American in Beijing
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Posts posted by American in Beijing
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A couple points:
1) In regards to the quality of students you will have: A consistent theme I've wanted to satiate in my mind was actually being able to teach in areas where the population is under-served. So the prospect of empowering people who don't think they can to like learning and realize it's importance and has the supreme utility in their life is perhaps more appealing to me than most. I've been in situations where I could do this and it pays in dividends down the line. However, being pushed by really smart students can't have too many negatives.
If your dream is to empower the unempowered and teach the under-served, I would ask myself whether teaching at the university level is really the best career choice for you. College students and graduates still form a financial and/or intellectual elite in our society. With all the opportunities that exist on a college campus, are these kinds of people really "under-served"? Maybe doing something like Teach for America of the Mississippi Teacher Corps might be more up your alley. Or, if you happen to know Chinese or like China, the China Education Initiative is also an excellent program that allows college graduates to teach English in rural Yunnan Province (very beautiful, but at the same time VERY under-served).
It sounds like you really enjoy teaching, which is wonderful. This country needs more passionate and dedicated teachers. However, research is the main priority of any college professor, no matter what the size of the school is. If you enjoy teaching a lot more than you enjoy doing research, then maybe teaching in a different setting might be a better choice for you.
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I like this topic!! For me, it depends on what kind of work it is. For researching/reading, I can work almost anywhere. The bus, the library, a cafe, my room, someone else's room, or, my favorite place, the kitchen. Give me a good kitchen table with light traffic, and I can do some good work. However, when I write, I prefer places I can associate with writing/productivity. I absolutely love doing work in empty classrooms late at night. Department lounges are also particularly good places for me. The library is pretty good as well, especially if I'm doing work in a computer lounge of some sort.
Like coyabean, I've been trying to create the ultimate workspace in my apartment that will encourage me to finally start being productive at home. I've been doing a lot of browsing online for the perfect (and relatively affordable) desk, bookcase, etc. I would definitely appreciate any advice anyone could offer on creating the perfect study area!
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I'm not in the sciences, so I can't really comment too precisely on the exact nature of large and small labs. However, it seems to be that working in a small lab in a small school (not a bad thing, in my book, by the way) can have its disadvantages as well. Funding is the main issue that comes to mind. You will certainly have a lot less direct access to funding, which could compromise your research. The university would not necessarily have a lot of money to offer you, and grants for these smaller projects might be harder to attain. Another is the type of students you will teach. It can be a very uplifting experience to be able to teach a talented and passionate student. I'm not necessarily talking about those know-it-all straight A students, but the student who really cares about the material and enjoys learning. At a smaller school, those kinds of students may be few and far between.
That being said, if it's your dream to teach and do research at a smaller school, great for you! But I wouldn't necessarily completely ignore the larger, more reputable schools just because your dream is to teach at a smaller institution. It's a job security thing, really. In most fields, there are more doctoral students that graduate than there are jobs. You're right in saying that academia, while in part merit-based, does place a lot of value on the reputation of your degree. Will you really be happy if, 20-30 years down the line, you're still making a very low salary and do not have tenure/job security? Obviously money is not everything (and very few people choose this career thinking that they're eventually going to "make it rich"), but having a steady and reliable income that is enough to support the family you mentioned is important too.
My advice would be to apply to all the programs where you would be a good fit, including the larger ones. This way you have the greatest amount of options when you go to make your final decision about which school to attend. And who knows? Maybe you'll go to the visit day for one of these schools and find that it's very different from what you expected. It's ALWAYS good to have options.
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Something else I think you should do that no one's mentioned so far is be extra active in contacting professors. Like UnlikelyGrad said, some schools only want to see your major GPA for the last two years, so your Computer Science degree won't matter at all. However, at least in my field, MOST schools want you to put down your cumulative GPA. And applications with low GPAs are often just thrown out without being reviewed. I think once you have narrowed down a few professors you would like to work with in grad school you should definitely try to set up a meeting with them. Don't mention the GPA thing right off the bat, but do try to work it in the conversation somehow. Tell them you have a 4.0 or close to a 4.0 major GPA and that you would hate to have your application ignored due to Computer Science grades from more than 10 years ago. I am sure they will understand and maybe will even flag your application to make sure it passes through the first round and at least gets reviewed.
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There's also the fact that you can only copy or print from the book in limited fashions, which makes it much less useful for me.
Oooo, did not realize that. Then it's definitely not very useful then.
