oceanlover

Yay thats exciting! Are you getting funded for these interview trips or is it on your own type of deal? That's the main thing holding me back from visiting, most of my schools are across the country and not really feasible to visit without financial help :/ I'm also applying to both VIMS and CofC! What was your contact with VIMS like? I also contacted profs at each school before applying and my VIMS interaction was a little different. I'm interested in the fisheries department and nearly contacted everyone and my POI responded a couple weeks later wanting to know more about me so I answered and never got a reply. Then like a week ago (this is like a month after I submitted my app) a prof who never answered me responded and said that he's not taking new students but noticed that I contacted Dr so and so (POI) and that she would be a great fit and excellent mentor. I guess I shouldn't be so surprised that the professors in the same department talk among themselves about potential students, but I wasn't sure I made a good impression with my POI. Anyway, glad I applied anyway! It was the only school I didn't really have solid contact but its the closest to home and my current research advisor has some connections with VIMS so thought i'd give it a shot I also have no idea when we will hear back and it is super discouraging to see others from other departments receiving answers already! I literally check the results page 3 times a day every day hahah

i was also on the fence about like you last year (i'm a senior now). i was worried it would take up too much time and effort, but in the end I decided to do it and i'm glad I did. I conducted all my research over the summer and during the fall, and will now spend the spring writing. Even though i'm not done, i did mention it in my SOP and through emails to POI, and have overall felt a very positive response. i've had a phone interview and a skype interview with a POI at 2 different schools, and both asked about the project and were impressed by it. they said it takes a certain motivation and skill to pursue something like that, and it is admirable. so i think you should do it. yes its a little time consuming but in the end this is the type of stuff your going to be doing in grad school, so its a good start. plus, the extra graduated with honors distinction can't hurt

Has anyone been planning ahead and have any thoughts about this upcoming summer? What will you do if do get admitted, or don't? Any big trips or part time jobs?

Yay! That's still relevant, and pretty awesome! I see you applied to UW, what department did you apply to? I applied there as well, to SAFS. I don't really have a top top in mind, I don't want to get myself too excited about a specific school just to get declined, but bottom of my list is College of Charleston and UNE. Morbid thinking, I know, but I'm trying to stay optimistic and hope to get in anywhere! How about you? I also haven't heard back from any programs yet (granted I only applied fully to 3 and have 4 to go), but I did get a positive response from Texas A&M and had a phone interview with a POI in November. I only had a Skype interview with my POI in Western Washington a few weeks ago, who said he was interviewing 5 applicants and would then notify us who he decides in early January. Hopefully I hear back soon, fingers crossed!

Anyone applying to graduate programs in ocean or marine biology/sciences for 2014? Doesn't seem to be that many people in this field on gradcafe, so thought i'd start a thread where did you apply, and has anyone heard anything back yet??

iced coffee

Yep, same thing. I say give it a week, and then maybe contact them about it.

American flag

heart break

I would contact the school, asap! Just mention what you said above and that you accidentally submitted your app without the personal statement attached. They will most likely just have you email it to them and they will attach it to your application. Good luck!

I did! I had the same issue where I submitted my app and it said my transcripts were not recieved, although I sent them in a couple weeks prior. I contacted admissions at the time and they said they wait until after your application is fully submitted and processed (make sure you pay the fee!) before matching up transcripts with students, to save time and effort since many students will submit their transcripts and end up not thoroughly applying. It took me a couple days, maybe a week tops, to show that my transcripts were in on the online check page. Good luck!

I've just finished up my SOP for UW, and the application has an optional personal statement. I want to include a personal statement, but am having a lot of trouble finding resources/examples to help guide me in the right direction. There is a lot of SOP advice floating around, but does anyone have any useful words about writing a personal statement? The prompt states to talk about educational, cultural, and economic opportunities and disadvantages and how these experiences have affected the development of your interests, career plans, and future goals, and I'd having some problems with the latter part of the statement. Everyone has personal experiences, but I'm not sure how to tie things into how it has affected my career goals. Any advice would be appreciated!

i'd also like to swap and review!

my first application deadline is in a week, and was wondering if anyone would be willinging to privately review/edit my statement of purpose? its for a masters progam in biological sciences, but i'm looking to work with faculty in the marine biology field. constructive criticism welcome and I'd be willing to trade and read yours too! thanks in advance!

You can message me as well! I'm also applying for my masters in marine bio

i've reached out to all the schools i plan on applying to ask if they offer fee waviers (i suggest everyone do the same, one school waived an $100 app fee with no questions asked!) and one university (which is actually my top) said to send a detailed description of my plea to their director for consideration. i come from a single parent/low money household and am a first generation college student in my family, but is this the type of stuff they want to hear? I don't really want to give them a sob story to get pity, but I am not sure what else they are looking for. its a $50 application fee, so a waiver would help tremendously (considering GRE scores and transcripts are already $45 per school). has anyone else been in a similar situation?

i would personally lie and put it as my top, or top 1 or 2 as you mentioned. otherwise its pretty much telling the admissions committee that "your my last choice and i would only really go to you if i don't get in anywhere else." just like a job interview or any other application, that obviously is a very big turn off. i believe that when applying to a school you should make every effort to make them believe they are your top choice, otherwise why would they want to spend the time and money considering you if they think you are going to reject them in the long run?

great ideas, thanks so much for your help!

i've been agonizing over the introduction of my SOP for days. I'm trying really hard to go in a direction other than the typical childhood story or quote introduction, but it is very difficult! i'm trying to be more witty and creative, but i'm afriad that this may come off as childish or immature, especially since i'm trying to keep my intro as short as possible. any thoughts on being creative yet remaining professional, or advice for a creative introduction in general?

Hey I was just wondering what exactly people tend to include on the resume they upload if your grad app asks for it. i'm applying for a masters in marine bio and my resume is current broken up into related experience, achievements (where i have a conference i presented in, awards, and my TA position listed) and skills. a grad student i currently work with took a look at my resume and recommended taking out skills (which had a couple juvenile microsoft office related things) and adding research skills instead, and listing the lab skills i know how to do. has anyone else done anything like that, and specifically listed lab skills? I've also been crazily adjusting margins to get my resume to stay on one page, do you think 1 page with a couple lines on the second page would be bad?