isilya

I think nsf_weiner is that troll from a few months ago so I wouldn't take anything they say seriously. The more I think about my application materials the less hopeful I am. Since it was such an early deadline I just kind of threw some crap together and submitted it. After looking at sample proposals recently I realized mine isn't even really written in the right style and is also much too vague. It's actually somewhat of a relief, now I won't be disappointed! I'm just looking forward to seeing what my reviews are so I can prepare for next year.

It's a perfectly good reason to freak out!! I know how you feel, I really bonded with my POIs at the places I was accepted to (although I am sure that the dept I accepted is far and away the best fit for me). It was so sad declining offers from them why can't we just collect all the people we like and stick them in one place and work with them all?? Good luck making your decision! It's super difficult since you really like both places.

I accepted an offer a couple days ago at my dream department and I'm so excited to go. Ever since then, I've been really emotional, for example I keep crying (out of happiness!) at random inappropriate times throughout the day. I also have zero motivation to keep up on the last of my coursework, I just want to be done with undergrad and move to grad school! But I'm also sad to be leaving friends and family behind. I can't handle all of these emotions!! Does anyone else feel like this?

It's great that you're thinking about this so early! I actually didn't ask my LOR writers to do anything special, I just asked if they could write me a strong recommendation and they said yes. I have no idea what is in the letters. I also only got recommenders who were my research advisors and my application season has turned out well, so I don't think that things being redundant between letters is a big problem. The only thing I would think about is if there's some weak point in your application that you need addressed -- like if you have a bad GPA/GRE you can ask them comment on your academic ability or something. Otherwise I honestly think you are set. No need to worry

I want to do research all day every day for the rest of my life, so why wait?

Maybe no one has read books on the application process? I haven't at least. I gained a lot from reading forums like this one. The other forums I'd recommend are the subreddits reddit.com/r/askacademia, reddit.com/r/gradschool, and reddit.com/r/gradadmissions.

I would have applied to fewer programs and calmed the f**k down about the whole thing. I've made the process way more stressful for myself than it needed to be!!

can we stop mocking people for their life choices? jeez

Ctrl+f "stipend": http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2014/nsf14590/nsf14590.htm

This!! One of my POIs gave me this great advice: you don't want somebody to look at the title of your dissertation and be able to guess every single member of your committee. You want to be an independent scholar who has their own unique ideas that aren't just followups of your advisor's work.

I think this depends somewhat on where the student is at in their education. I'm currently an undergrad, and no one seemed to expect me to have poster or publication experience. I did submit an abstract to a conference right in the middle of applying, so I was able to put a submitted entry on my CV for my last 4 applications, but I don't think it really made a difference. However, I do have plenty of research experience and have my own projects, and my 3 letters were all from research advisors who know that I can be an independent researcher. I'm pretty sure that was the most important aspect of my application.

Here's been my experience so far -- there is a lot of variability!! School A: unofficial admission Jan 28 // official letter Feb 27 (this one took the longest) School B: unofficial admission Feb 7 // official letter Feb 12 School C: unofficial admission Feb 19 // official letter Feb 26 School D: unofficial admission March 7 // still waiting for official letter

NYU Cognition & Perception is being unbelievably slow with final decisions! I haven't seen a single result on the results pages. There was a 2/13 and a 2/20 visit (I was at the 2/13 one). It's been three weeks since the last visit, they've had plenty of time to decide!! I just want to know my full range of options so I can make a decision in the next week or two... ugh

[A] most of the grad students I know live in the Hillcrest area. You can catch the UCSD shuttle from Hillcrest med center to UCSD campus, then get to Scripps easily from there. It's no bad. You can give up on this right away, you'll need to have a roommate. SD is extremely expensive. I disagree with Xeno's remark about University Heights though, maybe they are talking about City Heights? SD is super safe and the only places that are even mildly sketchy are City Heights and Barrio Logan. I wouldn't recommend University Heights unless you have a car though - despite the name it's not close to any of the universities in San Diego and you would have to have a car. I would recommend Hillcrest for cheaper rent and okay commute, but yeah you're going to have to get a roommate unless you can manage to snag something cheap (which is difficult because it's so competitive).

That would be amazing!! When we're faculty we need to do this

Wow is it really that high??? That's awesome!! now I'm going to be absurdly hopeful.

The bar is awesome! They took us there when I went to the CLPS visit.

Seriously! One place is giving me a crazy fellowship and faculty keep emailing me being really supportive. It's weird to be "courted" so much!

Woo, I got my first official rejection today! I applied there as well! I probably applied to work with the same person as they did. I haven't heard anything back yet, but they did have a second open house date that was just on Feb 20th, so I would give it time.

Nah, you could probably do between $3-4 and be fine. Some people take an hour to do my experiment and I still just pay $4 and there hasn't been a problem.

I saw my first official acceptance email while in the middle of chewing a piece of food when I was out with my friends. I just totally stopped and stared at my phone and then shoved it in my friend's face and started pointing at it excitedly

Go where you feel you will be most happy and productive.