Crucial BBQ

Unless you were being sarcastic, I don't know about that...I was just some kid with a skateboard into underground music. I felt like I was stretching it a bit with my list. A few years I came up with a list of more prominent celebraties, but for the life of me cannot recall any of them.

For profs, I only asked those from who I earned a decent grade in their course, which for me included one course outside of my major but aligns with graduate school in general well. I also got an LOR from a PI who was not really familiar with my GPA.

Ah, okay. Yes, guys will do that, but it is impossible to know why this is doing it. He could just be really lazy or is trying hard not to appear desperate. Or perhaps he is unsure if he wants a relationship or if so to what extant (casual, LT, FWB, and so on). Typically, though, if a guy is interested he will not go an entire week without contact of any sort. Based on my experiences this would be a red flag: he is either in a relationship and/or just wants the occasional booty call or is unsure of what he wants and will string you along. Either way, if you respond to him after one full week of no contact you are signaling to him that this sort of thing is okay, that he can go a week or two, or an entire month, without contacting you and then when he finally does get around to doing so--at his own convenience--you will respond with wassup? no matter how miffed you may be. Perhaps I am reading too much into it, but I would be weary that he is attempting to play you. As an aside, I was the "non academic" in a relationship with someone in grad school...on three separate occasions. With two of them, they both had a full life already established outside of grad school so grad school was just something that they were doing at that point in their lives and was surely a part of that life at that moment but in no way defined their lives or who they were. It was easy to not talk about grad school, academia, and so on, and it was easy to do so if it came up. The third was all about grad school, from Sun up to Sun down, 24/7. To be frank, that relationship was rather boring and I felt I was nothing more than "moral support".

Translation: need to re-examine what I want/need in a relationship = how much do I need to change to fit this dude's ideals? ​You already know what you want/need (even if you say you don't, you do) and whether this is something that can be overlooked or if it is going to be a deal breaker. I've been in enough relationships to know that if something seems like a red flag in the beginning it usually turns into a real red flag later on down road. Go with your gut. Just to ask a question, isn't saying no to the corporate ladder in order to pursue a lifelong dream daring?

Not sure what you should or should not bring but as far as any household items are concerned there is an Ikea down the street from U. Maryland. Central Maryland and DC/DC suburbs are expensive, you probably won't find any place cheaper than Ikea, even for used.

I know it is a total bummer and I can understand the feeling as I was rejected by all programs applied to last year. It looks like VIMS is still in the running and even though they are not your top choice keep in mind that VIMS is a much respected program. *forgot why I was responding.... ...some schools have Spring admissions; URI and Maryland are two that come to mind. Not sure if either school is doing anything with elasmobranchs, though. Also found this on that TAMU site Shadow Claw posted about: http://wfscjobs.tamu.edu/jobs/m-s-assistantship-invertebrates-and-riparian-ecology-maryland-frostburg-state-university/

It is great that you are weighing such concerns, but, Dartmouth is an Ivy. Austin is a well know school, too, don't get me wrong, just don't think that Dartmouth's small size will be of hindrance. The real question to ask yourself is this: which will I be able to tolerate more; mild winters but insanely humid summers or mild summers but cold and snowy winters?

I suppose it depends on how much stuff you have and its value to you. I own some items that I would just not trust to be delivered. With a U-Haul at least I know where they are and that they are safe. Plus there is no waiting around for the items to be delivered, they arrive when I arrive. For me the extra money is worth the piece of mind and convenience. As far as new furniture, I would check out yard sales, estate sales, Ikea, Craigslist, free cycle, and even thrift stores.

I've made a few long-haul moves in my life. I just got a U-Haul, Penski, etc. How did I pay for it? Out of my own pocket. I've always worked, though, since high school and even full time while attending college full time. I've always paid my own way since I left home. Getting a loan seems strange to me. Why not just use a credit card? If you can get a loan, you can get a card. Probably better rates, too. Eh, speaking solely from experience I will bet that you have way more stuff than you think. Way more. Looking around it might not seem like much but when it comes time to pack you will wonder "where did all of this stuff come from!".

