stephchristine0

Yes, but as I have learned from this process anything is possible.

I've been getting a lot of the, "Don't go to school X, the cost of living is way too high" comments from family lately. I appreciate the concern, but I'm anticipating poverty wherever I end up going, so it's not that much of an issue.

That makes sense. Both of the places are a really good fit for me, so I'm not sure what to do. Although if funding is looking bleak for next year, maybe I should just count my blessings and take the funded offer?

I applied to three schools this year. #s 2 and 3 were more prestigious than my #1 choice. 2 and 3 rejected me early. #1 had late interviews.
 
#1 sent out acceptances today, April 1, of which I received one! Suffice to say I was extremely happy with this news.
 
One of the four people I told asked me if it was an April Fools joke.
 
UGH.

Give them a call.
 
Also, shame on BC. 

I feel like they need to fill up all the spots. So the deadline is somewhere around April for those accepted to accept the school's offer, ask all of their endless questions, talk to their POIs and weigh their PROs and CONs before they give the school their official decision. 
 
So we are the waiting. Not the waitlisted, not the rejected. Just a state of waiting. 

I feel like they need to fill up all the spots. So the deadline is somewhere around April for those accepted to accept the school's offer, ask all of their endless questions, talk to their POIs and weigh their PROs and CONs before they give the school their official decision. 
 
So we are the waiting. Not the waitlisted, not the rejected. Just a state of waiting. 

Now you have another whole year to work, study harder, do well and improve the next application season  

I used it and I thought it was very helpful.  Even the math videos were helpful because they explained each concept and I think I better grasp things when someone explains/draws them out for me rather than just reading books on it.  I think it was helpful most because the videos give good explanations that sometimes doesn't come across when just reading things, and the practice tests. The fact that each answer has a video explanation is great too.  I liked the timed practice sets as well because I probably wouldn't have been as honest if I were just timing myself, this left the control out of my hands and it simulated the GRE more accurately than me studying with books by myself.  But honestly, it still won't be that worth it unless you intensely study as well...

Mother, after dropping a travel guide on my desk with pages flagged: "We were just talking to a lady who lived in city x about thirty years ago and she absolutely loved it!" (my emphasis)

Yep. Nothing would change at all in thirty years. 

the first paragraph needs to define you! don't define the job field. the board already knows everything about that first paragraphs. briefly and come out strong explaining who are you? where did you come from? as an undergraduate from X I have had the opportunity to do x y and z. I have strengths in the following back grounds. I did this and this and this. I am asking this as a question for my graduate studies. 
 
I would eliminate the first one all together. Totally off topic. THis is about your application. AND why do you want to do to that school? 
Your personal statement should say, "I want to attend X because of my strengths in X, Y, and Z. This is why I feel I am a strong and good addition/candidate to improve the department. "
 
you need to reorganize the structure. In each paragraph, you explain an internship. then the next you jump to something else like what you see is required in the field. Go more in depth with your projects. WHat skills did you polish off? Explain, and elaborate. Tell a story. Your paragraphs are too choppy. 
 
-3 years experience with my own. 

You can't do anything about it now, just relax.

"You're studying again? You'll end up being a librarian"
-This is wrong in so many levels.

I didn't pay for Magoosh, but I found all of their free materials (PDFs, videos on Youtube) to be incredibly helpful. The PDFs are just quick and easy conceptual breakdowns that I looked over for a couple of weeks before the test. (My score improved seven points between my first and second attempts, albeit it was abysmally low the first time.)
 
Some people here have previously said that Magoosh has a rather convoluted method for its in-depth quant prep. Manhattan seems to be where it's at for the best quant review.

Something that helped me when studying: try to build up your stamina to think, concentrate, and remain sharp for 4 hours straight, with only brief breaks.  So in addition to the practice tests, get used to doing 30 minute drills with 5 minute breaks, for a total of 3-4 hours each time.  By the time you take the actual test you'll be used to the length and you won't feel intimidated or mentally drained toward the end.  I was running a lot during my study period, so I had a physical/mental fitness regimen.  This made it less boring and helped a lot with the stress.  Come test day, sitting down and working out problems for a few hours wasn't a big deal.  

Rejections mean I won't be attending there in the fall.
Admission means I might.
 
Not much else there.

Of course!! If you think you really want to go to Boston College.. ?

You obviously cannot commute 4 hours per day so either you move or you forget about option A. I can't even believe that you are considering having a kid and attending graduate school 2 hours away - does not compute.

When graduate schools look at research experience, it is not curricular. Classes don't count as experience. You 100% need to work in a lab. Pretty much all the techniques and things you need to know, you'll learn while working in the lab anyway. Do that, forget about the courses.