Andean Pat

Dear future applicants and current GRE candidates,
 
I was thinking how terrible the world looked like when I was preparing for GRE and now that my application process is over and I am starting a graduate program in the fall, I wanted to give you my humble advice, the same way another student gave it to me. 
 
GRE is not the end of the world. Believe me, it is not. However, you should behave as it is because although it is not (in my opinion) the decisive factor in your application, it is used to compare you to other students and, as many people in this forum have explained to me, it helps to cut off a pool of candidates. So do take it seriously.
 
You will probably need to sit for it twice. Many people don't, but the majority does. I know many bright people who had to do it twice, including myself hahaha  . No, seriously, bearing in mind that you have another chance is a good option. It helps you plan ahead (so that you have your results on time) and it helps you learn from your mistakes. So, just in case, plan to sit for it early enough just in case you need a second time, and save the money for that. If you do well on the first sitting, excellent!!! then you can spend that money on something more interesting
 
Address the AWA section. Now, this is from my own experience so forgive me if it is not general enough. Apparently, students tend to devote more time to Q and V because it is what most POIs look at. I have learned from an excellent teacher that AWA is as important. If you address AWA properly, you will be addressing V as well. All sections are aimed at testing your ability to analyse, reason, present an argument, etc. I was trained in the AWA section so effectively that my V score was higher than I expected. If you can write it, you can read it. NOTE: She was American (I am international) and so maybe this is something current in the US, it was not here, that's why I point it out.
 
Make a plan and study with someone. I did exercises everyday. I bought the books (the official guide, a kaplan activity book and another one full of exams) and I read a lot from the official guide, went to private lessons and got together at least once a week to study with other students. In fact, they were preparing GMAT, but getting together implied that I was going to spend 4 hours studying. 
 
It costs money. do not pretend to sit for it without expending a penny. This is a business. Now, maybe you can buy used books or have a private tutor for no money, that's great. However, if you get used to the idea that you need X amount of money, the same way you plan you applications, then it won't hurt that much when you pay for it. Now, if you can save some of that money, great!!!
 
Celebrate. Sit for the exam and then go out!!! You made a lot of effort so you deserve to relax!!!
 
This is my experience: I began a course on June 2012. The maths section was OK but the V was a complete disaster and I did terrible in the AWA, I sat for it in early September. I went to another institute where the approach was completely different, more professional (and expensive) and sat the second time in late Novemember. 
 
In conclusion, you can't fight it, you need and you need to do your best. Go for it!!!! :D
 

Hi Wildviolet
 
It looks like some time has passed since your original post and I hope things are shaping up in your seminar. I had a couple thoughts.
 
1. The inherent challenges of large classes suck. They sucked when we were 5 and they suck now. Sorry you have to be in that situation. I do think it can stifle learning and I hope you are able to get what you want fro this particular course. Hopefully it will be the exception and not the norm. You mention the other classes seem to be okay so I hope this is still the case.
 
2. I am trained in conflict resolution and group dynamics and if you feel brazen enough, I would suggest the following approach that I have both observed and utilized:
 
A- Name the issue. Make the observation out loud to the whole group that you have noticed challenging and frustrating dynamics in the class due to the size and varying levels of participation. Shift this observation to a question and ask if other members have noticed this. Also, consider inviting particularly quiet students by name to weigh in.  This is a great way to make a point (that is certain to catch more attention than silence), invite quiet members in, and give more active students a pause to consider what you have mentioned.
 
B- If you are feeling especially bold, you could even call out a couple talkers by name (maybe call out is the wrong word) but mention that their level of participation seems to significantly outweigh other speakers and then question whether that affects the learning of other group members. This does not need to be done in a mean-spirited way, but rather as an inquiry, a curiosity. Since you are all in the field of education, it seems like a valid exploration of learning styles?- especially if it can be tied to course content in some way.
 
C- Spell out exactly what you have here. Share with your class the fact that you have stayed silent recently because you found the levels of participation interesting. Express your frustration that at the graduate student level, elementary behavior still seems to be a challenge and basic struggles with accountability for learning and assertive expression can still be observed quite clearly.
 
