Taeyers

I requested 4 because one of my letter writers is notorious for submitting them very late and often being very hard to get ahold of, so I wanted to make sure at least 3 were in on time. I took 2 classes from this professor and went above and beyond as her TA for multiple semesters, but she's a bit of an airhead and procrastinator who just doesn't respond to reminders that she needs to get something done. Turns out she submitted her recommendation on time, and it was my PI who was weeks late (in spite of being on the admissions committee ) Anyway, at the end of the day I had 4 letters submitted, but I suppose I will never know how many of them were read. I suspect they were all quite strong, but I probably wouldn't have asked for all 4 without the timing concern. No one ever remarked on it.

My scores were 166/166/4.0 back when 4.0 was 49th percentile and not 56th like it is now, and not a single person commented on the low writing score. In fact, I got multiple comments on how strong my test scores were. I think as long as that's not the only information they have about your writing abilities (which is likely, because you're submitting at least a SOP if not a writing sample with your application), you'll be fine. I've heard that the GRE graders have very specific ideas of what they want to see in a writing response, and anecdotally I've read about self-described terrible writers getting 6.0 and excellent professional writers getting 4.0 just depending on whether or not they read the guidelines and practiced them.

For what it's worth, none of my letter writers were tenured PhDs, and that's even considering that I had four letters. One was a non-tenure track lecturer (PhD), one is the manager of the lab where I had been volunteering (MS), one is the PI of the same lab (PhD; tenure-track, but not there yet), and one was an undergrad program co-director and lecturer (MS). My best guess is that those were all strong letters, and I've been told I was the top choice for admission, so don't fret too much about status.

Right, but the alternative is to pay $50 to reschedule to a later date in exchange for a better chance at not having to retake, so the net difference between the two scenarios is $150, not $200.

I'm afraid this will make me sound like a douchebag, and if it does, I apologize... but I only studied for a GRE for less than a week, almost entirely in the form of practice tests. A few vocab flash cards that I quickly got bored with and the ETS-supplied math review were all I did besides practice tests. I scored 166/166 on the actual test, which is better than I did on practice tests. It was unarguably an awful plan, but I had taken the MCAT previously and was so done cramming for these types of tests that I just couldn't make myself do more. To be fair, I generally test well and do well in math, but that could be true for you too. I noticed that the most important factor on the math section is to simply give yourself the time to work out a logical answer. No complex knowledge is required, and the time limit is reasonably comfortable, so you're just being asked to think logically about fairly basic numerical information. Practice tests were all I needed to feel good about that section, once I realized what they're really testing with it. Vocab was pretty discouraging for me, but on the real test I apparently just got lucky with narrowing down options and guessing from there. This is also not something that would likely improve with much more time spent studying, it was just luck. Anyway, in your shoes, I would spend the 2 weeks taking practice tests and reading up on what they look for in a good writing response (I kind of stunk on this section because I thought it was pointless to study for it, but apparently there are some pretty specific desired qualities they want). Some vocab flash cards might be a good idea, but I wouldn't expect them to make a really huge difference. I would rather risk having to spend $150 extra bucks than not being able to re-take for a better score after postponing. $150 is really not that much in the grand scheme of grad school application expenses, while the chance to retake could make the difference between getting over the score cut-off or just missing it.

