danicalifornia

My deadline was on jan 1st!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanna die. Or kill them. Or hurt them. O something that includes some kind of violence.

My deadline was on jan 1st!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanna die. Or kill them. Or hurt them. O something that includes some kind of violence.

My deadline was on jan 1st!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanna die. Or kill them. Or hurt them. O something that includes some kind of violence.

quoting some note in the results page: "cuny sucks dick for coke anyway".

quoting some note in the results page: "cuny sucks dick for coke anyway".

Seems like there are a few operating principles here. As long as you try to honor all of them, you're on the right track. By all means, take the time you need. You shouldn't feel guilty waiting until April 15. That's the time allotted to you. All of us on waitlists just have to live with that. The balancing principle, though, is to try to keep only one offer at a time. Each time you get an offer, re-evaluate and let one of them go. It's only fair to the waitlisters and to the departments trying to match people up with their funding. Now the complexity comes in when you get a "half-offer". You are admitted, but are waiting on funding. Or you have funding, but only partial, etc. In those situations just do the best you can. As for the visits and incorporating them into your multiple offers, well, I think the principle should be (but isn't necessarily) that the in-person visit is really just a tie-breaker. You've already done enough research to know you'd be WILLING to go there and that it would be a good fit. If you're struggling between two essentially similar offers, then the in-person visit is the tie breaker.

Well, that's my decision matrix anyway.

I visited nine programs in Boston, LA, Bay Area, Chicago, Nashville, and Atlanta while working full time and going to school. All before February let alone April. No excuses.

Some people are lazy and have full time jobs like myself, but I had done the most important research beforehand. I visited the schools that I seriuosly considered and it ended making my decision for me. The school I chose I applied to on a whim, but when I visited, I realized it would help me grow more as a scholar. Visiting, meeting grad students, and getting a general feel of the culture of your cohort is essential! Instead of picking the program with a super intense focus on my field, I went to the school with a good focus on my stuff but also a lot of tangential subjects (atlantic history, diaspora, race and ethnicity), but I don't think I would have felt confident taking that risk without meeting a good couple factulty members and students. Take you time people. I sat on a waitlist all last year to never get funding, but having been the other position, I thinking taking your time, visting, etc. is the right choice.

It's hard to do enough advance research to know whether you will fit in socially with the people in a department. That's one of the reasons people go on visits. And, you can do tons of research on programs and potential advisers but not know, until visiting, that one or the other of them is a better fit for what you personally want in an adviser. Email and phone calls are not always enough, and it doesn't mean that someone hasn't done enough research before applying.

I think the waitlists are being drawn out longer this year with fewer overall admits going around, so many folks have offers but are waiting for programs they prefer to admit them off the waitlist. Wouldn't be surprised to see the active acceptance period stretch well into May (which is pretty unusual in my field).

As for the poster with two offers who had to do research and visit the programs, are you KIDDING me? Do your homework before you apply! How do you even know you "fit" with the program? Or quit being a nervous nelly and pull the trigger already! Last year I applied to 12 programs and I knew good and well the various funding levels at each program and which I would prefer. I would venture to say most thoughtful individuals do the same.

I am in much the same boat as you are and will probably do something very similar. I particularly like the nod to the early accepters. Like you, I am waiting for some higher-ranked waitlists to clear, but I have to give some credit to those lower-ranked schools that asked me first. Even though I want to see all my options, I am feeling a little bit of loyalty to the date that brought me to the dance and will definitely keep that in mind as I decide. I'm also not willing to wait forever for the higher-ranked waitlists. As time marches on, I find myself increasingly impatient and disgruntled about them and more kind-hearted and nostalgic for my early accepters.

You will hear many arguments both ways for whether to do a masters before a PhD or go straight for the PhD. I will say, I know many ecologists who have done a masters and then a PhD. In a field where research experiences/perspectives/connections are very important, you can't go wrong with this route, although it will take you significantly more time.

Here is my own experience. I had similar stats to you -- about a 3.2 GPA, a year of research experience when I graduated, and I took a grad class my last quarter. I knew that I wanted to do research and needed a grad degree, but I didn't feel ready to go straight into a PhD program. I had the opportunity to do a masters with someone I already knew. In addition, it was on the other side of the country from where I grew up, so it gave me entirely new perspectives on both on life and in ecology. Although I planned to get a PhD after my masters, I ended up working as a research associate for three years (basically managing a project). These experiences made me very competitive when I applied for programs this fall, and I got into programs I would never have gotten into straight out of undergrad (instead of the above stats, I had a great masters GPA, a variety of research experiences and people to support me, grants and awards, teaching experience, 4 publications in various stages). Although I will be starting a PhD program 6 years after finishing undergrad, I wouldn't trade the time it took to get here -- and my soon-too-be advisor views me more as a colleague at this point than simply a student.

