MsDarjeeling

Hehehe I can't believe I didn't think of that! Updating my documents now =)

This is exactly what I was thinking. Ok sure the city stinks, but can you afford to pass up a free degree at a top rated program? Social work is often a very underpaid and highly stressful field. I completely agree that location plays a huge role in ones well being and that should definitely be considered. However a location is something that can be changed far easier than student loan debt. Since this degree is funded you'll be able to finish in 2 years (maybe earlier!) and then move wherever you like or where the jobs are. Student loan debt will take what? 20+ years to pay off? 2 years versus 20+? A crappy city may not be so bad. Also consider what you'll be doing for those 2 years. I'm sure there will be plenty of academic related projects you can stuff into your schedule to distract you from the awfulness of the city. And like another poster said the city may have a few hidden gems that probably won't make it amazing, but at least tolerable. If I were in your shoes I'd take the funded program and the crappy city. My wellbeing could handle being less happy for 2 years as opposed to 20+ years of student loan payments in a field that isn't known to be well paying.

I agree that it is important to have your name on something you stand by, but I think it may have been hasty to ask for you name to be removed. You mentioned that a few of you had worked on the paper together. Did you reach out to any of the other contributors to get their thoughts and see if they agreed that an edit was necessary? Were any of them willing to pitch in to do the editing? I understand that you're a busy grad student, we all are. At the same time this is a lot like what our professional careers will consist of. Juggling labs, teaching classes, conducting research, submitting manuscripts, editing manuscripts, and whatever else is on our plate. There is never enough time in the day to do everything, but if you're committed to your work you find the time. Also plenty of people collaborate on projects with people around the globe, thanks to technology. While it is ultimately your call I think you should at least consider seeing if there is anyway you and the other contributors could get the paper edited to everyone's liking and then submit it for publication. Publications give your cv a huge boost which could lead to a number of wonderful opportunities.

LMAO that's exactly what I was thinking, seriously how stupid are these kids? While not a cheater, I've always understood that the first rule is don't get caught. Regardless, OP I think you did the right thing and whatever happens to these students is completely deserved. They made the choice to cheat knowing the possible consequences and now they have to live with that.

Me too! That system was perfect in high school and college and I had high hopes to continue it in grad school. Before the semester started I consulted every syllabus and transferred all assignments, exams, and papers to my weekly planner. It also had a monthly view so I could note to myself when I needed to start papers or studying for exams. Then I found that professors constantly changed deadlines, deleted assignments, added assignments, and the whole mess of white out and ink wasn't readable. I started using Google Calendar and while I love it for work, personal appts, and bill deadlines it is only ok for school. I haven't tried iCal so I may see if that's better for just school stuff and sync it with Google Calendar. Anyhow I second the idea of trying a couple of different paper academic planners (and maybe an online calendar) until you find something that works for you.

Yes! =) You can also describe prior research experience here to so that admissions committees have an idea of how prepared you are to handle independent research.

Oh yes I love meal planning to save money and add variety to my diet. Equipment I've found helpful: Slow cooker - toss in the ingredients for soup/stew/chili/casserole and then go study while it cooks Microwave popcorn popper - makes plain popcorn that you can season yourself I also do a lot of salads, sandwiches, and wraps with whatever veggies/meat are on sale. I'm a snacker so I try to always have plain popcorn kernels, baby carrots, low sugar popsicles, raisins, nuts, cheese, and whatever fruit is on sale. Since you have an idea of what your budget will be and you know what you like to eat the key is to have a well stocked pantry and freezer with items that you can make a meal out of. Some items I like to keep include canned tomatoes, canned beans, lentils, bulgur, whole wheat pasta, canned tuna, frozen veggies, chicken breasts, and ground turkey. Any of those things can be used to start a meal by adding a few other ingredients and some seasonings/herbs. When I'm too lazy to cook? I have popcorn lol.

I'm like this too. I hated having roommates and would rather starve than do it again. I prefer a one bedroom, but could do a studio if thats all my budget allowed.

In class I take notes in paper notebooks and for research or textbook reading I use post it notes, old school but always worked for me. When at home I am using a desktop pc, which is very outdated so I'm shopping around for a new one. I don't have a huge need for a laptop as my school has computer labs everywhere.

I've always said that anytime is a good time for school because its not like its going to grow legs and run off lol. Not everyone follows the traditional path and that is ok. If now at the age of 34 you feel it is important to pursue/complete your education then go for it. Anyone who tells you not to bother is not worth your time.

Plain paper is fine. Also don't forget to make a small footnote with some identifying information such as *your name, SOP* so that if the pages get separated they can be reunited.

Budgiepie I'm sorry about your situation and I totally understand as a fellow Cali resident. If you haven't withdrawn yet and still want to try to make it work you could check craigslist for jobs that provide room and/or board. I sometimes see posts requesting paid roommates for someone with disabilities and since they have some independence they're usually open to students. The wage is often not much more than minimum wage, but rent and utilities are covered. I've also occasionally seen posts for live in housesitters or housekeepers. Sometimes they pay a small salary and waive rent/utilities and other times they just waive rent/utilities. Oh and does your school offer work study/teaching assistant/research assistant jobs? If they do and there are still positions available that could certainly give your budget a small boost.

