XtraTuf

To the OP:I think your first dog should be an adult. That is unless you have a lot of experience with dogs already. My boyfriend and I have extensive experience dog sitting and dog walking and our first dog will still be an adult. We're trying to get one from a shelter, but there aren't a lot of dogs and we're trying to be patient in order to get one that's a good match. Puppies take more time and need to be properly socialized and trained. Since I bus to work and he bikes or drives and though our work schedules differ enough that a dog wouldn't be alone for too long neither of us can come home at lunch. It's hard to spend enough time with a puppy unless you live really close to where you work.

Maybe they interviewed some of their top choices at that interview weekend. Maybe you're a second choice student and they're waiting to see if someone else declines to attend so they can admit you.

For the record, I've never been dead-set on grad school. Even now that I'm in grad school I'm not all that attached to it. However, a Master's degree has become a prerequesite for most permanent positions in my field, and since I'd like to be able to work without moving around all the time, I'm willing to jump through some hoops to get there. I wound up applying during my senior year of college to two schools. School A rejected me (along with 90% of the other applicatns) but by the time that rejection rolled around I decided I didn't really want to go there anyway. I was done with major city living. The other school had rolling admissions and when I hadn't heard back by April, I started making other plans. I think that was for the better since I was a bit burned out with school. I applied for some summer jobs and landed one in my field. I made a promise to my significant other that I'd go where he was working in the fall and withdrew my application only to find out I would have been admitted. (I reapplied the next year and got in no problem). I'm a grad student but I've still got a plan B (and C and D...). I'm willing to try new things. If something happens to screw me over in my program (i.e. if experiment fails and I can't complete my thesis) I'm not afraid to leave. I know I can learnand that there are many jobs which would make me happy. If grad school doesn't work out, or if I don't like my first couple jobs, who knows? I'd try being a baker. I'd try being a tutor. I'd be willing to volunteer overseas. Life is about so much more than work and school. I'd regret it if I became so work-o-holic that I lost my relationship. I'd regret if I missed out on raising kids in a few years. I'd regret it if I didn't have chances to travel. However, I don't think I'd regret not spending enough time invested in my career.

Do you like one location better than the other? Do you like the potential advisors equally well? What will make you happy?

I don't know the cost of living in NC. I currently live in an expensive area of Alaska. I get about $18k a year (the school year portion is about $10k), my tuition is waived and I get health insurance. I share an apartment. It's enough to get by on but my budget is fairly tight.

I'd guess "the list" = the list of people with complete applications. So, I don't think it's good news or bad news.

I'm in a Master's program for fisheries. I get about $18k a year plus a tuition waver for 9 grad credits. I get paid full-time in the summer and half-time during the school year. My pay will increase after I get my grad study plan and thesis proposal in and have enough credits to be close to graduating.