Inyo

Did anyone else get one reviewer who was way out of line with the other two? I got E/E E/VG G/F with horrendous comments from the third reviewer that were completely inconsistent with the first two. And I was not awareded

You can still get the loans if you are enrolled full time, and the FAFSA is the first step. You should also be able to contact your institution's financial aid office for assistance with the loans. Depending on your field, I'd advise against taking out so many loans. It's often better to adjust your standard of living downward while in school than to take out loans (even if you fully expect to be able to pay them pack). No matter what, the interest on the loans is lost money.

I would send an email saying something such as "Thank you for your assistance. UCI is my top choice program, and, should I receive funding, I would certainly attend. Do to my circumstances, I cannot attend a program without funding. Will funding decisions be made prior to the April 1st deadline?"

I'm in a small field where my relationships with everyone in the field matters, so I visited most schools in the fall before getting in. Unfortunately, only one of the POIs had any say in admissions (small subfields in HUGE grad departments can be like that). I think one of the main impacts was that I got very, very nice rejections. The POIs at 3 schools have strongly encouraged me to pursue a post doc with them when I'm done, and 2 have said that they will look for ways to collaborate on research from our different institutions (one actually suggested I do a semester or year long exchange with their program. The visiting was likely good career wise, but mostly because I am in such a small field. Admissions wise, not so much. One thing that helped is that I went to my field's major conference before visiting schools. I made sure to meet everyone at the conference, and so my visits were less out of the blue than they might have otherwise been. If you can afford it, I say go for it.

I have a vaguely related question to this thread, and I'd like to get some opinions. I've got a big engagement ring. The diamond is an heirloom stone passed down through my family, so we/my fiance didn't spend much getting it set, BUT the ring is worth quite a lot due to the large diamond (had to get it appraised to get it insured). I also have tiny hands, so it looks even bigger. I'll be married when I start my program, and my simple wedding band can be worn with or without the (admittedly flashy) engagement ring. My coworkers ALL remarked on how big the diamond was, and so I know people really notice it (I think they were surprised at the size in part because my fiance is a grad student, and I also don't make much money). While I really like having the family heirloom with me at all times, I've been debating if it's more "professional" to store the engagement ring away in a safety deposit box and just wear the wedding band while in school. So what are your opinions about a flashy engagement ring while in grad school?

I think it greatly depends on the size of your field. I plan on emailing the professors at the schools that rejected me to let them know my plans. I'm in a very small field, and there are < 20 people in it with similar research interests to mine. Several of them share grants, and I may end up working with these people in the next few years anyways. The networking I have done has resulted in some of the nicest rejection letters you can imagine (including notes about how they hope to have a post-doc position for me in 5-6 years), and I want to make sure they know where to find me in the future. If you're in a large field and/or haven't been talking much with professors at the schools, then I wouldn't see a need.

I currently teach in a pretty awesome teaching job (as far as the high school world goes), and one of my coworkers as a ~ 2 hour each way commute this year. It has absolutely exhausted him this year. He is phenomenal at his job, and I'm sure the school offered him piles of money to stay (private schools can do that!), but he's leaving after just one year. The (rather large) straw that broke the camel's back was his wife getting pregnant with their first child. She needs to live close to her (better paying) job, so moving isn't an option. He made it clear that the 2 hour commute + small child was absolutely unfathomable, even though he had been coping with the 2 hour commute for a while. Now, all of that said, not to be harsh, but IVF doesn't have great success rates, making it quite hard to time a pregnancy. You may find that you can't get pregnant at all. Or you may end up with twins or another type of complication (which is more common with IVF) that prevents you from attending school after 4 or 5 months. This cuts both ways: I'd hesitate to give up the option of a school that might be a better fit for a child that might never come to be. I'd also be wary of having to commute so far while going through those medical procedures, because it will add additional stress to an already very stressful process. Fertility treatments can wreck havoc on your emotional state (both for psychological reasons and physiological ones--hormones CAN do crazy things to you). Infertility is hard, and there are no easy answers. I'd sit down and talk to your spouse about how you could handle all of these stresses. Maybe talk to a couple's therapist who works with couples going through infertility treatments (your doc should be able to recommend someone). I think the issue here is more complicated than just the commute, the pros and cons of each school, and the possibility of a baby. You have to decide what is best for your family, which is always a hard question.

That's what I thought after spending snowmaggeddon of 2010 in the Philly suburbs. 5 feet of snowfall in 4 days was enough to traumatize this native Californian That said, NC gets more *ice* storms, which is way worse. Plus no one can drive in any amount of snow/ice, so there are alwasy wrecks everywhere when there's even a dusting of snow. Winter isn't cold enough to feel like real winter, but it's just cold/wet enough to make it generally unpleasant out. Spring and fall are wonderful, though. Summer, on the other hand, is just painful. Over the past three years, we've had at least a week total of >100 degree weather with very high humidity. Summers are long, very hot, and very humid. If you drive everywhere, you're mostly okay, but as someone who loves spending time outdoors, I hate the summer in central NC. Summers are lovely up in the mountains, though. All of that said, I don't know how I'd handle upstate NY amounts of snow

That said, it is okay if you make a significant other a priority in your grad school decision! (I keep getting the opposite: "Which location is the best for your fiancé? You should do what's best for him." Me: "I narrowed schools at the application phase. He's really fine with any of my options.")

