mockturtle

My favorite potential advisor at my top choice MS program offered me an entry-level summer technician job in 2019, which I turned down despite strong interest. I don't know if it will seem odd or insulting to mention a job offer that I ultimately declined in an introductory email, but I want to express the fact that I've been highly interested in working with this lab for several years. Is there a way to handle this politely?

I'm looking into Biology Master's programs and did well on the GRE in 2015, but that's unfortunately too long ago to actually submit those scores anymore. Some of the PIs I'm considering reaching out to ask to see unofficial scores if you have them, and I can't decide if it would be weird to include expired scores in an email, or weird not to include them when I have them. It might not be until November that I actually retake the exam, so I'm either sending them these score reports or nothing. Thanks!

Got an RA position in my absolute dream lab last fall, planned to apply to grad school this year with all the ~new insight and experience~ I'd supposedly have gained by this point... and right now I'm still struggling to get even the most basic introduction to the lab's research methods, like any training whatsoever, much less a project of my own to sink my teeth into. I was warned by multiple people that this lab's environment was crazy, so maybe I don't get to complain, but didn't think it would amount to having to beg and plead to be given the opportunity to do any research. For the first time in my life I'm underworked and somehow it's 100x worse than the alternative. Half-seriously wishing I could drop it all, become a park ranger, and go live in a shack in the woods (at least I'd have a pretty view while I wasted my time).

I'm on great terms with my undergrad thesis advisor, but she has a history of dropping the ball with recommendations. I have no reason to think it's personal, and her graduate students have all attested to experiencing the same thing. Over the years she's sent more letters of mine late than on time, or else completely neglects to send them at all, even after ample time to prepare, regular reminders (both emailed and in-person), and promises that she would get to them "by the end of the day" or "definitely before leaving the lab tonight", etc. I of course understand that she's an extremely busy woman, but this is honestly perplexing. Aside from this one issue she was a great advisor and never seemed to have a problem with deadlines in general, or keeping up with emails in general, or remembering things in general - it's just references. Having worked in her lab for 2 years and after completing my thesis under her she's definitely the most important person on my CV, and would be a bad person to leave out of my reference list. I graduated last spring, moved 1400 miles away, and am currently applying for internships..... and one of my contacts is telling me he hasn't been able to reach her (not even for a letter, just for a chat). I can feel history repeating itself. I reached out to her recently to ask whether she was okay with being contacted, and she confirmed once again that she was happy to serve as a reference. I even mentioned this person by name as someone who would likely be emailing her in the near future. I'm not sure what else I could have done better, or what to do now. Is there any way to explain this situation delicately without seeming like I'm putting my advisor on blast, or affirm that she agreed to serve as a reference without seeming like I'm being defensive? Any action I can take in the future to avert this? I'm so worried about having it seem like she's unwilling to recommend me because of the quality of my work, when it's just chronic late-LOR-itis. Thanks so much.

Two days ago I told my prospective advisors I was worried about this possibility, a few minutes after midnight I posted a comment on the application portal saying I had been assured that the letter would be on its way & asked how negatively this would impact my application, but I can't sleep and I just don't know what else to do. I can't believe this is happening.

My PI just missed the deadline of LOR submission for my top choice school. I've followed up with her repeatedly in the last month, asking if she needs any more materials... The graduate department in question has an automatic email system that also issues reminders to recommenders repeatedly, every 2 weeks, until they submit... I physically sat down with her today and was told with confidence that it would be done before the deadline.......... What more should I have done here

I just had the most exciting interview day with two prospective advisors at the same school. They took me out to lunch, and were just all-around helpful, disarming, and informative. I was super nervous about our meeting, but it flew out the window as soon as I sat down with them. My conversations with their graduate students were equally great, and I've learned a ton about the research process, expectations, and atmosphere of the two (collaborating) labs. I couldn't be more enamored with the school, and I really feel like both PIs are gunning for my acceptance. .............Except for that persistent issue of funding. If they're unable to provide a minimum stipend + tuition remission I straight-up can't be admitted, and as an international student (US -> Canada) my chances are looking slim. I want to believe that the fact that they'd even invite me to a (travel-compensated!!) interview says something about my chances, because why would they extend that to a person they didn't think had a solid chance? But there's nothing I can really do about it at this point, other than cross my fingers & continue to try to impress. And that's really rough.

