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Thanks for the detailed description! The one tablet I currently think would be the best option for me, ASUS VivoTab Note 8, has handwriting recognition that does not convert the text right away. Instead you write as long as you want, and then you click something to convert the text. I like that a lot, as it won't slow down the process of writing itself. I just wonder what the conversion into digital text will do to my drawings? And: yes, that's a great distinction you make between tablets for which you can additionally buy a stylus, and tablets that are made for note-taking. ASUS VivoTab Note 8 is one with a precision stylus, made by WACOM, which has this cool feature of being recognized by the tablet even if you don't touch it etc...

My laptop uses Windows 7, the ASUS VivoTab Note 8 would use Windows 8.1 (which I hear is better than 8, but who knows in terms of Greek letters...) And yes, it could still be a problem on a tablet while it is no problem on a laptop with the same OS. It seems that Apple has figured it out though, then Windows 8.1 should be able to do it too (another unwarranted inference). Thanks for the link!

Hey everyone, after having spent almost all day reading about your experiences and discussing it with some tech-guys on another forum, I think I found the perfect tablet for me: ASUS VivoTab Note 8. It does everything I wished for and is not even expensive. The only thing: it sold out within the first days of its release, so I have to wait until the stocks are refilled. It works with Windows - are there any people in this forum who have experience with polytonic Greek letters with a Windows-driven tablet? Or is the following a valid inference: - My windows-driven laptop does not have any problems with polytonic Greek letters. - Therefore a windows-driven tablet won't have any problems with it either. And if it's not valid, why not? (I.e. I don't know exactly what part of a tablet messes up with the letters...)

That is one reason why I am hesitant about an iPad, because I really want to stop taking notes on physical paper, but I don't want to switch to typing, because I need the opportunity to draw things, together with the words I write. That's why a good stylus+ a good doodling-note-taking-app +handwriting recognition would be absolutely amazing. Together with being able to use the same on pdfs and downloaded books, of course. Could you tell me more about how the handwriting recognition on your friend's tablet worked? Does s/he use it regularly in lectures and seminars?

Thanks for all the helpful answers so far! I'll just let the information roll in for a little longer before I respond to specific suggestions. And thanks for the second compliment on my user name, I really didn't expect that people would even notice... After having gotten some questions on another forum to make some points of my original list clearer, here's the updated version (same points, just less ambiguous language, I hope): 1. for taking notes during lecture (not by typing, but the doodling kind of notes) 2. for reading papers and books, including highlighting and annotating text (in the doodling kind of annotating) 3. maybe also for taking notes by typing – if there’s a good way to combine the two ways of taking notes, it would be perfect 4. The tablet should be able to stand upright. 5. I already have a netbook and a laptop, so I don't need it for writing papers, but instead it should be great for use in lectures and seminars (and in public transport, if possible). 6. The stylus should work well (very well, if possible). 7. handwriting recognition - that would be awesome! 8. I just read that Android doesn't support polytonic Greek letters. I only need it to be able to DISPLAY polytonic Greek letters, not to write them. And I guess in pdf it is not a problem because it is an image file, but when downloading books through an app, maybe? 9. Other things being equal, I would prefer to be able to handle files directly (i.e. without a program like iTunes), for example through USB. 10. I DON'T need much memory space. 11. I am still in the search of the right system in order to sync the data of my laptop (windows), external HD, and the potential new tablet with each other. 12. Other things being equal, I would prefer one that can handle LaTex-files, but that’s not very important. Everything’s fine as long as I can transfer everything from my tablet to my windows-driven laptop.

Thanks! Yes, I know Greek (only Attic), and I also should, because I do a lot of Aristotle. In fact, I should know it much better than I do, so I'm still practicing. I would recommend anyone who wants to do philosophy to learn Attic Greek! It was possible to just copy-paste the Greek letters into the user-name field...

I am planning to buy a tablet. The following are the important functions it should be able to handle well. If you have experience with any or all of these functions with a specific tablet, let me know! If you have general recommendations, let me know! If I forgot something that is potentially important, let me know! In other words: let me know what you know about tablets. Especially helpful would be answers that say: "Given your 12 points here, this is the best tablet you can get, because..." I hope this also contributes to the distraction away from the admissions process for all those of you who are in the waiting-it-out hell... 1. for taking notes (not by typing, but the doodling kind of notes) 2. for reading papers and books (including highlighting and annotating text) 3. maybe also for taking notes by typing – if there’s a good way to combine the two ways of taking notes, it would be perfect 4. The tablet should be able to stand upright, so that reading is more comfortable. 5. I already have a netbook and a laptop, so I don't need to use it for writing papers. 6. One that comes with a stylus that works well would be nice. 7. I just read that there is such a thing as handwriting recognition - that would be awesome! Am I right to suppose that this would translate my stylus-handwritten notes into digital words? 8. I just read that Android doesn't support polytonic Greek letters, is that right? 9. Other things being equal, I would prefer to be able to handle files directly, i.e. without iTunes. 10. How much memory is recommended for academic use? I have an external HD for storing the bulk of the data. 11. I am still in the search of the right program in order to sync the data of my laptop (windows), external HD, and the potential new tablet with each other. 12. Other things being equal, I would prefer one that can handle LaTex-files, but that’s not very important. Everything’s fine as long as I can transfer everything from my tablet to my windows-driven laptop.