You haven't mentioned one of the biggest differences between the two schools: climate! As a transplant to the triangle area of NC, I am thrilled to be leaving for another climate. You may have different preferences, though

Thanks, that was interesting! I'm still curious if people have opinions on the benefits of a unique name vs. a very common one.

If you live outside of Cambridge, say in Sommerville or other towns, and away from the main T lines (but on bus lines), you can save A LOT of money. I have plenty of friends who are < 45 minutes from Harvard Square via public transit (though mostly on bus lines) who pay about $700-800 per person per month. Craigslist is your friend. There is no need to spend >1000 per month per person (that is, unless you have the large dog! good luck with that one!) in the Boston area if you're willing to live a bit further out.

I have an incredibly common name. Think something along the lines of "Kate Smith." My While I have a few papers in the review process, the only "publications" I have under my name are posters (5 of them). I do have a very unique full name (Think "Kate McDouglehousen Smith") that I've tried to use as my digital presence, but you find very few things when you google my full name (granted, I control them all, so there's power in that). And many journals/conferences won't list a full name (they go for "K. M. Smith" instead). There is, in fact, another "Kate M. Smith" who publishes in a related field to my own (she's in math ed and I'm in science ed). I'm getting married in three months, and I am largely indifferent to changing my name. The upside would be that I'd end up with a far less common, but not totally unique name. In terms of a possible future as an academic, would it matter to have the more unique name? I do tend to Google people to find information about their work, but right now, it's extremely hard for someone to Google me, unless they have my middle name. My current name is common enough that even if someone Googled "Kate Smith + future institution name" they'd likely find a couple of people. All things being equal, I'm unlikely to change my name upon marriage mostly because I hate paperwork and I don't want to change my name in a million places (SSN card, DMV, main bank, credit card, car loan, insurance.... so many places...). That said, if there would be a significant value to my career to have the less common name, I think I could stomach the paperwork. Do people think it's worth it? And are there other women around who have changed their name before starting/while in grad school? I'd appreciate hearing other's experiences.

I have been doing this, and it does seem to have sped up their attempts to figure out my funding. I would definitely do it.

Yes, and it seems most likely it'll be released on either a Tuesday or a Friday.

Oh yes. But the worst is places that manage to be both very cold in winter and very hot and humid in the summer (I'm looking at you, mid-western US). Layers and good boots (with good warm socks) will keep you covered in the cold. There's not much you can do when it's hot and sticky!

Bah, it looks like in the 4th paragraph I switched which letter I was using for which school. I blame getting up at 4am on the daylight savings day to catch a flight (I've flow to visit school B, the public institution). To be clear: At the public institution (school , I would be well supported after the first year on a research grant, BUT I won't get a firm confirmation of a TA position until July for first year support. I've been told that it's "almost certain" things will work out. It's the "almost" that's made me nervous. The PI who's been recruiting me (and I've been aggressively recruited by this institution) has made it clear that she wants me working on research ASAP rather than teaching. I've got a rather unique background that aligns extremely well with her work, and she clearly believes I'll be very valuable to her project. At the private institution (school A), I would be very well supported (34k stipend + tuition + fees+ insurance covered) for the first year. BUT I'd have to be on a TA for multiple years, as the PI I'd work with (and there's only one who does anything close to what I want to do) doesn't currently have a grant that follows my interests. He'd work to get me one, though. I LOVED my visit at school A, and I'll be at school B on Tuesday to see how I like them all in person. There are tons of other factors at play, but the funding situation is a big part of that. (A financial factor in school B's favor is that they guarantee *paid* maternity leave for grad students, and my partner and I are thinking of starting to have babies in 4-5 years. Plus, school B is close to my mom who is eager to provide free childcare to future grandbabies.) Working a regular job has made me very used to knowing exactly where my paycheck is coming from. I know I'll be taking a pay cut by going to school, I just want to make sure it isn't a cut to zero!

I'm deciding between two different schools, let's call them school A and school B. At school A (a private research university), I've been offered a first year TA + fellowship package that works out to 34k for the first year. 29k of that is guaranteed in subsequent years (up to 5, I think), and it's likely I'd have to stay on the TA for multiple years because my potential advisor doesn't have a grant to do what I'm looking to do (though he would happily advise me along the path I want to go on). At school B (a public institution), my potential advisor has a massive grant to support me. The problem is that that grant prevents her from covering tuition of state students, and so I'd have to be on a TA for the first year. However, because I've applied to a small, specialized program (that has no undergrad department), I'd need to TA in another department. That department can only accommodate a 50% appointment for TAs outside of that department. They also wouldn't be able to confirm an appointment for me until July. So far, I haven't been able to get a dollar figure from them, though I do know that at least tuition and fees would be covered. Both school A and school B are in high cost of living areas. While I have sizable savings (I've worked for several years and I'm super frugal) and could afford a year with no income, that would hit my saving for a house fund pretty hard. I'm nervous about signing on to go to school A without a clear picture of what my first year support would look like. BUT it's clear that subsequent years would have better funding at school A, and I'm likely to be in a program for 5 or 6 years. Neither program is a perfect fit (though, so far as I can tell, there is no program that would be a perfect fit for me! Developing one's own highly specific research interests before attending graduate school causes some difficulties), and they have very different strengths and weaknesses. It's a hard choice between the two, and it may come down to funding. I could cross my fingers and hope for the NSF GRFP, but I'm not super hopeful that I will get it! If you were me, what would you do?

