bandinterwebs

This program must have very recently been archived. I found it a few months ago and made a note to apply, and when I came back, it says archived. So disappointed.

Hey all - I would love to hear what you guys have found to be import in grad school laptops. My parents are gifting me a laptop, but we have differing ideas as to what's important in a laptop. For me - I am notoriously hard on laptops. So durability is a priority for me, as well as being lightweight, since I have a large campus that I will be traversing. When I say "durable", my parents are looking at big, heavy machines. Additionally, they believe I need high processing power and the ability to support heavy software. However, I am not a design engineer, so heavy CAD or simulation software isn't a high priority. I would think that I may need the ability to run some programming software (R, Matlab, etc.) and have some large databases. I assume that I will have remote desktop abilities if worst comes to worst and I need heavy processing power. I'm interested to hear what specs other potentially data-intensive students value in a laptop, as well as what laptops you might recommend. How do you prioritize durability vs. weight, and how much processing power does one REALLY need? My budget is probably capped at 2K, and I am not interested in buying a disposable laptop. I'm looking to get one that will last me most of my PhD. I do NOT have a personal desktop, and as I am about to get married, I also don't want to be confined to the university laptops 24/7. How much processing power/RAM/etc. does one truly need, in that case. Appreciate any and all suggestions.

I would recommend retaking the GREs. I wanted to get into a top 10 engineering program and wanted to be > 90%, so when my first score was 88-89%, I re-took it and got a much higher score the second time. Based on the results page, I would say the quant score is a key factor, and aiming to get in the top 95% would be ideal. For the programs you listed, I think a strong quant score is crucial. I personally would not worry to much about the verbal if you could nail down your quant score.

That'd be great, because I'd like to move on with my life and make a decision already. I haven't heard that before though....I feel like those on the waitlist may have to wait it out a little longer but don't know for certain.

Would he be willing to move to a halfway point so that you both share the commute? I knew a girl at a top two program, and her husband was attending med school at another university, and they lived in between the two universities. She said she didn't mind the (45 minute) commute - she just planned around it. She is the golden child of the department, has multiple job offers, and is happily married. Seems doable! I was speaking to a friend about my situation. My boyfriend and I are serious as well, and he is willing to move anywhere with me, but we both prioritize being near family as we consider marriage, children etc. For me, this means potentially turning down top 5 programs for top 10 programs (to be fair, there is a top ten program that would be close to his family and a good fit for me). It scares me a bit to turn down a top 5 program, but my friend gave me this advice: You don't always get an easy decision. Every choice you make has an opportunity cost. You just have to make sure you can live with the cost. As Pokeabun suggests, talk it out. Define your options. Weigh the costs of each decision. Best of luck!

Do NOT let your social awkwardness get in the way of attending any visit you want. I went to visit a top 2 program, and most of the students I know who have have already received their acceptances were incredibly awkward. One girl was so difficult to talk to that I avoided her for the rest of the weekend - but she has magnificent research experience and has a really impressive application, and THOSE are what got her accepted. Being charming might get you a job, but it won't necessarily get you a spot in a rigorous program. I should know, I am very charming (jokes) I can't speak to waitlist/expenses situation. I think that is a personal decision that depends greatly on how much you want to go to this school. While I don't know that going will improve your chances any, I would assume that not going to the visit weekend might shut the door. This may be your chance to wow a professor, but of course I do not know the structure of this particular visit weekend. I've been to five visit weekends at this point, and it seems that largely the point is to match up with professors.

I personally would interpret this as a rejection. I am a pessimist at heart, but typically I would think that if they felt you were a strong fit, they would have interviewed you as well. I would absolutely wait to hear back before I made any decisions, but it sounds like you've got another good option in the case this school doesn't work out. Best of luck!

Best of luck!