I just re-read your original post and other than a couple phrasing adjustments, I think you could share most of the thoughts with your class. Sometimes it seems like furstrations fester for so long that the frustration from stressing about a problem becomes more harmful than the actual problem. Who knows? With as many students in a discussion as you mention, I'd bet you've got a couple co-sufferers (made up word?) out there you don't even know about.
 
D- Don't listen to me. You seem to have a great level of awareness of classroom dynamics, and while I know very little about education theory, etc.- that stands out in my mind as a very important and admirable trait. That is something your over-participators will not be able to include in their list of skills. I also love the fact that you are kind of creating a little microcosm experiment within your class. Quite scholarly indeed:) It's great to bounce ideas off of people here but you seem to have your sh-tuff figured out.
 
I hope things have improved!
 
C-

OP!!! Where the hell are you????
What did you end up doing?? You can't just cut a story short. People are starting to get suspicious!!

Shit, I have an application into that program right now! Definitely something to consider if they give me an offer.

I'm not from the us and only know like top unis by name :-)

Maybe you should refrain from making those kind of comments then. There are thousands of universities in the United States, and many of them are very specialized and prestigious in certain fields and unknown for others. It doesn't mean that they are not worth going to just because you haven't heard of them and because you don't know what their strengths are, especially when your knowledge is limited to so few US institutions in the first place. Your comment is unnecessary and irrelevant, and just comes across as ignorant and elitist.

The whole idea of a safety school in this process is sort of silly, anyway

These works certainly follow transnational methodology, though the idea of key texts in this field of history is much more difficulty to define since it is so interdisciplinary. Many key texts on transnationalism are actually in the social sciences, especially sociology and geography.
Immigrant America Alejandro Portes, Ruben Rumbaut (soc. sci but it's the work on transnationalism)
The Many-headed Hydra: Sailors, Slaves, Commoners, and the Hidden History of the Revolutionary Atlantic Peter Linebaugh, Marcus Rediker
"Two Revolutions: The Ghadar Movement and India's Radical Diaspora" Maya Ramnath (article)
"Print, Newspapers, and Audiences in Colonial Kenya: African and Indian Improvement, Protest, and Connections." Bodil Frederiksen (article)
Seeking Refuge: Central American Immigration to Mexico, the United States, and Canada Maria Cristina Garcia
Those are a few interesting ones, anyways.

Absolutely!!! Relax and take it easy  

I agree with many things said. I understand that being a foreigner is more exciting and you probably did not realize that you were wrongdoing. I also sense that there is some exaggeration in your reaction (do not worry, we are girls and we overreact sometimes) so be careful not to see ghosts everywhere. Besides, you are leaving later on. However, as you've said, you are both adults. If you feel you should talk to this man, go to his office, knock on his door and tell him that he inspired you but you feel things are awkward. If he takes it the wrong way, he is the child. 

I know, leaving books behind is going to be very hard. I'm going to have to be ruthless when choosing what I take. 
I can't even bring bedspreads from home since bed sizes in the US are so different! Looks like I'm going to purchase 
everything anew over there. Anyway - I'll stop whining now  
 
on a different note - a desk light should be useful. and maybe a printer - depending on your course. 

funny that you mentioned this book. Just finished reading this, and I agree. Fantastic resource!!!

I have started thinking about what I need to pack or buy for grad-school. Admittedly it is a bit early to think about this but as I'm moving countries do indulge me! Apart from clothes, books and a laptop, I'm blanking out. What do I need to plan/budget for? I'm sure there are a hundred everyday things (and a few luxuries!)  I'm forgetting, so help me out. What are five important things (however mundane) you would carry or purchase on arrival to make life easier/ more interesting? What wouldn't you do without? Of course, this would vary person to person, but it would be nice to hear some opinions  
 
Thanks! 

