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Everything posted by VioletAyame
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This. So much this. I'm so glad to have a place to commiserate. I'm also moving in 3 days and I'm having so many similar thoughts and feelings - going back and forth between excitement & anticipation and fear & nerve, wanting to start the program but WITHOUT moving, and thinking this is either the best or the worst decision I've ever made. My cousin is helping me with the move and we're making a road trip out of it, but when I get there I'll be alone and knowing no one in a strange city - a really daunting task it seems for someone who is introverted and doesn't like changes like me, so I'm a little bit envious of those who move with their SO. Methods? What methods? I'm coming straight from undergrad and what are those methods you're speaking about? But seriously, I've been assured by my temp advisor that they will teach me this and don't expect me to automatically know everything. And just think of all the people who are switching fields - we'll be fine (I hope).
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If You Have The Money = Congratulations! Admitted.
VioletAyame replied to YoungR3b3l's topic in Decisions, Decisions
I am an international student and I really had no problem securing funding during my application process. I think the biggest issue with funding international students is we can't establish residency and thus the program woud have to pay out-of-state tuition and fee for us for the whole 5 years, which can be really costly. Our stipend is just the same with domestic students and is really nothing compared to tuition and fee. It's certainly harder for us, but I was admitted to three programs, all with full funding, and a lot of people have been too, so it's nowhere near being an impossibe task. One was a private school so it's basically the same tuition and fee for everyone, eliminating the problem. The other two were public but fortunately I received a 2-year fellowship at both places, so the department would only be responsible for my tuition and fee for the 3 years in between. It might be a factor that I was competitive enough for university-wide fellowship, but during the visits I also met quite a few international students funded entirely through RA/TAships. It seemed to be a no-issue in my experience. I did not have to provide any proof of funding beforehand (I woud not have been able to anyway). During the application process, I specifically asked the programs if I have to fill out the financial affidavit, and they all told me not until I as admitted but not funded by the department or university. It makes sense to require financial proof only when you have to self-fund. I'm not sure if the adcoms would even look at your affidavit if you send it along with your package or if they even know the rules in funding international students to pay attention to it. And I don't know if I want to join a program which admits me specifically because you can pay them. Don't get me wrong, I know it can be hard for us to get funding but I don't think the ability to pay should come into play during the admittance process at all. After they look at your file and determine that you're good enough but don't have to money to fund you, they can always send out an acceptance and ask you if you can self-fund (there's a prevalent sentiment here that you should never pay for a PhD, but that's a discussion for another day). Now securing external funding (grant or fellowship) is another thing - it should increase your chance of being accepted since it proves your ability to get funding, which is always important to any graduate programs. -
Assistanship- Phone Meeting with Potential Adviser
VioletAyame replied to samstrong123's topic in The Bank
I think it's probably late now to discuss your chance to get a fellowship for this year (2014-2015) but hopefully you can get your application ready for next year. Make sure you check with the graduate school for eligibility too. Good luck with securing funding OP! -
There's no official vocab list, but you can find a lot of similar and helpful lists just by Google. Or you can check out this thread - most resources listed there would have a vocab list ready to use. I found it impossible to memorize more than 1000 words just for the test and learning prefixes and suffixes instead was a better strategy.
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Terrified of applying to grad school again
VioletAyame replied to molecularmagic's topic in Applications
I would say you can possibly avoid that feeling by having a backup plan or at least not let the application process become your whole life. Don't get me wrong, you should always try your best, but life goes on whether or not you get into grad school, and you want it to be enjoyable regardless. Can you keep working in the lab you're currently at if you don't get in this year? Do you want to stay should that happen? Can the experiences you've had translate into another job, somewhere else you might want to be at beside grad school? With some preparation, I think you can safely avoid the "well what do I do now" feeling, which seems to be one of the main hindrances to your reapplying right now. -
I think GeoDUDE is right. Generally there's a raw score of all your correct answers; then it will be "weighted" according to the difficulty of the questions. The test itself is adaptive, meaning it get harder or easier depending on what questions you get right. If you do well in the first section, the second one will be adapted accordingly and it will improve your overall score.
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Grad School Starts in Two Months - Unprepared?
VioletAyame replied to alaskagirl's topic in Officially Grads
Absolutely program dependent. In my own discipline, I have a friend who's already having weekly lab meeting despite the orientation being in late August and classes starting in September, while another friend with the same start date has not even picked out classes yet per the department's instruction. I'm somewhere in the middle - I've been getting tons of emails about payrolls and taxes, class enrollment, orientation dates, mixers, which will need to be done in the 2 weeks before classes start, but nothing official will begin until the last week for August. -
Should I defer admission to this unfunded PhD offer?
