Andean Pat

These are all excellent strategies! Thanks to the OP for asking the question! BTW, which software do you use to organise this type of bibliography? (and attach your notes to it)

My interview lasted less than 5 minutes. The questions were basic: Where are you going? What type of degree? Where did you learn English? Where are you staying? Ta-da!

I only encountered this situation only once. An old man who owns a local archive is known for (I found out later) that he hates university students. I realized this when I went to his local shop to chat with him and see if I could have access to the archive (I needed material he had). The curious thing was that he was condescending with university students, apparently, because he has never finished primary school but he had accomplished something nobody else had: scholars, researchers an humble students like me needed his archive. Now, he disliked our "formal education" because he believed he had achieved the same or better education by self instruction/lots of reading (which I give him credit for). So in this case reading was a compensation for not having an official diploma. Thankfully, he got along really well with researchers that helped me, including my advisor, so I had no problem in accessing the archive.

Because of this reason, I started with GRE. I devoted more time and money to GRE because it's more difficult. TOEFL is a piece of cake after GRE. I only took two classes! I practised the week before and that was it. And I got an 116.

That's the other website I was forgetting!!! ohhhh you are so lucky, my air ticket was like U$S1700!!! And that's cheap!!!

Skycanner didn't work for me, mainly because it was more expensive than buying directly the ticket in the airline (this particular airline). But I think that from Europe it should work perfectly! Travelocity seemed very good, but after several attempts I couldn't book my ticket but I was charged the "booking fee" by the company. WTF? I've also heard of expedia and one else which I cannot remember, sorry.

Thnx!!! My greatest challenge is money. I am arriving in the States way before my first stipend and thus I must upfront first time expenses (such as a coffee machine!) and normal expenses with my savings, which are worth less and less everyday because of ongoing inflation. My current salary is not bad, but I can't save much these months because I am paying for the visa, SEVIS, and the air ticket. Only these three items are worth 150% my salary But we'll make it there

Had my interview today. I come from a country that has several restrictions from the US. However, the interview was quite quick. I was required to show my SEVIS receipt, DS-160 and I-20 (you all know this) and no other documentation (I had taken my lease, air tickets, admission offer and bank statement just in case). The questions were: * Where are you going to study? * Can you tell me which program? * Have you ever had a student visa before? * Have you ever been to the US? * Where did you learn English? * Where are you staying? * Is this a full scholarship? "You are all set, enjoy your studies!!"

Ok, now that we more or less know where we are going in the fall... what are you up to??? Personally, I have an apartment and the air ticket. Next week I am having the visa interview and I have already done some tests for immunization requirements. In the meantime, work is harder than ever, my mind is already in the States!!! I am both eager and scared to start graduate school. I have had my first farewell party, it was awesome. I started early because it's only two months before I leave this apartment and right now everything is a mess: I am garage selling everything!!!! Pots, mirror, table, books, shelves, some clothes... In the last month or so I dated a couple of times but was truly demotivated. I prefer to hang out with friends, I am going to miss them A LOT. So we are getting together quite often, having a few drinks or a home made meal. Yeah, I like to cook. Academically, I suppose I'll start reviewing some historiography books (I love historiography), but I don't want to push myself. You know, we are going to be SO busy in a couple of months that I want to enjoy my free time before I kiss Candy Crush goodbye hahahaha. What's up in your lives?

I am little more worried about actual *hobbies*. I play the piano and field hockey and those are two things I am not ready to quit on...

In August 2010, Intextrovert (a user here), shared this article which I think it is still very useful for us newbies. Enjoy!

Did you get it? It looks nice.

Moreover, her dismissing white male for being too cliché for science and maths is also discrimination. So a white young man likes chess, so what?

I have graduate from undergrad with a 150-page-thesis (not the same as you, but still) and wondered the same. My supervisor advised me to "recycle" it. I have therefore used chapters/sources/part of chapters/further discussion as papers in journals and/or lectures at conferences. It is a nice way to "promote" your own work, right?

Not necessarily quite. Actually, in my case, my program lasts for 5 years, but the school has issued my I-20 for 8 years which means I'll be applying for an 8-year long visa. OP, contact you International Student Office for information, they are very familiar with this type of things. I have contacted them for maaaaany reasons and have been super helpful.