It's because adding an extra line on my CV seems a good bit less invasive, and because of the "eh, what's the worst that can happen?" at the back of my mind. I really just wanted a picture of exactly how obnoxious the extra information would be, weighed against the strength of my scores, and when presented in a way that doesn't demand a lot of extra attention in the way that an entire additional document likely would. And it seems like while opinions are at least somewhat split, including them would probably hurt more than it helps. Haha, thank you, that's what I needed to hear. It makes me sad to leave out something that's supposed to be so positive, but I'll swallow my pride.

I only have two applications in the works right now... which was not the plan. To be fair, it's about 30% personal choice (they're MS applications, and I'm comfortable with casting a net now and also looking for post-bacc jobs in the spring), and 20% circumstance (the pool being narrowed by prospective PIs retiring, lack of funding, etc). But that remaining 50% was me just dropping the ball, with applications taking a backseat during what in retrospect was a sort of mini-burnout. The inevitable "where else are you applying?" question is weighing heavily on my mind. I just really hope this doesn't speak ill of me.

The two of you have completely summed up my own personal conflict over this question, as it happens I'd definitely send in official reports if they didn't explicitly say on their website "Please DO NOT send us any unsolicited documentation". I'm afraid doing so in spite of that message would seem even more irritating and thoughtless than a spare line or two on my CV... As silly as it may be, I would almost hope that they'd see my self-reported scores on my CV and subsequently request an official copy (because they're just soooooo impressed, of course!!). But that's just optimism talking.

The CV is not a place for GRE scores, that I know. However, with an application in progress to a program that not only doesn't require the GRE, but claims to outright ignore any non-required documents that may be submitted, is there any harm (or value) in listing my scores somewhere on my CV? I doubt scores of any magnitude are likely to rock the boat very much for a department that doesn't even care enough to request them, but they're in the 93 - 98% percentiles, and I'm proud of them. Would it be a feather in my cap, or just tacky?

I was thinking 'repugnates' or 'abhors'... Because if the opinion of the majority is to disagree with the debunking of the effort to expose Project X, shouldn't that mean they do want Project X to be exposed as frivolous? What a wild sentence...

The one school I'm almost certainly applying to is McGill. As for the rest, I'm still figuring that out, since it depends on responses from POIs that I haven't had the guts to initiate conversation with yet..... which is part of what makes this such a problem.

I'm already well into communication with one POI and am incredibly excited about the project he's proposing, the city I could be living in, the field work I could end up doing, etc. We've skyped once, plan to do so again soon, and he's definitely recommending that I apply to the department. The vent: I'm scared out of my skin at the prospect of starting a program and only then realizing I'm not cut out for it, or the difficulty of the research process, or the atmosphere of academia, or life in general, etc. I'm switching so nauseatingly fast between excitement over the prospect of graduate research & love for the topics, and the soul-gripping fear that I'm making a horrible mistake. I definitely think I'm being irrational, but I have no immediate way to prove myself wrong, so I've been stuck in this emotional whiplash for a month now. I need to contact more POIs, but have no idea whether that's even the right choice...... albeit, no reason to think it's the wrong one, either. Thanks, brain.

In retrospect, those worries were definitely stemming from the somewhat-bewildered reactions of my (neuro/psych) coworkers when I told them I wanted to move towards ecology I don't know if it just isn't on a lot of people's radar, or what, but I guess from their perspective it could be a bit of a crazy direction. But having now contacted a few possible PI's (to positive replies), I can certainly confirm all of the above! .....Unfortunately they're also urging me to apply as a PhD student instead, for greater ease of funding. Time to do some soul searching?