I don't know about the other places, but I know that Leipzig is great for German Idealism!

Yes, and it sounds like you are the kind of person who is good in getting the relevant information and preparing well, so it should work out somehow, I'm sure! Good luck!

The reasons why the probability of securing a doctoral degree within 3 years is high are 1) you have to have an MA degree to even start with the doctoral studies (do you have that?), and 2) because it is very difficult to find any funding after 3 years and so people have a lot of pressure to finish within that time frame. With "that" I mainly meant applying for the teaching/assistant position - it is not hard to find a professor who will advise you on your dissertation, as long as you bring the money yourself. Almost anyone can find a professor to do that if they don't ask for money. The difficult part is to find a source of money that is somehow connected to your dissertation (i.e. not just working in a coffee shop). But don't take my input as the last word, maybe there's people who see it in a more optimistic light :-). By the way, Zurich pays way more than the other two because it is in Switzerland.

Assuming that 1) is a question whether this is true, my answer would be "yes". To 2) I would answer "very very difficult if you aren't already known to them through your studies in some way. I don't know the answer to your PS-question, as I don't do Political Philosophy. 1) is one of the reasons why I preferred American doctoral programs although I am from the German speaking system. If you want to do that, you have to try to build connections and networks with and around your desired professor(s) as soon as possible, before you apply.

Thanks for sharing kabelo! I realized that my topic shouldn't just sound like asking for advice on this - it's also so good to hear that there are other people in this situation out there! I did seriously think about not taking the exams at all and instead to go traveling. But then I became ambitious again and thought I should finish up what I've started :-). After having written the whole master's thesis etc, it's kinda hard to just throw away your MA degree entirely...

Hi everyone, I have found a wonderful spot in a wonderful PhD program, starting in fall. I am really excited about it and can't wait to start. And I really mean the "can't wait": I am still finishing up my MA stuff at the moment and have a really hard time motivating myself to do the work. I will have my final exams end of May. The outcome of my exams won't have any impact on my future, even if I fail, but I still would like to do somewhat well on them... Is/Was anybody in a similar situation and what do/did you do to motivate yourself?

I agree. The only thing that made it a bit more chaotic than necessary was that they didn't tell people that they were on an unofficial waitlist until one day before the deadline, unless solicited (and soliciting was very hard). They wouldn't necessarily have had to leave us in the dark for so long.

Well, then let's start a shame campaign for the same reason against UCLA. They did the same, and it costs $100 for international students to apply to their school ($80 for US people I think). Schools like that just make the chaos around April 15th even worse than it would already be. (I guess it's not exactly the same as with Vanderbilt, but in no way better: they just didn't respond at all until yesterday. When I solicited an answer earlier, it took me 5 emails and more than two weeks, just to get the answer "you're not rejected, but also not accepted at this point of time"). UCLA has an awesome program though, so let's keep the shame campaign to their admissions procedures.

Did you see this: 37 pages of discussions so far, but I'm not sure whether that's what you were looking for?

Honestly, if you haven't started writing your writing sample yet, start NOW. You need as many editing and revising cycles as possible. I didn't do it that way and think I would have gotten in some schools that I didn't get in if I did it that way. If I reapplied, that would be the one thing I would do differently this time around.

Is there anybody else in here who hasn't heard back from UCLA yet? It is the only school I haven't heard back from yet. I am about to accept another offer and am only waiting for the UCLA rejection before I do it. But I want to make sure that it really is a rejection!

I am one of the admits to Columbia and just got back from visiting their department (as I will not be able to make it in April during their official visiting time - I got to know about my admission on Monday). When I asked this question, they answered that they're aiming for an incoming cohort of 6, and therefore admit 6-8 people per year. I am still so excited about being admitted to Columbia! I thought I had it all just made up in my mind, but now, after visiting, I think I start believing it. Also, I will decline the offer from UIC tomorrow - I hope it'll help someone being happy very soon!

Turns out that there is also such a thing as unwarranted pessimism!

Hey! Well, the way it looks at the moment, I don't have that many options to weigh it with :-). I would have a nice option in Germany, but hey - it won't give me 5 years of funding! Europe is different. Also, I LOVE the city of Chicago. Unless a really good offer comes in (Columbia or UCLA), I will accept it. Which schools are you weighing it with?

I got accepted at UIC. I can't believe it. I'm in shock. I was so sure that this season is over for me. Would have to submit my master's thesis this evening but can't work on it anymore. I guess it doesn't matter that much anymore anyway. IN SHOCK!!!

Is any of the two recent UIC admits in this forum? It said on the results list that they called you and an email will follow. Did the email already follow? Any other infos? (I don't expect anything anymore, but with UIC I still had a small, small hope. And because I'm international, I don't think they would call me, but simply send me an email together with the others. Thus I would get to know it a bit later, like it was the case with internationals in the last few years too according to the results list)

Which Chicago school? If UChicago: they just haven't sent out the rejection emails yet. Website is irrelevant in their case.

USC results are out, both acceptances and waitlists. Seems like most schools are kind of early this year compared with the results in the last few years...