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.

test tube

Regarding what you might be asked during an interview, this thread was started under Social Sciences: I don't want to duplicate posts, but if anyone has specific linguistics-related questions that they were asked during interviews, please post them. (Anticipating possible interviews later this month!) Thanks!

OK, understood, and I know the feeling. As a parent you should definitely stick with childcare you are comfortable with. I like wildviolet's suggestion to contact current grad students or alums to discreetly ask about attitudes. You might be able to get in touch with another student-parent by asking the department's graduate secretary. You might be pleasantly surprised that they are supportive. If they are not, then make do with Skype, email and other resources. I am cautious when it comes to discrimination regarding having children. Attitudes will vary from dept to dept, school to school and especially by region of the country. Just my own experience in the Northeast, a graduate department may not be exactly family-friendly and profs will expect that you will give everything to your studies/research, while family takes a backseat. Bringing a child along and explaining that you are still breastfeeding might not be looked upon favorably -- you may be perceived to be a student with divided attention, limited time and less energy. Unfortunate attitude, but that is the reality in SOME places. There seems to be no ideal solution to your dilemma, but let me reassure you that having a family is not a negative factor! You have something wonderful to come home to every day.

die down

I second the good ideas given by TakeruK and MammaD above. See what resources are available on campus. If you don't have a friend or someone else who could watch your baby while you're visiting, another idea is to contact the campus job office (where students go to find on-campus jobs). You can post a job listing for a one-day babysitting gig and have them watch the baby nearby, so you could still nurse. Of course, it would be a relative stranger, which I realize is not ideal, but you could specify it would need to be a woman with experience and good references.

To me, it sounds like the POI is going to bat for you, so your job is to make it easier for him/her to convince the adcom that you are a good choice for the program. If you've done some research on the department and know the areas in which the professors work, your proposal should sound like it will fit in well with your POI and/or department strengths. If the title of the project was specifically mentioned, make sure it's a title that will get the adcom's attention and convey the gist of the research (not a vague or generic title). It's safer to assume that everyone is going to read it, so make it professional and well-written in an academic style. I agree that it sounds like good news. Best of luck to you!

Bone tired

Everyone's financial situation is different and I don't know yours, but you've come this far, why not do everything you possibly can to get an acceptance? I'd go for the interview, or at the very least do the Skype interview ASAP so you can gauge where you stand. Again it depends on your situation though. I realize there's a big difference between driving down from Canada and flying in from, say, Asia.

Fuzzylogician, regarding the interviews you had (that you mentioned in #1 above), do you remember what dates these interview requests came in? I'm specifically wondering if they'd do interviews in January/early Feb before finalizing their acceptance lists. Or did it seems like the interviews were for their shortlist applicants only (Feb and later)?

I hear you about kids' adjustment. It's been overwhelming to not only check out potential schools and departments, but to research the city/area, school districts, where families live etc. The grad student housing options provided by the university (even the "family" options) seem more suitable for families with infants/toddler age children, not older children. There are usually certain areas where faculty and staff live, but they are out of range of a grad student budget. Another concern I have is that most likely, I'll be relocating my family for 4-5 years, and then we'll be moving again when I find a job somewhere else. I've decided to focus on the positive side though. Kids are resilient, and I'm sure my kids will surprise me with their ability to adapt. Many university towns are diverse, with lots of interesting cultural, social, sports and arts-related programs for kids. Also if you live in the general area of the university, chances are many of the kids in the school will have parents connected to the university.