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Just to update this thread. I met with the POI earlier this week and it went ok I think. We talked about my background and about my interest in his research. He sent me reading materials and told me I should send him questions I have about the literature so that he could see how I think and I could see how he thinks. He said I should stay in contact with him and let him know when I apply later this year, since if he didn't look out for my application, there would be a chance I'd get a batch reject. He said that had happened to a potential student before that he was interested in - he didn't know they had applied and he didn't see their application among the hundreds of others, so it got a batch reject.
I was definitely nervous for the meeting, but overall it was a positive experience and he seemed interested in me. I would definitely recommend contacting profs (as long as they don't say not to), especially so they can get and idea of your abilities and interests and so they can look out for your app.
Glad to hear it went so well! Good luck with the rest of the process!
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Nook study anyone use it or play around with it? One of my textbooks is available for a significantly reduced price through it and I'm tempted.
It looks pretty cool! I have Mendeley right now and, to be honest, I feel like this would be a lot better for coursework and maybe even research. However, I'm not so sure how good it would be at just plain organizing PDFs . . . it seems to be geared more towards organizing things by individual classes. Thoughts, anyone?
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I agree. I think you should take it graded, especially since you have prior background in the language and experience with Latin. Even though classical languages may not be "useful", in my experience they have the added advantage of giving you a very solid foundation in grammar that learners of modern languages don't typically have. You will definitely have a much better starting point than most of the other students in your class, so it's likely you'll do well in the class if you just put a little bit of effort into it.
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All the coffee places close too early for me...please report if you find a good one!
Moffitt & the Main Stacks are traditionally open 24 hours during finals, plus the café, and that's a lifesaver every year!
I also think that, in my department at least, grad students can enter our building and work all night if they wish...maybe this is a back-up option for your department, too? Definitely not as nice as a café, but I'm really happy to know I can stay on campus if I get absorbed in a project and can't make it home.
Unfortunately, no one can really tell you your odds in that area at night (or day, really). Weird, random stuff happens -- I've seen people try crap in broad daylight within a crowd, so walkers need always be on guard. Best advice is not to stay out late unless you can take a bus almost directly to your place. Or have someone walk you or drop you off. That's my policy for most of Oakland, for South, Downtown & westward Berkeley, and all of Richmond after dark. It's worked out so far and hasn't been too difficult. Just be mindful of the bus schedule, especially what time you can catch the last bus to your apartment.
If you're living alone and worried, you can master the bus schedule and vary the times and ways you get home -- sometimes I feel safer when I'm not as predictable.
And definitely bond with people at your building, find nearby buddies, make friends on your route, etc.Personally, I wouldn't let the location stop me from living there. There will be other students to make you feel at home, but it is funky, there will be characters, and I bet sometimes you'll see things that will make you uncomfortable -- that's the way it is from the South-side on -- but usually it'll be harmless or people hurting themselves.
Mostly, that area just makes me sad sometimes! Otherwise, it's pretty cool.I like Telegraph Ave. locations because (as you probably know) you can take the 1 or 1R from Cal to get to them pretty easily, which is a hell of a lot safer than places you actually have to walk to. I've always chosen work locations off of Telegraph for this reason. Right now I work on 40th near Telegraph.
Thanks! That information helps a lot, actually! My landlord mentioned a bus, but I didn't know the exact line number and I assumed it just stopped service at 6 - 8 pm like a lot of the other buses in the area (grrrrr American public transportation). But the 1 actually stops close to midnight. Definitely a lot more convenient!
Maybe I will take the place. I was drawn to the area because it's relatively flat and biker-friendly, unlike the ritzier, hillier North side. The apartment itself is my favorite place I have seen so far. Then I looked at that crime map and started having second thoughts . . .
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Hi All,
I just started apartment-hunting in Berkeley (whoohoo!) and found this very nice and very affordable studio. However, it's in North Oakland (near Telegraph Ave.), and I've read on here that Telegraph Ave. is not a nice place to be at night, so I'm a bit concerned about taking the place.
I looked on the Oakland crime map, and it seems like a lot of the more violent crimes (assault, aggravated assault) in the past couple of months have happened slightly to the North and East of the place. There just seems to be a good deal of auto theft in my general area. But I don't have a car (and am not planning on buying one), so that's not such a big deal, right?
I looked back several months and I can't find any crime whatsoever that happened on my specific block. I did like the place and the area did seem pretty nice and quiet. I walked there and back from campus, and I felt completely safe. I'm just worried about the nighttime situation. Is this going to be a situation where it's highly likely that I'm going to get robbed/mugged on my way home? Should I try to find another place?
Thanks in advance for your advice!
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I used to have this written down somewhere and I can't find my notes, nor amazingly can I find a thread on this board but:
How far in advance of my deadlines should I write the GRE? I am looking for the firm cut off rather than a recommended strategic time. I know I should give myself time to rewrite in case of disaster but if I am looking at a December 1 first deadline what exact date is the latest I can write and still have the scores arrive in time?