Real convo I had when I first started my PhD (paraphrased):

Them: So, what do you do for a living?
Me: I'm a PhD student here at the University in Department XYZ.
Them: Oh, cool. So, you're going to be a doctor?
Me: Yeah.
Them: Then you can do surgery, or whatever?
Me: No. Actually, I'm in a non-medical field, so I'll still be called Dr. Awesome, but my area is XYZ.
Them: Oh. [lonnnnng pause while they think]. But, you COULD be a real doctor if you wanted to, right?
Me: I *will* be a real doctor, just not a medical doctor.
Them: But don't you want your own practice or something?
Me: Still not that kind of doctor... I'm going to teach XYZ as a professor, which is a non-medical field.
Them: Why would you teach, when you could work at a hospital or clinic or something and make more $$?
Me: [needing to end this useless convo]... Yeah... good point... I'll consider that...

[NOT ALL PHD's ARE MEDICAL YOU IDIOT!!!]

<headdesk>

Hey fellow Grad ppl,
 
my name is Luisa and I am from Brazil. I am a MSc. student at a prestigious university in the capital of the country (Brasilia University). I finish my dissertation in February next year so I will apply for 2014 fall semester at this end of this year.
 
Here in Brazil we have funding agencies that enable us to go abroad to pursue a PhD degree. I have been in the lab since undergrad and I had the chance to know several prominent researches of my area. One of them recommended me for the EBI director and Berkeley professor Chris Somerville. 
 
I have been early accepted into Illinois( Urbana/Champaign) and Berkeley since I have brazilian funding and full scholarship, however my dream is really Wisconsin (Madison). I don't know any faculty in madison and every lab I sent an e-mail to did not respond. 
 
Do you think I should apply to Madison and risk losing Illinois or Berkeley? Is it really hard to get into Madison Biochem program (IPib) ? 
 
I have already taken the GRE and got average scores (V=157 Q=152) and my TOEFL is scheduled for next month. 
 
Help guys, what do you think I should do? 
 
Aww, my Undergrad GPA is 3.3 and my grad (masters) GPA is a impeccable 4.
 
 

MARTA = Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
 
MARTA is the agency that oversees all the buses and trains in Metro Atlanta (meaning it covers several of the counties that make up Atlanta).
 
There is a light rail train system that has the "plus sign" routes described above but there are also buses.
 
MARTA buses are not great but they are okay. Like most public transit, they are sometimes late, sometimes crowded, and don't run as frequently as you'd like them to. On the other hand I found them serviceable for getting around the Emory area. Also, there are some buses that run from the Emory area to the rail stations, which can then give you access to the rest of the city.
 
Regarding safety, I don't know what level of risk you find acceptable so I'm not sure I can give a solid answer. I didn't find the buses and trains in Atlanta to be any worse than they are in San Francisco or in New York City. There are always the hustlers, the intoxicated, the rowdy and the pick-up artists looking for true love. Sometimes that can be annoying or even feel threatening but for the most part I was able to ignore it. Obviously you always need to be aware of your surroundings and protect your valuables though.

Getting a Master's would be kind of a waste, since you'd basically have to start over when you started a PhD program. I'd advise taking a year to get more research experience, maybe get published, retake the GRE, or whatever it is you need to do to strengthen your application. My plan B was to try to get a research job, apply for a Fulbright scholarship and go study mindfulness in India, or if I didn't get the Fulbright, take a year off to teach English abroad before reapplying. I was pretty ok with the idea of not getting in anywhere once I made myself a plan B that I was really excited about.

I imagine clinical neuropsych is similar to clinical psych in terms of how selective it is, so I definitely can relate. And, I myself was first on the wait list and I ended up getting in, so there is definitely hope for you! Good luck!

hi Elise!!! 
 
I am not in grad school yet but I have some tips. I tend to get easily distracted and the more I force myself on doing things, the more I rebel against my own method. So this is what I have learned about my own studying style:
 
* Do not try to work two hours in a row. We people cannot concentrate more than 45 minutes. If you plan anything, plan your breaks but respect them. It is easier to respect your breaks than your working hours, right? Every 45 minutes you should have a 15-minute break. It has enhanced my time-efficiency. Sometimes you are 'inspired' so you can work, for example, 1.5 hours and then have a 30-min break. 
 
