ScreamingHairyArmadillo

How did you register for classes? I haven't heard much about how/when to do that.

I actually haven't been watching Lost this entire semester so now I get to catch up after exams. For hours at once.

Just depends on book load. Lots of books plus netbook = backpack. Few books/folders plus netbook = tote. I'm also assuming I won't end up buying a laptop, but if I do I guess it'll be backpack all the time. Even now I'm often slinging around 2-3 bags. I also always keep my gym clothes in a small nylon bag.

Yes, many do. Those are the credits you are supposedly taking as a more serious, grad-school-oriented student. There's definitely room to take classes out of your field during that time, but for the most part they want to see you are taking the basics you'll need for their program.

The lab would probably dispose of any that were used for dangerous chemicals. Otherwise I would suspect an autoclave and maybe a run through the dishwasher should be safe enough. Putting some flowers with colored water in them would look pretty sweet, I think.

I definitely won't miss dorm life! I'm so ready to have my own place (granted I'll be going between Columbus and Wooster every 6 months, buutt...) Won't miss taking out more loans for school. Won't miss all my peers being pre-med/pre-law/pre-etc. Finally other bug geeks! Will miss my current lab.

What about doing a masters at a school you've gotten into and then trying again?

I think you're entirely correct.

I think it's called growing up. If you play your cards right (ie you have a job in the future) you will not get summers off. Summers during grad school are not vacation. Not to say you will never be able to have a vacation during grad school; they are just not the same as those during undergrad. And I'm just going to take this last one for myself.

A few schools offered me paid opportunities to start this summer, but I've declined. Many of my advisors and older grad friends warned me against burn out, and I'd rather use my last summer to do things that I won't be able to while I'm in school (planning a vacation, hang out with hometown friends, read for pleasure, spend time learning to cook, sit around all day watching movies, etc). When I turned down summer work, nobody acted as if I wasn't serious about my schooling. They said they perfectly understood and look forward to seeing me in the fall.

I just requested this book from OhioLink and see that about half of the copies are in circulation right now. Nice to know there are more of us around. I find my situation similar to others already posted: supportive family, interested in what I'm doing, but I'm definitely the first one doing graduate school. My family is a mix of college educated and working class heroes (usually in the same person), as are many of my friends. I just feel strange forging a so-far solid path in academia (and things are always looking more positive the more I communicate with my future advisor), while many of my family and old friends are in this totally other world. A world I used to be part of, too. I wonder, how did I get here and why aren't some of you with me?

It sounds like you won't have to work the year you're funded by the fellowship. You do need to see the details though; I received a fellowship at UMD but it was on top of the assistantship. I think it's usually the former way though.

You definitely have until April 15 to withdraw your acceptance (the link says in writing). I think your circumstances are very much within the realm of "sensible reasons to go somewhere else" and the school should be understanding. Good luck!

Depends on the field, I think. There are many strong anthropologists, psychologists, and bioethicists here from what I can tell. There's the Mandel Center for Applied Social Sciences which is very highly ranked in social work. The only isolated fields I would really pinpoint would be English, history, and classics. There are good faculty working here, but definitely a minority and pretty much ignored by others. Social life though can be lacking unless you are really gung ho about the university. That said, I think the grad students are more tightly knit, and there are always events on campus and around town.

I don't start classes until the end of September! In the mean time I hope to keep myself busy with normal life things - part time job (hopefully), volunteer at an animal shelter, learn to cook, read all those books I've put off for 4 years... I'm trying to stop thinking about grad school until August (yeah right). I'll probably be able to do it for the rest of this month, but in May I'll be meeting with my future advisor while she's in town. Then I'll be right back to thinking about school Have you finalized your school choice, Livestrong1188? It's been about 2 weeks since I did, and I've found myself to finally get over that restless, anticlimactic feeling.

My guess is they don't want to bother dealing with the graduate school. If you don't withdraw, they will have to recommend (or not) you to the graduate school, which will then have to send you an official letter, which you will then have to reply to...all this even though they know you are not going. If you withdraw, they can just dump your record, or do whatever it is they do with old applications.

Go to the better school. It will pay off in the long run for a variety of reasons: no resentment on your part, probably better job placement, just better academic fit. He will probably be upset you aren't closer, but it seems he recognizes you need to go to the better school. If you haven't run into huge issues for this first year, I'd bet you could handle a few more.

However, it's not uncommon in the sciences to TA the first year; I would've at OSU if I hadn't gotten fellowships. From my understanding, in the sciences it's best to do both. At most of the schools I applied to it's even a requirement to TA for a term because they want you to get a taste of teaching. But RAs are also good when you need to focus on research. That being said, RAs aren't always for you to work on your project - you might be assigned a project that isn't really your focus. Is your funding package laid out for the next few years? I know your money often comes from different sources at different times. Sometimes a TA, sometimes an RA, sometimes a fellowship...it just depends. I'll be getting both and don't really see any problems with having a mix.

I've been poking around academia.edu - it seems pretty helpful unless no one you know uses it.

My vote is for backpacks. Much easier to lug stuff around, especially heavy books. If I only need a few things (a few folders, notebook, and netbook) I use a large purse.

Here's an as always helpful insight from FemaleScienceProfessor: http://science-professor.blogspot.com/2010/03/go-ahead-reject-me.html

Until they ask you out for a beer, that is.

That sucks about your department not being helpful. Does your university library have its own printing service? My school's is pretty cheap, and undergrads get the first one free. The campus services printing, on the other hand, is stupidly expensive. Also, if the places 3 miles out are relatively inexpensive, I suggest seeing if they have plastic wrap for your poster. Or invest in a waterproof poster tube if you think you'll be using it again.

I actually just ran across a pdf about econometrics in R: http://cran.r-project.org/doc/contrib/Farnsworth-EconometricsInR.pdf I think spending some time learning one package helps enormously, even if you eventually use another one more often. My plan is also to mess around with R this summer, because I can use it at home, and then see what my program suggests when I get there.

I don't know much about this area, other than the fact that R is quite fantastic. How is it free?? There is so much you can do with it. I'm not sure how much economics people use it though - I know it is often used for ecological research. However, I do think your school with provide you with any statistical packages that you need. You might not be able to get it for your personal computer, but they should be available at your school's computer labs. My suggestion is to ask your advisor or current students of the program.