/EMT and X-Ray technician are jobs that come to mind but there are lots of others too. Of course, this doesn't include the "travel" part that you mentioned, but it will get you out of the bank and into a more interesting career. Like you, I'm returning to school a little later than other grad students. Please don't think 30 is old - you are still young. You have so much time ahead of you, and from what you've said you're smart (summa cum laude) and responsible (holding down a job for 7 years). So please don't be afraid to try something new if you don't like your present circumstances.

Since the law campus is in Queens (not Manhattan), I wouldn't recommend living in NJ unless you had a very good reason. It's too far and there's no reason to do that commute when there are many decent neighborhoods in Queens. There is a range from quiet residential areas to artsy neighborhoods to dangerous/not nice places too. I have been to Queens often but have never lived there, so I'll let others comment on specific places. Yes, NYC is expensive in general, but in my experience, it's most expensive when you first arrive; you don't know where to find affordable grocery stores, restaurants, furniture, used books, happy hours, etc. It takes some time to know where to shop, but you'll figure it out after awhile. If you're into music, there is always something going on here. If you like diversity, ethnic food and energy, it's a great city!

Third rail

HeadCold, do you annotate a lot on Notability, and if so, do you use a stylus? Also, do you use dropbox or something similar for all your files?

Married with kids here also... I've decided that if I get any interviews (pre-acceptance), I will treat the professors as job interviewers, and talk only about my research, academic interests, etc. Just as in a job interview, I wouldn't volunteer info about family or anything personal, unless directly asked. Of course, do not lie to people whom you may spend the next 5+ years with. srkr, I'd go with the conservative advice in 1). Later you might find out it wasn't necessary to be so cautious, but that is better than the opposite situation. If you meet other students during a visit they might be a good source of information about the attitude of the department towards students who are married and/or have a family. Also, one graduate school website (not the dept, but the university site) mentioned special provisions for students who adopted or had a child during their program (1 semester leave) and extensive links to parent resources and benefits for spouses. To me that was a good sign.

I've never heard of a request for a video statement before! The positive side is that you can do it as many times as you need if you make mistakes, and upload the one that is the strongest. What I would do is to ask a good friend (whom I feel comfortable with) to stand behind the video recorder and ask the questions, so I could speak naturally to a real person. Just make sure to be professional and clear. Good luck.