Crucial BBQ

1. Astronaut. 2. Astronaut. 3. Deep sea diver. 4. Sci-fi writer. 5. Astronaut. 6. Astronaut.

Not sure about computer science or academia in general, but in industry--for biology--fart jokes and signing along to bad 80s music is rather common. So are happy hours. Or perhaps I have just been lucky over the years? *Upon quick reflection, it seemed that most of my bio profs also enjoyed bad 80s music and happy hours; physics profs liked to smoke; and chemistry profs were the most straight-laced ...

Words: caveat; "fate" when used to describe where something ends up, such as ​fate of garblefunkle in the goober doodle cycle; flux; really long titles to journal articles, posters, ...; titles that try to sound clever, sciency, and "academic" but instead come off as ambiguous and extraneous at most, not saying a damn thing about the research at the least: Close examination of static flux billowy mass fate in the northern sphere from the testification by infatuation of hominids; examination, to mean "look at"; For this reason... Powerpoint lectures, too.

Sometimes the reality stings, but nah, I am not offended. I was once their age; one day they will be mine.

I think some bring it up because it is truly a concern, in particular if their age is an outlier (20<, or 29 and above). I always assumed that my current age was closer to the median but after seeing the spread above I feel like an old man, and I am not even that old! When I read posts by those who are 21 or 22 who talk about the "older students" I also assumed that they were just that, older...as in like late 30s or 40s or whatever. Now I am thinking who they were really talking about were the 27, 28 year olds in their program. Sigh.

It is impossible to tell if your scores hurt your application or not. I am not sure about materials science, but QR scores at the 80th percentile seem to be good enough based on the top programs in my chosen major (oceanography) and of similar majors even at Ivy League schools. Increasing your GRE scores would definitely not hurt your application, but it may also not help your application, which is the conundrum of ~320 scores. If your programs will accept a subject test, then this would most likely help your application assuming you earn a decent score. I'd suggest taking the subject test over retaking the GRE if you were to only do one. I don't think it is necessary to apply to more schools, but that is up to you. I have no proof of this but I am of the belief that the quality of application goes down in relation to the number of schools/programs applied to. I mean, that is just a lot of info to get straight, especially if you are tailoring each SOP to each individual program. Considering that you were rejected from 15 programs total (assuming that if the last four were "repeats" that those applications count as unique submits themselves), I'd change the LORs and your SOP. Your LORs because you are not that far removed from undergrad, and as such, should get at least one more academic LOR. Your SOP because I am thinking you might be tailoring them too much to demonstrate fit, which might be giving the impression that you are too narrow or rigid. Without seeing your SOP, I would suggest easing up on the "fit" a little and to include more about what you want to do after you graduate. I write that because last year I tailored each SOP to the individual programs, had them vetted by someone who writes communications for the Fed Gov, and in general submitted extremely well written SOPs to each program. Or so I thought. When I went to revisit them later in the year I found them to be total garbage and to be honest, embarrassing. Grammatically correct and well written embarrassment, sure. The first thing that jumped off the page was that I was not clear in what I wanted to do later in the life nor how the program would get me there even though I thought I had got that through when I completed my last draft. I also tailored my own interests to fit those of particular profs/PIs/labs, which was intentional to show that I had some flexibility as well as "fit". Well, now I can see how I appeared to NOT have a clear idea of research area/question and thus, ultimately no fit. Everyone will tell you that your SOP needs to be tailored to each program, that you need to research profs and PIs and read their publications (I am beginning to wonder if this is even true?), and that you need to demonstrate fit above all. For those who followed this, or a similar, formula and found success, it is hard to pinpoint if this tactic was the reason for their acceptances or not. With the rejections coming again this year, I am starting to feel strongly that the SOP is truly about you and how the program will fit into your "life plan" instead of how you fit into the program. Another thing to consider is that you majored in Chem and Physics, yet want to get into something that is essentially more related. Do you have the necessary bio pre-reqs? If not, than perhaps that is what is holding you back? Anyways, and as always, contact the programs and ask them where in your application you were deficient. I did that last year and was quite surprised by what I found out.

Hard Scientist: It was exactly because of science that humans were able to create the hammer and nail (machinery), and thus the world around them. Soft Scientist: ​It was because of human ingenuity and desire that led to the development of the hammer and nail, and thus the world around them. Alien spacecraft somewhere near the Moon, eavesdropping: Forget about them, they're existence is doomed by their own ignorance. *While I have yet to attend graduate school, I do have some experiences from undergrad and "the real World" that are worth posting, but at later point in time as I am out the door...

Perhaps this shows my age, but: Yahtzee, Risk, and card games like rummy and poker (with the exception of Omaha high/low). I recently got into Set. Risk, like Monopoly, can go on forever, though. I also really like cribbage. I'll admit that I played D&D back in the day (technically, AD&D), which, was totally not a cool thing to do back then. Following that I got into Car Wars and then Battletech.

Even though funded MS programs are not as common, if they don't have the money to fund you now who's to say they won't have the money to do so in the future, either. I mean, there are more ways than one to get money to a student other than through a PIs pocket. I agree with the others, get your MS at your current institution and then apply to Ph.D. programs later.