My partner's stipend at a university in North Carolina has fluctuated (TA vs. RA is quite different), but living on 16k in the area was very doable (though he has always had me to pay half of the rent!). I'd say that <15k would be a stretch, but >16 or so would be doable with roommates and some frugality. Keep in mind that 20k in a lower cost of living area can be a lot more money than 30k in a city like Boston or Chicago. I'm also nervous on the funding front, as one school (in Boston) has offered me a total of 34K in support for the first year. A the other school, I've gotten a lot of "Oh, yes, your expenses will be fully covered." and not a lot of numbers... and the Bay Area is not a cheap place to live!

I applied to a range of schools, including one where I am bit overqualified for the program but it's very good research fit. The application was due Jan 15th. Come February 1st, I get out of an important, long meeting at work to find an email from my POI saying "We're processing applications and I don't see yours. It's fine if you decided not to apply, but I wanted to double check." PANIC set it. While I was in the midst of sending the "I swear I applied! I can send you the saved "application submitted page" and my pdf version!" he emailed again to say "Never mind, we found it. For some reason our system decided to switch your middle and last names. Sorry about that, we have a new system with some bugs." I nearly had a heart attack! I also sent one other application to a (similar) but wrong program. Fortunately the admin assistant caught it and emailed me to check. She switched everything around, but I thought to myself "Well, if they know I can't even get the paperwork right, there's no way they'll admit me..." I am currently deciding between those two schools You can recover from paperwork disasters!

Even if it's hard to retake the GRE, I'd still recommend it. Your quantitative scores seems too low for computer science programs. If it's *impossible* to retake, then you can go to war with the army you have and hope for the best. I wouldn't recommend it, though. With a bit more studying, you should be able to do better.

Hi piyu, You've got some decent points in your essay, but you have quite a few areas for improvement. You need to have more structure within your paragraphs. You shouldn't have paragraph breaks around single sentences. You use the word "it" far too much. Your usage of "it" makes your points hard to follow. (Contrast that sentence to this: "It makes it hard to follow." The first is more clear!) Your thesis needs to be closer to the beginning of your essay and must be more clear. Avoid informal language such as "I'll say" "So, I'll conclude." I encourage you to find someone to go through the entire essay and highlight all of the grammar mistakes as well. Keep on practicing, and good luck!

Said to me frequently in the fall: "I can't imagine that you won't get in everywhere that you applied." My response was generally "Have you ever applied for PhD?"

I would thank both professors for the information (in one email to both), and say you look forward to learning more about the research that they are conducting, perhaps mentioning that you will be reading the papers soon. I think it's fine to say that you're still in the invesigating phase. I had a similar recent interaction with a professor. I have been admitted to school X and school Y. At school X, professor X REALLY wants me to come and work with her. According to my background, she thinks I'd be a good fit for project A BUT based on previous conversations, she did also attach a paper on project B--which is far more interesting to me! She also offered summer employment (on either project A or . I am not committed to school X. I thanked her for the information and said how interesting I found project B. I said I looked forward to learning more about the project. I turned down the summer employment for personal reasons. I then added that while school X is very high on my list, I am also considering school Y. I pointed out that my probable PI at school Y is actually the person who told me to apply to school X, and that no matter what happens, I look forward to working with her in the future. What I've been trying to keep in mind through all of this is that ALL of these people may end up being my colleagues at some point in the future. I'm betting that honesty is the best policy. Since I'm going into a very small field, I am going out of my way to make sure that I tell everyone in the field how interesting I find their work. One thing that's important to remember is that all of these people have been in your shoes at some point. They get that you might not want to be 100% committed to a particular project before you even show up!

I was a big fan of the essay writing advice in Kaplan's main GRE book. It helped me focus my writing into a style that clearly benefitted me on the GRE. The issue is that a "good" essay may or may not receive a good score for the GRE. In my undergrad classes (including courses far from my specialities), professors frequently complimented me on my writing. I write very well, but I write best in non-traditional formats (eg, I loathe the 5 paragraph essay!). I got a 4.5 on the writing section the first time I tackled the GRE. That's a fine score, but below where I should have been. The second time around, I followed Kaplan's advice. I wrote for the ENTIRE time, even if I felt like I'd already made the best points (a longer essay is almost always scored higher than a shorter one). I used uncessesarily large vocabularly words and highly complex sentence structure (which I frown upon as a scientist. If you can say something simply, say it simply!). For both essays I used the template structure suggested by Kaplan. I got a 5.5 writing what I thought were rather crap essays, but I had followed "The Kaplan Method ." Tl;dr: Follow the methods from prep companies.