samstrong123

Thanks AP and Need coffee in an iv for yr input. Yes AP, Im gathering as much info as I could about exam from respective members and act accordingly. Need coffee in an iv_as 1 st one was not graded and when I was given second test it did not say about grading scale, cut off so I assumed its not going to be graded. After getting back first test I meet with that member and we went through some of the questions. I understood them and when similar questions got in the second test, I got them correct. Yes when I was told I did not do good on first test, before giving second test, I worked on it harder and put more time into it. After getting the second test back, I emailed that committee member and told him I am working on his remarks on second test, and seeing how could I have done better. Then he replied that if I need any clarification then I should try my major advisor. My major advisor told me I should nto worry about that member and work on other committee members' assignments.

Hello all, I'm in my third year of PhD program and completed my coursework last semester. Our qualifier has two parts, written from individual committee member followed by oral in front of all committee. At December'16, I was told by committee that I need to work more on written part and then could give oral exam. Out of five, three have assignment as lit. reviews, one wants me to write a grant proposal and other one has open book, question and answer test. Two weeks ago, I submitted my question and answer test (second time) to respective member. Last week, he gave corrected test back to my major advisor. My major advisor told me, he's not happy with my answers and going to fail me. I scored 49% on that test. I was not even aware that he's going to grade this test and how much was grading for each question and what was passing cut off. He did not grade my first test. When I meet him after first test, we went through some question but he didn't tell me anything about grading. When I asked my major advisor, can I contact that member and ask for third test, I was told I don't have time for the same and should work on remaining member's test. My major advisor told me, qualifier does not has to be unanimous decision, and now I have to work on remaining four members' written part very well and my window is getting narrow. I'm planning to complete my written of next 4 members in next 2 months and give oral in month of May. I was completely freaking out and could not breath well. Now calming my nerves and trying figure out next best steps for me. Have I lost my position in program already? Could any one tell me how could I cope with this situation and pull this off? Thanks. samstrong123@gmail.com

Thanks dornos, violetAyame for your input. I looked at assistantship, fellowship eligibility. 1. For 15k assistantship- it says GRE-AWA should be 4+, mine is 3. If he brings in this point how should I counter that? - can I talk about other criteria which I met? or masters I got or publications, experience I have? 2. dornos, I got your point about - not to be too greedy, but in $7k/yr option I'm getting only ~$500/m and I need to pay $8.5k/yr form my pocket. If he suggest this option- shall I try to get "inbetween/ middlegroung" options - A. he can pay me $15k/yr and I can pay $8.5k/yr tution fee from my pocket or B. he can pay me $7k/yr and take care of complete tution fee? I know it sounds too cheap - but hey I have come up with reiporcal money I know how much dilated I am ! 3. If he gives less paying option for 1st sem/ year and says he can give more funding next sem/ year, shall I trust him on words & take it so or shall I ask him to give it in writing? 4. Can discussion go towards technical side? will he ask me about actual experiment protocols? should I refresh technical info? Let me know soon. Thanks. Sam.

Hello, I got admit from one of the school in south for food. sci. program. Deartment staff has fixed a meeting on phone for me with potential adviser, so that this adviser can decide which assistanship opiton I should get . I came to know this adviser from my master's mentor. I have contacted this adviser few times on email to express my interest in his lab. Now department staff told me they have 2 options for assistantship- A. $15k stipend/yr , no tution fee, B. $7k stipend/yr, ~$8k/yr tution fee- part of fee which I need to pay from my pocket. So obviously any student is going to ask for option A as it pays more money. 1. I want to know when talking with this adviser how should I convice him to give me more funding? Skiil based- I can tell work I done for my masters and later- some of it is similar to work being done in his lab. I can say I can do this type of work, I can learn more work, I can put more hours in lab and so on. Need based- I can say 7k/yr is very less stipend to surive for me and my family resonsibilites, and I cannot pay my part of tution fees as I cannot get education loan- being internatinal student/ do not have that much savings. So which option I should focus more, shall I elaborate anything? 2. Can I ask him- does he has enough funding for complete length of my program- 3/4 yrs of assiatanship or it will be considered rude to ask so bluntly? 3. Program hand book also mentions about fellowship options - 1. Academic- $25k/yr, 2- Distinguished- $30k/yr. Can I ask him these fellowship options for me? Or they are offered to senior grad students/ after 1/2 yr in program or they can be offered from the beginning? If I asked so, what reasons I should give for this? 4. Can any one give me any tips for talking with potential adviser at this stage? Let me know. Thanks. Sam.

Hi, Thanks for reply. Eigen- Yes I'm sure about wording of funding. In option 1, school pays student's full tution fee and give $ 15k/yr as a stipend. So it boils down to $1100-$ 1200/month. iphi- I got your point. As I do not have better option as of now, I probably go ahead with it. And also- if they like me (my work) they will find more funding for me & if they do not they will say they do not have funds. Sam.

Hi All, I have applied for PhD program in Biology related field. One of the school is planning to offer me half stipend for 1st year & then if posssible they can give me full stipend. For that program after covering tutuion fees, there are following 3 types of stipend- 1. PhD Assistantship Stipend- $ 15k/ yr (this can be called half one) 2. PhD Academic Fellowship Stipend- $ 25k/ yr 3. PhD Distinguished Fellowship Stipend- $ 30k/ yr (this can be called full one) So if they are offering me $ 15k for first year & saying can give more stipend in later years as per availability of funds. Should I buy this? ie Situation A-for 1st yr they will pay me $ 15k & next yr they will pay me $ 25k/ 30k/yr or Situation B-after first yr they can say they do not have more funds & make me work for rest of my prgram for $ 15 k/yr only? Shall I take this into consideration based on oral saying from someone from department or shall I take in writing from Department chair or Graduate coordinator ? Does any one has been in similar shoes before? If so can advice me on this? Thanks. Sam. prk_01234@yahoo.com

Hi voibombay, Thanks fo ryour input. You mak me feel little better. I'll keep you posted. Sam.