I would disagree about Purdue's program being known for manufacturing/production. Of all the schools I've visited (5) they actually have the least manufacturing. In fact, the graduate coordinator told me that they have moved away from manufacturing, and if that's what I wanted to do, I should go elsewhere. (I am VERY interested in production and logistics systems.) Purdue is moving more into healthcare and ergo, I believe. I think at face value, I would go to Chapel Hill, then, if I was looking for a strong OR program. But that's just my two cents And obviously this is a personal decision.

When I visited, I think someone said assistantships are around $1700 a month, but I could be mistaken. I do not have the impression that the department is doing very well, so I am not sure funding is very good, but of course they probably offer fellowships to some students.

I was actually discussing a similar scenario with a friend. My significant other is willing to move anywhere with me, but there are certain locations that will work better for us because we prioritize being close to family, especially as we consider marriage and children. However, that would mean, for me, letting go of a top five program for a top ten program (to be fair, the top ten program is a way better fit based on my interests). Anyways, my friend reminded me that every choice you make has an opportunity cost. If I choose to prioritize my career over my SO, my relationship suffers. It won't be doomed by any means, but it might suffer. If I prioritize my SO and our "situation" over ranking, it might be harder to get the faculty positions I want later down the road. However, after lots of soul searching (ugh) and talks with current grad students, I was encouraged to look at where I will be most successful. For me - I think I will fit in, be happier, and avoid a super inferiority complex at the lower-ranked school. And my significant other will be closer to his family, which would be great. Obviously, as @takeruk suggested, that is highly personal. Every choice you make has an opportunity cost, and you have to make sure, at the end of the day, you can live with the cost. Which situation will make you most productive? Will living with your spouse make you happier and give you the support network you need to be successful? Will that support network allow you to focus on your research and publish more? Finally - commuting can work. I knew a girl at a #2 program whose husband was in med school at another program. They lived together every year, and she had to commute ~45 minutes her first year. She is the golden girl of the program, has done incredibly well for herself, and she and her hubs seem happy. So - maybe there's a happy compromise.

I would say it depends on the environment of the school. I went to a very friendly school that I am strongly considering, and they made a very hard sell. They are offering me a fellowship and put a lot of time and effort into my recruiting. I was asked by multiple faculty and the Department Chair, "Who are we competing with?". I answered honestly that I have been waitlisted at my top school and there is one other acceptance I am considering. They were actually very supportive and said that if I got into the waitlisted program, I should go. However, they asked, and I felt I should be transparent based on my interactions throughout the day. I would not have volunteered this information just to volunteer it. I think it is fair to say something like, "At this point I am still weighing my options, and [School A] is, at this point, one of my top options."

So - I went to visit Purdue's IE program a few weeks ago and did not feel that it was a very strong program at this point in time. I think they are expanding rapidly in the human factors area, but as far as applied OR goes, it seemed, to me, that the options were very limited. I visited with a few different professors, neither of whom had funding. Also, it's in Lafayette, Indiana I got a very nice offer from UIUC but rejected it because I felt there were better programs for my interests elsewhere. I did not have the opportunity to visit, but I know many think highly of their program. I am not sure how strong they are in applied OR. They are, of course, lower-ranked than Purdue, but if their OR is overall stronger, then it would be worthwhile considering their program. I am not familiar with UNC's OM program, but their business school is top notch, so I assume their OM program has brand name recognition. If it's OM, will it have a significant OR component? Best of luck - these decisions are so hard.

Hi - I took the GRE twice last year to get the Quant score I wanted (95%, or greater than 165, I think). I applied for engineering programs, so I studied the Quant religiously for about four or five months using Manhattan Prep. Please note that I am actually terrible at remembering how to do basic math, and my first practice test was abysmal, but after studying that hard, I ended up getting 168 on my Quant. My first test last year had two quant questions on a topic I was weak on, and two questions is enough to blow it. Also I was generally panick-y and just blew it. However, I feel that Manhattan Prep, and A LOT of tests, prepared me well. I took something like 13 practice tests, and then I re-took them til I got them right. My advice: Buy all the Manhattan Prep books, and work through them all, including the 1lb book, should you have the time. I also used Kaplan, though I felt that was less helpful. Take all the practice tests you can. The GRE company has at least two for you to use, Manhattan Prep should have 6, and I imagine Magoosh has some? Or just buy another study book for the tests. Also check your local library - I checked out a few more books with practice tests there, though I didn't feel they were super great. As far as verbal goes, I don't have much advice there. I had strong scores without much practice, so I didn't do much studying beyond the practice tests. I would warn you that I don't think Manhattan Prep is best for Verbal. tl;dr: TAKE AS MANY TESTS AS POSSIBLE. It doesn't matter how much you know if you get stressed out and panic in the middle of your test. Buy Manhattan prep books for quant help, IMHO. Best of luck!