I think this largely depends on responsibilities you have outside of school and whether or not you're the type to procrastinate. If you're the work ahead type or follow a steady pace type then you'll be fine. If you tend to wait until the last minute, then so many classes isn't a good idea. Also consider what you have to do when you're not in school. Are you working full or part time? Do you have a family or dependents? You'll have to create some space in all of these areas to give you time to devote to 5 classes, but its not impossible. I take 4 classes per semester and haven't had any trouble with that on top of all of my outside responsibilities. It also helps that I'm the work ahead type. I also second whoever said you should see if you can take those refresher courses for no credit/audit. That way you can just get what you need from them without the stress of your gpa being affected.

I'm commuting over an hour to my Master's program now and I'll admit its kind of a love/hate thing. I've done this for an entire year and here's what I would say: The pros: -I live in a city that I'm very happy in -I didn't have to pay the penalty for breaking my lease or deal with moving hassles -I was able to keep the job I already had & continue a variety of volunteer projects -lots of my classmates commute (although not as far as I do) so it isn't seen as strange at all -my car is in good condition -my sleep, eating, exercise, and social schedules have not been affected because I plan well -I'm able to load up classes on just a couple of days -socializing on campus or with classmates doesn't interest me so I don't feel like I'm missing much -because I've invested so much into making the commute work I feel obligated to be in class and have had only 1 absence so far -its all highway where I get better gas mileage and don't have to deal with pedestrians -I still have the ability to do research with professors The cons: -twice I've shown up on campus and class was cancelled -all that time in the car nearly drives me crazy -public transit isn't an option -gas hikes & tolls -I can't just dash to campus for a quick meeting, to get something from the library, to drop something off, etc -if I leave something at home it may very well be the end of the world -a wreck or construction means I have to leave even earlier than normal -a long commute in the rain really sucks -having to hear other people complain about how much my commute must suck and how they couldn't do it So with all of that said I will be sticking with the long commute for the remainder of my program because it works for *me* and that's what matters. Going in I had the mindset of "it's only 2 years which won't be so bad" and for the most part I agree with that. I knew I'd be unhappy relocating to be closer to school as I'd lived in that area before and hated it. The place just isn't me and there was no sense pretending otherwise. Now for my PhD program? I wouldn't even consider a commute this long especially for 5 years or so. I won't be working a regular job, but will have gta or gra responsibilities on campus so it'll make more sense for me to be closer. I don't see myself living on campus or right next door, but it'd be nice to be within 20 minutes. If there's nothing I like within 20 minutes the farthest I'd consider is 30 minutes and I'd hope for public transit as an option.

There are others that have made the switch from the legal profession to MSW or some other mental health related job. A legal background is looked at favorably because there is some overlap between the two jobs and knowing how both systems work will allow you to help your clients with more of their needs. The key is to make sure YOU don't indicate that YOU think it's a negative (its not!) because then that is what MSW adcoms will be left thinking.

I agree that hiding this information will just raise questions later. I don't think putting it on your CV is automatically assumed to be negative though. Many people start programs without finishing them for a variety of reasons and then go on to be successful in something else. I wonder if you could just list the number of credits you completed instead? What I mean is something like the following: With a degree your cv listing might look like: Master of Arts in Whatever Subject Whatever University City, State Year began - Year completed Without a degree it might look like: 24 credits/units in Whatever Subject Whatever University City, State Year began - Year completed That way you're acknowledging what you completed (especially since they'll probably have a transcript) and you're not leading them to assume you have a degree. That way if they want more information they can bring it up in an interview.

When I was doing the whole Master's versus PhD debate I didn't pay any attention to my friends or family. I love them, but ultimately it was my call. I looked at it in terms of career first. I made a list of all of the types of jobs I was interested in doing and which degree they required. When my list was done most of the jobs I wanted to do required a PhD. I looked at the list of Master's only jobs and wondered if I'd be happy with just those options and really wasn't sure right away. When I started my Master's program it seriously reinforced my desire to do all of those jobs on the PhD list, so I will go for my PhD. I also considered funding, location of programs, how motivated I am, and the time commitment for each but career options was the bigger piece for me. I don't know anything about the field of Immunology, but I think you could similarly weigh your options. What can you do with just a Master's? What can you do with a PhD? Which opportunities are more appealing to you? I would think your adviser or your schools career center would be able to provide you with a lot of insight on employment options with either degree. Also consider funding, time commitment, and your own motivation. I haven't come across the stigma in research that you mention, but I look at it this way. Do you want to be defined by a stigma or do you want to live your life on your own terms? Deciding a PhD isn't right for you does not make you less smart, disappointing, or any other negative term. If it was for everyone then everyone would have one. Not everyone gets a Master's either, so regardless you'll be ahead of the academic curve. What matters is that you have the necessary education to satisfy your own personal and professional goals, whatever they may be.