If I remember correctly, a lot of schools will have their own deadlines for GRE scores. At least, some of mine did. You should check their websites. If they don't, then the December 1st deadline sounds like a good one to me.
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Hi all,
I'm meeting with a POI in a couple of weeks. I'm applying for fall 2011 (Computer Science) and I was wondering if anybody has advice for a meeting with a POI. This would be my first meeting with a POI so I'm not entirely sure how this kind of meeting is supposed to go. Are there any questions I should make sure I ask? Is there anything in particular I should carry with me? What about a dress code - how should I dress?
Thanks in advance for any tips!
I was really nervous before my first (and only) POI meeting as well. Unfortunately, back then I didn't know about this forum, so I didn't even have the benefit of others' advice. Still, it went really well and I had a good time. I dressed somewhat formally (nice pants, black cardigan, pashmina, fake pearl necklace, heels), which was good, because my POI was dressed similarly and I wasn't under-dressed. She asked me some questions about my proposed topic of research, we talked about some books I had read on the subject, and then she gave me some advice about resources I could use if I wanted to continue down this line of research. Then she told me a bit about the program, I asked her some questions, and then we were finished.
I had spent a good part of my summer conducting research on my topic, so that's the main reason why we talked about it for so long. If you're worried that you don't have enough research experience to be able to talk about your own research for a long period of time, I would recommend reading one of your POI's books and making some mental notes as you read of topics of conversation.
As far as questions go, I would be prepared to ask about specific details about the program itself (it shows you've done your homework and read the website,
). You can also ask about the department culture and the other grad students doing research there. I'm sure you'll think of something while you're talking.Good luck! I'm sure you'll do very well!
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What score did you receive on the practice test? And what practice test did you take? (Barron's? Kaplan? PowerPrep?) I would recommend, if you haven't already, download the free PowerPrep software from ETS and taking the first CAT simulation practice test. Use that score to gauge your weaknesses.
My major weakness was quantitative, after failing most rudimentary math courses through my entire high school career - and Barron's has been invaluable. Do the Math Review and as many practice questions as possible to both polish your skills and get into the mindset of "GRE Math" which is a fairly unique animal. Most problems will not require you to solve them "brute force" through protracted, painful calculations but to identify some sort of shortcut or trick within the numbers provided.
Honestly, if I had to recommend one GRE prep book, it would be Barron's. The word lists - both the "hit parade" of high frequency vocabulary, and extensive alphabetical or themed word lists will be incredibly helpful to you if you're studying on a tight schedule. The quantitative review was excellent - dividing the sections into specific question types (Quantitative Comparison, Data Interp, etc) or by type of math (geometry, number theory, probability, etc). The practice tests that come with Barron's, however, are not the best reflection of the actual exam (as far as I know) but that is what the PowerPrep software is for.
I take the GRE in 3 days, and of the $200 I spent on various GRE materials, I wish that I only bought the Barron's book. Take my advice with a grain of salt, however - I can't be 100% certain how prepared I am until I take this damn thing. I'll post an update once I finish the exam with additional thoughts.
I second the Barron's recommendation. I was in the same situation as you, OP. I gave myself only a month to prepare for the GRE (both times . . . I didn't really learn). But I was able to raise my cumulative score by 500 points with the help of Barron's (and a LOT of flashcards . . . ).
Don't panic. It's doable. You're going to do great! Good luck!
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clap off
off-key
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I think your best bet is to use next summer for an immersion or intensive summer language program, such as Middlebury or Indiana. I did that twice, and no one has questioned my language preparation. I doubt any proficiency test from a third party is going to do much for PhD admissions. Many applicants have spent years studying the language(s); very often studying abroad.
I second JustChill's suggestion of the summer immersion program. However, you're going to only be able to choose one of the two languages that way. What I would suggest is actually taking a year off and enrolling yourself in classes at a German university. They're free (well, except for the student activities fee, but that's at MOST 300 Euros). And the German government offers stipends for foreign students as well if you apply to the DAAD. You can even take French classes there on the side.
It won't be a pleasant experience and you'll have to work your ass off, but no one would ever question your ability to handle academic material in German afterwards. If you do decide to go, I would recommend trying to go to one of the universities on the Eastern side. The standard of living is lower (meaning SUPER cheap rent and produce).
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If you ladies are looking for some good deals on shoes and don't mind waiting to receive your cashback on items. I would look at endless.com and use bing cashback to receive 40% off your order (40% cash back will be available after 60 days though). Then I would also find a place that sells it cheaper and have them price match it within 14 days of your order. It's a bit of work and you need to be patient, but I think that it is worth it in the end.