States without income tax or sales tax have higher other taxes and fees, the #1 being property tax. Just to point something out: I am not sure how stipends work, but if taxes are being removed from each check I would not worry about it. If you are getting the entire amount and it is not being taxed up front then I would suggest putting aside at the very least the calculated 15% to cover your behind. Others, you may calculate 12% but in reality it turns out that your liability is higher, it sucks to scramble to find that extra money you owe... If it goes into your pocket, Uncle Sam wants his cut. Legally, drug dealers are "required" to pay taxes, too. So is the kid who mowed your neighbor's lawn for $5. *There are certain allowances made for gifts, but really in the U.S. if you "earn" any amount of money it is taxable.

Whoops, fees went up for UMD. Non-resident tuition is now ~$32K/year (full time @ 12 credits) with an additional $750 in fees. Health insurance is an additional $1500 on top of that. Resident tuition is now just shy of $16K/year and with the additional $750 in fees and $1500 health insurance premium.

OP, Maryland law dictates that new residents register vehicles with the State and convert their DLs to Maryland DLs at around 30 days upon arrival, but nothing will happen if they don't. As far as I know, the term "resident" has no clear legal definition and for the most part is often used to refer to your current location, even if temporary and that the legal definition that is referred to, if not often used, is the term "domicile". In Maryland, if one is in Maryland for at least 6 months, they are considered a resident for Maryland tax purposes; so this person can easily claim two residencies in this case. In reality, a person can have more than one residence (in separate States) but only keep one domicile at a time ("domicile" and as it is sometimes referred "legal residence" are legal terms, however). Here is where things get tricky, you cannot just "give up" your domicile by simply stating that you are no longer a resident of that particular State. You have to prove with evidence that you do not intend to move back (selling of your home, terminating employment, etc.), but to be frank I do no think that anyone actually follows this rule/law unless taxes and/or property are involved. So, bottom line is that you can get a Maryland DL, register your vehicle in Maryland, live in Maryland 12 months/year, perhaps even receive in-State tuition( as long as you are domiciled in Maryland), and still retain a PA residency. With public universities, non-resident tuition is roughly double (actually, it is closer to full price as resident students are receiving a deduction). At U Maryland, full-time grad studies will cost ~$13K/year. Non-resident, ~$28K/year (both are tuition only, fees and such are extra).

I was given the option of COBRA a few years ago. I turned it down because they wanted the full price, which made it effin' expensive.

Tough call. I know some of the programs I am interested in want an AW score of 4.5, but I am not sure how much of a deterrent a lower score would be in particular since you would show writing ability through the SOP and/or a writing sample. It wouldn't hurt to contact those programs that rejected you to inquire where your application are deficient and go from there.

I could be wrong, but I believe watches are (or were) a typical gift received upon promotion in the business/financial sector.

Well, USNWR does it to make money for one (advertising dollars: the more people who check out their rankings, the more ad space they can sell). In the U.S., Carnegie and the U.S. Fed Gov also have their lists, too, which typically, like lists created in other countries, are used for internal standards allowing individual universities to judge how they are doing against other universities of similar caliber. Most students use the rankings as a guide when selecting programs but sometimes the top programs are not at a top school (U. Delaware, as an example, is ranked something like 76th nationally according to USNWR, yet also according to USNWR UDel's chemical engineering program is ranked 10th in the nation). To add, when students finalize their lists based on fit, they often find that the schools they originally ranked high now hang from a lower rung -- if they even remain on the finalized list at all. Some just want the bragging rights, too, I suppose, and with others the "top" program/school truly is their best fit. A question that arises from your OP and others like it is why did you apply to the "safety" in the first place considering that you seem to have such a low opinion of it? I mean, at some point you thought that this "lowly" school/program was worth your time and money (application, application fee) right? Perhaps you are just upset that the "safety" admitted you first, or that you regret applying to the safety in the first place, I dunno, these situations baffle me. All schools/programs applied to should be the ones that you would want to attend, which would ultimately include the safety, no? *There are other lists in the U.S., too, besides the three I mentioned above. Also, I am pretty sure that the college rankings/admissions blogs are the #1 draw to USNWR. You'll be hard pressed to find an American who actually reads USNWR.

I went with Magoosh when I retook the GRE. While the product lived up to its promise of increasing my score by 5 points (my actual score increase was by 13 points), I don't think I would use Magoosh again in the future if I were to retake the GRE for what-ever reason. I will most likely just stick with the Official Guide...by ETS. For one, some of the explanations to why they say the correct answers are the correct answers are down right convoluted, confusing, or just plain false. And for VR, they use words and nuances of grammar that even ETS would not put on the GRE. No GRE test prep company can get the language quite right; none can write practice questions tricking and trapping you with such subtlety like ETS. My suggestion is that you supplement what-ever online test prep you use with the Official Guide to the GRE by ETS (which Magoosh suggests that you do, anyways). By the way, you can access and download the Magoosh study plans for free (from Magoosh dot com). In my opinion, they are probably the best study plan guides out there, but of course you cannot access their practice problems. Worth a look if you can supply your own practice problems (such as with various other GRE test prep books, perhaps from the local library). * to add* Also, their vocab app "flashcards" is free (Android and iOS).

