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rising_star

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Everything posted by rising_star

  1. rising_star
    I would definitely reach out for more funding. But ultimately, what you need to ask yourself is if the extra expense of SUNY-Albany is worth it to you personally? None of us can really tell you that.
  2. rising_star
    I use Zotero. I pay for extra space but I only pay $20/year, which is a small pittance for such a useful tool. My employer has provided us all with premium access to RefWorks but, I haven't switched.
  3. rising_star
    Realistically, what do you have to lose by asking?
  4. rising_star
    I'll be honest and say that I'm confused. Are you saying that no labwork whatsoever is required or expected in your program for students in their first semester? There aren't rotations or trials or anything? You just pick a PI in December and hope that you get along with them and the others in their lab? I've honestly never heard of a program where it works that way. Again, I would talk to potential PIs about what their expectations are of incoming students in terms of coursework and labwork. Similarly, I'd talk to current students to get a sense of how they spent their time in their first year. Yes, they had TAships but I'm sure that isn't literally the only thing they were doing. If you want to know how to succeed in this program, you really do need to start talking and listening to others, even if they aren't in exactly the same situation that you are in.
  5. rising_star
    That's awesome. I hope it worked out well for you!
  6. rising_star
    This is definitely true. Anyone preparing for an academic career should be prepared for having to move a few times and thus having to deal with their friendships changing and needing to rebuild a support circle more than once. Another thing to keep in mind for those of you who really want to be close to home is that it's very unlikely that you'll get an academic position at the same place where you get your PhD. If you want to work close to home in the future, it may be that you need to go further away for your PhD. (This mostly applies to seeking jobs at research-intensive universities. The large powerhouse school in your home region may be the best place to go if you want to work at LACs, regional comprehensives, or undergrad-only public institutions in that area post-PhD...)
  7. rising_star
    You don't owe anyone anything. I would do what's best for you. One thing you could do is do a semester of rotations and then commit to a lab. That way you feel like you gave this situation a chance plus you get to make sure the other labs are as good of a fit as you think they are.
  8. rising_star
    How close to completion are you in the professional program? Is there an opportunity to shape that degree to be more oriented towards sociology (through classes in sociology and related areas)? Why are you interested in a nondegree program? What will you do for work/income if you're in a nondegree program? Have you considered looking for a job which will gain you some experience in the field?
  9. rising_star
    I would definitely talk to the professor ASAP about whether they are able to take you with them to the new institution (that's also assuming you're interested in going to that institution). This is definitely NOT uncommon. My PhD advisor has brought students with them a couple of times when changing institutions, though it was a mutual decision between the student, advisor, and new institution. In those cases, the new institution has always admitted the student, given them funding, and (in some cases) accepted coursework to be transferred in. My advice is not to panic yet. If you have other offers you haven't rejected, put those back into consideration. In fact, even if you have rejected them, you can always contact your PI and/or the DGS there to discuss how your circumstances have changed and to see if they're willing to put the original offer back on the table.
  10. rising_star
    In terms of figuring out whether or not taking an extra course makes sense and is feasible, I'd talk to current grad students (particularly those currently in their first or second year) as well as with your PI. It could be that they're expecting you to be in the lab more since you won't have TA duties. Best to clarify that in advance. As for the evening classes, I think every grad seminar I took in my PhD program started at 4pm or later. Some of that was definitely so students could TA during the day for undergrad classes. In the lab sciences, having classes in the evening gives you a nice chunk of time you can use to run experiments without having to run out for a class. But, there were also classes I took in other departments which started earlier in the afternoon. So, depending on your level of involvement in other departments for training, you may be able to craft a schedule that isn't entirely night courses.
  11. rising_star
    There's nothing wrong with trying to negotiate. You absolutely should. I just meant that I would be shocked if Columbia were able and decided to match what you were offered by Syracuse.
  12. rising_star
    Your advisor certainly matters. But, I wouldn't decide based solely on membership in NAS. I would also look at their publication record, how often they publish with their students (and what authorship position those students are in), post-PhD placement of their PhD students, and external funding those students get while in the degree program.
  13. rising_star
    A few quick notes. - Plenty of people start their PhD in their 30s. So I'm not sure that it matters whether you do a 2 year or 3 year master's, provided you get valuable experience in the program. - A master's thesis is ideal if you plan to apply to PhD programs in the future. - From what you've written, you sound most interested in and excited about UNT.
  14. rising_star
    If you want to, yes. Some of these previous conversations about the topic might be helpful: Hope these help!
  15. rising_star
    Is the professor based at the Rome Center full-time?
  16. rising_star
    How much support do you need to research in your home country? Would you be able to have a faculty member from MSU on your committee if you went to Peabody? Are there any faculty at Vanderbilt (outside of Peabody) who would be able to help you do research in your home country?
  17. rising_star
    Check out the "City Guide".
  18. rising_star
    Honestly, if you've already been accepted, it doesn't matter.
  19. rising_star
    Okay, so some questions. Do you have an offer to join a lab/group in the ME department? If not, why are you considering ME? Have you looked into the placement of each of the departments and research groups? Have you talked to those in the field to see if they have the same perception you have about the significance of the department name on your degree?
  20. rising_star
    I would think about placement. Which program will better position you to work where you want to work?
  21. rising_star
    You can try to negotiate but there's a huge gap in the two offers so I doubt Columbia will (be able to) match what Syracuse has offered. TBH, going to an Ivy for journalism isn't going to make or break your career. The question really is how much you value the name. Do you value it enough to take out the loans?
  22. rising_star
    The questions asked by @Edelweiss8 will get you started. You'll also want to think about the research opportunities available, your fit (in terms of research interests and personality) with your potential labmates and PI, the professional development opportunities (trainings, workshops, conference funding, etc.), and the placement at each institution. Oh, and funding and average length of time to degree.
  23. rising_star
    Timing definitely depends on the rental market where you are. Look online and also ask current grad students. Your new school may also have an off-campus housing office with resources available to you. My trips were typically 3-4 days in length (largely depending on how much money I had available since I was always staying in hotels). I always rented a car to make it easy/quick to see lots of places. I looked at way more than 6 places in a couple of towns, largely because I was trying to figure out where (in town) I wanted to live in addition to finding a place where I'd be comfortable. In some towns, many/most rentals aren't listed online, which certainly complicated the search. In those cases, I spent the first day driving around and making a lot of phone calls and the next 2-3 days actually seeing places.
  24. rising_star
    Do not ask. I would be so irritated if a student waived their right then later asked me to read it.
  25. rising_star
    @StellaBa, you should definitely make sure the schools are expecting you, regardless of whether or not it's an official visit day. I think most of my visits were outside of official visit days. But, the departments were basically always able to arrange for me to meet with a few faculty one-on-one, have lunch with current grad students, sit in on a graduate seminar, and get a campus tour from a current grad student. A few departments also made it possible for me to join grad students for happy hour but that largely depends on when in the week you visit (less likely if you're there on a Monday, for example). You visit when, if, and how you can. I do think it's worth it to visit when possible but I also know finances can prevent it. I never visited the PhD program I ultimately attended but did phone/Skype with current grad students and had previously met and had long convos with my PI.
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