Thank-you @Dawnbreaker! I think there are a precious few profs who do relevant (to me) work, such as Yano (who is also involved in Haas), so I'm eager to see how it is when I go out for my meetings/visit. I should hear back on the fellowship within the next few days, which would certainly be an influencing factor. Appreciate all the advice!

Thank-you all for your thoughtful responses. You've given me a lot to mull over. @Dawnbreaker - As you correctly surmised, School A is Berkeley School B is Virginia Tech. There are a few other schools in the mix, but I think those are the two I'll decide between. You bring up a great point - possibility of local internships will be much greater at Berkeley. Are internships (as compared to staying on to do research) preferable? @justinhayes1982 - Thank-you for that! Trying to look through those metrics now!

I'm weighing about five different schools right now, and none of them strike me as the "perfect" fit just yet. I still have a few more visits to go, which will help clarify things (I hope). I *think* it will come down to two schools: School A is ranked more highly, and I'm up for a fellowship. It is a top 5 program. Unfortunately, I think the department will be more theoretical than I would like and I don't believe it will be a great fit. School B made me a mediocre funding offer, but I think the profs and research will be a better fit (more applied). For personal reasons, I prefer the location. However, while it is a top 10 program, the school is ranked four slots below School A. How seriously should I consider ranking? And on top of that, a prestigious fellowship at a higher-ranked university? How much will the ranking of the school I attend for my PhD affect my job prospects? Is it worth turning down a school I feel might be a slightly better personal fit? I realize this a really large and philosophical (and subjective) question, but I would appreciate any thoughts.

Don't know if anyone is still around on this thread, but if so... I don't know if I will be attending Purdue next fall, as I am still undecided between a few programs. I originally visited and thought Purdue would not be a good fit, but I found one professor who is absolutely amazing and a bit of a game-changer. Here's my concern: My significant other will be moving with me, and he and I are both used to bigger cities with lots to do (such as Houston). He travels for work, so he will need to be nearish to an airport (within an hour or so). If I were single, I wouldn't worry about the location, but I am not, so I do. Is there perhaps a town that is closer to the INDY airport (or even Chicago) that might be a bit more lively and less college-oriented? I would theoretically be willing to commute 20-30 minutes if it meant living in a city that would a better fit for someone who is not part of the university. Any suggestions?

My first interview experience was actually quite horrible, and at a school in which I was particularly interested, too. 1) I read one forum that said a good leading question is to ask which research projects your POI is most excited about. This did not work out well for me - the professor looked insulted that I was not already familiar with his work. I'd done some reading on his work, but not enough to pointedly ask about Project X. In other words - due diligence - feel comfortable with the portions of their research to which you can speak. 2) Another forum suggested asking if they had space in their lab for more students. This was also a bad idea. Perhaps because I'd already irritated him in Step 1, I immediately felt that this was too aggressive. 3) Because there aren't a ton of professors doing research in my area, I also signed up to interview with professors in other research interviews. The first question I was asked was, "Why me?" or "What interests you about Subject X?" (My resume is very tailored to what I actually want to do). I had no idea, and I realized immediately that I could not fake an interest in these subject areas. News flash: Don't try to fake an interest in something that doesn't interest you. I have at least four more interviews coming up, so let's hope I got the bad one out of the way!

