nadimishka

Yeah..... I just called.... I didn't get in sad but I know their program for forensics is super competitive. At least it's a decision, I guess. Here's hoping I get some good news from one of the other schools...

Thanks!!! I'll try this tomorrow. Here's hoping it doesn't look too bad that I'm trying to switch things out after the deadline.

Phew, okay! Thanks a bunch!! My heart attack has stopped now. Still going to call them tomorrow though!!!

Ecologaia, are you the poster on the results for UFlorida Ph.D.?? I also applied there (forensics) and just checked the website and it changed and now says they "use a decentralized process to increase faculty involvement in admissions decisions" and to contact the department directly. Which of course means I will no longer sleep tonight. Super worried cause I have NOTHING in my email.

Ah. See my problem is this- how in the world am I supposed to fit everything that should be on a CV (but can't be because they don't want it) plus my thesis research plus my dissertation plans plus my career goals plus why I chose Tulane in 500 words? Seems slightly impossible to me. Help?

Any other UTK forensic applicants losing their minds out there? I called the department for a timeline and they're saying apps are coming out of the committee and about to be making their rounds through the subfield professors. Should expect to hear something by end of February/first week of March. Said to call if nothing by the end of the first week of March. Also was told they received around 160 applications for MA and PhD. Just a heads up!

Fellow applicant here! I'm a forensics gal though. Yeah... I totally missed anything about a 500 word limit... my SOP was almost 1500 words... oops. They didn't have anything specifically on the anthro website about a word limit though so I'm going to take that as a good sign.

Well! 1. The professor who started the program not only completely revolutionized the field, but the lecture I attended in high school that he gave is the whole reason I ended up in my field. 2. It's in my hometown, where my Dad lives and where my brother is in undergrad, and with two kids it would mean I was just switching my support network around, as I have my mom and grandmother here. 3. The resources they have are PHENOMENAL. Absolutely perfect for what I want to do. 4. The faculty that I've met (I've done a field course and an internship there) are super invested in your success. 5. Most/all PhD's are fully funded, and the first year funding is practically free money, as they don't require any work so you can focus on the program.

Most of the results I've been seeing are for straight STEM fields. I'm in Anthro and for my Masters it took till the beginning of March. I'm going off of a relative timeline based on app deadlines (based on previous applications since I'm going for the phd this round). From all schools I applied to, it took approximately 1 1/2 months for a reply and none of my schools do interviews (that I'm aware of). Therefore, a Dec 1 deadline puts you at the beginning of February (gotta account for the break), Jan 15 puts you at beginning of March, and so on. I might just be making up bullshit in my head but I hate waiting, need structure in my life, and I am seriously losing my mind.

The people who have told me about multiple score submits didn't say why per se, they just said it looks bad, though mostly when you're doing consecutive retakes, usually because there's not a significant score difference and it makes you look like you're trying too hard for a score you can't get. If there's a year or more between the scores that's more acceptable. Scenario- if you take the GRE the first time, and submit your scores, then take it again and submit your scores, the schools will still have access to the other scores. For example, the schools that I'm applying to for my PhD that I also applied to my Masters still show my previous GRE score submits from 2 years ago although my retake in December is shown first.

Honestly, there's no way to win either way. I'm 25, have two kids, and am going from Masters to PhD and people are like "what about the kids? Don't you miss out on a lot of stuff? You won't even start a career till their pre-teens!" -.- like I'm not already aware of this. Some of my faves- "So when are you going to grow up and join the real world? You can't go to school forever you know" "You're a grad assistant? But that's not a real job, right?" "Don't worry about it. It's not like there are a ton of people trying to get PhD's. I mean everyone gets in right?" Sometimes when I meet someone and the "grad-school-heading-to-PhD" convo comes up they just stare at me awkwardly and then end the conversation quickly......... it's weird.

The GRE is more like the SAT without a guessing penalty, but honestly there's no comparison. The GRE is a monster within itself. IMO, the GRE tests how good you are at taking the GRE, not your math or verbal skills. Majority of questions are logic-based. Basically you need to get a Kaplan, Magoosh, Princeton, whatever review book and practice the tricks they give for solving the problems. They also give you good tips to avoid traps, i.e. on the quantitative comparison questions, if you have an equation that doesn't specify whether the numbers involved are positive or negative, then your answer will always be D (not enough information) because the answer could be positive or negative and would change the column values. The GRE is a tricky little beast, and the more practice tests you take the better. Figuring out how to avoid traps and answer everything in the time constraints is harder than the actual material.

I actually just turned in new scores after the deadline- app was due Dec 1st but my GRE was on the 4th. I contacted the head of the ad-com and was informed to leave the score section on the app blank and just have ETS send them my scores. I self-reported my scores to them about a week after the exam (my AWA came in pretty quick) and they said that was sufficient enough to review my app but it would be "formally" completed once they received the scores from ETS. So I'd say just contact the DGS or ad-com chair and let them know what's up. Communication is the most important thing. I don't know where you heard that it takes six weeks for them to get your scores though. My schools had them two weeks after I took the exam. Oh, the beauty of computer based testing!