My ex GF attended Hopkins for an MS, to the tune of ~$80K/year (second year was discounted 75%). I am pretty sure the joke is not on Hopkins... I was once told a story from a Navy recruiter: A fire dept. has an opening, to which two men apply. One is an experienced house painter who knows how to handle a ladder like a pro. With his 20 years of experience using a ladder he assumes he has the job, no problem. The other guy has never touched a ladder in his life. When the fire dept. made their announcement, the job went to the guy with zero experience. The reasoning: his lack of experience meant he was totally trainable, that he could be trained to handle a ladder the way that the fire dept. wants him to. The pro will be harder to train because he is stuck in his ways. I always think of this story when I read comments by well-qualified applicants who are dumbfounded over rejections. A Ph.D. program is a training ground and it sounds like the example above has accomplished all that the program would have taught him and more. What does a Ph.D. program have to offer him besides the degree and what would the program gain by having him? Like the painter of 20 years, he's likely to come into the program with the attitude of been there, done that, now get out of my and let me work. I know what I am doing. I could be wrong...just the things that entertain my mind...

I have no idea. I will definitely celebrate for sure. Honestly I will probably "reward myself" by doing things around Baltimore and DC that I have yet to do and may be last opportunity to do so; eat at certain restaurants, finally pay the dang $20 to check out the Newseum, buy something from Charm City Cakes, spend an entire day riding the Metro (DC subway) by transferring to each train and riding each line its full length. Stuff like that.

Is it even possible for a young prof so early in career to rack up that many air miles (assuming even if it were a gross exaggeration--nearly 1M)? Or is that a perk of working at a HYPSM?

Thanks geoDUDE! The POI mentioned it as a possibility only, and one that would be for my own research not his. To be frank I think he was throwing me a bone so that I would not spend 2-3 years in the field collecting data if admitted.

I am still waiting on decisions, so I am not a grad student as of yet. However, I have a question. One of my POIs mentioned the possibility of using datasets from USGS in my research, suggesting even going as far as working with the USGS to help with my research. This is something that did not occur to me, but doing so does seem to make sense; in the past I just assumed I would collect my own data and then perhaps compare my own data with that found in literature. Or something like that. I have been in communications with a POI from a different program and I want to mention the possibility of using the USGS datasets with my research, but I am not sure if that is proper, let alone how it works. The first POI has a grant from the USGS for one of his projects and this would be a project that my own research would contribute to. I know that the USGS is a Federal agency and that as such their datasets are in the public domain(?), but I am afraid that I would look like too much of a n00b if I bring this up with the second POI. If I were already admitted I would just get straight to the punch and ask, but since my application is still under review as far as I know I don't want to come across as someone who is ignorant to how these things work at this point in time (ahem, that is, appearing to be grasping at straws in the final stretch). Do grad students commonly use available datasets? Is it ethical to use datasets provided by the same entity that issued the research grant?

Just for curiosity's sake, if an International student does all four years of undergrad at a U.S. institution, are they still considered an International applicant for grad school, assuming they wish to stay in the U.S. for grad school? It would seem logical to be treated as a special case applicant: not a domestic applicant but also not a completely International applicant, either. Perhaps it is how I am phrasing it in my searches, but I cannot seem to find any info online outside of joint BA/BS/MS programs.

