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Raffy

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Everything posted by Raffy

  1. I think it's normal to feel like a "second-rate admit", but it doesn't mean the slightest thing about your chances of success. Jeez, the admission committee is NOT clear-sighted enough to rank the students exactly as they will succeed at the end of the program! I understand you. Four years ago, I was accepted off the waiting list to a very competitive program in my country. I was really scared the first days, but eventually, I did well, and certainly better than some people who were immediately accepted. So if you like the program, the university, etc., my advice is : go!
  2. I have some experience about that, and I can tell it's gonna be fine. In my country, the tough, competitive, stressful years are the two years following high school. You have to attend a very hard preparatory program before taking competitive exams toward elite schools. When I started the prep program, I indeed thought I would be crushed. I thought my fellows were genius. Finally I got over it. It wasn't always fun, but I survived. And the others were just like me. After that, I got into a famous school, and me too I thought there had been a mistake, and one day someone would tell me: "I'm really sorry, but the school has just realized there was a mistake with your admission", and crazy stuff like that. Now I remember that, it seems totally bulls***. And again I thought I would seem so stupid compared to the others, but no. I did well, not perfect but not bad either. This is my own experience, but I know many, many people who were just like me. Of course some fail, but frankly they were ALWAYS those who couldn't care less about what they were doing, who didn't work, and so on. So if you are interested in your program, and willing to work (I don't mean being a workaholic, just working seriously), there's no way you can fail. Now I am about to go to grad school, my main concern is rather leaving my country to live far away for five years... Everyone's afraid of something. Good luck everyone!
  3. The choice of your heart! Definitely. Because you're going to spend some time there, because you're going to work hard there, it does matter how happy you are and how much you like your work (even just for succeeding in your program). You don't know how it would be at school 2, but at least you're sure that the first school is a good place for you. So go, rather: stay, grab this chance. Plus, a professor who knows you and appreciate you can be much more helpful, notably for your career, than another who has many connections but doesn't care much of you. Just my opinion. Hope it helps. Good luck!
  4. Yes, you should definitely send 'thank you' emails. They would surely appreciate to hear back from you, even though it's for bad news. In addition, if you plan to ask them a letter again next year, there is no hesitation to have: thank them for their time. Besides, they may have some good advice for you. And it may help them improve their letters for the future students who will ask. My opinion: just do it!
  5. Ok, thanks. It seems pretty simple. Cool
  6. I believe the #1 vs #6 argument is not a relevant one. First, you can make scores of relevant rankings based on slightly different criteria, and the orders will be all different. Just check the several international universities rankings, for example... (granted, Harvard is *always* the very first). Second, even though one program is widely regarded as better than another one, it does not mean it gets only the very best and all the very best students. Obviously an academic record doesn't say much about your actual skills. Obviously again, all Nobel Prize Winners (and broadly speaking excellent scholars) do not come all from the number 1 departments. Which leads me to third: what really matters is what you actually do with your top-quality degree. Fortunately, one name on your resume does not determines the rest of your life. It is much more complicated, and much more interesting, too. The greatest careers are not often the conventional ones. But this is just my opinion. And to be honest, I'm not from the US, so I don't know much about the "employer question", whether or not it makes a different to come from what one specific ranking considered one specific year as the "best" program (I don't really know what "best" means) compared to the number 6. I hardly think so, though. Good luck!
  7. Hello! I have a question a bit different. For now, I can't drive. But I really want to get a driving license once in the US. So my question is: how can we learn how to drive? I have heard (but I'm not sure) that usually the Americans are taught by their parents. Is that true? Are there like driving teachers (and how much does it cost), or am I supposed to learn with a friend? Thanks
  8. Ok, prolixity, it's pretty clear! Thanks For the moment, I don't really have other options in the US, but we have a couple a decent schools in France too. I am still waiting for other offers, but as the days pass, I am less and less hopeful... Anyone, any other opinion about my question? Plane seems indeed a good idea. I'm not such a good swimmer.
  9. Hi there! I am a French student, on my way toward a PhD in the USA. I have been admitted to Yale in Applied Physics (PEB program), and that's really great. But I'd like to know a bit more, from the inside, about Yale's scientific "spirit". The thing is, I'm rather on the engineering side, I like the idea of developing new technologies, working with companies, and I'm not sure this is really what I am going to find at Yale. It's seems to me there is rather fundamental and academic research (of course, Yale is not Caltech or UC...). I may be wrong, and that's why I am asking. What do you know about entrepreneurship at Yale? Are there some startups over there? What's the amount of patents? Finally, what's your point of view about Yale and technological innovation? Thanks a lot! Raphael PS: If there is any French around, do you have some tips about the best route from Paris to New Haven? Thanks!
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