ophiolite

Has anyone heard anything about deposits yet? I received all of my insurance-related stuff from my department along with a request for a teaching statement to determine if I would be classified as 'experienced' or 'inexperienced' but nothing about sending in a deposit or when I receive my Wisconsin email address. Any insight? Thanks!

meridionale: If you haven't found a place yet...you may want to try the grad student list server at UNC. I found my roomate my first year of my MS program through it and had no problems. I just posted a little bit about myself, that I prefered to live in Carrboro and found two great possibilities in less than 2 weeks! https://instruct.unc.edu/wcb/schools/5/ ... board.html There is the website...hope you find it useful...or any other prospective for UNC-CH!

ROFL... One reviewer commented in my broader impacts section: "Although the applicant has shown good skill in preparing her proposal, based on other evidence, I don't think she will be a leader in the field compared to others applying for GRF." Whatever...I'll show them...there is more to being a leader in the field than winning a stupid fellowship competition! Now...if he only knew that the "excellent problem to tackle" that I outlined in my research proposal was ALL my idea!

Geez...you'd think they'd put some bandwidth on the server hosting these surveys! Maybe I'll get them...sometime... My main page is very vague and says I was in "the 63rd percentile or below"... I'll see what they say...my guess is its my subdiscipline in addition to only above average grades and lack of sending GRE scores...do they go into that much detail as I wait patiently?

I can't...but I haven't been able to log into FastLane for like the past month anyway...

Geology PhD - University of Wisconisn - Madison

I'm hopefully getting very lucky with my housing search. My fiance and I just applied for an apartment complex that seems really good, but a bit far (~6 miles from my department)...I'll deal with it! Hopefully we will get approved. The complex answered all of our questions via email and telephone and also sent us detailed pictures of the unit and the complex. They only have one unit open and they will be holding it for us until August (this was the only thing that raised red flags to us...), so if he finds a job a bit early, we may be able to move up the lease a few weeks or month early.

There are definately ways to get to Durham from Chapel Hill not going the RTP route (actually that's way out of the way). 15-501 is a straight-shot from Chapel Hill to Durham as is NC751. It's a doable commute, I'm just not sure how parking is on Duke's campus (since I'm at UNC). For the record, my fiance commutes from Carrboro (subarb of Chapel Hill) to Cary (just outside Raleigh) everyday and doesn't have a big problem with it... Rent is probably more expensive in Chapel Hill/Carrboro than in Durham, but the city is much nicer imo...and that's not just me speaking as a long time Tar Heel fan :wink:

Goodness...I have lots of worries! #1 - Finishing my MS thesis in time... I currently am working towards my MS and my research isn't going as well as planned. There have been numerous set-backs and my advisor recently added another portion of my thesis to the docket. The research I'm trying to complete now is going to be tough to schedule...I'm dependant on the Physics department to get it done and the woman helping me out is very pregnant! Makes me worry not only about scheduling around their other commitments, but also that she may go into premature labor and leave me in the dust. My advisor tells me its all very possible for me to get everything done in time...I've already started writing the background sections of my thesis and have set deadlines to complete other sections of my thesis...but I'm definately committed to start my PhD in August, so if I run into anymore major setbacks I don't see my self realistically getting done in time (or at least defending before my lease ends at the end of July). This is probably my biggest worry as of now... #2 - Do I really deserve to be at the school I chose? I am one of three students in my current department that was applying for PhD programs this year. I am also the only one who got into my top choice and most of my other schools (I went 4/5). Also, I'm worried that the only reason I got in was because I've been very dedicated to helping out a retired professor in the department with getting active in research again after a stroke a few years back. He was (is) a very influential person and was a leader in my field in his day, but I'm worried that he has made a mistake taking me under his wings and encouraging me as much as he has... #3 - Will I stay in my program? I didn't worry at all about staying in my MS program here, however, my PhD program is at a much higher ranked school (#3 depending on who you consult) and has much stricter policies. My research group is required to take qualifying exams in your first year in the PhD program. The last student who took quals with my advisor failed and had to leave the program (and she received her MS from him!). This worries me more than a little bit. I am a hard worker, but I know I have deficiencies in my specialty since I didn't go to an undergraduate school with my specialty and my current program is fairly weak in it as well. I haven't had advanced classes in it and my undergraduate course in it focused on other aspects not related to what I want to do. I'm worried I will put in a lot of hard work my first year, fall behind and fail my quals and be kicked out of my program. #4 - Will I survive the adjustment from the Southeast to the Midwest? This is my first time living in the Southeast and I find the attitude very laid back. People don't stroll into school many days until 9:30 or 10am and leave when they please as well. This work style has made me adapt to being able to work efficiently at home and not feeling bad about staying home to complete the reading and writing portions of my research. Don't get me wrong, as an undergraduate in the Northeast I kept up with the pace and was at school early everyday and worked hard late into the night while working 20 hours a week. However, graduate school is different with different stresses and different goals for the degree. At the school I will be attending in the fall, students get to school by 8am and work until 6pm or later. I can deal with the getting up early in the morning, I'm a morning person...but it seems like everyone is frazzled all the time and they don't know whats going on with the outside world. That's what scares me...that I won't have time to keep tabs on the outside world and basic new stories that I think every American should be aware of... I feel moving to the Midwest will be a BIG adjustment from the laid-back get it done when you can lifestyle of the Southeast... Phew...I feel better getting that all off my chest and can now get back to doing what I'm supposed to...reading and writing for my thesis!