See below: I have always had my security deposit returned to me 100% intact; there are certain "damages" that are just considered a normal part of wear and tear. Sometimes a landlord will throw on a new coat of paint or install new carpet when a tenant leaves, but these are done more so the landlord can increase the rent with the next tenants and typically come out of their own pocket. Also, some landlords/property managements will do a walk-through with you prior to you moving in to take note of the dwelling's current condition with both you and the "inspector" initialing each check-list item, indicating that you agree to rent/lease the dwelling in its current "as-is" state and that you will return the property in a similar, or satisfactory, condition. Some renters will go as far as to take pictures prior to moving in, just in case. If your landlord is going to charge you to clean, then either you did some obvious damage, did not clean upon leaving, or they are taking advantage of you being a Canadian and ripping you off. They should not charge you to clean the windows unless they were visibly stained and unless the carpet is stained, not for that, either. But I have heard of landlords charging a cleaning, fee, though. I'd go online and find reviews of this landlord/property management to see if this is something they commonly do. If it is, cut your loss I suppose. If not, they are trying to scam you. I'd also check your copy of the lease. Sometimes it is written in the lease that the tenant is expected to throughly clean the rental upon leaving, and if not, they can charge you the cleaning fee. I do have some friend's who were charged for things such as not cleaning the bathtub even though they claim they did. Sometimes it is hard to take an early 20-something's word for it, however, in particular if they are the type to drink and smoke dope on a regular basis. As I wrote, I always got my deposit back in full. It is a common scam that you mention, yes. However, many legit landlords will believe that you are trying to scam them. I am not sure how the scam is supposed to work, but I have had landlords/property management refuse to accept any amount of money for fear I was somehow going to scam them. In a way it does seem odd to agree to send money on an apartment sight-unseen since most Americans will typically visit the location first prior to securing a rental. I have been a victim of the "bait-and-switch" myself, when I moved out of Minneapolis for the East Coast. The apartment they agreed to rent to me and the apartment I agreed to rent turned out to not be the same apartment they tried to give me upon arrival. That apartment was still vacant, but somehow, for some reason, they claimed to have agreed to rent it to someone else. What they tried to give me was a total dump, too. I raised heck with them until they agreed to give me another unit in another building, that, incidentally, was one of the nicest apartments I have ever lived in. A funny aside: when the superintendent took me over to show me that other unit, it was also being shown to other people at the same time. I kid you not; I walked in the front door, took a quick look around, and told the other perspective tenants to leave--that this place was now taken! The whole event took about 2 seconds and all I really saw was the living room. Seriously, I did not just drive 1500 miles to move into a dump that even a junkie would find disgusting. It is typical in the U.S. for the prospective tenant to pay for the background/credit check, which runs $20-25. That is just how it is done here. Coming from Mexico, or even another city within the State, I would not send money to an individual. Instead, I would only deal with rentals that are managed by a property management, and one that can be verified. I would check to see if they have a legit website and then contact them through what-ever phone number is listed on website, especially after hours to see if you get their answering machine. You can also google the phone number to see if it belongs to an individual or a business. Sure, a scammer could set all of this up but that is quiet a set-up just to rip off the occasional $25. I'd also check Yelp, Google, etc. for reviews. If you are really suspicious you can check with the Better Business Bureau, Rip-Off Report, etc. to see if any complaints have been lodged against them. This might be a bit of a stretch, but as someone mentioned in another thread of a different topic you can potentially use TinEye to run the photos to see if they were "stolen". It is easy to drag photos from a legit rental company and drop them onto your desktop to be used in a Craigslist scam. With TinEye you can see if the photos originated with a rental company in Arizona but the Craigslist ad is advertising for a rental in Chicago, for example. **please note, I do not endorse, work for, or use TinEye. I just know it is photo/image software similar to that of something like Turnitin, but to check for plagiarized images across the web.**

Typically rents in central Maryland and DC are on the higher end--even for subsidized housing. There is nothing in Fort Totten, it is almost entirely residential. To my knowledge there are no sit-down restaurants that I can think of in the entire neighborhood and the only food offerings I know of are a few take-out places and a Subway, despite Catholic University being nearby. If you own a vehicle, trying to find on-street parking will be a PITA. There have been plans to revitalize the area but nothing has happened yet as far as I know. Not gentrification mind you, just with the adding of more amenities to the community. Most people will tell you to avoid the NE and SE, but it is hard to make solid generalizations. Things can get dicy on the eastern side of the Anacosta River, but in general NE DC is seeing a rebound with the housing market as it is one of the few places in DC where young, new, homebuyers can afford. Typically, anything near Rock Creek Park is good, but the western side of the park is getting close to Chevy-Chase, Somerset, and Bethesda, so that means $$$$$. Personally, if I were to move to DC I would want to live somewhere between the SW tip of RCP and American University. Also, a lot of apartment buildings in DC are mid-Century modern in architecture; something that people either really love or really hate it seems. A friend lives in Greenbelt and went to American. He currently works in DC and often commutes by bicycle. Greenbelt is not the worst, but also not the best place to live. The GFs family is from New Carrollton, and that area is generally okay, too, but has its rough elements. Most people lump New Carrollton and Hyattsville as one, and I don't understand why, but NC is its own city with its own municipalities and government. A lot of vehicle theft and stolen vehicle dumping, though. If you will have a vehicle, you might want to look farther north. Beltsville, Calverton, Burntonsville, and maybe even Columbia. You can also look into Rockville or Gaithersberg. Perhaps Takoma Park and Silver Spring if you can find something affordable. DC may not be a college town, but keep in mind that it still does house American, Georgetown, Catholic University, Howard, George Washington, two military/intelligence colleges, and a few other universities. So, combined with Maryland, there are a good number of college students in the area. Also, with Government contractors and dignitaries included, a rather large portion of the population is transient.

You mean the "duck" boots? Yeah, those are ugly! The cool thing about Beans, as an FYI, is that they have a life-time return policy. Buy those boots and you can exchange them for a new/different pair in 20 years. I second Columbia. Or how about going old school with a pair of Moon Boots?