It also surprised me to hear stories of lost scores or other application materials. C'on people!!!

Congratulations!!! I am one of those people that cheers for the coming of a new life to the world. I am not in grad school yet, but it has crossed my mind "what if I get pregnant in these months?!". Yes, I know, I am quite anxious... anyway, as you said, I would also wait until the third month. Now, since this would be in July, it's probably best to wait until you get to your school (congrats on this as well, btw) to talk to your advisor face-to-face. It seems your dates fit very well your academic calendar and you have it quite figure it out, with the help and the daycare. Probably the worse months will be in the Spring, when the baby is very small, and you'll probably want to be with him/her all the time.

These are tight! I see what you mean with your savings decreasing in value, mine have decreased even more, so I basically count on them for my first month before getting my first stipend. Now, as a girl, this is what I'd do (and what have done in my last move): make a list of all the assets that you take into account when assessing an apartment, given them a weigh within the total and then awards points. For example: Proximity to school (10%) Price (20%) Roommates(5%) Utilities Amenities etc etc etc Then you add up, and tata! You've got your choice. If you feel that winner is not 'right', it means deep down in your heart you want to live in the other place. This is only an approach Hope you can make up your mind!

I think it depends on the field. I was advised to do this by a friend who did her PhD in a top 10 school and now serves in the AdComm of another university. It made sense to me since I could save some bucks if profs were not interested in my project. i don't think they were specifically eager to work with me (otherwise, I would have been admitted to more schools! hahaha), I think it is more usual for social sciences to contact POIs before applying. However, since this is my first and only approach to US admissions, I cannot give much input.

My brother lives in NY and he recommended AirVoice Wireless. He spends $10 every three months.

Absolutely! That's the plan... hahaha However, the academia in my topic is so small that it would be nice to meet other scholars elsewhere.

What documents did you take? I-20, Sevis fee receipt, passport, anything else? (letter of admission?)

Hi! I am terribly sorry you are experience such things! It's awful to always be behind writing because of poor time management. Now, this is what I usually do (I am a slow worker myself, especially slow reader, but I am not in grad school yet) and what I sometimes advise my (high school) students. I hope it helps! Write an abstract. Even though you are not presenting these papers at journals or conferences, writing the abstract is a great exercise to know what you want to do with that article. In my high school classes, I ask my students to brainstorm a web map, with the main points they want to make, the sources they will use and their conclusion. In my case, writing the abstract is helpful because you stick to that, you don't waste time wondering around lines of argument that do not collaborate with your main point. Plan backwards. This is something I learned as a teacher. If you paper is due to, say, May 15th, then it should be finished, for example, three days before that so that you have time to proof read it. Then, two days before that date, your conclusion should be finished. Four days before that, the introduction, and so forth until day zero (today). Now, if you write down this schedule in a monthly planner that you see everyday it gets easier to follow. Plan your paper. I learned this from my undergrad advisor. Get a page or a word doc and note down the main sections of your paper. In each section, write the main points you want to make, including the conclusion. As you read and write, your plan will change because you'll add more sections and/or more points that you want to make. Last but not least, have a look at this. It is an amazing guide on how to write a paper. I TRULY RECOMMEND IT. I am sure many people here will give more and better advise but I hope mine inspired you a little bit. Don't give up!

Before. I did not apply to places where the POI had not responded (only one) or I had not contacted (two or three). And in fact, some of them advised me not too apply since there was little funding for international students or little funding at all hahaha. So they've same me a few bucks. Finally, one of them told me he was not taking students this year although it was a great fit.

After a big international conference, we all lecturers were contacted by a Spanish publisher. I was so proud!!!! Fortunately, I listened to my advisor and did not send them anything. My first clue was that they had found my paper in the digital library of my undergrad school. Bullshit. The only place it was published was in a proper conference memoirs, with ISBN and everything. The second suspicious hint was that I could not contact them by phone, that the whole point of this cheap publishing was to do it by e-mail. I googled them and found SEVERAL books published by them in amazon, barnes&noble, etc etc. Shortly after, an e-mail arrived from a fellow lecturer in the conference alerting the rest of us of the scam. They've contacted me a year after that and then a year after that.