That said, you could also try to get a variety of research experiences instead of doing a masters. I recommend that anyone without more than a year of research experience take *at least* a year after undergrad to gain more research experience -- go new places, work with new people. This isn't only to gain more research experience; it will also allow you as an ecologist to ask broader questions about ecology. Also think about what you want to do after you get your degree -- the options with a masters and PhD differ significantly. I was pretty sure I needed the PhD, but I wasn't 100% sure...after working for three years with a masters and then job hunting, I now *know* that I need the PhD to do the research I want to do.

So back to your questions...test scores are important (mostly as a cut-off for acceptance), but experience and connections are more important. Don't look at a masters as playing it safe, but rather, gaining more experience in a subject you are really interested in. Think about the type of research you are or might be interested in. Look for people doing this type of research. Look and see if there are any tech positions you are interested in (now is the peak time for summer postings -- also keep your eyes open for after you graduate). Have you looked into REU programs? There are some you may still be able to apply for for this summer. Also short-term field courses. Sign up for the ECOLOG listserve for all kinds of job postings and discussions on ecology.

Okay, this is a bit long...but feel free to ask me more questions. And good luck!

Dear Prospective Student,

After carefully reviewing this year's applications, we regret to inform you that your application has been DENIED. This should in no way be a negative reflection on your skills and abilities as a student. Rather, we believe that you would be a poor fit in our department, as we currently do not have any professors specializing in the field of FAIL. Enclosed is an application form for the McDONALDS nearest your location, where our committee believes you will be best suited to continue your post-graduate education. Best of luck in all your future endeavors (you'll need it).

Sincerely,

Dean of Graduate Studies

How well do you get along with the person you would be working with at each school? How sure are you about your research interests? Are there enough faculty to form a committee that will not only work with you but also help you improve your work? What about summer funding?

After admissions this year? Dear heavens, take the PhD. Obviously, this does not apply if School 1 has a de facto MA/PhD program. Find out about their reapplication process. What percentage of their MA students apply to their PhD program? What percentage are admitted? How much work is the process?

And--most importantly--how likely is it that your TAship would continue from the MA to the PhD? It can be a nasty shock for funded MA students to realize that they, while accepted to their school's PhD program, did not get funding b/c they are seen as an easy 'get' and funding is a way to lure people to the school. I cannot stress this enough. Find out how many continuing students continue to be funded.

Have plenty of time to start pole-dance classes, sell my car, get a boobjob and start being a *bilingual* stripper in my country. I'll finally have the money to take my boyfriend out to dinner and say: "its on me darling".

Have plenty of time to start pole-dance classes, sell my car, get a boobjob and start being a *bilingual* stripper in my country. I'll finally have the money to take my boyfriend out to dinner and say: "its on me darling".

Have plenty of time to start pole-dance classes, sell my car, get a boobjob and start being a *bilingual* stripper in my country. I'll finally have the money to take my boyfriend out to dinner and say: "its on me darling".

Frankly, I didn't want to move to Queens and face a 1 and a half hour commute one way everyday anyway. Plus if I don't get into NYU I can spend more time on my ass and get the courage to face the mean ladies at the food stamp office again. Yes, they are bullies and I am small.

Oh yeah and I can continue to apply for meaningless jobs because my undergraduate degree is useless without at least a master's!

OR, and this is better yet, I can do ANOTHER year as a non-matriculated student attempting to fix the damage that my undergrad GPA of 2.7 has done to my future! A year at U of C's non-matriculated program getting a 3.8 was apparently not enough! This time though, I'll have to take on MORE DEBT due to the 18 months of UNEMPLOYMENT!

AND I can study to take the GRE AGAIN! because you know, the 1250 + 6.0 writing score just can't cut it! AND take the Chinatown bus on MORE semi-humiliating campus visits of trying to charm potential advisers before the whole process begins, for the third year in a row!!! hi5!

Have plenty of time to start pole-dance classes, sell my car, get a boobjob and start being a *bilingual* stripper in my country. I'll finally have the money to take my boyfriend out to dinner and say: "its on me darling".

Have plenty of time to start pole-dance classes, sell my car, get a boobjob and start being a *bilingual* stripper in my country. I'll finally have the money to take my boyfriend out to dinner and say: "its on me darling".

Spend a year down in South America, volunteering and improving my Spanish. Next year: apply to graduate school (again) and jobs abroad. This year's going to be an adventure, regardless of what happens. =)

I'm sorry. I don't see any upsides right now. All I see is the miserable end to a life dream.

I might get to see what the inside of a homeless shelter looks like.

It could mean one of several things:


You could have passed the administrative elimination and your application is waiting to be seen by a prof. The department you applied to is on a different schedule than the other departments. You are on an unofficial wait list. You've been rejected, and they are just giving you the silent treatment. You've been rejected, but the secretary has not entered your name into the auto-reject email system. You've been accepted, but the prof has phone anxiety. You've been accepted, but they are waiting to scrape together the best funding they can. My guess is it is option #1.