nevermind

STS has a history of its own, but it can either stand for "Science and Technology Studies" or "Science, Technology and Society"....both are somewhat interchangeable nowadays. It integrates more perspectives into a "scientific" or "historical" analysis (including but not limited to anthropology, sociology, gender studies, politics, etc..). Instead of looking at a history of a discipline (say, physics), it looks at how different things (people, organisms, social structures, technology) influence knowledge production.

Same field? Yes. Studying same thing? Not really. Mine is more STS/envirotech and @Neist does more history of the book (I think?). SUPER pedantic point here. Oddly enough, I feel like there aren't a lot of HoS/STS people on GC. Most of the history thread is American/European/Latin Americanists, which isn't bad...I think HoS is still a relatively niche field, but it's pretty interesting (especially in conjunction with STS, because I have a hard time making up my mind methodologically...). AGREED with the Flashbacks. It's hard to believe that it was a year ago that I had submitted my apps! Honestly, I think grad school is less stressful than waiting for interviews. I'm really glad I never have to do it again.

I think that's all you need to say, really. If you have Spanish say, "I have proficiency in Spanish, but <ABC program> offers <Academic reading course> which will provide me with a more extensive knowledge so I can <work with primary / secondary sources?>...Additionally, I plan to take <intensive French during summers> so I can achieve my goal of <working with ___ sources>."

Yeah, mine weren't due until the 15th, but I think they were available a day early. Happy break everyone! I just finished binge-watching Poldark (seasons 1 and 2) and recommend it if anyone is looking for some historical drama over the break.

Be safe @Pink Fuzzy Bunny! It's a long drive that I've done many times!

Makes total sense. I was a little bit bummed because technically my school allows for A+'s on transcripts (But they are weighted as 4.0, we're not on a 4.3 scale), and I only got all A's, so there was one level of "man, I wish I would've done better" because you know, I'm neurotic. But at the same time, not all professors really give A+'s to students AND I finished the semester with bronchitis AND one class was reeaaaallly hard for me, so I just need to be happy with what I did and move on. (This is like the grad student equivalent of first world problems.)

Yeah. I know "grades aren't supposed to matter in grad school", but if you're applying for outside fellowships (or maintain the ones you have) you *need* to do well. So it's a good feeling to know you're still competitive for things, instead of just meeting the minimum req's!

Congrats! All A's are a good feeling!

Hmm...I don't know your situation or stats, but I would really encourage you to wait until you have your offers in hand (and visit the programs on visit daY to stress over making decisions. Funding packages often differ between programs (and even between students in departments), so there are a lot of variables that may come into play. Not only that, the admissions process is often capricious and many solid candidates get rejected from programs that they'd "fit" or that they'd normally get in, depending on the year. Rankings aren't everything, and I'm a big proponent over picking the program where you thrive (holistically, which includes a city where you'd enjoy living over 5+ years). Just be patient and wait and see.

I'm also a first year...I'm in a joint program, so two of my comps are already determined (there's not a lot of leeway in meeting the req's for both fields). Mine will be History of Science (major), Science Studies (minor...interdisciplinary methods), and one more minor field which will be TBD, but something like History of Technology in the (modern) Middle East.

@Neist - I know the library route is pretty much your goal, but I hear that History of Science graduate degrees can also open the doors into consulting jobs (for some strange reason). Teaching/research is my goal, but it's always nice to have backups (and backups of backups).

Are you in a lab where you're forced to spend time with these people? That would be rough. When I'm in class/on campus, I think of it as work. I go in, I'm nice to people, I get what I need from professors/library/etc., and then I do the bulk of the work at my apartment. I honestly don't know any of the drama going on in my department (which is a big department so I'm sure drama exists) because I don't really attend the social events (e.g. bar hopping) that happen every weekend. I choose to spend my weekend doing some work but also achieving a life/work balance by going hiking, climbing, hanging out with my boyfriend, etc. I think there's a lot of work that goes into creating that kind of conscious separation (conscious uncoupling?) since academia is so "networking" heavy, but it's doable. You just have to learn to say "no" a lot in order to preserve your own sanity. I'm also very lucky that many faculty I work with have come to academia later in life, so they're very much aware that life exists outside the Ivory Tower.

This is what I'm trying to create and hence my call for a system of "cataloging" (or "organization") using software. My notes for this project basically fit on a 3x5 index card. (FWIW, My longer notes from classes are in Word files and span pages and really do nothing except help me write my finals). I've summarized all of my readings this term into very short sentences that encapsulate who wrote it, why they wrote it, what's new in their writings. It's not exactly rocket science, but I was wondering if there was a better place to organize this than keeping an excel file (I don't like working in excel). I like keeping the bib. references so I can copy and paste without having to re-do the work every time I write/reference them.

