HermoineG

Hi, My question is directed to those who got in to the grad program! First of all, congratulations! You have spent almost an entire year preparing for programs and applying and successfully interviewing. Is there anything in particular you did which made you stand out? Do you have any words of wisdom for rest of us, who are either reapplying or planning to apply! Thanks!

Your dreams haven't been shattered. Retake the GRE. Also work on TOEFL, its not a really good score. Write to professors, your possible future mentors. Write a great SOP. GRE is just a component of application process. You have other good things to show, polish them. Good luck

I have completed this. It was interesting. Although I didn't read anything afterwards to inform me about the purpose of this study. Did I miss it? Little annoying when you install some software to participate and spend 10mins on it only to get a "thank you" in the end without any explanation.

Hello all, I am currently enrolled in a few courses on Coursera. I am wondering if these courses will add any value to my profile, apart from my own knowledge. I remember one of my friends saying that she did put a course she took on Coursera to her resume while applying for Phd programs. Have you guys taken specific subject related online courses and then added it to your profile? I know it would look good on my resume but would it help?

It wont be a problem if you explain why you want to do it again. Use it as your strength.

Thank you Elanti

Received a call from CSU Fullerton. I got in.

I interviewed for CSUF last month. Haven't heard back from them yet.

No. Dont put 'want to make parents proud'. Thats no reason to come to USA and study. Dont use word 'fascinated', its very boring for adcomms. "I am very much interested to do a MS in Automation and control engineering in your esteemed college. I realize the need for me to study at the center stage of activity in these fields at your college in USA. " Dont write very much interetsed - may be like - I am keen. Not at all 'your college'! Write UNIVERSITY'S name and program's name! Its not a collge. Your college is a confluence of people from every nationality, religion and race. Overall development of the personality can be done and it helps me to broaden my concept from the narrower confines of nationalism to internationalism. Cut your college again. Nation/religion/race- please cut this - why would it help you at all? Overall development of the personality can be done- Cut out passive tone of sentences, write actively. Have a subject in your sentence. undo any insular prejudices that might be still prevalent in me. - Please cut this! Its very random and unnecessary. I am fully aware about yours curriculum and I aver that I have the necessary commitment, intelligence and stamina to look forward to do it all. - Dont write any sentence without giving an explanation for it. What do you like about carriculum?? Stamina to look forward? - doesnot make sense. Sorry, if I am sounding harsh or rude. But your SOP requires rewriting. May be read some SOP writing articles or books and redo it. I am sure after going through some great help, you will do great You can also check out some posts on gradcafe from SOP forum.

No. Kaplan is easier than actual GRE. Based on my own experience. I benefited most from Magoosh.

Check the 'Meet and Greet' forum

Yeah this makes sense! SDSU it is then Thank you!

Hi PsychGirl1, Is it possible to work with these non-profit orgs if you are an international student? Do they have any specific criterias to accept people as volunteers? Can you do it when you are a master's student? Sorry for asking you too many questions. Please answer if you can. Thanks!

Hey Elanti, Is CSUSB really good? I have applied but I dont know much about their program. I already have an admit from SDSU and it seems like a good program. I want to say yes to SDSU but I am not sure if CSUSB is worth waiting for. Please let me know if you have any information on CSUSB. Thanks!

I dont know if this counts as 'things'. But I really love doing dishes . The feeling of cleaning some mess oh so perfectly gives me a weird sense of satisfaction

I am so happy to say that I am a successful Psychology applicant of Fall 2014. Applied to 8 schools and got in to 5 of them! Waiting to hear back from 2 more school. Rejected by one school. I am so grateful to this site and especially the forums! I was completely new and uninformed about this entire admission procedure and gradcafe helped me to a great extent. From SOP tips to writing mails to POIs. As it turns out, most of the schools I applied to had this mentorship model and I was an unsaid unwritten rule that POIs needed to be contacted. I did not know about this and learned it on Gradcafe. I contacted my POIs from all the schools and they all called me in for interviews, which resulted in admits! So thanks, Gradcafe!! Has Gradcafe helped you in this process, may be in a small way or to a great deal? I am very curious to know

I was sleeping! It was 8 in the morning when I got an email from a professor asking me if I have time to talk at 9. I thought - ahh, yet another interview . I got up and had some coffee and got ready for the interview. She called exactly at 9 and after hellos/good mornings she said I have a good news for you Even though it happened just 3 weeks ago, it feels surreal to me

Wow PsychGradHopeful14, thanks for that It was very comforting to read this.

Go for funded PhD.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

I too got my call today. I got in.

I hear you! I still can't believe I got into this super awesome program and its been two weeks now! I cant believe people psychoanalysizing each other based on a comment! This all seems surreal because till now we were just thinking about getting into this awesome program and months of waiting can help us prepare for worst (we are telling ourself - its okay, GRE was not that great, GPA is awesome but I am sure many others have same GPA with kickass GRE, SOP is very well written but LOR was not really in my hands) and we keep telling ourselves to be mentally ready for rejection. While applying we are optimistic but waiting for months can turn us into mildly pessimistic for our own good. We are being defensive. And one fine day, that call/email comes and we are caught totally offgaurd This is the best feeling though Wanting somethin this bad and then getting it!!

I am waiting till I am absolutely certain that the school of my top choice has enrolled me for sure. I am scared of rejecting offers, to be very honest. I want to wait till I am 100% certain about the school I have selected.

It also depends on getting an employer who would be ready to sponser your H1B visa.

I think you should take a look at http://www.thegradcafe.com/survey/ to get a better sense of accepted/rejected candidate profiles.