I agree with both of these. I myself was in a similar situation last year. I got rejected from the Clinical Psych programs, got into a Master's program, and pondered reapplying while doing my 1st year of the Master's and hopefully jumping ship. I weighed the pros and cons of this and came to the conclusion that what it would show PhD programs mostly is that I have commitment issues. PhD programs are long and grueling so incoming students need to be the type that are going to do what they have to in order to finish. If I started a Master's program and bailed at the first opportunity for something *better* then what would stop me from doing that again in a PhD program? I could be in my PhD program and decide I should be at a higher ranked one and so on and so on. Not a good impression. I also realized that since the Master's program was unfunded I'd have a years worth of debt with no degree to show for it, wouldn't be able to transfer more than 2 (if any!) of those classes to a PhD program, and a half a Master's degree wouldn't boost my employment options. Then there was the flip side to consider. Let's say I spend my 1st year in this Master's program and reapplying to PhD programs. If I want to gain more research experience, publications, LOR's, etc why would any of those professors be willing to help me knowing that I've got one foot out the door already? And if I didn't get in and went crawling back to them for help I don't think I could deal with the *well look who's back* type looks. So for me I decided to complete the Master's and reapply for PhD programs in my 2nd year so that I could really use the opportunity to boost my application. A year has flown by already and I just can't believe it. I also don't feel in anyway *behind* others aiming for Clinical programs. Of course OP your situation is yours and you need to make the best decision for you. From your post it does sound like you're really not into the Master's program so it does seem like a waste to start it. Are you able to continue/start any research projects with professors from your undergrad? That could be enough to boost your application, especially if you're able to get in some conference presentations and/or publications. You could also consider a Graduate Certificate program in some area of psychology. Those are generally shorter (4-8 classes depending on the subject), often have a capstone project which can be as grueling as you like (possibly even a mini-thesis?), its demonstrates your ability to handle graduate level work to PhD programs, you can add it to your CV for future employers, and it's cheaper than a Master's program and any debt (unless you're able to pay out of pocket) will be for something you actually finished and can use.

If the schools you applied to specifically said not to send official transcripts unless you're admitted, but send unofficial ones with your application instead then do that. Should you be admitted they will then tell you when and where to send your official transcripts. If the schools you applied to specifically requested official transcripts during the application process, then send them. Also if your program is still in progress (meaning you're sending your apps this fall, but will have fall classes) then find out if they want you to wait for fall semester grades or just send whatever is available now. This too should be stated on their website. The key is to follow the instructions stated on their website. Usually they're pretty clear, but if not then contact them for clarification.

Your prior years at a community college will not hurt you at all, in fact they will help you because you did well and successfully transferred to a 4 year university. I also went the community college route and did well, transferred to a 4 year university, and am now in a Master's program. When I interviewed for my Master's program I was asked about my experiences going from community college to university and why I chose that route. I was just honest about the fact that it was an extremely affordable option because I wasn't sure what to major in and I didn't want to waste money and space at a university trying to figure it out. I also emphasized all of the opportunities that were available at the community college including the rigorous coursework, learning outside the classroom (research, seminars, workshops, etc), summer jobs, internships, etc. Gone are the days when professors assume that a student goes to community college only because they had no other options or lack intelligence. In fact many universities now are telling prospective freshman to go to a community college first to save money and explore. So do state your community college accomplishments on your grad school applications. If a CV is common for your field then be sure to include your community college stuff there too.

I'm applying to Clinical Psych programs. Many programs offer specializations in Health Psych too so I'm excited about the overlap and opportunity to learn more.

Do you have an undergrad advisor? If so you can ask them for their input on this. I'm going through the same process you are and am gathering most of my application stuff this summer and was also stumped on the writing sample. I was told the best choice would be a recently published/submitted work, but if that wasn't an option then a recent class paper would suffice. Apparently the topic of the writing sample is flexible (but should still be in psychology) since the focus is on your ability to write at the graduate level, not whether the subject of the paper fits your intended research goals/area of specialization. Also graduate programs want to see that you're open to other streams of thought so seeing a well written paper on another area of psychology could demonstrate that. As far as the length, I'm not sure as I haven't been given a clear answer on that either. Most of my class papers have been 10+ pages but I can't really chop them down to fit a much smaller page limit without losing quality. I'm just going to contact the programs I'm interested in, ask, and hope for the best. Worst case scenario I'll create a writing sample just to meet their specifications and have my advisor review it.

I'd like to know this too actually. My mind wandered to a lucrative job, family obligations, and illness as well, but I also wonder if a lack of a support system is part of the problem. When I was in undergrad that was discussed at length when it came to minority students (I don't recall this being said specifically about women). The thoughts of the faculty were that for minority students who come from families where college isn't the norm they go home and have no one to talk to that understands the college experience, the struggles, the excitement, etc. Then they attend classes and are surrounded by students with completely different life/family experiences and it may be hard to relate or make any solid connections. I could easily see this happening in grad school even for a student that comes from a family where college is common because undergrad and grad school are very different. Now of course each school is different and each academic program is different, so this may be a factor in some schools and not in others. Regardless I too would like to know what "individual circumstances" really means.