I'm not sure what you're getting at. I just wanted tips on organizing my notecards electronically. I know how to summarize effectively.

I'm allergic to wheat/gluten, so no fun ice cream with cookies in it for me. :-( @Pink Fuzzy Bunny, I know there is an Aldi in Ithaca...one of my friends swears by: https://www.aldi.us/en/grocery-home/wine-cellar/red-wines/red-wines-detail/ps/p/winking-owl-cabernet-sauvignon/

So for this term, I've made notes of what I read including: Title Author Main point/Intervention Context/Reacting against/Opposing Views Overall Summary Footnote Citation / Bib. Citation --- This is basically to catalog all my work/readings for a quick reference during qualifying exams. Does anybody use software to keep this stuff organized? I've tried Mendeley but I'm not a huge fan so far. Thoughts?

I went through a pint last week (of Cherry Garcia) during finals...ice cream isn't even my vice! (Peanut butter cups...on the other hand...) Grades are in. I did fine--no surprises. Now I can relax for a little bit, recuperate from this bronchitis, and then start researching next week (I gave myself permission to have this week off.)

I do Science Studies at UCSD and so (naturally) I'm inclined to agree. There are some great STS programs out there (Cornell, Penn, RPI, Toronto...and maybe Yale if you want Medical History), but one thing I'll advocate for UCSD is that we're incredibly interdisciplinary and the faculty is incredibly helpful and approachable. It might not have the immediate prestige factor as an Ivy, but it's a really solid program and I'm very happy there. I'd be happy to answer any questions about the Science Studies program.

Yeah. I think it's hard when your grade basically depends on your finals paper. Even though grades aren't "supposed" to matter in grad school, I think most people still want to do well.

FTFY. I'm done. I'm just refreshing my screen to see my grades trickle in. I feel like I've set myself up for success this term by going above the requirements in my courses...but even though I participated heavily in every class and turned in the requisite papers, I feel like there's always going to be a curve ball grade submitted. Ugh. I do feel like I've been really productive this term though, so there's that. I applied to/got accepted to a language program over the summer, submitted a fellowship application to fund said program, drafted an abstract that was accepted for a conference this spring, and serve on the GSA...I capped off the term with a lovely bout of bronchitis, so it's trashy tv and internet surfing today and tomorrow. Not hating it.

We were told to shoot for the highest we can. I've already submitted the abstract to a conference so that I can get feedback in the spring and then revise it during the spring/summer and submit it in the fall. I've been pretty busy.

We're required to produce a journal article our first year as part of our research seminar (prospectus first quarter, final paper due at the beginning of third quarter), so reading archival material/primary sources during break is really the only option for me to get this done. I plan on taking a couple days off, but really just reading and cataloging my archival documents and trying to do some of the "heavy lifting" out of the way before the second term begins will hopefully save me some time. If you aren't "required" to do something like this, I wouldn't really worry about it. If you want to do something passively productive, I would try to put together reading lists for minor exams or something that might be helpful in the future...but honestly, it's a break and you earned it. You don't need to feel guilty about enjoying yourself.

I'm in my first year and have approximately 500 pages of reading per class (also 12 credit hours). I make a decent attempt at finishing all the readings, but sometimes find it necessary to skim. Right now, I am focused on meeting my program's requirements and spending time looking at archival materials. I plan on doing some readings during break to write a paper that I plan on presenting at a conference in the spring. I think having (1) an in depth knowledge of the historiography in your field is imperative as well as (2) knowing how general theory/theorists and trends relate to your work. For me, I feel like these are basically built into my program and I don't need to do additional reading to make up a lack of theory or historiography (though there is always more to know) but rather focus my time on acquiring skills (like language fluency) that will help my original research in the future. My effort is rather ensuring I don't burn out and setting up times for breaks, hikes, time with friends, etc.

I'll plug my own program, Science Studies, at UCSD. You might be interested in the Communication department is one of the main departments that "shares" students with the Science Studies program. I don't think they have admissions for 2017, so you would be starting in Fall, 2017.

The answer is "maybe". I know someone who was admitted to Columbia's Anthro program (years ago) that had a 790 q/800 v, 6.0 aw,. so take from that what you will. If you're a convincing applicant, I can't imagine that they'd throw out your application based entirely on your GRE. However, GRE scores can be used to filter out candidates and you're kind of teetering on "is the score too low to be given serious consideration" by top tier programs who usually expect a higher qualitative score (and if it's a quant. heavy methods, a higher math). Top tier programs can choose to be picky with almost every criteria, including test scores--but it doesn't necessarily follow that they always do this in practice. I think that one thing to remember is that most people who apply have similarly high GPAs and high honors. Where you can really differentiate yourself is in your statement of purpose and how you market yourself to the departments you've listed. I would try to reach out to your adviser or professors you have strong professional relationships with and solicit their input/feedback on how you approach this.