VioletAyame replied to youngcharlie101's topic in Decisions, Decisions
I just turned 24 last month and wil begin my PhD this fall and I imagine I'd still feel like a baby in my program. Plenty of people start in their late 20s - early 30s, and it's been said that a few years of non-school experiences can do wonder to your perspectives, self-esteem, and emotional management skills. And rachelann1991 is right, a year only seems long and/or a waste when we're young and feel like we should hurry on with our lives. Trust me, I often feel the same and my undergrad mentor, who went through this whole thing at a very young age, has always told me that one more year is nothing in the grand scheme of things and that she wished she had taken more time -
GRE test? Is taking it in October too late?
VioletAyame replied to SocPhDreamer's topic in Sociology Forum
I don't think it's terribly late (I took mine mid September). Just be prepared that if you need to retake the test, you'll have to wait about 2-3 weeks (if I remember correctly) and it may push things well into November. On the other hand, deadline for test scores is something that programs can be lenient on, as long as they arrive before adcom meets. -
Sending 5+ year old GRE & TOEFL Scores to universities ?
VioletAyame replied to ahmadka's topic in GRE/GMAT/etc
I just want to note that TOEFL score expires after 2 years, not 5. Although if you get your undergrad/Master's degree in an English-speaking country or with English as the main language of instruction, you can probably get it waived. -
Uhm I'm also on fellowship my first year but my department's still sending me to the TA orientation for the upcoming years. Can't you just come hang out?
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GRE Issue essay: Some people X; Some people Y?
VioletAyame replied to Dustin DeWinn's topic in GRE/GMAT/etc
I don't think you have to be extremely clear-cut on your stance. The prompt clearly said "which view more closely aligns with your own position," so in those 2 views, you should have a preference but not necessarily a staunch support while critiquing the pros and cons of both sides. I also think your position as explained here is perfectly reasonable, and I would say you lean more toward the transparency end, except on matters of national security. It'd make for a fine essay! -
How to choose where to study? [Advice for Future PhD student]
VioletAyame replied to sugarplum's topic in The Lobby
Soon-to-be first year Comm Ph.D student here. I just went through this whole process, so feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions, but I can only speak for the process in US schools. I can say that your interests (Human-Computer Interactions from a social sciences perspective) are one of the "hot" fields right now and you can easily find plenty of people to work with. As a lot of people have stated, research fit should be your first criterion. I think this perfectly summarizes the selection process. Having multiple potential advisers would be really helpful if you find out later that you don't really click with the brilliant scholar you wanted to work with or if he or she decides to leave midway through your program. And even though a lot of people said you should worry about location later, my own opinion is you shouldn't apply somewhere you absolutely don't see yourself living. It's a bit hard to know that absolutely about places you've never visited before, but if you do know, I'd say don't apply there. It's just a waste of money and effort. Ideally you'd want to apply to places that if they admit you, you'd happily go. Having a wide range of rankings is a good idea, but I've seen people who got upset after only getting into their "safety" choice and ended up reapplying the next year (also look around the forum for many, many arguments why there's no such thing as a safety school). And keep in mind that interviews/visits can change a lot - I completely changed my mind about my top choice after visiting. I agree that you should take the GRE. I heard it's easier to get funding in the States than in Europe and it's not that bad of a test IMO. It gets a bad rep but considering the doors it can open, I'd say it's worth it. Also there's a Communication forum under Social Sciences. You can browse it to get an idea of the top programs and their strengths or open a thread to get more specific responses. -
Count me in too! I love how you already called it Cbus and I'm glad you guys like it. I'm also jealous with you guys for having someone to "share" the move! Let's meet up there! August 19th to 21st right?
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I'll be there August 13 since it's the move-in date for the graduate housing and yes, I will be at the TA orientation even though there's no TAing for me the first year. PM me if anyone's interested in meeting up
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How often do you visit home?
