ratlab

Ahhh I accidentally downvoted you when I meant to upvote, sorry . This is good advice, but do it soon while the interview is fresh in both your mind and your POI's mind.

That probably isn't the only reason you didn't get in. There's something your PI either doesn't want to tell you or is neglecting to tell you (unless everyone who applied this year had amazing publication records, which is doubtful). On the other hand, it could just be that they had a TON of amazing applicants and you were just unlucky, but you'd think that you would have an advantage with your connections at Penn.

Your best bet would be to call the programs and ask.

University of Delaware sent out all psychology invites this morning. Their recruitment visit is 1/30-1/31.

Heard back from IUB Program in Neuroscience (PNS) and the IUB PBS program today. I also know one other person that got an invite from IUB PBS a few days ago. The interview weekend is 2/6-2/8. Anyone else get invites yet? It still seems a little early to me.

Most online PhDs are BS, but to answer your question, I am sure you can get one in just about anything from a diploma mill. I am pretty sure Johns Hopkins has a MSc in Bioinformatics that's mostly online.

Not to be rude, but there are like 100 topics about how to make a SOP, a few stickied in this very forum. There's also a bunch of example on this forum, and everywhere on the internet, so this thread was really unnecessary. This site is particularly good: https://sites.google.com/site/gradappadvice/downloads I would not start with a greeting, and the majority of applicants don't I'd assume.

I smell YahooNews-esque BS.

Hey everyone, I thought I'd start this thread so that fellow applicants and prospective applicants in behavioral neuroscience within psychology departments can connect with each other. I also thought that this thread could serve as a interview invite notification thread as well (feel free to chime in with Cog neuro stuff too). We are in a relatively small category of applicants as it seems a lot of people just apply to neuroscience programs, and many behavioral neuroscience programs share faculty between neuroscience programs (psychology and biology departments). As for myself, I've applied to 11 programs and haven't heard back from any yet, but I expect to hear back in the next few weeks. There are very few results posted for behavioral neuroscience for previous years as well, so there is not much to go on. I will post as I hear back, and I'd appreciate if other people chimed in as well, so we can ease our anxiety levels. I am also open to sharing some on my background and who I am applying to if it's reciprocal (the POI thing in PM, not on this thread). Share your thoughts, good news, or concerns!

Again, way too short.

Your argument using Nelson Mandela is very weak, and on the whole the essay is too short. Nelson Mandela could have stayed in office for another five years and done the same things Thabo did, maybe even better because he had the tremendous experience and support of the people behind him. When I say that, I counter your argument way too easily. Your language also gets a bit muddled (ie. "United States of Africa" sentence). I'll come back to this thread when I have more time to offer more in-depth feedback.

I don't think any others have been sent, at least for my programs. But there isn't much to go off of based on the results page of the last few years since we are a relatively small subfield (in comparison to neuroscience programs in biology departments). I expect we'll hear back mid-January.

It's okay, this is a learning process for everyone. I'm applying now too .

I'm not exactly versed in the legalities of this, but could this not be considered fraud and grounds for immediate dismissal from the program or throwing away your application if they ever found out? It seems to me that if you discovered lying that you would burn a ton a bridges. This does not seem smart or ethical to me - it's like lying about going to a few different undergraduate schools (but worse in my opinion). I believe that AdmissionsAdviceOnline was only saying that you should not mention this in your statement of purpose (correct me if I'm wrong), but it will come up in other parts of your application like previous education and transcripts..

This is a pretty funny, cheap gift: http://www.amazon.com/Exams-Very-Totally-Wrong-Answers/dp/0811878317

For me, I'm very close to my letter writers (or two of them ) and have frequent conversations that aren't academic or formal at all, so I can see how one would see extra gifts as inappropriate if your relationship is strictly academic. I think it also depends when you thank them - I only plan on giving cards when everything is done and I've decided on a school. I think earlier is a little weird. While it is part of their job - taking the time to write a quality letter isn't. Also,if you're applying to 8+ schools it becomes a bit of a few hour time sink for your writers, so I think it's only polite to at least give them a thank you card as MsD suggests.

It depends on the letter writer for me. I think I am going to get my main adviser either some really good coffee or a Starbucks gift card (seeing as there's one right across from our building). I am going to bake one of them a pie or something good, and a coffee mug from the school I'm going to attend (we're close). I think I'll buy a coffee card for my last one (to the cafeteria coffee shop). I will be giving all of them thank you cards.

It's been driving me nuts, but then I realized that it's only been two weeks since my deadlines have passed..so I feel kind of silly (but still frustrated) now..

Any behavioral or cog neuro people hear back yet?

No to be rude, but you have two threads open about this topic. This is an extremely personal decision, and no one is going to make it for you. It's also unlikely that most people will know anything about these particular programs either. Make a list of pros and cons and decide for yourself. Good luck.

Send one as soon as you can, then send the other (or send two the second time if it's inexpensive to prevent any confusion). That's what I'd do, but I advise you call them. None of us here will know program specific answers.

Your adviser knows he's a PhD. Bottom line - the adcom will know his degree and they will most likely care (likely even from the content of the letter itself). His letter will carry more weight than if he was a BA/BS. This really isn't disputable for the majority of fields (I don't know your field, but based on your forum interactions I'd guess it was theatre, and I really have no idea for theatre).

While I think that letters from supervisors are important, their education level and position is extremely important. The adcoms are going to care about their degree, and it is nearly required that they list it in their signature. To be frank, it matters a heck of a lot more when someone who went for a graduate degree says you have the ability to succeed in a graduate program than if your supervisor with a BA/BS says that you are an awesome employee. Being an awesome employee does not mean you will succeed in a graduate program, and it does not give the supervisor insight into how you will succeed in a program they have never done and likely know very little about. I'm not completely denouncing the value of a letter from a non-academic supervisor, but in this case it would be better as an extra letter in my honest opinion. The situation wouldn't be so questionable if the supervisor had a graduate degree. A generic letter from a PhD professor in your field is better than a fantastic letter from someone with a BA/BS, and I guarantee you that if you were to ask your professors the overwhelming majority would say the same thing.

It's optional. I would call your schools and let them know that the optional letter will not be submitted. The last thing you want is an optional 4th letter from a potentially irritated and late professor. She has no right to get pissed, and it would be incredibly unreasonable to be angry with you.

I respectfully disagree in one capacity. A LOR is supposed to speak to the applicants ability to succeed in the program by doing research, coursework, or general overall prospects in completing the program (by highlighting different qualities and skills). My honest opinion is that getting a letter from a BA is not ideal and I would look for another LOR if you can find a good one. How can a BA graduate speak to your ability to complete a masters degree when they have never completed a masters degree? This conversation would be even more striking if you were applying to PhD programs. Do I necessarily think it's a kiss of death? Of course not. Do I think it's to your strong advantage to find another letter from someone who at least has their masters? Yes. I would see if you can submit the BA letter as an extra letter in addition to the 3 who have graduate degrees. Just my two cents. Good luck OP!