First off, I have to clarify that I haven't even officially started my graduate program yet. However, I'm already being asked about my decisions and long-term plans by multiple people in the program, including 2 potential PIs, and it's kind of putting me in a glass case of emotion. Quick background: I first started getting research experience just under 2 years ago in a small physiology lab at my undergrad institution. I was already on track to graduate in just 8 months, so the PI did me a big favor by taking me on with no guarantee of getting even a year of work out of me. I have been in this lab ever since, and my PI is on the admission committee of the graduate program that accepted me for the upcoming fall and gave me an amazing fellowship. I have expressed in the past that I would like to stay in this lab, and I know I'm wanted in this lab, but nothing has been assumed to be final or set in stone. Graduate rotations are still required, and this fellowship I received basically means I have the choice of any lab that will have me, regardless of their ability to fund me. The twist: Another PI in my program, whom I have interacted with mostly in passing before, has expressed interest in bringing me into the lab. His research is pretty different from my current work, but the subfield is not too far removed. His lab is also very small, but he expresses a lot of confidence in their ongoing and future work, and the potential to publish groundbreaking papers in high-impact journals. Now, I fully realize that literally anyone could make these claims, but my current PI doesn't and realistically probably couldn't, so there's that... Anyway, this potential new PI has stated very clearly that if I were to join, there's a very promising project waiting for me, and they would love to have me. His track record of publications in great journals that are ahead of the curve in the subfield make me very intrigued. Personality-wise, I could see myself really getting along with him, but I think he would be a very tough PI to butt heads with too. The dilemma: I feel a sense of personal debt to my current PI and lab that is probably overly exaggerated, but persistent. I also feel deeply personally responsible for plans that I know exist for me with the hope that I stay in the lab, some of which are pretty immediate. There is a major project with a lot of work coming up very soon that I'm supposed to take the lead on (the current grad student has expressed profound disinterest in it back when it was her project), but I would basically have to drop it like a hot potato if I left. There are certain technical skills that only I possess that are currently central to multiple projects, and someone else would have to acquire those skills to replace me, or an external facility would have to be paid from an extremely tight budget to do the work that I could do basically for free. I really like some of the work we do, and really don't like some some of it. Specifically, a lot of our work with mice includes stress tests or surgical device implantation, and being a rabid animal lover causes me to struggle with things we put these mice through. I don't believe our research is at all unethical, it just doesn't sit well with the part of me that really likes mice and had them as pets. Interpersonal things in my current lab are really great in some ways and pretty shaky in others, but the PI has generally been good to me and fair overall. However, I'm pretty freaked out at the possibility of applying to post-docs in the future while having only worked in one lab before. Holy crap, that seems like a really bad idea... I also get a bit excited about the prospect of switching up subfields and the work I do, partially just to prove to myself that I can, and partially because I think I could be happier than I am currently. I am really apprehensive about leaving a PI that has been a net positive force in favor of the unknown, and yet, some of the things he does do make me wonder if I would end up feeling differently down the road. I'm just looking for advice on how to proceed, and any experience or knowledge that could help me. Like I said, even though I haven't even started my program yet, I'm being asked about decisions by faculty members and other people in the program, who all seem to assume that I'll probably stay where I am now. I know my current PI wants to keep me, has future plans for me, and wants to know why I'm considering leaving, so this dilemma is not something I can put out of my mind until a later time. Sorry for the incredibly long post. Like I said....

I'm not sure that it's necessarily a feature of specialized institutions. I'm going to start my program at a very large state school (admittedly with a pretty respectable medical school) in a cohort of 4, and we're the largest incoming class the program has had in 6 years. Most years they accept only 2 or 3 students. All current grad students in my department add up to 14 people (18 after the four of us officially start in a month). Bottom line is that I think it's very much a department thing. The head of my department makes no secret of the fact that he wants to be very selective with students and new faculty, so that's what happens, regardless of the school's size.

Personal anecdote, as requested: I applied for the Fall 2013 application season and was basically waitlisted without an interview (meaning that one of the faculty who was involved told me that I was not officially in the reject pile, but still didn't even get an interview). Between application seasons, I was working as a volunteer at first and then a junior scientist in a lab in the same department, and multiple faculty members frequently asked whether I would be applying again. For the 2014 application season, I was told that I was their top choice, and I was awarded a 3-year fellowship that I only found out about in my acceptance letter. The only difference was the amount of research experience I had in the field (and I probably the strength of the LOR from my PI). Some skepticism is healthy, but don't cheat yourself out of a promising opportunity and something to be excited about just because you don't think it means much. Sounds like this PI is really interested in your talents. ETA: If it matters, my program is very small. Like, my cohort of 4 students is the largest they have taken in one year. Some years they have taken no one that has applied. The type of experience I had with the faculty in my department may not be plausible in a larger program.

My cohort is 4 people, and I'm the only one who doesn't have a master's degree. I also have just under 2 years of research experience, while everyone else obviously has much more. Here's the kicker: the admission committee gave me the 3-year fellowship and told me I was their first choice for admission. Point of the story being that having less experience does not necessarily mean that you're viewed as having less potential to contribute. If you believe that you can measure up and act on that belief, others probably won't be difficult to convince. And to address your other concern, some of my easiest and most enjoyable social relationships have been with people 10-25 years older than me (I'm 25 now, but this has been true for years). Don't form any opinions or expectations until you give it a try

In my program, orientation isn't usually held until mid-late August, which is when students are supposed to figure out what to register for. On top of that, health insurance plan information is required for registration, and we won't be enrolled in our graduate assistant health plan until only a week before classes start. Basically, no one is in a rush. Don't worry about it. P.S. AND I happen to know for a fact that at least two of the classes that are required in the first semester are still scheduled incorrectly in the registration system, and the 2014-2015 graduate hand book doesn't exist yet. I'm not too worried.