VioletAyame replied to VioletAyame's topic in IHOG: International House of Grads
Thanks everyone for replying. It's really great to hear your perspectives! I admit it's really weird the first week I'm home too, like everything is almost the same except me. But the longer I stay, the more I reverted back to that mindset and culture, or as I like to joke, I start to lose my "Americaness," making it harder to re-adapt when I get back to the States. That's why I suspect regular but shorter visit might do me some good, as I'll get used to visiting and leaving as well as stop feeling as if my life was separated into two parts just by being here and there. And I agree wholeheartedly with the bolded part, just unsure about how to make the "living in the same city" part happens I'm so glad to hear that it's doable. Mine is a little bit more than 8000 miles away with no direct flight, so anything under 3 weeks doesn't seem so desirable. Having people visit me seems like a good idea - the trip may be too exhausting for them, so maybe only once in a while. And you're right, it's mostly people-sick, with a healthy dose of food-sick too. Our food and fruits are amazing! -
I'm spending my last glorious summer home and the three months seem to just fly by. I can't believe I'm going back to the States in about 2 weeks. Now I've spent 6 years there (getting my BA and working for a while) so it's not like I don't enjoy living in the US, but somehow I'm still getting saddened at the prospect of having to leave home yet again. I've been back 3 times in the last 6 years (the last time was 3 years ago, my home is kind of far away) and it has always been hard for me to leave. This time I'll also have to move across the country after I get back to the States, leaving another home, plus the scariness and excitement of starting the program in a new city, a new state - all in all I'm feeling a very weird crazy emotional mixture right now. So the poll is actually me trying to ascertain if I should visit home more often, thus making it less emotional for me to leave. Mind you I'm totally fine when I'm alone in the US, only the transition back and forth gives me trouble, and considering there's virtually no opportunity for research work in my home country, I'll probably have to just visit for a long while. My home is across the Pacific, so my visits have always been sporadic but long (2-3 months every 2-3 years). Now I'm thinking annual but shorter visit might lessen the pain, but another poster who has the same problem argued that it doesn't help and there's no reason why we should put ourselves in misery more often. So is there a point when it stops being hard to leave home and if yes, how did you guys get there? Is it realistic to expect that I'll be able to arrange my work so I can get 3+ weeks off every summer? How often do you visit home and how do you make it work for you? I have to add that I know Skype does help a lot and my family is super close-knit even by Asian standard (which might explain my chronic homesickness )
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I agree it's very hard being heartbroken everytime you have to leave. I thought I'd get used to leaving by now, but I haven't, and I don't know if I ever will (probably because I've only been home 3 times, each for a few months, during the last 6 years), and it's not like I don't enjoy being in the US. I know that when I get back, I'll also get back into my routine and not focus on what I'm missing, except during holidays and such, and so it's probably easier if I just remain there, but eventually you gotta visit and I feel like it'll be even harder to leave after being away for such a long time. I think the mental barrier for me is "I won't see my family and friends for at least 2-3 more years" and "This part of my life is ending and I can't get it back." The sense of finality is really hard for me to take. So it'll help to visit more regularly (i.e. make plan for annual visit) and to not think me being home and being in the US as 2 separate parts of my life but just one flow in which I'm living at both places. If home was close enough to visit once a month, I'd be so elated. But again I don't have a long distance relationship to make things harder!
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Also I don't know if this helps, but I always feel comforted by the knowledge and tons of other people are making this transition and starting this journey as well, so I'm not alone and my problem is not unique. Even though I may not know them, but there's a sense of togetherness somehow. If it's been done before and it's being done now, I too can do it. Hope that makes sense.
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Agree completely. I've done my BA in the US and I've been there for 6 whole years. Yet whenever I come home to visit I still feel miserable when I leave. I'm spending this summer home before going back to the US to start my program, and as the last few weeks are rolling by, I can't believe how sad I actually am right now. I have no problem living in the US anymore; there's no culture shock left; it's just heartbreaking to say goodbye to those people I love so much and not see them for at least a year (usually more, the last time I was back was 3 years ago). It's definitely peoplesick like you said. How to mitigate it? Skype really helps not just to keep in touch but to still feel like you're a part of your old life, to not sever the cord and make the transition easier. Think more about what you'll gain than what you'll lose (still struggling to do this btw). Make plan to visit and spend time with them as something to look forward to, work hard in the interim and make the visit your reward. Having people to relate to definitely helps, and since grad school usually comprises of people coming from all over, there's not a shortage of people who feel homesick/peoplesick especially at the beginning of the program. I plan on coming to my school's international student orientation and join their club, perhaps helping the new-to-the-US students so I'll put my experiences to good use and not wallow in my own problems so much Just remember that everyone deals with homesickness differently, and I have friends who hardly have any problem with it at all, so sometimes message board like this can be more encouraging than real life people!
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Discussing other departments in personal statement
VioletAyame replied to Anonymona's topic in Sociology Forum
I think like you said it really depends on the department. I would venture to say that the more interdisciplinary a department is, the likelier they would be to encourage it. But in any case, you shouldn't let mentioning other depts overshadow your interests in the department itself or at least let it be perceived that way in your statement. Good luck! -
Funny: the hidden meaning of your work emails, explained
VioletAyame replied to mandarin.orange's topic in The Lobby
I do that too, and sometimes I even thank them at the beginning of the emails, then "Thanks again for etc" at the end. I agree that they're probably used to it and it's always better to err on the (overly) polite way. And no, I don't think "Thanks in advance" is any way curt or passive aggressive. I've slowly realized that perhaps I put too much thoughts in the wording of emails on which the recipients will only spend a few seconds glimpsing for the main point. It's still important to be nice and grateful, but the exact wording doesn't matter so much as the tone and content of the whole email. -
Oooh I've always wanted to be an elf! So naturally graceful, so cultured, so powerful with self-maintaining hair. How is it working out for you? Is our inferior food to your liking? How can starting human grad school be awesome, since I assume that our knowledge would be so boring to you?
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Is it possible to revoke an accepted offer?
VioletAyame replied to hinhrt's topic in Decisions, Decisions
I think the OP meant the non-safe school not honoring the April 15th deadline since they just notified him/her of the acceptance last week.