Hi All, I took GRE exam few days ago & I got my result. I am satisfied with my Verbal & Quant section score (both ~150-155), but my AWA score is way low than my expectation. I know there can be some variation from reviewer to reviewer. Still, I did not expect so low score. I got 3/6, when I was expecting 4/6. AWA is section is one I prepared max during my prep. I read tips from Barron book, practiced ~50 essays under time constraint, on Powerperp format, got them checked by English instructor and leearned from mistakes, despit this I got this much score. In actual exam- my Issue essay was saticfactory, my argument essay was also okay. On thing with argument essay was, I was little over time- still I could write 4 para- Intro, 1st point, 2nd point, Conclusion. Only I could not get time to edit/ do spell check for last 1.5 para. Thats only flaw I could see. Does this deserve 3? I need to know is there any "Recheking" or "Revaluation" option available for GRE exam? So that my essays could be evaluated again? If so let me know. I could see option of retaking GRE, but it does not fit into my schedule. Also, I am not sure if I retake will it improve my score or not if so by how much? If any one in similar shoes let me know your thoughts. Let me know. Sam.

hi bsharpe269, ramkt310, Thanks for reply. bsharp269 - i'll try to imply yr SE tip. Sam.

hi themmases & bsharpe269, Thanks for yr valuable input. themasses - yr quant tips is very helpful to me. bsharpe269- i will try to keep calm I'll keep you posted Sam

Hi All, I have following concerns- 1. In this new gre format (as it used to be before) does software is responce adaptive ie if q is correct then next q is harder, & earlier qs have higher points than later qs. If so one need to solve early qs w/ more attention & can afford to not to pay much attentionto later qs OR every q has equal points & one should try to get every q right w/ optimum resources in terms of time ? 2. In Verbal section- I'm getting more questions wrong in the "Reading Comprehension" section. Do you any hints for solving this section in less time & w/ more odds to get correct- especially "inference Q"/ author will agree w/ which of the following EXCEPT"- one not only has to read Q & passage, but anwer choices also v. carefully. take lots of time 3. In AWA section- a. In essays can I use words- "claim/ argument/ point" interchangeably or do I need to specific about what they have said & stick to it? b. Similarly, can I use "memo/ publication/ letter" interchangeably or do I need to use specific one & stick to it? c. For some verbs when doing past tense we change y to i . Is there any rule for it or its just random as mentioned eg. to play- played, to study-studied d. I have noticed frequently I'm using "If......,then......." sentences in an essay to show cause & effect correlation. To avoid this repetition are there any other options to frame these type of sentences? I'm completely scared, out of breath, & trying cover the base. Who knows whats going to happen. I just don't want to get too low score. I'm pushing for max. If you have any more tips let me know. Thanks. Sam. prk_01234@yahoo.com

Hi All, 1, I need to know for more practising I need to practice Verbal- Reading comprehension. I have pracitce RC Qs at my Barrons book. I want to know how could I practice paper RC Barron Qs under time constrain . how should I time them? How to get more n more Sen. Equvalence right? .= 1 blank n 2 chocies Qs to select? 2.Same thing about Quant- Probaliity, Data Interpretation- I have practice Qs in Barron. for practicing from Barron book how should I tiem them? 3. In AWA- Argument section- generically when any survey is given to argu on that survey can I use generic points for any survey like- timeline of survey, methodology, reollection bias, & so on? Thanks. Sam.

Hi RomulusAugustulus & Standard Deviant for your input. I'll keep you posted. Sam.

Hi All, I got GRE slot in 2 wks time, here is my situation- Prepping from Barrons. Read world list - made my flash cards. Read Quant section twice. My Barrons Paper Practice test scoe y'day- V 152, Q 148. I got s**t in my pants. I have to push my both score by hook or crook above 160. I have following major troubles- 1. Quant- In Barron for Quant after 5 major sections of tips in different types of Qs, they have 200 pages Maths Review section. I need to know are there any HIGH YIELDS topics in this Maths Review that I have to know to push my Q score? So if any one can tell me VERY IMPORTANT/ MUST KNOW topics for Quant? 2. AWA- I'm practicing under time w/ power prep software and I'm taking ~40mins to finish each of my essay. Does any one has any tips on how to finish essays on time? Advice to finish essays sooner. I noticed powerprep software do not have "copy" option. It has "cut", "paste" option. So if I want to copy any sen. or word how should I do on the exam computer? 3. V- I'm dipping down in Reading comp qs any tips for it. They also take more time to finish. Let me know. Sam prk_01234@yahoo.com

Thanks Vene, HopefulComparativisit, VioletAyame, CrucialBBQ for your input. Vene, I'm applying for Food Scienes programs, so my field is ~ mirobiology, cell biology. Most of my schools have more V score cut off than Q score. still I need to get even min Q cutt off score to go through grad school office filter. I'll do as you said google gre maths q & hopt it'll help. Sam prk_01234@yahoo.com