fadedfigures

I'm not saying to go to a grad interview wearing a death metal t-shirt or a giant hoop skirt. I'm saying there should be nothing wrong with making a bolder choice in your outfit. Is @Kaede's skirt that she is considering wearing a "traditional" professional skirt? I would say no, because in my experiences, gals typically wear women's suits or pencil skirts and a blouse. However, since it is a unique choice, does it mean it is entirely inappropriate for graduate interviews? Not at all. In a sense, it does push the envelope a bit. It is expanding the range of what people consider wearing. Overall, though, I agree with you @stereopticons. It can be hard to do something different when you're in a high stress environment such as a grad school interview. However, I think it is best to wear something professional that you will be comfortable in. If you are the type of person who would feel absolutely uncomfortable in a pencil skirt and you can find a comfortable, nontraditional, yet still professional alternative, I say go for it. The graduate interview process is stressful enough as is. You don't want another level of discomfort because your outfit isn't working for you. And as an added note, you may not want to go to a particular graduate school if they are going to judge you based off of the flow of your skirt or the color of your nail polish. It does not seem like the best location if they'll scrutinize you for such details.

Absolutely true. Men do have less issues in appearing professional because our gender norms are not largely associated with fashion and appearance. We also don't have as many options as ladies do for our professional attire, since we have a limited range to choose from in terms of what we wear. I would argue that makes it easier for us to have less issues with looking professional, since our attire consists of dress pants, dress shirt, blazer, and a tie (or maybe a nice sweater if you're on the west coast). However, I am a strong supporter of pushing the envelope when it comes to what can be considered professional. I have to say that looking professional above all else is what's the most important thing. But I hate that ladies have to worry about "trying too hard" because they look a certain way or wear certain outfits/colors. Personally, I think color-coordinating nail polish color to the poster color is a great idea! I would have seen that as a fine eye for detail versus putting in too much effort. It contributes to the overall cohesiveness, in my opinion. Unfortunately, some folks might not agree.

Pub food

You're not the only one who wishes for that. I'm hoping for a Christmas miracle where my phone rings on Christmas morning with an interview invite. But much like true Christmas miracles, that would also be a stretch. But maybe people are making calls on Christmas Eve...

I agree with what was posted before. Resources are limited, and they may be flying out 30+ people to an interview. That means allotting $400 per person could come to a maximum of $12,000 set aside simply to fly people out, a majority of whom will not end up getting the acceptance. Point being: keep the cost down, and don't add any unnecessary upgrades on their dime. However, that does not mean that you are not allowed to purchase an upgrade separately on your own cost. For example, I interviewed for a program where they said they'd cover up to $300 for the flight. I booked an economy seat and got the receipt, and then paid for an upgrade using my own credit card once I got to the airport for my flight. That way, they only paid for the basic seat to get me to their location. They did not have to pay for my extra leg room, since I covered that expense myself on a separate purchase.

I would strongly advise against letting other people give you a list of schools. It is expected that you will be attending a school where a faculty member has a match in research interests with you. I could say "Apply for X University, Y University, and Z University," but it would make no difference because I don't know what your research interests are. First and foremost, figure out a general idea of what your research interests are. You don't need to have anything set in stone; I guarantee it will change as you continue in graduate school. But think about topics that you'd be happy researching for 5-6 years, and specialize your interests based on those. Then, I would recommend taking a look at this list of research universities. Depending on your end goals, you'll want to form a list of schools mainly from R1 or R2 institutions (schools listed as R1 are the top-tier schools; a degree from such a university is solid). Create a list of schools based on states/cities where you will be happy living for 5-6 years. Then, visit the department's webpage for each school and see if there is a professor there that matches your research interests. I will also echo @waderpanda and see if there's any professors whose names pop up frequently on your reading lists. You never know, though. There may be some up and coming new assistant professor who is just making a name for themselves in the field who you only discover from researching the schools. Point being is to use every tool and resource available to try and find a research fit. Talk to advisors, visit listserves, etc. Good luck! One of the funnest parts is researching new schools and thinking about where you could potentially end up in a year's time.

This is tricky, as other schools may look at these results and say "Woah. Not a good investment." They are admitting people that appear to be solid researchers-in-training worth their tuition waivers, and being dismissed for poor grades would signal something wrong. I think what it will end up coming down to is why you got those grades. You mentioned personal circumstances out of your control, which will definitely need to be discussed in a new SoP. It's understandable if you had a family emergency, death in the family, physical/mental illness, etc. But it is important to discuss it in a way that a) does not give out too much information, b ) does not make you look like a sob story, and c) makes it clear that it will not be an issue in the future. Were you in communication with professors who were aware of why these circumstances were happening? It would help immensely if their letters could say something like, "Yeah, @LifeSc did not get these grades, but these classes were not a reflection of his/her overall work ethic. I mean, look! There's an international conference presentation! A paper in press!" What's important is to communicate that the issues that plagued your first grad school attempt will not resurface in the future. Taking the Subject GRE will make no difference in my opinion, because there is a difference between knowing the material and performing good work with it. Someone could ace a standardized test, but have no idea how to conduct themselves within the expectations of the field. Your time and efforts are better spend crafting your statement to discuss your "bounce back" from your hardships.

Not a gal, but I would also say that it is totally okay to wear that skit. The big thing here is to go for professionalism. It does not matter whether something is "traditional" as long as it looks professional. I myself severely dislike blazers/suits, so I wore a vest instead (and would have worn a nice sweater vest instead if the weather permitted). I faced zero issues, because it was still professional looking attire. I agree with @MarineBluePsy that you need to be yourself, so avoid certain attire if you will feel uncomfortable in it or it is not you. You will be a-okay as long as it is professional.