Nadimishka is a nickname I picked up in Russian class. My name was Nadiegda, and one of the first things I brought to class was a jar of "myod", which is honey. Honey led to a discussion of Winnie the Pooh, and someone said honey bear- "mishka" is bear, so nadimishka (Nadi bear) I became. My avatar.... I love King Julien. He is one of my most favorite animated characters ever, and I like to think this lemur is channeling its inner diva. Even super awesome dancing lemurs like to rest every once in a while.

Wow this thread went in a much different direction than I expected when I clicked on it. I don't know who in the world decided that having a child in grad school is irresponsible. Bad timing, yes. Stressful? Definitely. OP is getting ready to go down a lifelong road (contrary to the whole 18-year theory- who here HASN'T needed their parents for something after turning 18??). OP, you are not irresponsible. You are making the best of it. You are going to bring a mini-you into the world who will make you laugh, cry, scream, smile, and every emotion in between. It's pretty awesome actually. Speaking as the (obviously SUPER irresponsible) single mother of two (4 and 2 yo) girls, I can tell you I wish even now that I had the stability that you seem to. I was a sophomore in undergrad when I got pregnant the first time, and a senior the second (and GASP, I was on birth control! Using it the right way! Shocking!). I graduate with my MS in May and am applying for a PhD. You are a million light years ahead of where I was on every level, and I've managed to make it this far, so you guys will probably make the most stable and adorable family ever. You all sound more than capable of raising a child. Kids happen when they happen. Prevention only goes so far. If I didn't have my girls, I don't even know if I would be where I'm at right now. I have motivation and determination to finish that's bigger than me. It's not just my life here, it's theirs too. Once you have your little one you will understand. They just make you want to excel even more. I will consider my life a success if my kids look back and are proud of me. You can do this!!! Congratulations!!!!!! Now, feeding time- Pinkster, you are making yourself look like an ignorant, uneducated fool. Have fun in la la land where everything is sunshine and roses and you, my special and unique snowflake, have everything so perfectly laid out and planned. Those of us in reality won't judge too hard when the sh*t eventually hits the fan for you, because that's life. I feel sorry for you. My life may not be easy, but I have two beautiful children who look at me like I'm their whole world. I will sit here with my love and happiness, and pity those who feel the need to make themselves feel better by shaming and degrading others who have more love surrounding them than they do. Hope you like your career, because with that personality, it's probably going to be the only thing that you'll be able to hold on to in your life. Shame on you for taking a thread that was supposed to be uplifting and affirming and turning it into a self centered rant on how you're better than the rest of the world.

As others have said, having X write it might not be a bad idea, but no matter what DO NOT have that prof write your LOR. Better to find someone else at the last minute than have a bad LOR.... I got denied from five schools because one of my LOR's was an a** who should have just told me he wouldn't write one.

At this point, I'd say you're good. I've heard conflicting views on this- some say it looks bad if you take it more than twice, especially if you're sending your scores to the same schools. However, some say to keep taking it until you have the scores you want. I agree with above, the sciences don't place too much emphasis on the verbal and you're above the 50% that most schools cut off at. Just focus on your SOP!!! Good luck

Alrighty, a little backstory is probably needed. So, I am already in a Master's Program, but my app process for here was quite different. This was not my first choice program (and I switched to a related field). When I initially applied to five programs in my field, I was denied admission to all of them, even my alma mater's Masters- turns out I had a bad recommendation written by one of my recommenders (I didn't waive access because I am a complete control freak). So I scrambled and rethought my options- I literally just applied and didn't even contact POI's or anything and got in. Turns out this was a great decision and makes me a very different kind of applicant for my Ph.D.'s in my original field, but still. Now, I'm losing my mind. I literally felt crushed when I was denied from my top choice school, UT Knoxville. I have dreamed about going there for years. This time I really busted a** to make sure my app was as strong as I could possibly make it. I contacted the Prof who fits my interests to a T- was told that I sounded like "an impressive and motivated student" and that she wished she could consider me but she wasn't taking students this year. She mentioned she would be taking students next year, then gave me the name of two other faculty, said I should contact them and they would be great mentors. Contacted both- first said that my research sounded really interesting, but said that they weren't sure the theoretical background was there to turn it into a dissertation, though it would be good for a Master's project. Said they were looking forward to reading my LOI. Talked to my mentor and edited my LOI to include a theoretical background. Second prof said it was good to hear from me (I have previously interned at the FAC/ARF and took a field course) and that my research sounded great, it was good to have quality information such as my research. Also said they weren't sure about the theoretical background but would be good for a Master's project. Also said she was looking forward to my LOI. Both stated they were taking 1-2 students for the Fall, specifically after that mentioned looking forward to reading my LOI. At another school, POI said that my research sounded innovative and interesting and would benefit any program that accepted me. Then said they only take the top portion of applicants out of a lot. Said they were looking forward to reading my LOI and to give them a call if I had questions or wanted to chat. Will be doing so after the holidays. No response from emails to POI's from other two schools, going to try again soon. Want to possibly do a visit to one. I have a 3.5 undergrad GPA, 4.0 Master's GPA, 312 GRE with 5 AWA, research experience, presentation, publications, grant experience, internships with UTK FAC/ARF and the Medical Examiner here, Independent Studies, TA experience with arch, and I am a graduate assistant. Strong recommenders- my mentor in anth/my thesis advisor (who wrote one for me before that I read, absolutely stellar), my department chair (who is over my grad assistantship and literally has bent over backwards for me on everything), and my research methods prof (who has written me a rec for something else and let me read it- literally the best recommendation ever. EVER.) Now, someone please tell me if the POI's responses should make me hopeful or not. I'm seriously having panic attacks over this shiz. Sorry for the long post but as I said, I'm losing my mind!!!!