Thank-you all! I was able to move one of my school visit to space it out a bit more, but I will be going to all of them. Appreciate the insights!

I'm in the same boat and I'm about to cry I'm so stressed. I have four interviews scheduled and just got notified of another today. A great problem to have, and I feel like a tool, but I work full time and am going to have to go into the negative on vacation time for these interviews. My boss, too, is understanding, but I'm about to tell him I need a full week off for back-to-back interviews right before a giant project is due...a giant project for which I'm one of the only resources. I guess I'm struggling with the thought that maybe I should have a better idea of where I want to go. Are all four of your schools equal contenders? Mine aren't, but how early should you definitively rule a school out? If you think you don't want to go to a school, does it make sense not to visit, or should you give it a shot? I've been able to re-schedule one interview but I've had another school say they absolutely do not allow re-scheduling, and they were not at all kind about it. You might ask if any of your schools are open to re-scheduling. If you're a strong candidate, they might be willing to oblige. I feel your pain, friend.

Thank-you, Zedonger. I think I may be leaning in that direction or #2 (and always #4). Follow-up question: How many interviews do people go to? Neither of these schools are my "top" choice, but I am very much a "leave no stone unturned" sort. You never know what you might find out on a visit. Do people tend to visit most schools to which they've been invited, or do they pick their favorites and call it a day? I've scheduled four interviews and this would be my fifth, and I feel like that is crazy. Any thoughts?

Hi all - I'm in a bit of a predicament. I am fortunate enough to have received multiple invites to interview weekends/recruitment events. Less fortunate is the fact that I'm indecisive and nervous about ruling any school out, so I've got a TON of busy weekends this month. Thus far the invites have been scheduled on the weekends, until today. One school, let's call it Schmurdue, has just given me 11 days notice for an interview/visit, and it's Monday - Wednesday. Unfortunately, the weekend before, I will be at another interview, as well as the weekend after. If I accept Schmurdue's invitation, I will have something like 10 straight days of school visits. If I was in undergrad, I probably could make it work, but out of respect to my kind and supportive employer, I've tried to limit my time off to weekends. School B has invited me to interview the Thursday and Friday after Schmurdue, and I had literally just sent my RSVP when I got the email from Schmurdue. I am not sure I can go to Schmurdue M-W, then turn around and take a redeye and get to School B Thursday - Friday. I asked Schmurdue if I could potentially re-schedule and visit another weekend and was told no. However, I will feel terrible if I ask my employer, last minute, for an entire week off in the middle of our busy season. What would you do? Schmurdue: Perceived stronger systems engineering program (which is preferable), no formal offer, no formal funding, very last-minute invite to weekend, might be a better fit overall School B: I am not sure it will be a great fit (but won't be sure til I visit), potentially not as strong in systems engineering, formal offer, not great funding package (partial fellowship/partial TA, $2060/mo stipend overall), was iffy about attending visitation weekend, but literally just sent confirmation of attendance. WHAT WOULD YOU DO? 1) Try to do 10 straight days of interviews and essentially say "whatever" to your loyal employer? 2) Retract attendance to School B (I have about 12 hours to cancel my flight) 3) Decline invitation to Schmurdue 4) Take a stress nap ANY OPINIONS APPRECIATED

I received an offer from a top engineering program, but I am a little confused about what constitutes a good funding offer (and by good, I mean one which would be considered seriously among multiple acceptances and indicates a strong university interest in the applicant). 1) Should a "solid" offer in STEM provide funding for all four years, or at least say it's renewable pending successful academic performance? This university's offer simply has contracts for 2016-2017, and no mention of renewal. 2) I was offered a partial fellowship, partial ta position (50/50, stipend isn't great). I would almost prefer an RA position, so I have the opportunity to work closely with a professor and not simply float around the department. I realize I might be able to do that with the free time afforded by the partial fellowship, but I would love the perspective of others. Would you prefer an RA to partial fellowship/TA? Would you consider that offer to be competitive? I hope that makes sense and I appreciate any insights.