Jump to content

Piagetsky

Members
  • Posts

    209
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Reputation Activity

  1. Like
    Piagetsky got a reaction from xxxxxxxxxx in I is stressed *Non-Judgmental Space for PhD Applicants*   
    Just here to lend some support -- I feel your pain.  Notice Snape in my profile pic.  When I applied for the first time in 2016, I had not read Harry Potter because I was already an adult when the first book was released.  Someone clued me in to the error of my ways and I spent 2 weeks reading the entire series.  It is literally the only thing that kept me sane during that time.   J.K. Rowling is getting a line in my dissertation acknowledgments   

    Good luck to all of you.  And no matter what happens this application season, keep trying.  I got rejected from my dream school in 2016 with not even an interview.  I did get accepted to a master's program, did that, and now I am in that dream program and I *love* it. 
     
  2. Like
    Piagetsky got a reaction from HAC in I is stressed *Non-Judgmental Space for PhD Applicants*   
    Just here to lend some support -- I feel your pain.  Notice Snape in my profile pic.  When I applied for the first time in 2016, I had not read Harry Potter because I was already an adult when the first book was released.  Someone clued me in to the error of my ways and I spent 2 weeks reading the entire series.  It is literally the only thing that kept me sane during that time.   J.K. Rowling is getting a line in my dissertation acknowledgments   

    Good luck to all of you.  And no matter what happens this application season, keep trying.  I got rejected from my dream school in 2016 with not even an interview.  I did get accepted to a master's program, did that, and now I am in that dream program and I *love* it. 
     
  3. Like
    Piagetsky reacted to Meraki in I feel like I won't be able to make it.   
    First: Take a deep breath, exhale slowly, and repeat. It sounds like you just need a little direction. I'm sure everything will work itself out once you find your way and can dig in to your data.
    There are a few different perspectives in grounded theory, such as Glaser & Strauss, Strauss & Corbin, Charmaz, etc. I'm not sure how much you know about GT -- are any of these researchers familiar to you? They are all sociologists. You should ask your advisor if they have a preference or recommendation for which perspective you should pursue, or speak with other students doing qualitative work to see what sources they have used. A quick Google search can also help clarify these different perspectives if the choice is left up to you. There are other GT approaches as well, but I think those three are the most commonly cited. I wouldn't stress about learning every single GT approach and trying to choose from a dozen options; see what comes up most in your area of interest or what faculty or students recommend, and then decide which of these options makes the most sense for your project.
    Next, I would make a stop at your library and see if they have any books by these authors. Many books will have visual examples of the coding and memo processes which are extremely helpful; journal articles are great too, but they don't usually provide many, if any, visuals.
    Once you feel comfortable, you can start practicing your coding. I recommend practicing on some other text, not your interviews. When I first coded, my codes were confusing and messy and you could see the quality changing over time. Find a short text (maybe two pages) and practice doing different order codes and themes. It would be great if you could find someone to look over this and provide some feedback, such as whether you're staying close enough to the data, if your themes make sense based on the codes, etc. If you can't get feedback, compare what you've done to the examples you've found in books or online and you'll have to make a judgment of whether you feel ready to apply your skills to your data. If you are pressed for time, pick a shorter piece, or start directly with your interviews. 
    Organization is going to be the most important part of this process if you want efficiency. Think about how you will code (handwriting? on a computer?). How will you write memos (Post-its all over your wall? In a notebook?). How will you lay out your documents so you can keep moving back and forth between them (on your bedroom floor where you can leave them lie? In the office where you might have to keep putting them away after every session?). If you have a space at the office or home where you can lay everything out, put stickies on the wall, etc. and not have to clean up each time, that would be best. Otherwise, have a system in place so you can clean up and spread out quickly each time you dig in to your data.
