med latte

I've found that some schools have sample letters posted online. You can search under "faculty resources" or "career resources."

This blog might help http://theprofessorisin.com/2012/09/07/how-to-write-a-recommendation-letter/

You're trying to gain crucial research skills, and you've taken steps to do just that. Improving your profile is a nice side effect. I don't know if you want to take up too much space on it in your SoP, because you can't yet talk about how that learning experience shaped your research interests, etc. But I think you should include it somewhere. Perhaps you can have it as a line on your CV? Research Assistant, Jan 2016 - March 2016 (expected)

It depends on the university. In some places the program/dept. has stronger authority in admissions than the grad school, and the GRE requirement can be waived by the program/dept. This is the case in the program I am applying to, and I'm told it is becoming a more frequent practice, especially for nontraditional students. I've already received confirmation that this is done in the program I am applying to. The Director of the PhD program told me to draft a letter to the AdCom asking that the requirement be waived. I started this thread to ask if anyone else has written a letter asking for a waiver. I'm looking for some help with writer's block. Thanks.

I'm thinking of a slightly different scenario. I was told to draft a letter to the committee asking for exemption of the GRE requirement - not sending in scores at all.

After 3 months of studying and a very poor performance on the GRE, I discovered that the department I am applying to may waive the GRE requirement for some students. Huh. Sure wish I could get my money and the last 3 months of my life back. I asked about the potential for a waiver when I saw some other universities offer it for "older" applicants with a strong relevant background. I'm 39, been in my field for 15 years, got my MA ten years ago (3.5 GPA), am currently taking classes in the program I will apply to (4.0) and will present a paper at a conference later this year. Just don't ask me to do algebra or geometry. Does anyone have any experience writing such a letter? I'm stuck on wording. Trying to find the right tone.

Another approach is to have one or more of your letter writers address the issue for you. You might express your concerns about your GRE scores before they draft the letters. If any have served on AdComs before, they will know how to better advocate for you though the recommendation letters. It might carry more weight having the argument come from them.

Are you sure the program wants a mailed copy? I thought most use online application systems now.

How'd it go, percheme? I'll take mine on Thursday.

I'm not in your field, but I did want to send some encouragement. You and I are in the same boat re: math concepts on the GRE. It's disheartening, isn't it? We're trying to learn 3 years of high school math in three months. I have been using videos from GreenLightGRE, EmpowerGRE, and Khan to learn the math concepts. I know I won't score high, but I hope to exceed the minimum required by the school I'm applying to. The rest of my application is competitive (research, conferences, work experience, good masters GPA, etc.) so I'm not giving up. You shouldn't either! Others in your field might have better advice on programs to apply to, but some questions in the meantime - Do the clinical psych programs you are targeting have set GRE minimums? If not, do you have relationships with profs in those programs? A great letter of recommendation from a prof at the school might help the adcom overlook the GRE score. When are the apps due? If you have time to continue studying math, you might have time to take it again and bring the quant score up. I wish you well, whatever you decide. Keep us posted.

This person gave me tremendous help on my Statement of Purpose https://peaktestprep.com/

Has he already agreed to be a reference? Does he know you outside of your current email relationship? The best references will be people who know you well and can give specific examples to back up the claim that you are an ideal candidate. The writers will be asked how long they have known you. Is this for a masters or Ph.D. program?

I've been taking practice tests with Manhattan and the ETS software, and so far I have not seen a way to make the font larger. Is there a way to do that on the GRE exam? I have some vision problems, but not quite enough to justify asking for special accommodations (I don't think so, anyway....?). Right now I'm viewing Grad Cafe on Chrome, so know to go to the upper right hand corner of the screen and select "zoom" to enlarge everything. That makes a huge difference for me. I do it on my Kindle, too. Does the GRE offer this type of adjustment? Also, is it usually offered on a mac, PC, or both? Thanks, all!

I would suggest looking at the CVs of the profs you want to work with, and try to mirror those. I can see hobbies coming up in a conversation during a campus visit, but on a CV it may be seen as padding and an example of poor judgement. Just depends on the culture of the department.

There are some great threads here about reaching out to profs you want to work with before you begin to draft your SoP. You might want to start contacting them soon. The last thing you want in your SoP is to mention names of profs who are in the process of retiring, moving to a different university, taking a leave next year, etc.

Jeffrey Zacks at WashU.

