FantasticalDevPsych

Applying at 21 if accepted this round will start at 22!

iron giant

I actually like that they did interview these candidates and not just admit them because they were known. But you are right, that does seem very high! And I agree that kind of defeats the purpose of interviewing external candidates at all!

From what I can tell it all seems to boil down to being an exceptional applicant and professor and department preference regarding staying at your same institution! As well as the stigma being a stigma: it also seems to vary depending on who you are talking to!

"Proubably the best aplicant. Numerus conferences with top doctor, papers and ultracurricurulal, I am totally sad." This one from Harvard Geology (direct quotes)!

As someone who actually really wanted to remain at my undergrad insitution and with my current PI (well known in my area and someone I've enjoyed working with), from asking around my undergrad department (top 15), I learned that my current departement only admits undergrads there under exceptional circumstances. Though I also observed the preference for someone they know vs someone who is from another university seemed to be very professor specific as some mentioned expiclity about not wanting UGs to remian at their UG insitution and some told me to try and apply anyway. On my interview I think there were some undergrads from the school there interviewing but the number was small from what I can remember. My POI there actually also did not want me to remain at my undergrad insitution (even though my PI was my POIs advisor). So from what I observed there is a really bad stigma about this.

Tractor tipping

Cow manure

Heart Container

Bonus round

Golden Hammer

I am applying for an MA. I've heard it's so much later than American schools (like March or April at the earliest...)

That's encouraging EastCoasting! I just said I've only heard positively so far from one school (the one I was at)...

This is just what I did for mine: I wore a suit for the day of interviews and a nice sweater the day I arrived (it was in the 30s) and was able to go back to the host's and change into a nice blouse and jeans for the night out with the current students. I carried a large purse that I could fit a portfolio and part of my thesis stimuli in (a children's book) as well as what I'd normally put in a purse. Sorry, can't comment on Cali weather!

I actually specifically asked what is your mentorship style and also asked questions about they prefer to run the lab (in my field, that's important). I also asked about the type of training I would receive in the program as well as how are undergrads involved. I didn't ask too much about research as they explained their current research to me but only asked questions when I was curious about an aspect of it.

Big Bang

Box lunch

Apple juice

Oat meal

I'm similar to Shadowclaw, though I'm still an undergrad and just finished mine and am now working on polishing it to try and publish ATM. I came to my PI with the general idea which originally going to be meshed with other ideas. However I read a lot over break and managed to come with an idea which I ended up bringing to her and she helped make better by helping me consider aspects of research in my area that only an experienced researcher would know. I liked writing it for the most part and it wasn't until receiving feedback (especially one really bad round) that I didn't. Like Shadow there were days I really didn't want to write and then days I really did. I liked being able to consider aspects of something I actually liked learning about (instead of what I had to do for undergrad papers) but there were some days and aspects that were difficult. At least from my experience (and definitely not claiming to know all) it felt like the best theses were ones that the person actually liked the topic area that they were writing on though it still will probably have its frustrating times even for them. Good luck on finishing!

Fast car

Snow queen

Queen bee