iphi

Well it's really the amount of time you have left until apps close, not open! I don't know much about biochem, but I would say with the competitiveness of the programs you'll be applying to it wouldn't be a bad idea to try to boost your quant score. If the rest of your applications are perfect then I would say focus on the GRE aggressively. Otherwise fix the other parts of your application and then come back to the GRE if you have time.

No idea which ones, but I would assume they recruit heavily from UWashington. Microsoft seems to own half the surrounding area!

Yes! Write and re-write your SOP. Change it for each school if you have to. There should be at least one paragraph that differs for each school saying why you are interested in their program specifically. You may also want to emphasize different parts of your background/experience for different schools. I re-wrote my basic SOP about 12 times, and then had different ones for different schools. For you I would suggest explaining how your experience with your MA in Ed Psych led you to School Psych. It sounds as though with your experience you should do very well! As for the GRE you can have "score selection" which allows you to choose which set of scores you send to schools. So study and re-take it if you want, and there's no pressure if you don't do better than the last time around.

It is probably a bit too early to start emailing. I would wait til mid-September/a few weeks into that school's semester. They're often busy and not as responsive to email in the summer. You don't want your email to get lost! Also, it's 6 months until they'll see your application... you'll want them to remember you. I would, however, encourage looking at departments and POIs and determining your fit so that you can have a shortlist ready for the fall.

Amazon will rent them for a smaller fee than anywhere else I've found. But they're usually for one term (August or so through December) with each additional week costing extra, so I would look into it now but wait to actually rent until closer to the start of term. Also, if you're willing to go the slightly shady (legal-wise) route, you can look for torrents of ebooks. eta: you can also email your professors asking for their syllabi. That way you can see how often they use the books. If it's just one chapter or a central text, etc. Keep in mind that some books you may really want to purchase if you plan to stay in your field. You can also contact someone else in your program (preferably one who lives nearby) and see if you can split the cost of renting or buying books.

Can't you just email the professor you'll be TAing for? When I was just talking to a prof (before I accepted) about TAing I got the syllabus and all the info about it that they had. It was nice to know what I'd be getting into.

Just want to say to check the weight of the backpacks! I just bought one (by Jansport, but not the common looking ones ... hatch something?) and I got it because it has a laptop compartment but it's still so light! When I was in the store looking at backpacks it seemed like most of the ones I would try out seemed as though you were already carrying weight when it was still empty. I figured there was no point in my getting an ultra light computer if my backpack would add on the pounds anyway.

Not sure what you're looking to find here on this forum. I guess you could try posting this under Research. Otherwise isn't there a professor or someone you could discuss this with who could at least point you in the right direction? I'm just afraid you won't find what you're looking for here.

Why don't you write to them (or call) and explain the situation, ask for a deferrment due to special circumstances, and if they say no then tell them then you will have to withdraw from enrollment.

First of all, breathe! If you're like me you will feel less anxious if prepared, so I suggest that you do the following: 1. Think of likely questions they will ask you. These include: "Why did you choose this field?" "Why this school/program?" "What do you want to do with this degree/Why the PhD?" "What are your research interests?" "Tell us about your experiences/what makes you qualified for this?" "What are your strengths/weaknesses?" You can also look up situational interview questions for job interviews, as some wil ask you those. 2. Run through a mock interview either with yourself in a mirror or with a friend. It can be as simple as you asking the question and then answering it back. 3. Don't be afraid to take time to answer. They understand that you need time to arrange your thoughts. 4. Have a list of things about your background/experience/whatever that you absolutely know they need to hear. Something that sets you apart, yor good/unique skills, etc. and work them into the conversation/your answers. You can physically cross them off the page (since it's a phone interview) as you go if you want. 5. Have a list of at least 10 questions you want to ask them. This is crucial, and often overlooked. I say 10 because it is likely that some will be answered over the course of the conversation without you asking them, which may cut down on the number you have at the end. 6. Relax, and smile! Nervousness will show in your voice. Smiling makes you sound more cheerful and will slow down your speech (in a good way). 7. If you're like me you will have a scrap paper to doodle "fuck!" and other expletives on when things don't go well. Good luck!

Hm, did anyone know about this site when applying? I feel as though it may have been helpful! Also, where is everyone ending up in the fall?

The most likely places are business schoos, if he's interested in that. I believe Scandinavian countries and also perhaps the Netherlands may have undergraduate courses in English. You can of course get a full immersion experience in Quebec if you so desire. Just be aware that the further away from Montreal you go (and you will hear a lot of English in Montreal) the less the language will sound like the French you know!

Yes, you should probably work to get your quant score higher. The rest is good enough.

Why can he not come with you and do an online program? Or enroll in a U.S. college but take courses through them that were distance learning? The problem would be with his visa though, unless you two were to get married. Do YOU have a position in France yet? If not you can consider Quebec. You could both get the language experience you need. (And before you say it, my first language was French so I am fully aware of the differences between French from France and Canadian French.)

Stipend! It's really not that far from London to Paris (an hour's flight or a few hours on the Eurostar) and you can have fun exploring each others' cities on the weekends! It's only one year, it should be manageable if you're serious about the relationship, which I assume you are since you are asking this question. Let's put it this way, you will never regret taking the stipend... but you may regret not taking it.

Well if it is conditional on funding, then it doesn't really matter if you get it in writing... if they really don't want to pay you they will say they don't have the funds. I would go for it if you really like the department/have no other options. As long as you're in good standing after your first year you will most likely find funding!

I second the calendar/agenda thing, and also suggest some looseleaf paper. Or you could invest in a small journal that you just use to record those meetings.

Well you're not really helping us narrow it down! But could it be this one?

No, the verbal does not matter. They are looking for a "range" within the GRE scores, but even if you don't have it (which 160 definitely WOULD) it really doesn't matter compared to the other parts of your application. Your experience should be sufficient, and I think a Master's in Europe would be a waste of time and money.

Group H will almost certainly not be Korea and Russia. Don't discount Belgium... they were ranked #5 coming into the Cup!

Not strange at all. I used to see one of my professors on my bus home from university. Parking (and cars in general) are expensive. It never occurred to me that she didn't know how to drive, it just seemed like a more convenient method of transportation.