    These are just some ideas that have helped me. I strongly encourage you to speak with faculty and students who may have books to loan you, or know exactly where to point you based on your project. Transcribing will probably be the worst part if you have to do it all yourself. I find coding to be fun, challenging (in a good way), and even relaxing; you might be different, but just know it gets better with practice. 
  4. Like
    Piagetsky got a reaction from Psyche007 in What's your age when you apply for graduate program for the first time and when you get into one?   
    Started undergrad at 33, master's at 38, starting a PhD program at 40.  Professors I inteviewed with said my life/work experiences were what caught their attention.  
  5. Upvote
    Piagetsky got a reaction from gillis_55 in Fall 2019 Clinical Psychology Canadian Applicants!   
    Yes, I am.  If you're applying, be sure to reach out to the prof/s you're interested in working with.  They may have others -- if so, I'll try to remember to pop on and post about it!
  6. Upvote
    Piagetsky reacted to gillis_55 in What's your age when you apply for graduate program for the first time and when you get into one?   
    @Piagetsky This is very encouraging, as I've been concerned that taking 6 years off working in a somewhat related field could put me at a disadvantage due to my lack of publications in that time period (all my research was internal to the companies I worked at). Hoping that those 6 years is not a write-off based on your post  
  7. Like
    Piagetsky got a reaction from Psypig in What's your age when you apply for graduate program for the first time and when you get into one?   
    Started undergrad at 33, master's at 38, starting a PhD program at 40.  Professors I inteviewed with said my life/work experiences were what caught their attention.  
  8. Like
    Piagetsky got a reaction from mjsmith in What's your age when you apply for graduate program for the first time and when you get into one?   
    Started undergrad at 33, master's at 38, starting a PhD program at 40.  Professors I inteviewed with said my life/work experiences were what caught their attention.  
  9. Upvote
    Piagetsky reacted to PsyDuck90 in Broadest-possible # of courses in the least expensive 100% online psych undergrad program in America   
    I would caution that if you have an interest in graduate study, you may have a very hard time getting into a good program if you go the online route for your BA. You will most likely not be able to develop close relationships with faculty who will then write your letters of recommendation, and you can't participate in a research lab, which is an important skill if you would like to get into a PhD or PsyD program. 
  10. Upvote
    Piagetsky reacted to t_ruth in Contacting advisor the summer before PhD starts   
    I work with my prospective students over the summer if they are willing. When I started my PhD program, my advisor sent me a long summer reading list.
    If you really want to do something, read all your advisor's papers you can and then start mining the citations and read the articles in the reference lists that interest you. This can't hurt anything and will certainly give you a running start.
  11. Upvote
    Piagetsky reacted to snoves in Is declining my only option crazy?   
    Honestly? If I felt like I couldn't afford a program, I wouldn't go! It's important to consider how long it's going to take you to pay this degree off. Unless the program is offering you something specialized that you wouldn't get anywhere else I would rescind or see if I could defer my acceptance.
  12. Like
    Piagetsky got a reaction from CrazyPugLady in SSHRC Doctoral Award/CGS (funding for 2018-2019)   
    Waitlisted, 10.7/20, first time applying.  Actually pretty happy with this for a number of reasons.  
  13. Upvote
    Piagetsky got a reaction from IvanC in What's your age when you apply for graduate program for the first time and when you get into one?   
    Started undergrad at 33, master's at 38, starting a PhD program at 40.  Professors I inteviewed with said my life/work experiences were what caught their attention.  
  14. Upvote
    Piagetsky got a reaction from Kraven in SSHRC Doctoral Award/CGS (funding for 2018-2019)   
    Waitlisted, 10.7/20, first time applying.  Actually pretty happy with this for a number of reasons.  
  15. Upvote
    Piagetsky reacted to Stipo in SSHRC Doctoral Award/CGS (funding for 2018-2019)   
    On a related note: I find that practice in poor taste. Emailing successful candidates ahead of time is poor decorum. Maybe that is just me, but doesn't feel right.
    All final applicants should receive emails, regardless of the outcome. If anything, it is unsuccessful applicants that could benefit from some cheery words and encouragement.
    Tldr: everyone should emails, or no one...just my 2cents
  16. Upvote
    Piagetsky reacted to PsychBoy in SSHRC Doctoral Award/CGS (funding for 2018-2019)   
    Don't know if it's totally the same, but my Vanier letter starts like this: 
     
