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EelAwaits

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Everything posted by EelAwaits

  1. I just turned 40...today. Starting a PhD in the fall, after two separate but completely related careers. Can't wait!
  2. EelAwaits

    Los Angeles, CA

    It's possible to get from some parts of Koreatown by public transportation, though a little unwieldy. If you live within walking distance of the Wilshire/Western or Wilshire/Vermont subway stations, you can easily ride that into downtown (7th/Metro Center) and get the Dash bus ($.25) straight to campus. There are other Metro buses that will get you to USC, but I highly recommend calling Metro and having an actual human being route you from various parts of town; their website will make it seem impossible. Getting to SC from Culver City is hit or miss. You have the advantage of major east-west streets that aren't the freeway, like Venice and Pico, but even those can get backed up and it can be a long haul. Again, check with Metro to see what's possible from those parts of town. Los Feliz and W. Hollywood are really fun neighborhoods, but I don't know anything about getting from there to SC by public transportation. Living near campus, while convenient, kind of sucks - you don't really feel like you're living in LA, there's very little to do/see in the area. That said, befriend the Dash - it will get you downtown, at least! As far as cycling...yikes. Definitely get a helmet and lots of reflective gear. People do it, but the roads are not great and the drivers are pretty oblivious. If you have a car and are commuting, you should either sit by your computer and pounce when the parking lottery opens, or resign yourself to parking at the Parking Center, which is a few blocks off campus. Kind of a pain, though there's a shuttle. I usually walked, but wouldn't do it late at night by myself since it includes a freeway underpass. hope this helps! I did my master's at SC and am now UCLA bound...
  3. Either way is fine; if you want to be a little more formal, go with "dear". That used to feel strange to me until a former boss kindly pointed out that using "dear" in the address didn't mean I was actually calling someone dear!
  4. Thanks all! I've notified the department and am beyond excited, though I still have to notify my job... Meanwhile, fingers are crossed for everyone who hasn't heard. Thanks again.
  5. So I've been accepted by my first choice, with full funding, fellowship, the works. The official word and offer came from the department itself, with further information to come from the university. The department administrator told me that the latter is a formality, and that the university will rubber stamp my application since I meet all their basic criteria. My question is this: since I know I'm going to say yes, when should I tell the department? Is there any reason not to respond right away, at least let them know my intention to accept? I realize I have till April 15, but I've already decided. Will appreciate any thoughts on this.
  6. I submitted four LORs, after asking the dept admin whether that was acceptable to the adcomm. In my cover letter, I very briefly explained why each was relevant.
  7. Thanks for your thoughts on this, everyone. I might deflect the question (if asked) but at the same time make it clear that if I'm admitted and funded, I will accept.
  8. That is a lovely post for many reasons. Congratulations and thanks for sharing!
  9. I'm really hoping to end up in big city for exactly this reason (well, and for the sake of other diversity as well). I'm currently living in a beautiful small town, but if there's a gay community here I haven't seen it, and the women are even more clandestine. I don't necessarily need a group of lesbians to hang out with all the time, but it would be nice to know that such a community exists.
  10. I've been dancing to it every night anyway to help dispel my nervous energy. If I get in, I'll probably loop it and just keep going! The greatest groove of all.
  11. I'd love advice on this. I'm only applying to one program, on the east coast (I'm currently in LA); if I don't get in, I have a job more or less lined up (I hope!). Now I've been told I made the first cut and invited to visit, which is exciting - but if they ask me this question, does it look bad if I answer that they're the only program I applied to? Should I try to deflect the question? I don't wnat to actually lie, eg, say something like above "a range of programs". Thoughts?
  12. Wow. She's, like, 100 years old. And what is all this "music outside the academy" crap? DENY.
  13. I was so happy to see this topic! I'm 39, so if I get in to school (PhD), I'll be 40 when I start. I left a nice job to move to LA for my master's, and decided to go back to work instead of pursuing a doctorate, which was the path I'd planned to take when I entered school. So for the past few years I've been working, successfully - was promoted to director, am making decent money, etc. On paper, it would seem I couldn't really do any better. But like so many of the previous posters, I'm just not quite in the right place. I don't care enough about what I'm doing, I'm not being challenged in any interesting ways and the company itself, while excellent, is not a good fit for my personal values. My job uses some of my skills, for sure, but not the ones I care about and want to develop! So much to learn, and I'm not learning any of it. I try to get some work done on the side, but - well, I think everyone here knows the limitations of that. All that said, I do think it's insane to leave this comfort zone, especially in the midst of a terrible recession. But if I get in to school, I'll probably go. It will be a drastic pay cut, and I'm not sure how to live on no money again, especially in LA, but having figured it out once, I'm sure I can do it again. To the OP: I definitely have days on which I hope (to some extent) that I won't get in, and that the "practical" decision will thus be made for me. But that's not really what I'm hoping for!
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