I'm currently looking for an apartment on the East Side of Madison with my fiance... We have some requirements such as needing W/D or W/D hookups, need two parking spaces, looking for a nice one or possibly two bedroom place. I've found the Trafalgar Apartments, its near the airport and very close to the East Side Park and Ride. Does anyone know anything positive or negative about this complex or how noise complaints are about living close to the airport? Thanks!

There have been budget cuts to NSF in general, but I have no clue where the cuts are focused or anything like that... I also don't know how many people applied this year... But there is something unsettling to me... In my specialty NOBODY won an award. Geoscience - Geology had no Fellowships awarded to them, and only 14 HMs. The only Geology-type fields represented were 1 award to Geochemistry and 2 to Geophysics. All other Geoscience awards were given to environmental and meterology-type fields. Oh well, doesn't make me feel so bad now that I didn't win (not that I was beating myself up anyway).

Denied - Geosciences Oh well...I'm funded either way, just not going to make as much money...at least I have closure...

This crap is starting to drive me crazy and is taking away from my work I should really be doing right now... *sigh* Maybe I'll get an early birthday present or late birthday present...just hoping its not an early birthday bummer or post-birthday bummer...

Nada...just this one...I didn't find that I was eligible (mainly my research focus and lack of minority status) to apply for any other fellowship. I mainly applied for NSF funding because I was still eligible and decided to give it a shot. As for the amount of coursework remaining...I have much more than a year to go with coursework...I don't believe my PhD school accepts credits gained in a MS program towards the PhD

I'd try anything along the Northbound side of the J-route. The J is an excellent bus line (it is the one I'm currently on) and has service every 15 minutes to campus every morning and afternoon. While school is in session, the J bus service continues until midnight (very rare for the Chapel Hill bus service!). Additionally, when school is in session, on the weekends is a "Saferide" bus that takes (most) of that portion of the J-route to bring the incapacitated back from Franklin Street. There are a few options out that way including but not limited to... Sterling Bluff Apartments (kinda pricey) Rock Creek Apartments University Apartments Highland Hills Apartments The Villages Apartments Kingswood Apartments (on Hwy 54, no Saferide service) Laurel Ridge Apartments (also Hwy 54, no Saferide service) The first stops on campus for this bus route are on the Med school/Health campus side...the second stop on campus is the Health Science Library. It is very convienent and this is my second year living on this route. If I were to stay here for a PhD I'd continue to live on this route. .

I completed my UG at Pitt and here are a few suggestions (some have already been mentioned already...) Stay away from South Oakland, especially if you are a graduate student. It is very noisy there and a lot of slum lords like to take up business there (I fell victim my Junior year). Shadyside is a great place to live, its very hard to find a place if you aren't a graduate student (they won't rent to UGs) and the rent is more reasonable there than in Oakland (in my experience). Squirrel Hill is also a great neighborhood with lots of eating options! If you want to have a large Jewish presence, Squirrel Hill is the place to be in Pittsburgh! Squirrel Hill is also rather close to the Waterfront where there are options for weekend fun (and a Giant Eagle with cheap gas!) such as a great movie theatre and an outdoor shopping center. If I were to have stayed in Pittsburgh for my graduate career, I would have lived in either Shadyside or Squirrel Hill. I never felt unreasonably uncomfortable walking around in Pittsburgh at night (I'm female and the most I did to protect myself was arming myself with my keys at ready) and came home late from work nearly everyday. I'm more than happy to answer specific questions regarding Pittsburgh or Pitt if anyone has them!

