any5

The formula for admissions is typically along the lines of:

I am the opposite.. I am "dropping out" of the 'real world' to go back and get my PhD. I have done well for myself over the past 15 or so years working full time in a lucrative industry, but which was ultimately not very personally rewarding or beneficial to society (i.e. capital markets), and where technology was every day creeping in to shunt the mental capacity of its workforce, or eliminate workers (and entire departments) altogether.  
The grass is always greener on the other side, but the grass is always brown. 
That said, I know what it is like to work and be self-motivated. I did complete an MA (evenings, but classified as full time) while working days full time. I understand the competition in the labor market. 
But the competition in this labor market is little different from others. "White collar" jobs are increasingly outsourced to foreign labor or to technology. My brother is a lawyer, went to a great law school and works at a decent firm. He hates every single living minute of it. But he can't leave because he'd never find a job again save start his own practice and struggle in competition with all others who did the same. My best friend growing up is a doctor. Very successful, but never sees his family or friends, is constantly exhausted, and has been so traumatized by stuff he has seen as a medical student and then resident in an ER that he openly admits it has sapped his humanity. His sister is a dentist, that should be better right? Maybe when she has paid off the $275,000 in student debt & professional insurance premiums she owes.
Even computer programmers are unable to (often) move up the ladder and get stuck doing the same old repetitive coding on the same sort of projects day in and day out.
I rather have the potential for intellectual reward and academic success than have a manager telling me what to do, and who can fire me or downsize me at any moment. Worse, I could be the manager who makes a bit more salary but is even more self-loathing (ask any mid-level manager you may know to confirm or deny).
I understand the awkward financial position that many new straight out of undergrad or out of entry-level work find themselves in. The grass has to be greener working for a stable corporation. Right? Perhaps stability (financial or otherwise) is a fair trade for monotony, under-appreciation, and slim chances of breaking through the glass ceiling. At my last job, everybody had at least a Masters degree. It's needed just to get the interview these days. At least with a PhD you can figure out a little bit about how the world works. Or not- but at least you tried and maybe even got paid to do it. Otherwise, exchange that stimulation of the mind for a cubicle, commuter traffic, and truly depressing happy hours
 
 

Hi (Name),
I have solidified my plans for Fall 2016 and will not be accepting this offer. Thank you for being communicative throughout this process. It is an honor to have been considered for a position at (Name of School). I wish you the best of luck in securing a solid cohort for the upcoming year.
Sincerely,
Name

I am the opposite.. I am "dropping out" of the 'real world' to go back and get my PhD. I have done well for myself over the past 15 or so years working full time in a lucrative industry, but which was ultimately not very personally rewarding or beneficial to society (i.e. capital markets), and where technology was every day creeping in to shunt the mental capacity of its workforce, or eliminate workers (and entire departments) altogether.  
The grass is always greener on the other side, but the grass is always brown. 
That said, I know what it is like to work and be self-motivated. I did complete an MA (evenings, but classified as full time) while working days full time. I understand the competition in the labor market. 
But the competition in this labor market is little different from others. "White collar" jobs are increasingly outsourced to foreign labor or to technology. My brother is a lawyer, went to a great law school and works at a decent firm. He hates every single living minute of it. But he can't leave because he'd never find a job again save start his own practice and struggle in competition with all others who did the same. My best friend growing up is a doctor. Very successful, but never sees his family or friends, is constantly exhausted, and has been so traumatized by stuff he has seen as a medical student and then resident in an ER that he openly admits it has sapped his humanity. His sister is a dentist, that should be better right? Maybe when she has paid off the $275,000 in student debt & professional insurance premiums she owes.
Even computer programmers are unable to (often) move up the ladder and get stuck doing the same old repetitive coding on the same sort of projects day in and day out.
I rather have the potential for intellectual reward and academic success than have a manager telling me what to do, and who can fire me or downsize me at any moment. Worse, I could be the manager who makes a bit more salary but is even more self-loathing (ask any mid-level manager you may know to confirm or deny).
I understand the awkward financial position that many new straight out of undergrad or out of entry-level work find themselves in. The grass has to be greener working for a stable corporation. Right? Perhaps stability (financial or otherwise) is a fair trade for monotony, under-appreciation, and slim chances of breaking through the glass ceiling. At my last job, everybody had at least a Masters degree. It's needed just to get the interview these days. At least with a PhD you can figure out a little bit about how the world works. Or not- but at least you tried and maybe even got paid to do it. Otherwise, exchange that stimulation of the mind for a cubicle, commuter traffic, and truly depressing happy hours
 
