niocwacs

Supposing that in your essay of background you specified that you're interested in, say, PDEs and inverse problems for dynamic systems, would it be inadequate to tell your preliminary advisor or director of graduate studies upon arrival that you're actually more interested in group theory or number theory? I mean that you never know what were actual factors that finally made the committee to accept your candidacy. And it might be the case that the main reason that you were accepted was that they wanted for some particular project (especially if the department has a lot to do with various applications in which PDEs are much more promising than algabra) which you now wouldn't participate in as you want to change your field. So, what's your opinion on the question stated in the first paragraph?

I've been accepted to the University of Delaware graduate program and would like to figure out how good that program is. I am not much interested in rankings. The question is more about people's personal impressions. Like, how much of faculty's attention do grad students receive?

I'm actually spending at least six hours a day revising my undergraduate courses as part of preparation for preliminary examinations.

I'd certainly be of the same opinion if I were American. I bet you are one. I'm not trying to accuse you of hostility, but still international students' thoughts are more like "It's ALREADY June and I don't have anybody to discuss and share my fears with". Perhaps `fears` is not the right word, but I'm sure you got me. As are many mathematicians I'm not very sociable and perfectly enjoy spending time all by myself unless I have doubts I can handle any possible problems. In this situation there's one big problem: I have no way to predict or imagine what problems I'll have to deal with. That makes me `eager` to start correspondence with my cohort-mates. Thanks for the idea of starting a group on Facebook. I'm not much intro social networks, but I'll give it a try.

What key words am I supposed to put in there? "Hogwarts University, Black Magic Graduate Program, newly admitted in 2009"? I doubt there'd be any result. You need to know at least the name of a person you're looking for. The question was whether moral considerations should or should not stop me from asking for people's email addresses.

I've been desperately trying to find anybody who's been admitted to the same program of the same uni but never succeeded. The other school that had offered me admission before I accepted the offer from the school mentioned above took an interesting step to help me 'make myself at home'. It was like in early April when they told me about other students that were admitted to the same program as me. It was nice to find out who those people were and what their scientific fields were and what activities they were engaged, too, even though the descriptions were rather short. It just occurred to me that I might ask somebody, like the graduate program coordinator or a person who holds a similar position, for some information about my future fellow students. I might even go as far as to asking for their emails... Do you think it would be `normal` thing to do? I mean, don't you think it would make them think of me as of an 'intruder'? I'm a foreigner, I'm not used to the customs in the academia in the US and I don't mean to intrude.

You guys didn't really understand what I meant. The question is (among other aspects) can I go to classes wearing shorts when it's really hot? In my own country it would be pretty normal in southern parts while in northern parts it would be considered inappropriate even the temperatures there may be the same and you can feel them the same. I've graduated from a uni which is deemed top-ranked here and I never cared at all about how I look cause I always knew there was nobody in charge to get me out for an appropriate look. Can I wear jeans? Can I wear trainers? Can I wear T-shirts?

Well, I'm originally from the Urals where winters officially last for six month every year and temperatures fall to -35...-40C. I just don't want to look like a black sheep in a new environment.

I know I may sound a little bit weird, but what I want to know is what you guys wear in places like Newark, DE. It's very close to Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. As far as I read about the place the climate is quite soft, winters are close to no snow, there isn't much precipitation. I'm interested in men's clothing only. Could anyone to take photographs of one's shoes, trousers, jackets, coats and other clothing? The more photos the better...

I'll be doing a Ph.D. in mathematics beginning in the fall '09. I'm looking for international students who were assigned TA positions and who are subject to the summer orientation program at the Institute of English Language which will begin on July, 15. I'd especially like to meet those admitted to the Ph.D. program in mathematics...