MonkeyDr

Where do you have a better research fit with the POI? That's a very important question.

Miami is a huge culture shock. It is like living in another country at times. The heat sucks, but you get used to it. Sharpen your driving skills! The gables is expensive and you could probably find a nice place in other areas...(kendall for example)... Keep in mind the farther you live from campus the more you will struggle. I lived 25 min from campus during undergrad and with traffic that easily turns into 1 hour and looking for parking can patch on another 15-20 minutes...avoid traffic by avoiding the streets from 7am-9am and again from 4:30-6:30... Msg me if you'd like any more details/ etc..

I've had mixed reviews on this. Seems like grad students think this is a great idea but non-grad students don't. I really wouldn't want to risk as coming across too full of myself. Afterall, I am just a student. What do you all think?

Cool cards!

I was facing this same dilemma. Decision was made for me when housing at my soon to be school let me know that "upperclassmen" to them meant sophmore - graduate students, and the selection was "random" and not based on preferences. Off campus for me. Which also happens to be cheaper.

I was preparing for a festival at work till 10pm, and thinking to myself on the way home that it didn't matter if I got in or not because I have a wonderful life. It was the first moment I had exhaled in MONTHS. Then I got home and sitting on the dinning room table was the offer letter from my top choice. I cried, and laughed and jumped for joy. Mind you the next day at the festival my future advisor was scheduled to be our key speaker, so it was a very joyous weekend to say the least.

Have not read this entire thread...however I am from Miami. The Coral Gables area is beautiful but expensive. In my opinion, if you can find housing anywhere along the metro line you are set. My sister went to UM and she lived in apartments near Dadeland Mall area...this way she hoped the metro each morning and got to Um in under 10 minutes. Beats traffic, parking, and the high cost of living of the gables. Good luck!

Hey! I'll be in FAU in the Fall! I'll be doing a Master's in Anthropology. Msg me, I'd love to get to know more grad students in the area.

So I was sent a letter of admission to department X a couple weeks ago. I have had discussions with the professor I'd be working with in the past, and also saw her twice in person. Last time we talked she told me to let her know what I decide about the application. I was going to wait to hear the full details of the offer, however, was informed today that if I "check" on my "intent to attend" it would reflect positively on my application for an assistantship. This is my top choice, so I was going to try to make it work either way. However, I'm concerned about deciding this early. My heart says yes, but my over-analytical side is skeptical. If I do inform them of my decision to attend should I send the letter and contact the professor immidiately? Or just send the letter? What is the appropriate way to "accept?" Looking for some guidance.

I'm in a similar position. Hopefully someone has some advice. I'm stuck between contacting them as well or waiting.

Ok, so I just got a letter in the mail saying "Congratulations! You've just been accepted to X program...You will recieve you official acceptance letter from the Graduate School soon.." I want to be happy, but someone help! I had applied for a TA position, but they didn't say anything about it in the letter. Either "yes" or "no." Is it customary to offer this in the official letter or should they have said it already?

I believe my wait is till March as well. However I constantly entertain the fantasy that they will get to me sooner.

YES! Good luck!

Also I recently took a weekend vacation (I suggest this to all) where I actually managed to sleep and feel like a normal person again who was more interested in the best kayak/hike spots then grad school... However, that was short lived....but worth it! I felt sane again.

Ditto. I'm taking benadryl every night to sleep. By day, I'm obsessed with monkey research or reading... I'm on "Your Inner Fish" currently -- good stuff.

lmao

I see therapy in all our futures. Not only is this waiting game horrendous, but then you go to gradschool and...you have grant apps, publications, living up to your PI's expectations... Therapy: the one thing I'm sure of in life.

I most likely won't be hearing from my top choices until end of Feb or March...which kills me...

^^ This makes me feel a tad better...

This is the best. I'm also tired of explaining this.

Is anyone else dreaming of grad school? This happens to me every night. I'm figuring it's either a good sign or a sign I'll be in a mental hospital soon. Either way, a sign.

Thanks so much! Hopefully it's a good sign! It's definitely the toughest program I applied to, any good signs welcome in my life.

Keep the faith. Just because you have best chances of getting into school X does not mean school Y won't see something remarkable in you !

I graduated undergrad in December and I have so far failed at finding a job. However, I had a job interview today that I think went well. Hopefully I get a good 3-4 months of work/$$ before grad school in Fall (hoping I get in). Besides that I'm on the fence between attending a conference in Puerto Rico and submitting an abstract, OR teaching at the DUKE Tip program this summer. I've never gone to a conference but it would be $$ that I don't have at the moment, and I've taught before but I imagine teaching kids at Duke is a very different experience. Plus it's Duke, one of the schools I want to apply to get my phD with after I complete my Masters. I'm torn on what would be a better networking/learning experience. I've gotten pretty mixed advice so far, so any opinions would be SO welcome. Besides that I been doing a lot of reading, finishing up research projects, and doing some light traveling (hopefully I'll do more traveling this summer...after I hopefully land this job). Life.

Hey guys! I'm a newbie on here, however, losing my mind in February...to say the least. Reading some of these forums has made me feel less crazy and alone. Who knew! I have double-triple checked everything. Last week the director of one of the programs emailed me to "notify" me they would start reviewing applications soon. Good sign? SOP? Sigh. I'm running through e-mails and conversations with another school, which I visited and they seemed to really like me...but alas...imposter syndrome prevails. I just want to open my inbox and see "Congratulations!...." - sooner rather than later.