MarineBluePsy

Thank heavens for google! I received an email from the Program Coordinator at a school I applied to stating they couldn't find my GRE scores (side note....I dunno wtf is up with ETS, but this has been an issue with half the reports I ordered that were sent electronically). So after getting the tracking info from ETS I go to reply to the Program Coordinator only to realize their name doesn't obviously indicate if they are male or female. Their signature didn't mention being a professor so going with "Dr" didn't seem wise, but thankfully google led me to a page that listed them as "Mr. Program Coordinator." Getting that wrong would have been so embarrassing.

Man I'd hate to live someplace where you can't buy alcohol 7 days a week. I'm quite the fan of wine, hard cider, and now hard root beer. As for how I'm dealing with all this waiting? I'm watching way too much tv, working, catching up with friends, trying to get back in shape, and tackling that list of things that need to be taken care of in order for me to relocate if this application season goes well.

Do you have an HR department you can speak to about this? There might actually be a process in place to request unpaid days off or the option to makeup the time you'll miss.

I'm not sure how this could go horribly wrong. People get sick and you can produce a doctors note verifying your condition if need be. I've had bronchitis and it was miserable since it hurt to breath and move. I couldn't just tough out anything, but laid around trying not to cough to death and the medicine they gave me did no good. The best case scenario is the professor reschedules your interview. If they won't then you'll just have to hope for the best, but do you really want to spend the next several years working for someone who isn't understanding when someone is legitimately ill?

Other posters have given you some great ideas and if I were in your shoes and didn't have to worry about supporting myself I'd probably do something a little different just because I may not ever have another opportunity to. Something random like being a summer camp counselor or working at an amusement park (or other seasonal gig) because it might be fun, you'd meet weird people, and have a little pocket change to save up for the school year.

I think that while it isn't bad that you're asking yourself "what do I want to be when I grow up?" at the same time you don't have to decide this now. Go to Malaysia. Observe another culture up close and personal. Have unique experiences. Let the skills you develop there shape your future in ways you least expect. When your teaching job is over you may still be uncertain of what you want to do, but you will have options and opportunities to further explore things that interest you. Everything you mentioned is something you could potentially explore via career shadowing, community service, paid jobs, etc and then you can decide where you might return to school if at all.

With your background it is possible, but it'd be a good idea for you to look at the prerequisites required by the programs you wish to apply to. All of them will list specific classes you must have completed (or perhaps are taking concurrently) when you apply. Most likely they'll all be classes you can take for a fraction of the cost at a community college.

It means that the graduate college is reviewing your materials to make sure you are eligible to apply and nothing is missing. They may or may not send you an email saying your materials have been forwarded to the department you applied to, but the status will still be "under review." Half my applications told me when my materials were forwarded to the department and the other half didn't, regardless "under review" is still accurate. If you're really concerned you could contact the graduate college when they re-open after the holidays to confirm they have everything they need.

I did a search on the forums and found topics with questions the POI or other grad students may ask applicants and questions applicants may want to ask the POI and other grad students. I've been adding my own questions as they come up and pondering my answers.

Hmmmm I read the news and talk to people more well traveled than I on a daily basis and you know what I read and hear? Bad things about the way people in every single country that exists (including my own!) treats foreigners. You know what else I hear? How wonderful and welcoming people (including me!) in those same countries are. If I let the bad things stop me then I'll never accomplish my dream of seeing the whole world. When traveling I expect I can do exactly what I do in my home country.....seek out those who are welcoming and kind and make me a better and more informed person.

I too went back for my Master's after being out of undergrad awhile and getting LORs was the biggest hurdle. The schools I applied to were very understanding of it being unlikely that I could find a professor from way back when to write one and were willing to accept LORs from relevant employers and community service projects. Other than that my having worked for several years was not viewed negatively. I had experiences that helped me think differently, allowed me to bring a unique perspective to classroom discussions, and shaped my research in unexpected ways.

Congratulations!

No, the school tells ETS how they want to receive scores. I had to follow up on some of my reports and ETS told me which schools want reports mailed, sent electronically, or both. Also ETS doesn't just send reports on Tuesday and Thursday as was previously suggested since all of my electronic ones were sent on Wednesdays.

There's other notices on this link too: http://thegradcafe.com/survey/index.php?q=psych&t=a&o=&pp=25

Well if you're currently in a Master's program it still makes more sense to finish that and then go elsewhere for a PhD. Yes you can stop that program and start a new Master's program (if you're accepted), but you still run the risk of starting all over, looking unreliable, having a hard time getting LORs, etc. Once you get your PhD no one will care where you went before, they'll just ask where you did your PhD. Also keep in mind that when you start applying for PhD programs you have to send transcripts of everywhere you went. They'll find it odd that you changed Master's programs and you'll have to explain yourself.