 

I am the opposite.. I am "dropping out" of the 'real world' to go back and get my PhD. I have done well for myself over the past 15 or so years working full time in a lucrative industry, but which was ultimately not very personally rewarding or beneficial to society (i.e. capital markets), and where technology was every day creeping in to shunt the mental capacity of its workforce, or eliminate workers (and entire departments) altogether.  
The grass is always greener on the other side, but the grass is always brown. 
That said, I know what it is like to work and be self-motivated. I did complete an MA (evenings, but classified as full time) while working days full time. I understand the competition in the labor market. 
But the competition in this labor market is little different from others. "White collar" jobs are increasingly outsourced to foreign labor or to technology. My brother is a lawyer, went to a great law school and works at a decent firm. He hates every single living minute of it. But he can't leave because he'd never find a job again save start his own practice and struggle in competition with all others who did the same. My best friend growing up is a doctor. Very successful, but never sees his family or friends, is constantly exhausted, and has been so traumatized by stuff he has seen as a medical student and then resident in an ER that he openly admits it has sapped his humanity. His sister is a dentist, that should be better right? Maybe when she has paid off the $275,000 in student debt & professional insurance premiums she owes.
Even computer programmers are unable to (often) move up the ladder and get stuck doing the same old repetitive coding on the same sort of projects day in and day out.
I rather have the potential for intellectual reward and academic success than have a manager telling me what to do, and who can fire me or downsize me at any moment. Worse, I could be the manager who makes a bit more salary but is even more self-loathing (ask any mid-level manager you may know to confirm or deny).
I understand the awkward financial position that many new straight out of undergrad or out of entry-level work find themselves in. The grass has to be greener working for a stable corporation. Right? Perhaps stability (financial or otherwise) is a fair trade for monotony, under-appreciation, and slim chances of breaking through the glass ceiling. At my last job, everybody had at least a Masters degree. It's needed just to get the interview these days. At least with a PhD you can figure out a little bit about how the world works. Or not- but at least you tried and maybe even got paid to do it. Otherwise, exchange that stimulation of the mind for a cubicle, commuter traffic, and truly depressing happy hours
 
 

I am the opposite.. I am "dropping out" of the 'real world' to go back and get my PhD. I have done well for myself over the past 15 or so years working full time in a lucrative industry, but which was ultimately not very personally rewarding or beneficial to society (i.e. capital markets), and where technology was every day creeping in to shunt the mental capacity of its workforce, or eliminate workers (and entire departments) altogether.  
The grass is always greener on the other side, but the grass is always brown. 
That said, I know what it is like to work and be self-motivated. I did complete an MA (evenings, but classified as full time) while working days full time. I understand the competition in the labor market. 
But the competition in this labor market is little different from others. "White collar" jobs are increasingly outsourced to foreign labor or to technology. My brother is a lawyer, went to a great law school and works at a decent firm. He hates every single living minute of it. But he can't leave because he'd never find a job again save start his own practice and struggle in competition with all others who did the same. My best friend growing up is a doctor. Very successful, but never sees his family or friends, is constantly exhausted, and has been so traumatized by stuff he has seen as a medical student and then resident in an ER that he openly admits it has sapped his humanity. His sister is a dentist, that should be better right? Maybe when she has paid off the $275,000 in student debt & professional insurance premiums she owes.
Even computer programmers are unable to (often) move up the ladder and get stuck doing the same old repetitive coding on the same sort of projects day in and day out.
I rather have the potential for intellectual reward and academic success than have a manager telling me what to do, and who can fire me or downsize me at any moment. Worse, I could be the manager who makes a bit more salary but is even more self-loathing (ask any mid-level manager you may know to confirm or deny).
I understand the awkward financial position that many new straight out of undergrad or out of entry-level work find themselves in. The grass has to be greener working for a stable corporation. Right? Perhaps stability (financial or otherwise) is a fair trade for monotony, under-appreciation, and slim chances of breaking through the glass ceiling. At my last job, everybody had at least a Masters degree. It's needed just to get the interview these days. At least with a PhD you can figure out a little bit about how the world works. Or not- but at least you tried and maybe even got paid to do it. Otherwise, exchange that stimulation of the mind for a cubicle, commuter traffic, and truly depressing happy hours
 