Well, here it goes... 1st attempt: summer before senior undergrad (2011), glanced through a Kaplan book, seven months pregnant. Q 141, V 155, AWA 4. Cried myself to sleep.... seriously though. 2nd attempt: during fall semester, senior undergrad (2011). Actually busted ass with Kaplan books. Ended up having to miss my grandmother's funeral because I couldn't afford to reschedule the exam. Q 140, V 157, AWA 4. Spent a great deal more crying. Now, I DID get in to graduate school with these scores, as I am currently a master's student. However, I go to a state school and my program, while respected, is not a top tier program. I was told my scores averaged around 1000 on the old scale (which is the low cutoff for most schools). 3rd attempt: I'm applying to Ph.D.'s. Retake on 12/04/13. I used a combination of ETS's practice materials, Kaplan online practice sets, and Magoosh. As you can see above, my quant was ghastly. I found the Magoosh math review the best out of all, really helped break it down for me (esp. since I haven't had anything but stats since 2007). When it came to actual questions though, Kaplan had it hands down. That said, Magoosh's verbal flashcard app was absolutely fantastic (and did I mention absolutely free...?). Again, Kaplan's questions had it here, literally they're almost the same thing you will see on the exam. So.... scores! Q 150, V 162, AWA 5. While I'm still not completely happy with the quant, I'm banking on the fact that I have an A in graduate-level statistics to help them realize I'm not an idiot (I just really don't care about math). I've also had two more years of academic experience in there, so I'm not attributing my score jumps to just the study materials. However, I have taken the damn exam three times now. Literally, 12 hours of my life wasted taking that exam. Those questions haunt me in my sleep. That being said, I recommend Magoosh for the math review (and I'm talking basic math reviews) and the verbal flashcards. If you want good question simulation, use Kaplan online. Hope this helps!

Don't spend the money on a retake if your scores are fine!!! Make sure to email every graduate coordinator for each program you're applying to and explain the situation fully, and self-report your scores to them. I actually did a GRE retake on 12/4 when I had a 12/1 deadline (problem of scheduling) and it managed to work out with communication!!

Sorry if that came off the wrong way, you can get in without publications, it's just less common (or so I've heard/experienced). I have my B.A. in Anthropology with a natural science concentration and will have my M.S. in Justice Administration in May. All the schools I've applied to (my alma mater aside) have the facilities I need to do my research and are near family (I have two kids, so family support is necessary). I need to have access to donors, space for field experiments, and a clean forensic-level lab. My approach for the PhD is more biological/forensics/forensic science while my thesis has been archaeology/forensics/law enforcement. Honestly, UTK is the only place I want though. I'm just making sure I have several viable options. And yes, publications and presentations have to be done the right way, through peer-reviewed journals/encyclopedias/etc. and respectable professional organizations. I just thought all of that was assumed.

I can't speak for other subfields, but for forensics- yes. Programs are so competitive for forensics that if you don't have research, publications, or presentations, you are at a serious disadvantage. To be fair, it doesn't have to be forensic-related, you just have to have it. Coursework isn't necessarily "secondary" though. They expect EVERYTHING (caps intended). You need a high GPA, good GRE and well-rounded CV (SoP, recs, etc.) If you're still in undergrad, it can be hard to find the outlets- even in a Master's it can be hard unless you have an assistantship. If you still have time, try to find a prof you like and bring it up. Most will be more than willing to help. As for presentations, look at the professional organizations and their annual meetings. Most have a student paper section and you can get in that way.

widefellow- I've spoken to Dr. Warren at UF and he's taking 1-2 forensic PhD students this year (I'm applying there too!) Apps also in to UT Knoxville (first choice) and USF, app for Tulane not due until February and my super backup-backup here at good ol U of L isn't due until March (weird, right?). For others who are applying to UTK, several profs are taking PhD's in forensics next fall. I'll tell you now though that you should have already contacted them. I've heard (from a reliable source) that they absolutely do not accept students they have not talked to- not that I blame them though. Also, they email you before you get the letter. I applied there for my Master's but... due to an incorrectly picked recommender... you get the point. I do however hope a decision takes less time this go around, I didn't find that out until March!