I ordered $99.95 shoes and have $29.99 cash back waiting to be redeemed in 60 days. I also price matched to another site for $74.95 and was refunded $25. This was when there was only 30% cash back. I'm returning the shoes (free return shipping) for a size bigger and will be doing the same thing, but with 40% cash back instead.
Thanks for the tip! But hurry up and buy your stuff, because they're stopping the program on July 30!
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When I first told my mother I was going to apply for PhD programs, she damn near wrecked the car. Memo to self: save significant revelations for times other than merging onto the freeway.
lol I would too. I'm all for televising the process; it's the only way most folks are going to see it's not Ivory Tower pretensions, it's long hours of dealing with courses we're taking, courses we're teaching, and scrambling to get hired in something when all is said and done.
I'm hoping that one of my areas of interest will help me connect better with my family. Religion and pop culture might help us to meet halfway.
And to your previous post: the nasty snobbishness I received in the MA wasn't a matter of my background but my research focus at the time. Just about everyone else was working in Composition & Rhetoric, and there was a small but nasty contingent that really thought I was a lesser student because I worked almost exclusively in American lit and religion. That's all the snobbery I had to deal with, and in the end, that area (with pop culture) might end up paying off for me.
Lol, I managed to wait until we were at dinner. No danger there! I even managed to tell them before we got our meals, so they couldn't even choke! I got really lucky there.
Unfortunately studying communist/socialist history is not exactly something that will help me better connect with people who grew up in conservative, rural families during the Cold War, lol. Fortunately, they don't fully know that's what I'm studying, so I don't get too much crap for it yet. I already get some comments about Berkeley the "hippy Commie school" . . .
And honestly, those snobby people in your MA will definitely regret NOT studying religion and pop culture when they have to go on the job hunt and everyone else has studied the exact same things they did. All the power to you,
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The hard part has been fitting in with my family. They're very focused on education, but at the same time, they can't decide how they feel about this. On one hand, they brag about me getting into a program to anyone and everyone they meet, but at the same time, I get a lot of crap for it. I've heard "when are you ever going to get a real job?" "are you ever going to be done with school?" and "so now you've got a degree in not one but two useless subjects" and so on. There's a lot of comparison of my goals with those of my younger brother, who finished college right on time and went directly into his general field. He has a *real* job. I'm a writer and editor and therefore am not working a *real* job as I wait for my program to start.
Lol, my family says the exact same kinds of things. When I told my family I was planning on getting my PhD, my brother said: "I don't see why historians get to be called doctors. They don't do anything!" Sometimes I feel that if I had stayed at home and become a bank teller like my cousin my family would be more proud of me. At least that's a "real job."
I have a good feeling that a good reality TV show about grad school life might make more people realize how difficult being a grad student can be. Maybe the student who finishes a quality dissertation first could win a cruise to Hawai'i or something . . . I would watch that show.
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This has been bugging me.
This issue of condescension has to be a humanities thing? Most everyone that I have met in my field thus far have been superb people.
I'm in the humanities as well, and I never felt condescension from my classmates in undergrad (top-30 liberal arts college). After the first year, I didn't even notice a real difference between us anymore. The classmates I've met from Berkeley all seem to be very nice and welcoming as well. I guess it depends on the culture of your individual department/school. Also, I think there can be a big difference between undergrad and graduate school. My language program had a lot of grad students from Ivy League schools from different disciplines. Many knew I was from a rural area with no connection to East Asia (very unusual in my field, lol) and a non-Ivy school, and I never felt they treated me any differently because of it. However, I went on vacation with a bunch of my classmates at the same program from Ivy League undergrad programs, and I definitely felt some snobbery going on. "Oh my God! I've never even heard of that kid's school. What is he doing HERE?" It was all very childish.
I'm not saying that discrimination doesn't go on, but I think maybe a part of the reason why some people feel that their classmates look down on them is due to their own insecurities. I know I often feel like I don't express myself as eloquently as some of my classmates from better education backgrounds do. I get really embarrassed, which often makes me talk even more ineloquently. But then when I express my concerns to others, they always tell me to stop worrying about it and that no one really thinks about it.
I feel like my biggest challenge in the academic realm is my lack of confidence. I'm still not used to defending my position in a discussion group . . . and definitely not during presentations. If I can learn to give good presentations in grad school then I'll be satisfied with my experience.
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rag on (so.)
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Amen to it being fun, coya.