I agree that intuitively the term "professor" seems to give the idea of an established faculty member who does a lot of teaching. I have a hard time explaining to people outside the academia that even though many of the faculty I work with are professors, they do very little teaching, if any at all. I don't have a good solution though, because "researcher" does sound like someone who is employed in a very different capacity. I think if I end up on the position of a professor who mainly does research, I will just have to explain it to people who seem to misunderstand. As a silly anecdote, when I was a TA, I had a student who insisted on calling me "professor" constantly, and I kept correcting him because it drove me nuts. Turns out he thought that was just the respectful way to address someone who was the primary instructor in the classroom.

I cheated at home ownership and married someone with no debt (hough mine was relatively low, ~ 15k in student loans and no other debt). I had good credit and some (very small) income at the time, and he had a short credit history but no debt and a good income, so it was a successful combination. Obviously this is not a realistic option for everyone, but just keep in mind that many grads out there who do own homes may not have accomplished that on their own.

We're a biomedical research program. [Technically, I just now started my first graduate rotation, but I worked in the labs for a year and a half before I was accepted]. You could hardly tell any of the grad students apart from the undergrads. Almost all jeans (except for other types of bottoms that are just as casual) and lots of hoodies. The DGS and a few other PIs dress in jeans and some sort of neutral casual top basically every day, so I think they set that tone for the students. The only things that I think make anyone raise an eyebrow are shorts and open sandals. When I come to the lab in fitted jeans, nice shoes (flats or dressy boots), and a cardigan, I look considerably less casual than most people there. Hoodies are very popular among everyone from grad students to post-docs and lab managers. Our lab spaces are very large, open, and shared by multiple research groups, so I have a pretty decent sample size upon which to base these claims For a year I taught undergraduate biology labs alongside mostly grad students from other biology-related departments, and they all dressed just as casually, even for teaching. For the record, I'm someone who likes wearing pants that are nicer than jeans on a fairly regular basis, but like you mentioned, it just starts to feel silly and impractical to dress that way to handle chemicals and mice.

I really don't see why not, although maybe the DGS or his/her assistant would be the person to contact for info about other grad students. They're more likely to have it already compiled and complete. While my department doesn't have masters students, the DGS has mentioned a few times that we should never hesitate to contact the current students about absolutely anything because they'll very responsive and helpful. Really, I think most people mean well and would be strongly inclined to respond positive to a newbie looking for advice and someone to get to know in the program.

Actually, one of the new students that will be in my cohort (4 of us total) in the Fall seemed pretty standoffish at our interview/recruitment day, but she was the first to contact everyone and initiate getting together for lunch. I think some people just feel nervous or competitive and have a hard time showing what they're really like at recruitment events. We've all now been out to lunch 3 times in the month since we got accepted. The DGS actually held orientation for us in May instead of August because we're all local and he heard we were already getting together for lunch and talking about classes for the Fall. Bottom line is that we all embraced this move on her part and it's been great so far. I really don't see any good reason to take issue with someone's attempt to reach out and be friendly...

Haha! I had exactly the same thought about that name... I got the "taupe" and the color is not taupe at all, it's actual a color that I would call "camel". That color is perfect for me. My bag has "mustard" accents, and I would say that color is a cross between orange and goldenrod. I'm going to get a second one soon (probably black), because I love this bag that much.

I've been lurking on this thread for a while, because for some reason trying to find something that meets all of my school bag needs and wants had turned into a borderline-existential crisis for me. But here's the bag that finally made me happy, and it's $38! It has an awesome set of pockets, including two side pockets that can be used for a water bottle and sunglasses, it's roomy enough for my lap-top and lunch, comfortable to carry, and at $38 I will never have to feel bad about replacing it. For what it's worth, I used to always carry Coach diaper bags for a lot of the same reasons, but those bags are heavy even when empty. This one is super light on its own, and that makes the thin strap much more comfortable than it would be on a heavier bag.

