GreenEyedTrombonist

Hey all!
My last 4 rec letters came in today so all 7 of my apps are officially submitted. I've gotten the decision from one program already (super early compared to the rest of the programs in my field). I should hear about interviews from two schools in January and have all my decisions by end of February. I'll be over here, freaking out for the next two months.

This really depends on what you value more. If you don't want the potential of a bad living situation (due to who you live with) or really need a space that is completely your own, your own place might be the way to go. However, if you feel the need to save a bit more of your stipend and don't want a bad living situation (due to only being able to afford a not great place), go with a roommate. 

If you do go with a roommate, I would do things to try to mitigate issues. If you are someone who needs a clean place, communicate that with your roommate. Open communication and working together can make your living situation a lot better than it (potentially) would be otherwise. 
I know for myself, I have a small loan that I'm paying off and don't want a car (places close to school tend to cost more) so I'll probably need a flatmate. 

Just focus on making it clear that you are the best fit for their program. Show that you've done your research on them and can contribute to the department outside of the reqs to get your degree. You don't need to tell them they're your number 1 choice, but you can make it clear that you're very interested in them by showing (not telling) that you've done the legwork. 

This really depends on what you value more. If you don't want the potential of a bad living situation (due to who you live with) or really need a space that is completely your own, your own place might be the way to go. However, if you feel the need to save a bit more of your stipend and don't want a bad living situation (due to only being able to afford a not great place), go with a roommate. 

If you do go with a roommate, I would do things to try to mitigate issues. If you are someone who needs a clean place, communicate that with your roommate. Open communication and working together can make your living situation a lot better than it (potentially) would be otherwise. 
I know for myself, I have a small loan that I'm paying off and don't want a car (places close to school tend to cost more) so I'll probably need a flatmate. 

This professor has no reason to sugarcoat your progress and current work level. If they are complimenting you, they mean it. 
As Eigen said, imposter syndrome is a very real son of a bitch that most (if not all) people have to deal with at one point or another (especially in grad school). I really hope you are keeping up with the counseling as it can help with those thoughts and, as you've noticed before, keep you focused on your goal. 
Keep your eye on the prize and keep up the good work. I'm sorry the transition was so difficult for you (and as someone with no undergrad chem, I am utterly blown away by your tenacity to learn such advanced chem-even if your grades weren't what you wanted) and I'm glad that you're now in a field in which you're able to make progress. Feel free to vent here anytime if need be, but it sounds like you're doing well (despite your thoughts to the contrary). Don't give up! <3

I think your question has already been answered well, but wanted to pop in to give hugs and say best of luck with the procedure!

I think your question has already been answered well, but wanted to pop in to give hugs and say best of luck with the procedure!

All applications are submitted, and school admin are back! Now, to pass time patiently...

Depending on how cold it is where you move, I would take one coat and buy the rest when you get there. Though, as I think about it, if you’re going north, but tons of fleece lined leggings to wear under your pants. They don’t take up a lot of room and make all the difference. 
Craigslist is a godsend, especially in university towns. I got a lot for free and the rest at Ikea. 

@GreenEyedTrombonist, you may find it easier/more cost effective to buy winter clothes once you arrive at your destination. I've done that before and with Labor Day and Columbus Day sales, you can find good deals on the things you need. Books are pretty easy to ship media mail though the last time I did this, the post office lost/mangled two of my boxes of books, resulting in about 45 titles going completely missing never to be seen again. So there's a risk there (which insurance helps mitigate). 
I have a dog, so I've moved by driving a car and moving furniture/books separately on several occasions. Each time, it's worked out pretty well. Obviously, without a dog, you'd have an entire backseat to fill with belongings (electronics, books, clothes, etc.), so that could make things easier/more manageable. I would definitely look into one-way car rental options as you get closer to the actual time of your move. 
P.S. I've looked into furnished places before. What I found was that they were, on average, $200-300/month more than an unfurnished place. Over a one year lease, that's an additional ~$2400, which in my experience is enough money to buy a mattress + boxspring, dresser, couch, coffee table, etc., especially if you use Craig's List, thrift stores, and places like Target or IKEA. It won't be the nicest stuff but it will be yours. 
P.P.S. Be wary of the mattress in a furnished place. You have no idea before trying whether it will be comfortable or not. An uncomfortable mattress is a recipe for disaster as it will cut into your sleep every single night. (When I started my PhD, my mom and I went to mattress stores and I picked the one that was most comfortable even though it was almost $800. As it nears the end of its lifespan, I don't regret that decision because of how many awesome nights of sleep I've had on it.)

