jeanne

I was accepted to a school in late January. A follow-up phone call, initiated by one of my potential advisers, told me they don't have a clear idea on funding yet, but they'd let me know. I just went to a visitation this weekend and was told that funding will be available, at least 25% (which gives full tuition and fees as well as a small stipend) and probably up to 50% but they weren't meeting until Monday to figure it all out. It seemed to me that the profs needed to get together and figure out who was admitted and how many TA and RA positions they had available before they could send out official offers. I know a lot of them are waiting to hear about grants, and won't hear until late March. Obviously they don't want to wait that long to offer funding to potential students so they're figuring out what they definitely have. I've already written my potential adviser saying I'm planning on accepting the offer if the funding comes through (worded tastefully of course). Hopefully that will encourage her to give me a better deal up front!

Ugh, the dreams never stop. And then when I wake up at 3 am from the dreams I lie in bed thinking about the dreams! And then all day I read gradcafe and hear about other peoples' dreams! Why isn't is mid march already?

Since you've been accepted, you don't have to work so hard to impress them. Obviously you don't want to come off as unprepared or unprofessional, but just think about what really matters to you. I'm visiting a school this weekend and I asked two potential advisors for some papers so I'd be better acquainted with their researched. They happily responded and I was able to arm myself with some questions about their actual research. I'm also asking much less academic questions such as: what's the rent, can you really live off a TA stipend, is the city dog-friendly, how's transportation, etc. These will probably be aimed more at the grad student I'm staying with than the professor, but I figured I'd be spending way more time with the student anyway. And she's actually living the life and will tell it how it is (hopefully).

I agree with sending thank you notes, but what if you've talked more than once with a prof? Do you thank him every time? I had a phone interview in January - sent a thank you email. Then I went to a visitation day (prof wasn't there but spent a lot of time with one of his grads). I sent a thank you to the grad and an email to the prof asking for a follow-up phone call to ask more specific questions his student couldn't answer. He called me back and we talked for about 45 minutes ... I don't have to send another thank you, do i? During the last phone call he mentioned he was going out of town five times this month and apologized for being super busy and not being there for the actual visitation day. Wouldn't a thank you email be obnoxious at that point?

I've narrowed down my top two choices to the University of Wisconsin and University of Illinois. Wisconsin is ranked #1 (for ed psych PhD) and Illinois is ranked #5. I'm visiting U of I this weekend and I'll have a better idea of which school is better for me then. I've talked with professors at both programs and think in terms of research I'd be happy at either, but I'm a little concerned about living in the cornfields of downstate Illinois for six years. But then again, cost of living is way cheaper at U of I and I wouldn't have to take out loans to supplement my funding. So right now, it's a toss-up. Of course, if I got into Harvard that might change everything.

Chicklet - I applied to Northwestern, Harvard, Stanford, U of Illinois, and U of Wisconsin.

I applied to Ed Psych at Stanford. No interview or any other communication besides that email about Feb 17. Truthfully I don't care one way or the other, though, because I've already ruled it out. I don't think I can deal with not having real weather and being so far from my family.

It sounds like you've passed at least the first round to me. I think it's very common for schools to reimburse for travel/hotel. I DON'T think nearly everyone gets invited. It wouldn't make sense for the school to spend all that money. Good luck!

I think it depends on the situation. I have a similar situation where the professor I wanted to work with at one of my top choices is going on sabbatical next year, but another professor is interested in working with me. The new professor's research interests are close enough to mine that I think I'd be very happy working with him. He also has a great reputation and is very proactive in getting his students published and introducing them to other people (aka networking). After visiting and having extensive conversations with him and his students, I know that the department is very willing to do joint advisors for students, so that would be a possibility for me in future years. So for me, this isn't a problem. If you don't think you'd be happy working with that professor, then I wouldn't go there. Or at least check up front that there's a good possibility you could switch. Do you know why you didn't get your preferred advisor? If it's a funding issue, then that might change once an advanced student graduates. If it's because of another reason, then I'm guessing you'd have less luck.

I'm actually debating about this a lot. My family is in Chicago and my top two choices are U of I or Wisconsin. Both are about equidistant from Chicago but Madison clearly has more of a social scene. However, the cost of living is way less in Urbana-Champaign. I've been to Madison and liked it there. Everybody I know who's been there likes it. It also has a big bonus of having a lake. Makes it feel a teeny bit more like Chicago (very, very little bit more). I'm visiting U-C next week to see how it "feels" to me. I've ruled out Stanford and Harvard because they're just too far from my family. My father's turning 81 this year and I want to be in driving distance just in case anything happens health-wise. If family isn't an issue for you, then obviously that won't factor into your decision.

I'm game for this! GRE Score: 1400 GPA: 3.6 undergrad, 4.0 masters Work Experience: 5.5 years public school (middle and elementary) Undergrad Institution(Public, Private, Ivy, etc..): Private Research Experience: some in undergrad, Masters thesis Applying for PhD or Masters: PhD Program: Ed Psych (learning sciences, or whatever the equivalent name is at each school) What Schools Are You Applying To: Wisconsin, U of Illinois, Northwestern, Harvard, Stanford Acceptances: U of I, still waiting for others.