I'm 25, fiance is 26, and we are very decided on staying child-free, but people don't take that very seriously at our age... Still, definitely not gonna change. It was my criterion for getting serious with someone in the first place, since I'm the least maternal person ever. Unlike you though, I love what my hormonal BC does for me, and since its success rate is about the same as tubal ligation, I don't think I'll be switching any time soon. I know I'm lucky though, a lot of women struggle with the hormones. The most awkward part for me is that the almost-in-laws don't know, and they're not very direct. It might be a looooong time until it gets brought up, and then there'll probably be lots of disappointment :/

I think a young adult is a great idea. I got one of my cats as a kitten, and he was a little hell-raiser. Can't even tell you how many times I woke up at night because he decided to play-fight with my feet and sunk his teeth into my toe. I adopted my other kitty at 6 months from a shelter. She's deaf and a little deranged, but extremely affectionate and bonded to me easily, as well as my now-fiance whom she met when she was about 2. Both cats are now 5 years old, and I've had one emergency vet bill that I think only amounted to about $80 because they took it easy on me and gave me discounts. The visit was just for an upper respiratory infection that had my kitty wheezing on a Sunday. Other than that, I just brought the same cat in to get his large but firm belly checked out in case of worms or GI illness (turns out he's just fat) and they only charged me for the rabies vaccine he had done at the same time: $38. Bottom line, indoor-only cats are very inexpensive to care for when they're younger, but old age might be a whole different story (that you wouldn't have to worry about for at least a decade). I imagine an outdoor cat might incur way more vet and vaccine bills. Food costs me $30 per month for canned, and probably $15 per month for the kibble. And I'm one of those unlucky people who managed to adopt 3 animals that alternate between indifference and dislike toward each other, but I think they still keep each other company and it works out just fine. I do feel like getting a second cat helped my first kitty tolerate my long work days.

The letter I got from the DGS of the department had stipend, tuition (free) & fringe benefits, and fellowship information. The official admission decision letter I received from the graduate school Director of Admissions didn't have anything like that, it just had information about how to officially accept and enroll. I think that's pretty normal.

GUYS. I'm in! I gotta love my PI... their meeting literally just ended and he came straight back to the lab to give me the news. AND there is a 3-year fellowship that they want to give to me, which is just bonkers! Gonna faint now, peace out. Edit for more info: This is the U of MN, Physiology grad program. Yep, signing on for 5 more years of polar vortexes (vortices?)

well.... the decision for the one program I applied to was supposed to be made yesterday, and I spent all day in a glass case of emotion. My PI (I'm a junior scientist) is on the AdComm, and when I got an email from him last night, I nearly jumped out of my skin before realizing it was totally unrelated. Lo and behold, it turns out they had to postpone until Friday afternoon. I've been told I "unofficially" don't have much to worry about, but I'm just a quivering ball of nerves. They're only taking 3 people!!! They interviewed 8!! Waiting is the worst, and I was promised it would be over yesterday Can't tell if spending time on this thread is making my wait better or worse, but congrats to everyone who's received some great news this application season! Hopefully the 5 millionth time I check the application site will yield good news for me as well...

This time I scored ENTJ, but the E won out by 1%. Pretty sure there've been times in the part when I was INTJ, with a very small margin of preference for I. The others are moderate preferences (25-33%). The psych major in me can't quite get on board with this test though. It's a little too easy to know which way to skew your results by picking a particular answer. Also a lot of my responses about the basis of decisions (impulsive or planned, experience or experimentation) would depend on the gravity and personal or professional nature of the decision.

The only program I applied to had 8 applicants attend their "recruitment day" yesterday (though they invited 10), and apparently they only have funding to take 2 of us. That was some crushing news, and the salt in the wound was that 2 of the 4 admissions committee members apparently didn't even read my application materials. One just straight-up said he didn't get anything for anyone and needed me to summarize it all (in a half-hour interview that started 5 minutes late and during which he kept interrupting me and going on long-winded tangents), and the other seemed very surprised to learn information that is on my CV. I feel your pain. I've been really angsty and kind of angry since I got home last night. Don't know how I will last until they get back to us late next week, especially since I work as a junior scientist in the same department and see these people daily... Crying in the corner and randomly lashing out at inanimate objects seems pretty appealing right now.