Grad programs might perform an Internet search of the applicant's name if the applicant indicated they published papers, attended conferences, worked with Rock Star Researcher X, and so on. I suspect this would primarily only be done with the more attractive applications and other than that I highly doubt that grad programs are tracking down applicants and combing through their on-line presences. Logistically, to do so would likely not be possible, and, there really would be no point. When applying to a job in industry it could be possible to indicate you graduated from Princeton without need of proof (HR might not run a background check until after you've been hired, if even then) yet if an applicant told a grad program they earned a 4.0 at Princeton then the program will have an official copy of that transcript in their hands. If not, the application is deemed incomplete and will not be processed. If the applicant discusses being accomplished or driven in the SOP than surely their LORs would reflect that, too (hopefully). Grad programs also do not need to worry about their image/brand as much as industry does. In business, your brand is your everything and word-of-mouth advertising is king. A grad student who posts disparaging words towards their program, PI, school, etc. will cause little damage. Even if this student is asked to leave the program there will still be a mile-long list of applicants waiting in line. Research dollars are also not likely to fall off, either. Talk smack about a restaurant and they could lose customers. Perhaps a bit extreme for the OP, but rest assured, your adcomms likely did not search you out and make a decision based on what they may have found. Also, about the TinEye thing, how can if find user information? I thought it was for images, so perhaps if someone had the same avatar on GradCafe and Facebook, perhaps... As for adcomms/profs hanging out on GradCafe, aren't there a few in the some of the Humanities sub-forums? Not sure how this will come out, but there is a particular Q/A website that starts with a Q and has a good number profs, adcomms, and so on who provide answers to particular questions. I've been wondering for quite some time why Grad Cafe does not have a few of its own resident "professionals" hanging out in the forums.

Maryland in general is expensive but it is really central Maryland that will charge you an arm and a leg. There is a lot of old money between Washington, Annapolis, and even up to Baltimore and a ton of Federal employees/contract workers. PG County has a lot of problems with crime and poverty but it is also home to largest concentration of African-American wealth in the U.S. and borders Montgomery County, which is home to Silver Spring, Bethesda, and of course Chevy-Chase. In terms of money, PG County is above both the Maryland median average per household and the U.S. median average per household but is below the Maryland median average per capita (but still above the U.S. average). Virtually everyone within the Beltway identifies with the DMV (the District, Maryland, and Virginia, but only within the Beltway) and considers themselves to be Washingtonians more so than Marylanders. That is more of an aside than anything. Anyways, yes, it is generally more expensive to live here than other parts of the U.S. Your vehicle registration is by weight; not year, not what you paid for it, etc. I pay $187 every two years. Not that bad really but considering that the year of make and what I paid for it are not considerations that $187 is ridiculous. Here is something else, in Maryland vehicles get inspected before title is given to the new owner. My vehicle was not inspected at time of purchase so I had to get a one-month temp registration that set me back $150. The inspection itself was $94. When I went to fully register my vehicle I was charged the full $187. I thought the temp registration would carry over, but nope, it didn't. This sort of thing is what you can expect from living here: you will get nickel and dimed for everything and no one will bother to tell you so until it comes time for them to collect on their dime. If you buy a pulled pork sandwich for $8/9, don't be surprised if all you get is the sandwich (which is likely itself to only be a small handful of pork between a hamburger bun). With that, you could live in CP or thereabouts on $30K pre-tax for sure.

Not rolling, but the MEES program at Maryland does spring admissions. So does URI.

Yeah, I wanted to experience some "real" weather for a change. A friend of mine also moved to Chicago around the same time, like me she was/is all about the Nor Cal but also like me we both really love[d] the Upper Midwest. From a "sunny" Californian's prospect, it was the humid summers that I had an issue with, not the winters. Ironically, if I were still in Sacto I would go to UChicgo but now I am really hoping to get into Davis even though it is not my #1 program choice.

So, not quite an interview but a POI contacted me by email today asking if I would be interested in speaking with him over the phone or through Skype. These sorts of things make me nervous and prone to tell corny jokes (seriously, I am either one of the most entertaining, or embarrassing, public speakers). Can't we just talk through email?

In Davis, 40˚F is considered bum-freezing cold. In Chicago, 40˚F is considered balmy (it can get down to -40˚F with windchill, too). When it sprinkles in Davis (you know, like once every five years), locals act as if it is the end of the world. In Chicago, you can get a thunderstorm once a week for each week of summer. In Davis, the summers are hot but dry. In Chicago, the summers are hot and extremely effin' humid to the point where it will drive you absolutely mad (I bet there is a correlation between the horrid humid summers and prevalence of serial killers from the Upper Midwest). I am from Sacramento and moved to Minneapolis a few years ago. I don't know much about UChicago but one thing that I do know about UC Davis is that it is easy to transfer advisors, or programs (even if in a completely different department) as long as prof/PI is willing to take you on.

I agree with it being a huge plus to your applications, and, I also agree that it is not as common as may seem.