 

I am the opposite.. I am "dropping out" of the 'real world' to go back and get my PhD. I have done well for myself over the past 15 or so years working full time in a lucrative industry, but which was ultimately not very personally rewarding or beneficial to society (i.e. capital markets), and where technology was every day creeping in to shunt the mental capacity of its workforce, or eliminate workers (and entire departments) altogether.  
The grass is always greener on the other side, but the grass is always brown. 
That said, I know what it is like to work and be self-motivated. I did complete an MA (evenings, but classified as full time) while working days full time. I understand the competition in the labor market. 
But the competition in this labor market is little different from others. "White collar" jobs are increasingly outsourced to foreign labor or to technology. My brother is a lawyer, went to a great law school and works at a decent firm. He hates every single living minute of it. But he can't leave because he'd never find a job again save start his own practice and struggle in competition with all others who did the same. My best friend growing up is a doctor. Very successful, but never sees his family or friends, is constantly exhausted, and has been so traumatized by stuff he has seen as a medical student and then resident in an ER that he openly admits it has sapped his humanity. His sister is a dentist, that should be better right? Maybe when she has paid off the $275,000 in student debt & professional insurance premiums she owes.
Even computer programmers are unable to (often) move up the ladder and get stuck doing the same old repetitive coding on the same sort of projects day in and day out.
I rather have the potential for intellectual reward and academic success than have a manager telling me what to do, and who can fire me or downsize me at any moment. Worse, I could be the manager who makes a bit more salary but is even more self-loathing (ask any mid-level manager you may know to confirm or deny).
I understand the awkward financial position that many new straight out of undergrad or out of entry-level work find themselves in. The grass has to be greener working for a stable corporation. Right? Perhaps stability (financial or otherwise) is a fair trade for monotony, under-appreciation, and slim chances of breaking through the glass ceiling. At my last job, everybody had at least a Masters degree. It's needed just to get the interview these days. At least with a PhD you can figure out a little bit about how the world works. Or not- but at least you tried and maybe even got paid to do it. Otherwise, exchange that stimulation of the mind for a cubicle, commuter traffic, and truly depressing happy hours
 
 

I am the opposite.. I am "dropping out" of the 'real world' to go back and get my PhD. I have done well for myself over the past 15 or so years working full time in a lucrative industry, but which was ultimately not very personally rewarding or beneficial to society (i.e. capital markets), and where technology was every day creeping in to shunt the mental capacity of its workforce, or eliminate workers (and entire departments) altogether.  
The grass is always greener on the other side, but the grass is always brown. 
That said, I know what it is like to work and be self-motivated. I did complete an MA (evenings, but classified as full time) while working days full time. I understand the competition in the labor market. 
But the competition in this labor market is little different from others. "White collar" jobs are increasingly outsourced to foreign labor or to technology. My brother is a lawyer, went to a great law school and works at a decent firm. He hates every single living minute of it. But he can't leave because he'd never find a job again save start his own practice and struggle in competition with all others who did the same. My best friend growing up is a doctor. Very successful, but never sees his family or friends, is constantly exhausted, and has been so traumatized by stuff he has seen as a medical student and then resident in an ER that he openly admits it has sapped his humanity. His sister is a dentist, that should be better right? Maybe when she has paid off the $275,000 in student debt & professional insurance premiums she owes.
Even computer programmers are unable to (often) move up the ladder and get stuck doing the same old repetitive coding on the same sort of projects day in and day out.
I rather have the potential for intellectual reward and academic success than have a manager telling me what to do, and who can fire me or downsize me at any moment. Worse, I could be the manager who makes a bit more salary but is even more self-loathing (ask any mid-level manager you may know to confirm or deny).
I understand the awkward financial position that many new straight out of undergrad or out of entry-level work find themselves in. The grass has to be greener working for a stable corporation. Right? Perhaps stability (financial or otherwise) is a fair trade for monotony, under-appreciation, and slim chances of breaking through the glass ceiling. At my last job, everybody had at least a Masters degree. It's needed just to get the interview these days. At least with a PhD you can figure out a little bit about how the world works. Or not- but at least you tried and maybe even got paid to do it. Otherwise, exchange that stimulation of the mind for a cubicle, commuter traffic, and truly depressing happy hours
 