I think in a lot of cases here, this is a big change of life. Lots of responsibility, new cities, and new people, and worrying about what we're going to wear on the first day DOES seem fun and much more manageable than all the packing and moving I should be working on. Not to mention the fact that I'm viewing this as a new chapter in my life, and no one will know me or have any preconceptions. Sounds like the right time to punctuate some equilibrium and embrace a lot of new priorities-- including spending more than $10 on a piece of clothing at a time.
Just for funsies, lets talk about style icons: I'm aiming for some sort of balance between Mad Men and the ladies of Indiana Jones.
I 100% agree, poco_puffs,
!I guess I ideally would love to dress as stylishly as people in the 1930s - 1950s,
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You have the sales tax a bit mixed up. It's actually just 9.75% (not 8) and there is no plus other tax. That is your tax on whatever you buy.
Wait, this doesn't include food items, does it? I used to work at a grocery store when I was in high school, and in my state you only had to pay tax on non-staple items (basically anything that wasn't in any way, shape, or form healthy) . . .
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I know the added luggage situation might make this seem like a less attractive option, but hear me out: California has a hell of a sales tax, and while you might find some good sales here and there, it probably will cost you a pretty penny to start from scratch stateside. I've heard from MANY sources that China has some great prices on clothing, if you can find something that's close to your size, and the tailoring options in most Asian cities are very economical and quick. That might be a generalization, since I'm sure it varies by region, but I have many friends who visit family and friends in some of the big cities over there, and they specifically buy bigger luggage at their destination so they'll have room for all the clothes they're bringing back.
I know you probably have a busy week ahead of you, but it really might be a favor to your wallet for you to look at some of the clothing options in your current region before you find yourself in California and groaning at the price of clothing.
All the points made so far about thrift shopping DO hold true, however. If you come to California needing an entirely new wardrobe, I'd hit the thrift stores near nice neighborhoods first. Goodwill, Salvation Army etc in the Bay Area will probably have some primo designer-type clothes at a great discount, but you still might be investing quite a chunk of change into the whole deal.
Just a thought.
Thanks for the advice! I definitely did NOT know about that sales tax . . . 8.75% state PLUS local tax? Ugh. And I just checked online and there aren't even any sales holidays. How does this state take in so much money and STILL have budget problems?
Unfortunately, Chinese clothes are a bit too small for me, so buying clothes here is not really an option. Fortunately most of my nicer pants are in pretty good shape (seeing as I don't wear them that often). It's mostly my jeans that are on their last leg. And I could use a couple of new shirts and a sweater or two. Thrift stores are going to become my new best friends!
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Wow! Everyone has some great suggestions! Like artist_lily, I think a lot of my nervousness about this and other grad school issues stems from the fact that I've never visited the school (or the area) before. I honestly have no idea what people wear. Even though it's Berkeley (what I imagine would otherwise be relatively laid-back), the two women I've met from my department both dress on the nicer side. Problem is, I naturally dress on the more casual/comfortable side . . . uh oh!
I've spent the year in China and haven't bought any new clothes, so many of my clothes are starting to wear. So when I head on over to the Bay Area (next week!!!!) I'm going to buying a lot of new clothes. I've decided to rid myself of temptation; the most casual items of clothing I am going to own are a nice pair of jeans and a simple, but stylish shirt. Hopefully this will start to cure me of my horrible dressing habits.
To matcha: I grew up in New England so I'm quite familiar with winter-wear,
. Make sure you invest in a couple good pairs of winter socks, preferably of the camping variety. Also, two or three good pairs of long underwear are definitely worth the investment, preferably from a camping store as well. All of these things may be expensive, but they will last you years and, more importantly, KEEP YOU WARM! I've used the same socks and long underwear for five years, and they're just now starting to show some signs of wear and tear.
Finding Your Space...
in Officially Grads
Posted
As I have no car and no pre-existing furniture, I've been buying a lot of my apartment things online. I've finally found a bed and kitchen table/chairs for a reasonable price. Now I'm about to tackle my study space.
Yeah, I'm not a big fan of Ikea's office furniture either. I really like the classic style and would, in an ideal world, buy entirely antiques that I would fix up to create my ideal apartment. But my budget is forcing me to make compromises. I've now gotten it into my head that I need to have a corner desk in order to make my apartment work. I like the fact that they both save space, and restrict your line of vision (which would hopefully increase productivity). I even managed to find an affordable one online (http://www.ivgstores.com/IVG2/Y/ProductID-104302-.htm). My plan was to put two small bookcases on each end that are approximately the same height as my desk to increase the amount of workspace on what would otherwise be a relatively small desk. But now I'm wondering whether it would just be better to get a more normal desk and not have to worry about space issues . . . We shall see.