ballwera

If your only a junior, I highly recommend applying for a surf position this summer. It's a good way to get relevant research experience, you get paid and its a good way to network. A lot if our students come out with really good LORs too.

If they are anything like my PIs, you're lucky you even got a return e-mail. They each get a thousand or so e-mails a week.

How much time is everyone planning to take off before their programs start?

Interviews start friday at school A, but there is a dinner w/ grad students Thursday night. I know my research pretty well haha been doing it full time for 3 years so that won't be an issue.

I'm excited to leave my job to and at this point it's hard to really do anything. I also just want to know where I'll end up so I can get that ball rolling.

In desperate need of help. I have interviews at schools A,B and C. The problem is they are all on the same weekend (Thurs, , Fri. and Sat.) I accepted the invite to school A because it came in first. School C was able to offer me an alternate date ( they don't offer this upfront so I have to assume this is good haha). The real problem is with school B. They are really wanting me to come down that weekend, so they are trying to get me in Wed. afternoon and leave Thursday morning. It would be a 3.5 hour trip to this school and then a 5.5 hour trip to the next school. Is this a good option? I'm concerned with blowing the second interview due to fatigue. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Biggest issue here is you weren't realistic with where you chose to apply...

Applying for lots and lots of jobs. I got 1 call which turned into and interview which turned into a job haha. It was a rather lengthy process which was more of a crapshoot than anything. If you are planning to go this route, I highly recommend applying for jobs at least 2 months before graduation if you decide to go that route.

I'm finishing up my gap years (3) as we speak and I can't recommend it enough. It's especially useful if you are unsure about doing a PhD in the future or you want to get some experience ( my case). It looks great on your application and as long as you impress your PI, you'll end up with great LORs at the end. The majority of jobs are at Unis or Research institutes, so you will be able to take courses (for free in most cases) while working. As far as relevant work, this will all be lab dependent. Certain labs will let you be very independent (like mine). I essentially due all of the experimental work for my P.I. With any remaining time, I'm free to do any research I please as long as it's semi relevant to the interests of the lab. In other labs you will basically be a grunt and do experiment after experiment. I can say that in my lab I'm treated in the same manner as a grad student would be.

4 of my programs are still reviewing applications! It's kind of ridiculous to be honest. Those 4 programs have had my applications since Thanksgiving!

Double Dragon

Interview / Recruitment day invite from one of my top choices came yesterday... Worded as such (pararphrased) : a recruitment weekend w/ a tour of facilities, meet and greet w/ students and faculty, along with an opportunity for an informal interview. Does that sound weird to anyone else?

Interview invite #3! ALL of them are on the same day fantastic.... Also this one was worded as: a recruitment weekend w/ a tour of facilities, meet and greet w/ students and faculty, along with an opportunity for an informal interview. Does that sound weird to anyone else?

Did you talk to any grad students from the PI's lab at Northwestern?

As far as the LOR debate goes; if you don't think someone will write you a good letter, you shouldn't be asking that person at all.

I'm just saying, his last 2 years he averaged under a 3.0, averaged a 3.3 in his post bacc. courses. He needs to establish a trend here and so far that hasn't happened. I also take advising someone to take on another $25 - $50k in additional debt for a degree that really means nothing at this point. IMO taking post bacc classes or a course based master's while working full time is the best way to go. Target universities / research institutions that offer tuition remission and go from there. Paying for a master's at this point is VERY high risk with little reward imo.

I've been in the area before and it's only 4 hours from where I currently live. So if accepted I'd take a visit down to campus if possible.

Either complete an ENTIRE postbacc sequence or do a masters part time. If you dint have a huge upward trend in the last few semesters, 2 classes isnt going to get it done. Does MIT offer any tuition remission, because I wouldn't be paying for anymore education.

I have an interview conflict and school number 2 is willing to give me a Skype interview. Has anyone had luck in these situations? Will I be at a disadvantage by not visiting campus?

Invite to Tennessee! and of course it conflicts with my other interview . Looks like I will be stuck with a Skype/Phone interview. Has anyone had any luck with those?

Thanks for the advice guys! I thought waiting might be the best option. Hopefully I can keep my poker face on if they start talking about the summer term.

Here's an interesting scenario for y'all. I have an interview at Ohio State, from reading their website it looks like you are required to take a course and do a lab rotation during their summer term. This term runs from June 15th to July 31st. I am getting married July 25th, with plans to take our honeymoon immediately following the wedding. Is this something I should bring up over the interview weekend?

Haha thanks! Any words of wisdom?

Interview at Ohio State!!!! HOLY @#$#

Given that virtually all apps at this point are electronic, it would take all of a few seconds to update an applicant's status throughout the process. It's a bit ridiculous imo to not notify applicants that they have been rejected.