* Set objectives that work for YOU. At the beginning I used to say, "OK, from 8 to 10 I read". It backfired. The fact that I was reading did not mean I was actually studying/working. So I started setting off objectives for specific days. For example, today I must finish reading this paper and making notes. Tomorrow I should write three chapters on X topic, by the end of the week I should have Y topic ready for oral presentation. Clear short-term objectives can be very helpful. Remember to be realistic about these.
 
* Plan backwards. This is an excellent technique I learned at work (I am a teacher). Start on your due date and plan backwards. The week before you want your paper almost ready. The week before you should finish the conclusion. The week before that you want section three finished, and so on until you arrive to today. It will help you A LOT. In this sense, it works to have a visual aid such as a monthly/weekly planner at sight. It helps your organise yourself. 
 
* Know yourself, do not just pretend. I used to force myself to work after lunch. IMPOSSIBLE!!!! That is nap time and nothing good can come out with me thinking of sleeping. So after lunch I knew I had one hour to sleep. Glorious. I really slept thus really rested and thus really worked afterwards. Know when is the best time for you. Some people work better at night because it is quieter. Some people prefer to rise with the sun. 
 
* Be busy, especially exercise. You probably know that part of a healthy balance between work and life is exercise. Having busy hours gives you the opportunity to take advantage of your time more efficiently. Allow yourself to do something every day. At least some walking. Go shopping, cook, watch a movie. But also plan these leisure periods so that you take advantage of them. Sometimes it happened to me that I was so worried about working that I did not actually relaxed in my free time, and when I went back to work, I couldn't put two words together. 
 
* If you work, you work. Your working environment should be comfortable. Check the light, the chair, the cleanness, everything. Maybe things around are distracting you. Turn off you mobile phone, you are working. Don't even think of opening Facebook (come on, we are adults, we can do this!). If necessary, turn off your Internet connection and every time you need to find something on line, just note it down and search for it later. Sometimes I get tired of my desk and I have some spots in some cafés that I enjoy a lot. It gives me the chance to get out and also to change perspective (in a way). 
 
I hope it helps!!!

Hey all!
 
I'll also be heading to Emory. And like Andean Pat, I guess I'll stick with one of the nearby options first and then perhaps choose a place. Looking forward to meeting you all!

I do! It's not an either-or thing.

I agree with many things said. I understand that being a foreigner is more exciting and you probably did not realize that you were wrongdoing. I also sense that there is some exaggeration in your reaction (do not worry, we are girls and we overreact sometimes) so be careful not to see ghosts everywhere. Besides, you are leaving later on. However, as you've said, you are both adults. If you feel you should talk to this man, go to his office, knock on his door and tell him that he inspired you but you feel things are awkward. If he takes it the wrong way, he is the child. 

I apologize for the complaining. And I obviously really sympathize with people who didn't get in anywhere - I was just one school away from sharing that fate. 
 
I was surprised by the results because I had expectations going into the process that were conditioned by the experiences of people who applied 5-6 years ago, when I got out of college. At that time, programs were larger, and the economy wasn't in quite as dire straits as it is today, so there were fewer applicants, too. They received rafts of acceptances to top schools with qualifications similar to mine. In that environment, I think most people here would have had more successes, and options, too, and it's aggravating to see how difficult it's become for everyone here.

It's funny how just one day after I wrote my post above, NYU sent me an offer to their MA in History of Women and Gender today. I'm just sad that there is no financial suport for this and given the living costs in NYC, even if I take out loan, I won't ever be able to pay off this debt. I just really like the program at NYU and the professors I have been in contact with. 

Not sure about that. The UK newspapers go all-out ranking in their "leagues tables". Germany is increasingly concerned with this kind of thing. There are plenty of Asian rankings systems, too. Call it another unfortunate American cultural export or symptom of runamok globalization, but it's slowly making headway in the rest of the world, for sure.

That would be great! I will be there in July and part of August.
 
I'll PM you when I get closer to finalizing my travel plans. I definitely need to pick your brain!