I applied after 12 months of graduate study. There is nothing in the rules saying you can't apply for a new graduate institution. So, yes I'm finishing up my MS in two years, and therefore applied for the fellowship after my first year, the maximum allowable by NSF

I also proposed a research project as outlined in the guidelines to the best of my ability (hard to anticipate findings in geology). I hope its more advantageous... As for selling the school, I explained a research plan utilizing my prospective advisor's new 'toy'...a brand new ion microprobe that is the only of its kind in the world (capable of stable isotope analysis on 8 micron spots). So, it was literally the only place I could really complete my project idea, being a cutting-edge idea I thought up after hearing about the machine capabilities. I'm in a program right now (finishing up my MS), but changing for the fall to a PhD at a new school, to which I have already been admitted and have committed. I hope it's an advantage that I completed my research proposal without the aid of any professors. It was totally my idea and was only sent to my prospective advisor after I was completed and after the submission deadline. Broadly speaking...I'm a metamorphic petrologist at heart...I love studying metamorphic rocks and figuring out how they are exhumed to the surface tectonically.

Ok...finally figured it out...I'm an idiot... It was for my small research grant I received last year. I found an email from a few weeks back from the Student Services Administrator in the department asking for those who won 'external' money last year, to which I replied my small grant. Sorry for raising an alarm...took me awhile to decipher everything

A quick search revealed the following regarding my situation... An individual in the Environmental Science/Engineering department was recognized for receiving a NSF Fellowship at the April 7, 2005 ceremony http://www.sph.unc.edu/envr/publication ... ws_web.pdf When searching the year of the fellowship received, the graduate school shows him winning the fellowship during the 2004-2005 academic year. http://gradschool.unc.edu/recognition/external05.html However, NSF says the award was offered in 2004. I'm still very unsure as to why I received an invitation, I'm going to call the graduate school on Monday.

I'll be in Madison for my PhD in August

Hey all, As background, I'm a MS student at UNC-CH and am going on to my PhD in geology at Wisconsin - Madison in the fall. I applied for the NSF GRFP as the rest of you have and am looking for analysis of this situation I'm in... I received a letter in the mail (don't know what day because I've been on the run for about 3 weeks here) inviting me to the "8th Annual Graduate Student Recognition Ceremony" here at UNC (I didn't receive and invite last year). Awards given are: Dean's Award for Significant Contribution to Graduate Education Boka W. Hadzija Award for Distinguished Service Graduate Education Advancement Broad Impact Awards External Fellowship Awards Recognition of Graduate/Professional/Honorary Society Inductees I haven't applied to any University-wide awards (started an application for a broad impact for North Carolina Research award, but never finished or handed in lors). The only Fellowship I have applied for is the NSF GRFP. Last year, they recognized all successful NSF GRFP applicants at UNC (which was held before the official announcement was released to students) but not honorable mentions (the press release said "winners" and those who "received" external fellowship or grants). I'm no leader at this University and would not be nominated for any University-wide leadership award or the likes. I received two small grants last year, one from the Geological Society of America (very common grant) and one grant from the University for study in North Carolina (it was technically from my department I believe). The press release from last year does not include any recognition of those who received grants, only fellowships. The weird thing is that if I have won an NSF GRFP, I'm unsure why UNC would recognize my achievement. I completed my undergraduate elsewhere, and I'm pursuing my PhD elsewhere as well. Am I just being crazy or is there a possibility I actually did win a NSF GRFP and may find out early???

I live much better than I had as an undergradute on my 16k stipend in Chapel Hill. My rent is ~700/mth for a one bedroom (split w/fiance). If you can find roommates cost keeps on going down! Those in my department with a one bedroom w/no roommate pay between 500 and 700 a month. Not exactly sure about Durham pricing, but probably about equivalent.

Geology PhD Stats: University of Pittsburgh (BS): 3.54 (cum); 3.7 or 3.8 (major); magna cum laude; program honors in geology; TAd for 3 semesters University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (MS): No GPA given to graduate students here; TA for 4 semesters (currently Chief TA); Currently finishing up thesis and have been involved with other research in the department (3 abstracts, no publications quite yet) GRE: 650 Q; 530 V; 5.0 A Applied to: University of Wisconsin - Madison (Accepted with money, I have accepted this offer ) University of Kansas (Accepted maybe with money...don't really care as of now anyway...) University of Montana (Accepted...they said they can't make funding decisions until after the April 15 deadline...silly if you ask me!) University of Minnesota (Rejected...again, don't care because I don't think I'd be a good match for the prospective advisor) Syracuse University (have no clue...not even sure if they accepted my application...again, I don't care) Edit: Accepted to Syracuse University...I went 4/5 on the PhD applications...not bad...not bad at all...

I'm a fellow geologist! Where all did you apply and what's your status? I'm currently a MS student at UNC - CH and applied to Wisconsin, Syracuse, Kansas, Montana, and Minnesota. Accepted: Wisconsin, Kansas, Montana Rejected: Minnesota Not sure what they are doing but don't care: Syracuse I've signed on for my PhD in the geochemistry group at Wisconsin, I'll be working on oxygen isotopes in zircon of metamorphic rocks (UHP/HP) to understand exhumation mechanisms of these rocks.