Canada, Holland, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Czech, and Poland. U.S. States that I have actually spent time in (as opposed to just traveling through or day trippin'): California (born), Oregon, Washington, Kansas (lived), Minnesota (lived), Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Maryland (lived), Maine (lived), Massachusetts (lived), Tennessee, Texas, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Virginia.

If you are under a worker-union in the U.S., you are an employee. If you need a worker-union in the U.S., you are an employee. As long as you are receiving compensation for your time, you are a worker. Now, if we want to discuss the nuances between an employee and a worker, sure, we can do that, but if a lab is covering your tuition, your research, and providing you with a stipend in exchange for you producing results, then you are employed by that lab. TAships may be a different story, I dunno. Isn't the UAW the United Autoworkers Union? And who pays their dues? I remember when community colleges in the State of California went from $7 credit/hour to $11 credit/hour. This wasn't that long ago (so it was not like in the 1950s, as if I am that old) and CCs in other States where already well over $100 credit/hour in many places. That fee increase was a huge deal. I seriously thought students were going to riot over it, a $4 increase per credit. Students were really upset over it and claimed that their dreams of higher education were now unaffordable. I moved to Minneapolis shortly after the above went down. The local CC charged me $165 credit/hour as an in-State student. UC students are more successful because Californian's are more demanding (I myself am born and raised) in general. How many Ivy League grad students are willing to go on strike during finals? Perhaps a few, yet in the late 90s all of the then 8 UCs had striking grad students.

Did you get any LORs from community college profs?

Two days ago I went to have my vision checked. With one eye, I began to read the top line aloud, "11, 14, ..." "Those are letters!" the eye doc said. Never wore glasses in my life, but this does explain a lot (such as why these letters look "half" smeared and "half" clear). Maybe this is why I did so poorly in school? And then yesterday I was rejected by my top choice program. And today is the first day of Spring and it is snowing here in Maryland.

I was going to start a new thread on this, but decided to post it here: If you have applied to the NSF GRFP, is it okay to mention this in your grad school SOP? I've heard that it is a no-no to mention it to a POI, but I cannot seem to find any info on if it should go into your SOP or not? Yes, I agree. See below: My understanding is that it totally depends on the program. I know that MIT/WHOI and Scripps (oceanography) do not care if you have external funding or not; they are going to fund you through their program anyways and if you are rejected it is not because of financial reasons. I looked into this a little deeper and it seems that programs that are "funding blind" won't care one bit if you win the fellowship or not because [lack of] funding was not the issue when the rejection was reached. I have heard that if funding was the reason, or part of the reason perhaps, approaching the program with the fellowship could result in a reversal of the decision and the general advice seems to be you won't know unless you try. I was going to post more on this topic, then decided against it. I suggest searching Quora as it has been asked and discussed there, too (and with profs/adcomms providing answers).

Just found out I was rejected by my top choice. Not sure how I feel about it. This was the same program that waitlisted me last year and my application was definitely stronger this time around; to add, conversations with my POI seemed to indicate strongly that I was in. Wishful thinking, I suppose. In terms of academics and "prestige", this program was/is probably the lowest in rankings of all the schools I applied to but it had everything that I wanted from a graduate program. If all else fails, there is always next year and you know what they say: third time is a charm. Of course I still have yet to hear from the rest, but I dunno. If I was rejected from the bottom of the barrel I don't feel too good about the rest. Then again, this news is just par for course. Not to get down on myself but my entire undergraduate experience was a struggle and with each setback I bounced back, continuing forward. Being rejected from grad school again is really no surprise, then, too. I don't know if I tried to accomplish too much, or not enough, but it does seem evident that I am not seeing something that is probably right in front of my face. For example: grad programs truly do care about GPA and GRE scores way more than they say they do. One thing is for sure, they sure as heck to do not care about passion.

The general rule of thumb is that going for a Ph.D. for the sake of increasing job prospects or other financial reasons are vary bad reasons for pursuing a Ph.D., and that, you are supposed to only pursue a Ph.D. for the love of research and pursuit of scholarship. Since the economic downturn of ~2009 grad programs have seen an increase in applications. I read an article back in 2010 or so that claimed the upswing in grad applications were purely financial in reasoning. Not everyone believes in this line of thinking, though, it is more common than not.

I worked as a student liaison representing the student body to an administrative group that handled student welfare and retention. For what-ever reason FERPA became a hot issue one year, and the dominant subject of that year's work. Medical and health records are not supposed to be a part of a students [university] record, and as such, cannot be accessed through FERPA. However, by my understanding, they medical/health records can be accessed without the student's consent if: -Public health/safety concerns. -Something vaguely in the line of "...in the University's best interests". On the one hand, the situation described in the OP is a public health and safety concern but it seems that the University used "in their best interests" to gain access to the records in preparations of legal action. *highlighted to indicate I do not have a complete understanding of FERPA.