gsams

If you will only be getting $4000.00 in fellowship money by December 31st then do you have to file quarterly?

With amazon prime, some of the books are up to $30.00 cheaper here than at the bookstore. So, for me it is worth it to order them.

iampheng, Good for your parents for raising you proud of what you ACHIEVE rather than what you have. I was far from poor growing up, but I had to earn everything I wanted. I was not allowed a car in high school and college and had to share one with my sister when she got to be driving age. My parents owned it, they paid insurance, but I worked my ass off in the summers to pay for college expenses and gas to get to/from. My parents live well below what they make so that they could send us to college. They paid my tuition for the most part and will pay my sister's, but I had to pay for everything else. We didn't live with huge luxuries - a small house, small, normal cars. My parents are in the second highest tax bracket and save it all. A lot is donated to charity and the rest is savings. I could ask them for help if I needed to and they would without expecting repayment, but they raised me to pay it back. We lived simply and were told that work was what made the difference. Neither of my parents went to grad school, but both have been remarkably supportive, despite the fact they have no idea what I do. Both my parent's are from working class (at best) backgrounds. My mother was raised in poverty. There were days when there was barely food in the house and Christmases with no presents - unfathomable to me or my sister, for example. They always stressed that we should be proud for our work and not because Dad makes six figures. After all, I am poor, it's not MY money. I can still remember when I was nominated by my department for the most prestigious undergraduate award at my university. She told me, "The best part is, sweetie, that you did this all on your own. Mom and Dad haven't done it. You did." She said this because this award is often given to family members of wealthy businessmen and women. I was lucky in that I got nominated based on merit not who I knew. No, not lucky, I worked HARD to do what I could to distinguish myself. Chin up, girl! Like I said, I can't fathom what you have come from, but that only makes the triumph so much sweeter. You will show them and when you do, it will just prove that dedication trumps all else. Your parents have raised you well and God bless them for it. I wish I had met more kids like you in my days. Life is always full of the entitled, which I don't understand. I am thankful every day when I wake up and realize someone is giving me 20k a year to do exactly what I love. I wouldn't have it any other way.

We had orientation two days ago. I wore nice clothes - business casual clothes, the same I would wear to my internship over the summer for a social services agency. We don't have our meet and greet with the other poli sci students until next Friday. That is a dressy reception and I think I will wear a summer dress and cardigan if it isn't too damn hot at that time.

I'm a cyclist, so I plan to keep doing what I love most - as well as cycling to uni!

You need to retake it. Part of the test is just knowing the format. And if you are like me, it is just comfortably being able to do well. I took the test on the week after I returned from being home sick with Swine Flu. I was still getting back to normal and couldn't study when ill. I didn't do the best (well, but not what I wanted). I went back and was in better health (although this time dealing with food poisoning! Awesome!) and also knew the format. I did SOOOO much better and impproved my quant score by 100 points. Time yourself and take practice tests. The test isn't about thinking at all. It is about knowing how to take a test, basically.

I don't see why it would hurt you. You could easily explain why. I think the only disadvantage it might put you at is just getting excellent LOR's because you only had probably 2 years to build them rather than four and it would be more difficult to have one prof for two classes and that sort of thing. But, if you are are a really motivated student with good LOR's, I don't think it would be an issue.

I guess I don't understand why a business card would be a faux pas, although I work in social sciences, so your mileage may very. I also studied in the UK for a year and EVERYONE I met who was a grad student had business cards, as did many undergrads who wanted to network in government settings. I didn't find it strange. I found it smart. I would rather have a card from someone at a conference rather than have to shuffle through my bag to find a paper and write it down. Just looks sloppy. I can put a card in my portfolio for future reference.

Yeah, I would buy from craigslist if I wasn't terrified of bed bugs. I guess a desk would be one thing, but I would never take anything upholstered from there. And on the printer front, I can't stand inkjets. Get a good laserjet B&W and you will be good to go. I have one and in the past year I have spent $150.00 on a printer and toner plus paper. That is less than I would have paid for a school printing allotment. My inkjet used to run me at least $200.00 in printer cartridges a year alone.

I think a huge part of it is finding a comfy chair. I had a student chair and desk last year that was rather uncomfortable,so even if I was being really productive, I couldn't sit there for more than an hour without my butt hurting. So, very little actually got done before I had to get up again.

Yes, but for $30.00 you can also get the wonder that is bedbugs. Check the beds before you bring in your luggage. They can cost thousands of dollars to get rid of and plenty in therapy so you can sleep again. I am only doing an 8-hour trek and already have enough music to get me there!

If they ask this information before they will show you the place, that is odd. I did give out my social when I was finalizing the application, but I knew the place was legit, as it was recommended by people in my department. Giving a social and DLN is standard practice for places that want a records check, but I wouldn't give that information to just anyone. If I was not really serious about the place (ie I planned to live there), I don't even give my social out on a job app. If they want to hire me, they will and then they can see my social security card or in negotiations, I will give it to them. However, too many people can steal that info and why risk it if nothing is going to come about?

Wow. Great topic! I find that my perfect space is secluded, but not completely quiet. I love listening to music. It keeps me going. I also need a pot of coffee on. I need a comfy chair and a great desk with plenty of organization and space. For the past 4 years, I have been in student accomodations. I did a good job of shutting off the tv, turning off facebook, and really learning to work. I (as I tell my students) give myself a break at least once a half an hour to do whatever. Sometimes I do pushups, sometimes I sing to showtunes, sometimes I come on grad cafe. I need a break. Otherwise, I get nothing out of it. This year, I am lucky enough to have a 2 bedroom to myself, so I get an office! The main thing is to have EVERYTHING I need when I start. If I know I will be needing a lot of reading material I don't own, I don't start work until I am in the stacks at the library. Otherwise, I will just do nothing haha.

I haven't lived "at home" in 4 years, but in those years, I was either in on-campus housing or studying abroad, so I don't have much. I am shipping some things and driving out with the rest. The only furniture I will have is a chair that comes apart and easily will fit in my Soul. I have to buy furniture when I get there, which is okay!

I do political science research in health care, but also study public policy. The program I am going into allows a major and a minor. I will have to decide which is which. Regardless, it will be a political science PhD which is a unique opportunity. My favorite thing about this is that it allows me to do what I love, but also allows me marketability on the job market. I think it is right to pick the Poli Sci idea. Just because you get a Poli Sci PhD does NOT meant that you can't work for think tanks. Several recent grads from my program have. Unless you are only wanting to focus on that work (without the academic side, which most interests me), you are far better off with the poli sci PhD in this regard. That's just my opinion and how I rationalized it.