    Dear X:
    I am pleased to inform you that you have been selected as one of the recipients of the 2017-2018 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) awarded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
  17. Upvote
    Piagetsky reacted to TakeruK in How competitive is the Ontario Grant Scholarship (OGS)   
    The OGS is less competitive than the NSERC/SSHRC/CIHR grants but not that much less competitive. In my field, since the NSERC CGS-M is for one year only, many CGS-M holders apply for and win the OGS for the 2nd year of their Masters study. So, even though it is technically a lower tier award than the CGS-M, you end up competing in the same pool as previous CGS-M holders and therefore I don't think it is that much less competitive than a CGS-M.
    As others said, it's a hard thing to pin down because the applicant pool varies from year to year. In addition, there is indeed a two-step selection process, since you must first pass your school(s) selection committee to be forwarded to the provincial committee (someone please correct me if this has changed). Therefore, this is dependent on the applicant pool at your school/program too (i.e. it might be the case that you did not progress to the provincial competition but if you were applying through a different program with a different applicant pool, you may have made it). 
    Finally, although this is easier said than done, don't take the rejection too personally. Rejection is a common and normal part of academia. Most academics emphasis and discuss their successes but you can pretty much bet that every success came with several failures. The OGS, as with many other prestigious awards, always has way more qualified applicants than available awards. So, a rejection isn't an absolute determination of your ability. It just means that there were other applicants that fit the award better than you did. Moving forward, I would not worry about things you can't change (e.g. GPA) but you can work on things that will change for the future. For example, both co-authored and first-authored publications count towards the evaluation criteria. 
  18. Like
    Piagetsky got a reaction from studentmamasf in What's your age when you apply for graduate program for the first time and when you get into one?   
    Started undergrad at 33, master's at 38, starting a PhD program at 40.  Professors I inteviewed with said my life/work experiences were what caught their attention.  
  19. Upvote
    Piagetsky reacted to PokePsych in What's your age when you apply for graduate program for the first time and when you get into one?   
    I was 23 when I entered my Master's back in Europe. If I get in this cycle I'd be 26 to start the PhD (and redo a Master's lol), otherwise try again for next year. 
    Age.. well. I know people who are doing a PhD at 21. But had a classmate in my Master's in his 40s who is now a PhD student. Also my supervisor got into psych at the age of 30 after having worked as an English teacher for a long time (wanted to Eduational psych, but fell in love with social). 
    It really doesn't matter. I don't believe in a linear path to life anyway. I enjoy all the weird twisted turns I have taken over the years. But I also know people who are happy their life goes more 'predictable'. 
  20. Upvote
    Piagetsky reacted to vallaboop in What's your age when you apply for graduate program for the first time and when you get into one?   
    The first time I applied I was 21 (senior in college), I was completely naive about the whole process and was ultimately rejected from the 4 programs I applied to. I'm 28 and about to graduate with my MS. Unfortunately it was a no go on PhD programs this cycle but I will be trying again. I've worked at a prestigious institution as a research assistant for the past 3 years and I am going to continue working on my publication list and gaining experience. Although it has taken me longer than I would have liked, I'm glad I took the time to get real world experience and mature before I enter such a rigorous program. However, it all depends on who you are and if you are mentally prepared for how challenging it is. 
  21. Upvote
    Piagetsky reacted to PsychBoy in SSHRC Doctoral Award/CGS (funding for 2018-2019)   
    money for you versus money for your lab/research 
  22. Upvote
    Piagetsky reacted to punkwich in Fall 2018 CANADIAN clinical psychology   
    I still haven't gotten my Ryerson rejection...weird! got my Uvic one yesterday, though. Accepted Lakehead - looking unlikely I'll come off any waitlists and the research there is a great fit and my POI is so nice.
  23. Like
    Piagetsky got a reaction from psych5ever in What's your age when you apply for graduate program for the first time and when you get into one?   
    Started undergrad at 33, master's at 38, starting a PhD program at 40.  Professors I inteviewed with said my life/work experiences were what caught their attention.  
  24. Upvote
    Piagetsky reacted to Eigen in A cautionary tale   
    You should always have senior mentors, but I generally encourage my students to choose a junior faculty for a committee chair if they have the option. You can have *bad* mentors that are junior or senior, but when you're picking a committee chair or primary advisor, my experience biases towards the better experience with the junior.
    Taking this point by point:
    No junior faculty member at an R1 has no experience as a mentor. You don't get to that position if you don't.  Generally, getting tenure at most schools will involve successfully graduating students. For senior faculty, they don't really care if you finish or not- it's incredibly important that you finish successfully for a junior faculty member.  It's unlikely that a junior faculty member is going to move, but my statement qualified "new" assistant professors- the first likely move would be at tenure, by which you'll likely be either graduated or OK to stay on your own at the old institution.  New professors don't necessarily have smaller networks- and they have a lot more sway with the networks they do have, imo. Older faculty can, if they socialize well, keep extensive networks- but they can also fall into the rut of just associating with the same old group while new faculty are aggressively and broadly networking. No faculty member, old or new, is going to have a poor grasp of the broader field.  Similarly, you aren't going to get a faculty position at an R1 without a strong track record for (or potential for) publishing. Newer faculty are much more dependent on getting work out, which is why they're good to work with. Senior faculty can pick and choose what they want to work on, and can afford to take years perfecting a single work- new faculty can't.  Anyway, you seem to have an interesting view that in no way matches my experience with reality- you also seem quite arrogant in your assumptions of junior faculty, most of whom are exceptionally successful in their field or they wouldn't be there. There's a reason many senior faculty say they would not be competitive for the positions they're currently hiring among new faculty.
    As said, overall fit with the mentor is the most important property, but taking out obvious red flags (interpersonal issues, major funding problems) and aligning research areas (both are fields you want to work with), I think the better bet is usually going to be the junior faculty member. It might be a bit of a higher risk/reward proposition, but down the road being one of the first graduates of a well-known faculty member will continue to serve you very well as you progress through your career, much more so than being one of many graduates they've had over the years. 
    And the negatives of that position balance out by finding experienced senior faculty members to act as mentors- they can provide the insight and experience a young committee chair may lack.
    Most of us give advice based on our personal experiences- we don't do multiple PhDs to be able to comment on parallel experiences with different areas. But in the programs I've been in, this has held true- as with the career trajectory of myself and my colleagues, so it's advice I continue to give to my students. 
    Regardless, as mentioned, fit is the primary factor- choosing a senior person who's a worse fit for your research interests over a junior person who's a better fit (as is the case in the instances discussed in this thread) just because the person is senior isn't a great idea.
  25. Upvote
    Piagetsky got a reaction from mud to star in What's your age when you apply for graduate program for the first time and when you get into one?   
    Started undergrad at 33, master's at 38, starting a PhD program at 40.  Professors I inteviewed with said my life/work experiences were what caught their attention.  
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use