rising_star

Yes, in some fields. In other fields, no. I'm not sure anyone can give you answers to the questions you've asked without knowing more about your field and where you applied.

While this is true, that doesn't mean that hiring committees don't perceive students differently based on the institution they attended and its rank.

Do it! A colored blazer isn't unprofessional.

@GreenEyedTrombonist, I'd start here: http://www.ayearofslowcooking.com/2005/01/table-of-contents-year-of-slow-cooking.html All of the recipes are gluten-free and most don't involve any sort of grains. Dairy you can often do substitutes for (e.g., she makes her own "cream-of" soup and I've made it using almond milk before with no real issues). There are other slow cooking blogs too (seriously, google for paleo slow cooker recipes and you'll get tons of results) but that's the one I discovered first and still use because I like her sense of humor.

50% assistantships are incredibly common if by 50% you mean 20 hours a week. If you work more than that, then there are benefits implications which most universities try to avoid. I'd ask current students to get a better sense of the fees you'd have to pay.

Look for Pyrex sets, especially when they're on sale. The convenience of glass is that you can bake/cook a meal in it, then later put a lid on it and it goes straight into the fridge. Then, for lunch the next day, you can just take the container with you and heat it up in the microwave at work. I actually have two different sets (the set with rectangular containers and another with round containers) that I use for just about everything.

Honestly, it's not a big deal. AAG accepts everyone and every year there are dozens of folks who don't show up. If you know someone else that's going, you could have them read your paper. The biggest thing is to make sure that the session chair knows in advance that you won't be there so they can plan accordingly.

Hahaha, yea, it wasn't easy to stay disciplined with it. I found it led me to actually use the cookbooks I own, since I wouldn't let myself look up recipes online. I also didn't text but would answer phone calls, so I wasn't completely free of technology. The real thing I learned was just how reliant I've become on streaming music, so I had to start planning around that if I didn't want to be in silence all day long.

I would finish out the semester but I wouldn't bother doing a third year in this program if you already know you want to leave. I would instead try to get a paid research position or just a paid job in general capitalizing on your experience and training. Good luck!

In grad school, I prioritized living in locations where I could walk/bike to campus and various social engagements on a regular basis. During my PhD, I used my bike to do the majority of my commuting (including buying beer from the liquor store, buying groceries, going over to friends' houses, etc.). That definitely helps with self-care in that it's exercise and gives you a chance to clear your head before getting home. I also worked on cooking easy, healthy meals, mostly in my slow cooker. The Year of Slow Cooking blog was incredibly helpful when I was in grad school and I made a lot of the recipes. I also (in part for financial reasons) switched to a mostly vegetarian diet. (I'll also admit that I made a variety of pasta salads like every single day for lunch in grad school, rather than eating out.) I found a hobby (a martial art in my case) that I enjoyed and which added physical activity to my life. I also had a gym buddy for a while that I'd lift weights with. Before the martial art and the gym buddy, I would go to the gym to watch my favorite shows (they had TVs on each cardio machine and I didn't have an antenna or cable). Basically, I'd decide to watch my usual 1 hour show, which meant doing about 60 minutes of cardio at a time (elliptical mostly). I also sometimes did reading on the recumbent bike. One thing I would add to what I did in grad school is taking a sabbath. By that, I mean no work, no email, no TV, etc. I actually have implemented this in my life as faculty and it is amazing for relaxation. It also frees up time to do things like read for pleasure, clean, cook, etc.

Are you already in contact with your POI? If so, then yes, I'd mention it to them.

Somewhere on here there are threads about being pregnant in graduate school. Use the search feature to find them.

It's going to depend on your field and subfield plus any interdisciplinary/complementary fields you may have... But, if you're really curious, look at the placement record for the programs you're interested in.