So you're in a PhD program now and after one semester are pondering transferring into a different PhD program, am I understanding this correctly? You're probably not hearing much about graduate transfers because they really don't work the same way as undergraduate transfers. At the graduate level you run the risk of burning bridges (and you may need those people in your network) if you leave before completing the program and if you intend to get LORs from any of these professors that'll be a bit awkward. The program you transfer into (assuming they accept you after the application process) may not accept any of the credits from your prior school and you'd have to start your program over. So sure its possible, but it isn't easy and it may or may not be worth it depending on your situation. It might be easier to finish your Master's in your current program and then transfer after that to complete the PhD, but again you'd have to find out from the school you hope to go to if they will allow that.

I think you're overreacting. There's no firm rule on what has to be on a CV and you mentioned your TA experience in your SOP. Maybe the admissions committee will think you chose to put that in your SOP to give it more attention than a quick blurb in a sea of other blurbs on your CV. If you get invited to interviews just bring a couple of copies of your updated CV in case anyone asks and you'll be fine.

LOL so true. I'm amazed at how many schools send out interview invites or rejections before the holidays. To those who have received interview invites Congratulations and to those who still haven't heard anything or have gotten a rejection Hang in there because it isn't over yet.

@Mystic_Fog Getting a Master's degree was a really good move for me, but I won't really know how much it helped me until this application season is over. 1) It did boost my GPA a lot even though my undergrad GPA wasn't horrible. 2) My GRE score went up a smidgen, but not enough to brag about. 3) It also allowed me to connect the dots among my research and clinical interests in a way that I had not seen otherwise and likely would not have. 4) The type of school and its location forced me far out of my comfort zone in a way that equally freaked me out and was intriguing. This made me more comfortable looking at PhD programs in places I previously would never have considered. 5) I was able to obtain more clinical experience and land my current job. 6) I gained more research experience. 7) I gained access to a lot more professionals in the field including those with a number of years in and recent grads who were happy to share their experiences and regrets about their programs, internships, student loans, etc. 8) I gained more letter writers. 9) It reignited my passion for Psychology and reminded me of why I wanted to pursue this career in the first place despite all of the frustrations. 10) I was able to determine exactly (not broadly or kinda sorta like my first application cycle) what I want to do and do not want to do once I'm a licensed PhD in the field. 11) I am way more confident in the skills I currently have and my ability to learn, even though I still have my moments of doubt here and there. And there may be other things that just aren't coming to mind right now

How nice to hear I'm not the only one that finds preparing a Plan B reduces anxiety early on. This is not my first rodeo so here's what I've done.... 1st Application Cycle Thoughts - How dare they not accept me! Don't they know how amazing I am?! I'll reapply and then they'll realize what a foolish mistake they made before (in my youthful brain this made sense, but now it causes sidesplitting laughter). Plan B - Research Master's programs 2nd Application Cycle Thoughts - Ok I guess I'm getting a Master's. Am I sure I still want to go the PhD route? The application process is tiring and expensive. Plan B - Complete Master's program, retake GRE, gain more research experience, and further clarify my research interests. 3rd Application Cycle Thoughts - Even though it was tiring and expensive I'm glad I doubled the number of schools I applied to. *sigh* Do I really have to come up with another Plan B?! Plan B - Gain more research experience. Should I have to go this route I'm sure I'll expand on this, but right now nothing comes to mind.

I did not apply there, but many of the schools I did apply to at some point sent me an email with this kind of statement. It just means the Grad College has reviewed everything to make sure your application materials were submitted by the deadline, it is actually complete, and that you do meet the minimum requirements to apply. The Department is who decides if you will be accepted or not so the Grad College has now forwarded your materials to them for consideration. So basically, relax you're still in the running

Also not in archaeology, but I was also encouraged by professors and professionals in the field to not do all of my education at the same school. Their reasons were that changing schools would allow me to learn from different teaching philosophies and access professors with different backgrounds and strengths. Depending on where you're applying for PhDs you can also challenge yourself to be in a completely different environment (this is what I'm doing) and that helps you grow as a person as well.

I think this is one of those things that if you're determined to do it then you'll make it work. My schedule is a bit fuller than yours and I too applied this season and was just set on getting it all done. Also being exhausted doesn't sound healthy. Perhaps you should consider some adjustments to your sleep schedule, switch up your exercise routine, or maybe make some dietary changes.

Now if you're going to do this then the key is to be very specific. "Clean my room" is so broad it just begs for procrastination. I'm getting very detailed.... clean baseboards, vacuum under the couch, clean the fridge, wash curtains, etc.

I'm making a list of all of the things that I'm always saying I'll get around to if I could ever find the time and finally doing them.