I got the Stanford update too. It's the next school I'm expecting to hear from. Everywhere else seems to be March (Harvard, Northwestern, Wisconsin).

Go to a lower ranked school than you would want and get a Master's degree with an awesome GPA. Then if you want to go back to school the more current GPA will outweigh your undergrad. If there's any reason for the low GPA in undergrad, then make sure you address that in your personal statement.

Wow, $275???? That's crazy! If anybody's lived there with dogs, I'd love to hear of some good dog-friendly neighborhoods!

UIUC is my first acceptance. I know rent is dirt cheap (compared to Chicago), but am I going to go crazy living in cornfields for six years? What else is around beside the campus? This is a serious concern for me ... Also, anything I should see while I'm visiting next week? Thanks!

25% means you'd be working 25% of a 40 hour work week ... theoretically. You probably want to check with specifics at the school because I know some schools pay full tuition at certain percentages. 25% is the lowest I've seen, so you'll probably get that paid for you!

I can't speak to the Cracking The GRE book specifically, but TPR methods are pretty good overall. Maybe if you're a math whiz then they won't be helpful but most people aren't. Also, if you have a TPR office near you they offer free GRE "math bootcamps". This are 3 or 4 hours long and a refresher for just the basic math facts/equations. I suggest doing this if you can. (Can you tell I'm a TPR Teacher? )

I just googled myself. My facebook page comes up (just a pic of me and my twin at a Cubs game). Then it's a pic of me from work holding a giant check. Our teacher fundraising group gave me money to attend an academic conference (I'm a teacher). I look like I just won the lotto! Then there are a whole bunch of hits for old women from Germany who have the same name as me who apparently have died, or have had a relative die, because it's always listed in the obituaries. A little more creepy, but obviously not me.

I'm applying to Ed Psych at Wisconsin, U of Illinois, Harvard, Stanford, and Northwestern. Accepted at U of I on 1/22. Phone interview with Wisc on 1/4 followed by visitation on 1/29. Waiting to hear from everybody else, but I'll be very happy if I only get accepted at U of I. They have some really interesting research going on!

I check compulsively, but that's just how I am. I've been admitted to one school via email and the status never changed on the application. I still haven't received anything in the mail yet, but I've talked with two professors and will be attending a visitation day next week. I was told I'll find out about funding then, so hopefully I'll get something in writing saying I was officially admitted (so then I can officially resign!). It seems that in past years most applicants to my schools have been admitted via phone call or email. I don't know why I'm checking the apps, but I figured if there's a slight chance it will end my compulsion a little earlier, then I'll keep it up. Yes, I know this is actually just feeding the compulsion...

I'm totally guilty of this. I've been admitted to my 2nd choice school already and it looks really good for my 1st choice. I've scoped out both places online and made price comparisons. I haven't been told what kind of funding I'll get at either so I'm really searching blindly, but I'm from Chicago and cost of living pretty much everywhere else seems like it's going to be a steal! $500 for a 1 bedroom apt makes living on a grad student stipend seem way more reachable!

Right now, I'd say the wait. If you asked my 6 weeks ago, I'd say the transcripts. But that's probably because I never bothered to "finalize" my degree (aka pay the $50 for the degree) from my master's program that I finished two years ago, so I had a whole bunch of extra paperwork to do for that. A little off topic... For everybody complaining about additional essays - try med school essays. They're crazy! I did that last year thinking I'd want to be a doctor (changed my mind before completing the apps) and this round of applications is way easier! But I have no idea what everybody else's applications are like, only Educational Psychology.

I finished undergrad at 22 (BA and BMus), finished my master's (while working) at 25, and am currently 28. I'll be 29 by the time I start in the fall. I was worried about being "too old" so I asked a few students what they thought about it when I was at a visitation. They said I looked 23...I took that as a compliment. Still, I wouldn't have done it any other way. Between my masters and now I took a year to prep for med school applications, then apply before realizing I didn't want to do that. I'm sure that being a little older gives me a much better idea of what I really want in life. Plus the fact that I'm leaving a tenured position (elementary school science coordinator) shows potential programs that I am really serious. All this baby talk is making me more anxious than I already am. I'm 28, single, and about to be a poor student for 5 - 6 years. There'd better be some attractive, available men in my department! Haha.

I thought I'd add my 2 cents. I'm applying to Education programs at University of Illinois, Northwesteern, WUSTL, Harvard, and Stanford. I've already been accepted at U of I, and am very hopeful for WUSTL, but am eager to hear about Harvard! I've kind of ruled Stanford out because of distance and I went to Northwestern for undergrad ... I haven't heard great things about the PhD program - there's no help in publishing, apparently. And I want to publish! My "stats": 4.0 GPA in Masters, 3.7 in Bachelors (Music Ed and Neurobiology) 1400 combined GRE Never been published 5 years at an elementary school (science coordinator) 1 year at a middle school (science teacher) I've love to hear from others who are looking into Education!

I'm waiting on Harvard, Stanford, Northwestern, and Wisconsin. I've been accepted to the University of Illinois. I hate waiting!