I actually found that it was cheaper to get my dental care done by seeing a local dentist, rather than getting dental insurance. YMMV obviously but often dentists offer discounted/free cleanings and x-rays to someone new to the area and there are also frequently Groupon/LivingSocial deals for basic dental care. That won't cover something like a cavity or a root canal but, if your teeth are relatively healthy, it's not so bad. From the University of Minnesota website (https://humanresources.umn.edu/graduate-assistant-employment/ga-tuition-benefits): "Your tuition benefit depends on your appointment percentage and the number of registered credits. Tuition benefits do not pay for other charges, such as lab fees, student service fees, installment fees, late charges, or late registration fees, which are assessed by Student Accounts Receivable and charged to your account. You are responsible for paying expenses not covered by your tuition benefit."

Tenure-track.

I also wouldn't do an unfunded master's. And, if for some reason I were to, I wouldn't do it in a place with one of the world's highest costs of living... But that's just me. You're probably talking $100K+ in debt to do that NYU terminal master's. If you think it's worth it and that you'll easily be able to pay off that debt, then go for it.

Re: the pumps. Make sure you'll be comfortable if you're walking around campus and from place to place all day (e.g., 12 hours out of your lodging with 1-2 miles of walking). If you think you'll have blisters after a day of that, I'd plan on different footwear for the entire visit. You don't want to get blisters on day one and be limping around! I really doubt you'll need a pantsuit for an interview weekend unless that's what you're most comfortable in. You may find that you want to pair the pants with a blouse or the jacket with a blouse and jeans, for example. Button-down shirts and sweaters (a nice v-neck for example) can also work well for interviews. Oh, and if you do go the jeans and blouse route, you may want to consider a cardigan as a way to keep warm indoors.

Most people have a 4.0 in a master's program so I'm not really sure that will help you stand out honestly.

I'd make sure they're actually able to set up their lab this month and that it'll be ready to go when you get there. Sometimes there are delays with that, which can affect your ability to do research right away if you join the department. If you do go with this professor as your main advisor, I'd make sure you put more senior professors on your committee since they will be able to provide different resources as a mentor/advisor.

If you're wanting a job in the USA, I think McGill is a better known name than Western, though of course this varies by field. For me, I'd think about the reputation of the person I'd be working with, not just the program's reputation.

So... I turned down a place that offered me $7K more than the offer I accepted when I was choosing a PhD program (similar cost of living in both places, btw). Why? The research fit wasn't as good, I wasn't excited about the location, and I just wasn't sure I wanted to be in that department after visiting. I actually picked a program I didn't visit because it offered me the best opportunity in terms of PI, program atmosphere, and research fit. My research interests did shift after I entered the program and it still ended up being a great fit. All of which is to say that, at least for me, funding wasn't the deciding factor once it hit a level where I knew I could live pretty comfortably.

Have you thought about one of those sun lamps? It could be related to the lack of sunlight this time of year... I also recommend exercising regularly, improving your diet (more fruits/veggies, less processed carbs and sugar; cutting out or reducing caffeine), and making sure to take regular breaks when you are working.

So, not me and not grad applications but, a friend of mine definitely thought ze bombed a job interview recently. Like ze was convinced ze was there just so they could justify hiring someone else. But, ze got the job! So, yea, it can happen. Don't be too down on yourself. As long as you learned something from it, you can view it as a good experience for you.

You could ask but, if they haven't sent it to you it's probably because they haven't worked out all the details yet. I'd just prepare for everyone.

Funding (during the academic year and during the summer), teaching opportunities (if you think you might want to teach later), stats training, placement (departmental and specifically for whomever might be your advisor), fit with the people in the department (not necessarily your cohort but the people there who you might see in classes or work with on a project). Outside of the department, I'd think about potential external committee members, library/research resources, location, ability to pursue hobbies you have (I train a martial art so I looked for available places to do that), cost of flights to friends/family, and weather. If you're planning to do a dissertation which will require external funding to conduct research, I'd also pay close attention to the track record of your advisor and your department of getting those in a timely fashion. For example, if you want to do international data collection and no one in the department has gotten a major external grant for research in the last 3-4 years, I'd be wary.