 

This is something to bring to the attention of the media.. it's really a bad mistake..

I am glad you are relieved, but take your computer science sweating it out over to the appropriate thread. (I thought engineers were good at following directions?)

I am glad you are relieved, but take your computer science sweating it out over to the appropriate thread. (I thought engineers were good at following directions?)

Something else to think about is how much health insurance (& other benefits) is subsidized. Especially relevant if you also have a family, how much they'd be subsidized. This can be worth $10,000+ a year 

Here: starry-eyed hopeful naive and excited 
There: jaded tired frustrated realistic experienced
The grass is always greener, my friends. And the grass is always brown.

Here: starry-eyed hopeful naive and excited 
There: jaded tired frustrated realistic experienced
The grass is always greener, my friends. And the grass is always brown.

I sent an unsolicited submission to an int'l academic conference, attended and ended up winning best paper award! Really only steps 1 and 3,4 are interesting.
Step 1.: write a paper that has original research & insight, not just a lit. review
Step 2.: format the paper to look like a real paper, use proper citation & footnote, labeling etc.
Step 3.: google "call for papers" + <your topic(s)>
Step 4.: once you find a call for papers you can usually submit your manuscript (without any author names) via an online intake system such as easychair
Step 5.: You will be notified if the reviewers accept or reject your paper. if they accept you will likely need to make some revisions based on comments
Step 6.: Pay your own way to the conference.  I used my vacation money to go there. Sucks. Whatever.
Step 7.: Network with people. Get drinks with folks in the evenings, sit at different tables for different meals and meet different people. They may assume you are an academic, but if they asked, I just said no, I am not but I am planning to apply to PhD programs next year.
Step 8.: Slap it on your CV
Step 9.: Rinse & Repeat

Go drive an uber

I sent an unsolicited submission to an int'l academic conference, attended and ended up winning best paper award! Really only steps 1 and 3,4 are interesting.
Step 1.: write a paper that has original research & insight, not just a lit. review
Step 2.: format the paper to look like a real paper, use proper citation & footnote, labeling etc.
Step 3.: google "call for papers" + <your topic(s)>
Step 4.: once you find a call for papers you can usually submit your manuscript (without any author names) via an online intake system such as easychair
Step 5.: You will be notified if the reviewers accept or reject your paper. if they accept you will likely need to make some revisions based on comments
Step 6.: Pay your own way to the conference.  I used my vacation money to go there. Sucks. Whatever.
Step 7.: Network with people. Get drinks with folks in the evenings, sit at different tables for different meals and meet different people. They may assume you are an academic, but if they asked, I just said no, I am not but I am planning to apply to PhD programs next year.
Step 8.: Slap it on your CV
Step 9.: Rinse & Repeat

Very nice acceptance call from Cornell.  could be a great fit ...!

The MSc in sarcasm and rhetoric at Stony Brook, I hear, is top notch & a great foot on the door to engineer industry.

The formula for admissions is typically along the lines of:

The formula for admissions is typically along the lines of:

I mean the differences are by so little that there isn't much cumulative effect, but the 160Q looks better than 159, so if you're going to only pick one send the latter. The writing score is not that important unless you're an international student (and if you are, either 5.0 or 5.5 is really good). However, you're probably fine with either.