That's a solid way to get your foot in the door. Having a professor who is willing to advocate for you goes a long way in admissions, since committees will be looking for any way to cut their numbers down from ~250 applicants to 30 interviews. During my first grad school experience, I was able to get accepted because a few faculty members were adamant about adding me to the program. It helped IMMENSELY with making a case to admit me, so I would say you are in fantastic standing.

That's fantastic news! Good luck! Hoping for the best for you! (And send some of that interview luck our way! We could use some good news on our ends too!)

Maybe it'll be an opportunity for us all to breathe, take a step back, and enjoy the holiday season with our close friends and family members. ...oh, who am I kidding. Back to refreshing my email.

I have been filling my time with lots and lots of video games. Overwatch takes up so much time; it is easy to waste a few hours just playing Quick Play matches. I am also occasionally prepping something for when I teach again next semester, and also perhaps working a little bit more towards the journal article I am (slowly) writing. But really, I am just trying to waste time until my phone lights up with a call from a POI.

I'm waiting for the same. Unfortunately, the programs I am applying for don't have much presence on the GradCafe Admissions pages. On the bright side, I will be able to continue more to our understanding of these programs!

Is it too late to sign up to be on the blog wagon?

Just keep in mind everyone that schools can make invitations for interviews through January and February as well. So on the bright side, there is still hope for a phone call! (And on the not-so-bright side, we have to put up with this agony for another few months. Shit.)

A lot of students neglect that you have things to do besides cater to their every whim. They are surprised to hear that you have other classes or obligations that require your attention, as well as that as a TA, you are typically bound by circumstances outside your control. I had great support when I was a TA. What felt great was knowing that I could tell a student my decision, and know that the professor would back me no matter what I did. So in that sense, I did not mind if they went over my head. But I would not care, even if the professor went against my decision. I still get paid at the end of the day.

The last few weeks have been nothing more than obsessive email checking. Glad to hear I'm not missing anything. (I say, as I check my spam folder again just to be sure.)

I used to be in that situation. I had a lab all to myself, and it was that way for years. It even became a running joke with my advisor that I would get too territorial if someone else shared the lab with me. It was AMAZING. I had a quiet space all to myself, which definitely helped when I would work. (But it was also bad because I had no one to keep be accountable when I procrastinated.)

Here's my big thing that I am struggling with: there has been no news! I am waiting for something (anything!) regarding my applications, but still, nothing. I really want some shred of news, even an email from a PI saying "Hey, things look good." One day at a time, and some day, one day soon, I will get some news.

I use a combination of different things. I use the Calendar app on my Mac so it syncs with my iPhone; that keeps tracks of appointments and obligations for me. I then use Habitica (which is an RPG/to-do list combination) to help me stay on task, since the game rewards you for finishing your tasks.

Hello everyone! I figured I'd join in because my nervousness has gotten the better of me! I've applied for four different PhD programs: University of Denver (top choice), Colorado State University, Oregon State University, and University of Oregon. Still waiting to hear back from all of them, which is making me incredibly nervous. I should be okay, as I have a strong application this time around. (I was in a different PhD program and disliked it, but learned a lot which helped my application this time around.) However, the silence is deafening, and I am hoping that "no news is good news" holds up at the moment. Best of luck to everyone, and I can't wait to see what turns up for all of us. (I myself am holding out for a Christmas Eve phone call with good news. Or New Years Eve. Or even tonight at midnight. Whenever is cool. I'll wait.)

Here's my story, because I actually went through it. I began dating an undergraduate (who I am now engaged to) during my first-year of a PhD program. I started my program young, so the age gap was small. However, my fiancé transferred into the same department that I was a graduate student in, which wasn't a big deal. I just let the graduate advisor know what classes my fiancé was in so that we could make sure I was not assigned to those courses. And that was it. The big issue with dating undergraduates is an issue with power. You cannot be involved in a romantic relationship with anyone you have grading power over, so any students that you currently TA for are a no-go. If they aren't in your department, then it is fair game. However, if they are in your department, just be sure to be transparent about the relationship so that the proper precautions can be made.

The last time I applied for graduate school, I was notified of an interview on December 17th, and accepted a few months later. It was good to tide me over while I was waiting the weeks for the other schools to contact me. I haven't heard anything yet this time around, and so the paranoia is real. EXTREMELY real. My email is checked multiple times a day across my laptop or my phone. I check the GradCafe Admissions log multiple times a day. My phone is on ring (when it is typically in vibrate mode), and that is checked multiple times a day. (I even got a call from a telemarketer and thought it was a grad school giving me a call.) Point being, they've read my application. And I am waiting to see exactly what they think. But yet, no news is good news. Anxiety-inducing, but still good.

My first time in grad school: 11 schools, all with fee waivers = $0 GREs taken twice, once with a fee waiver = ~$300 Score sending to 11 schools, minus 4 free sends = 7 x $25 = $225 Transcript requests were free in my undergrad. Final cost = ~$525 This application season: 4 schools with no fee waivers = ~$300 I did not take the GREs this time around, as my scores were still valid. Score sending to 4 schools = $100 Transcript requests from my old grad school = 4 x $20 = $80 Final cost = ~$480 So around the same cost each time. Those fee waivers really make such a wonderful difference.

Let me throw in one more by echoing what was said before. It will largely depend on the field, but you will see for the most part that no one cares. I am in the social sciences, and have a couple of noticeable forearm tattoos, and it mattered to no one. What matters the most is whether you can cover your tattoos for professional purposes. Do not worry about it so long as your sleeves can cover it during conferences, interviews, or big presentations.