Hmmm, I had a different reaction in reading through this (granted I did not see the original post). My first thought was one of compassion for the professor. She may not have stopped the boyfriend because she was mortified and ashamed of his behavior. Perhaps the boyfriend behaves erratically often, and perhaps she is caught in the cycle of domestic abuse. Given the pain, secrecy, and element of denial that often haunt persons trapped in that situation, it may be understandable why the professor has not addressed the incident on her own. Or perhaps she has received counsel from the school advising her to not speak wit the OP about it. My point is that we just don't know what is going on in someone else's head. All we have is one person's perceptions of persecution, which seem to be running rampant around GradCafe lately. I agree that the OP should speak with Title IX or the Dean's Office or whatever is the appropriate first step at his or her school. I agree that no person should ever be treated in such a disrespectful and insulting manner as this OP endured in the bar. At the same time, we could all use a reminder to never assume anything. Ever. If the OP were still around, I would advise him/her to step back, be aware of what is your perception, get some input to test those assumptions. Then be willing to take the feedback you've asked for....and remember that when people give you input you don't like, that in itself isn't "disrespectful." It's too bad the OP threw the baby out with the bathwater by saying he/she will not return to GradCafe. I've personally found this place to be a mostly welcoming and helpful community.

Well, assuming the application deadlines are Dec and Jan, you have several months to study and perhaps improve your quant score if you decide to do so. Do your target schools list info on their incoming classes? You may find that you're already on par with admitted students, or that some of your target schools only use the GRE as a minimum cutoff. Or you may find that some of your target schools use the GRE to make funding decisions, so it may be worth it to study for the next several months. I'm not in your field, but I would assume that work experience is always a good thing! Your experiences and insights on the job will inform your SoP.

Is this a masters program? You're certain that the dept is on solid ground financially? In many places it is the state schools that are suffering drastic cuts right now. That said, you're in. Celebrate. You may find that in a smaller cohort you have more access to resources, like time with profs.

Can you sit down and speak with any other students who have worked with him? I wonder if they have had similar experiences. Perhaps he will get more involved when you are officially in the PhD program, or perhaps he is currently dealing with a personal matter that takes time/energy away from work....or perhaps this is how he would be for the next several years. I agree that you should try to speak with him, but you might sit down with a current or former students of his first to get some more insight into him. Don't trashtalk, just ask how their experience has been, how often they met, how involved was he at each stage of the process, etc.

I'm also horrible at math. The EmowerGRE program has been the most helpful in bringing my practice quant score up (sorry to sound like an advertisement; I'm just grateful I found it. it teaches you to solve the problems with "non math" techniques). Take as many practice tests as you can. I think just being familiar with the test format and types of questions can do a lot to reduce anxiety and improve scores.

Many departments have minimum scores, so if you test below that threshold your application may not even be viewed. Once you're accepted, your GRE scores may used in making fellowship decisions. So.....lots of reason to hit the books.

Yes, health is a priority...AND, grad school is a job and it needs to be treated as such. If the lab schedule has an impact on your symptoms, take the initiative to discuss that with your supervisor in private and ASK if it would be okay for you to work an alternate schedule. Handled directly, you supervisor will likely be accommodating (and she may have to be, depending on the condition). If the accommodations she offers are not sufficient, you may need to look elsewhere. But never assume that you can waltz in late and all will be okay as long as you produce data. Your supervisor seems to put a strong value on consistency in scheduling. She may have good reason to, or it may just be a personal work style preference. Either way, it is her call. Never assume. Always ask. Show her respect. Play the game - it makes life much easier in the long run, and will increase your chances of your superior being a good reference and advocate for you in the future. Your next superior may be far more laid-lack. Until you find that laid-back supervisor, you need to find a way to succeed with the one you have.

Just wanted to add a thought from an employer's perspective - your supervisor may have been waiting for you to take initiative and come to her in private to explain your behavior. She may have been offering you a chance to redeem yourself. I realize you were tired, but your decision to not spend 60 seconds composing an email notifying her that you would be out on Monday speaks volumes. Unprofessional, inconsiderate, and disrespectful. That would have gotten you fired from many jobs. When the days passed and you did not initiate a discussion with her, and in fact it became clear that you were not even aware that your behavior was a problem, that may have been the final straw. You seem to be taking a victim stance that will ultimately hurt you as you progress in your career. It's a challenge, but sometimes we need to accept accountability for our mistakes and then sit with it - without rushing to point out how the other person was in error. There are many valuable lessons for you in this relationship if you are willing to take a step back and learn from it.