@waltzforzizi 2 of my programs send out interview invites in the next two weeks (I think my only two programs that do interviews) so I'm currently freaking out. One of them is super high on my list (as in, depending on how visits and acceptances go, it would probably come down to it and the school I've already been accepted to) so I keep checking my application status and the results page. x]

I didn't get in anywhere last cycle. It hurt and was disheartening, but I planned to reapply. I actually ended up applying to programs outside of my previous field because my research interests were a better fit there. This change, in addition to all the rejection last year, made me really nervous about my chances. I found out this week that I got into one of the top programs I was interested in and they sent an email saying I was a top applicant. 
The point is, my GRE, GPA, background, and LoRs didn't change between the app cycles. This year I made sure to apply to programs where I knew I was a great fit, talked extensively to profs that I wanted to work with, and polished my SoP until the damn thing was shining bright like a diamond. Ultimately, this proves to me what we (and the programs) always say: it's not so much about the numbers. It's about goodness of fit and your ability to articulate that fit. Don't worry so much about the acceptance rates and published stats (unless the program explicitly states cut-offs or something). 

Hey all!
My last 4 rec letters came in today so all 7 of my apps are officially submitted. I've gotten the decision from one program already (super early compared to the rest of the programs in my field). I should hear about interviews from two schools in January and have all my decisions by end of February. I'll be over here, freaking out for the next two months.

@GreenEyedTrombonist  I too am a desktop fan and think its smart to invest in putting one together that will last you through your program.  I also have a laptop, but if that thing dies I'll be fine. 
As for footwear I think it is important to wear well made shoes especially if you are on the go.  If you want a dressier but comfortable flat I'd look at Clarks.  They have lots of options and good sales too.  Also consider waterproof hiking boots for snow days.  I find they are more comfortable and breath a bit more.
Before you spruce up your wardrobe for TAing, check out what the other TAs are doing first.  If might not be worth the expense if no one else dresses up.
I'd also look into the kind of bag you're going to carry.  If you won't have a car then you'll carry all your stuff with you and multiple bags can get annoying.  I seriously took all the stuff I'd need to carry each day into an office supply store and tested out several bags before finding a few that worked.

Geek culture sounds really fun! I am interested in digital communication as well. Probably not the same aspect... but still. Can't wait to see your publications. 

This professor has no reason to sugarcoat your progress and current work level. If they are complimenting you, they mean it. 
As Eigen said, imposter syndrome is a very real son of a bitch that most (if not all) people have to deal with at one point or another (especially in grad school). I really hope you are keeping up with the counseling as it can help with those thoughts and, as you've noticed before, keep you focused on your goal. 
Keep your eye on the prize and keep up the good work. I'm sorry the transition was so difficult for you (and as someone with no undergrad chem, I am utterly blown away by your tenacity to learn such advanced chem-even if your grades weren't what you wanted) and I'm glad that you're now in a field in which you're able to make progress. Feel free to vent here anytime if need be, but it sounds like you're doing well (despite your thoughts to the contrary). Don't give up! <3

Do you have someone you can ask? If so, yes, ask. This happens sometimes (and definitely let the first prof know your thoughts are with them if you have that kind of relationship). If a new writer agrees, I'd probably also get them a thank you card and a nice-ish gift in appreciation (I like to give my writers chocolate and plan to stop by with some in the new semester).

Hey @sriracha18! Welcome to the thread and thank you! Different departments value the quant section differently, but if your other scores were good you'll most likely be fine. Quant was my lowest GRE score, but when I was talking with my POI at UConn (a quant-heavy program) they weren't concerned.
 
Apologies if there are any typos or weird things in this post. One of my cats likes to make my keyboard his pillow...
 

So real talk, I was married for a while. Though not the only contributing factor, I knew the marriage was over the second I started talking about going to grad school and his response was that I wasn't allowed to unless it paid us. I'm so happy to be divorced because I'm no longer anchored by someone keeping me from living the life I want to live. AKA I have dreams and aspirations and I'm not willing to give up on those for a partner (and a partner shouldn't ask you to, though there may be some situations where you choose to value the partner over the dream). I'm not gonna lie and say it'll be easy to find the right partner, because it honestly won't, but you should not have to compromise your values in such an extreme way for the chance at romantic fulfillment. I hope you find a partner who will make you happy and who values your passions and goals as much as you do. <3 

I think you're getting ahead of yourself. You've been invited to meet with faculty, you haven't accepted the admission offer and have to have it all planned out. This is a Chem event, so meet with the one you like and maybe see if there's another 1 or 2 in the faculty of chem that at least have interesting research. I would not just say I want to only meet with the one person. You still don't know what's going on with BBMB so just don't sign on the dotted line yet. See what Chem has to offer, see if you get an offer from BBMB, and weigh your options then.

I didn't get in anywhere last cycle. It hurt and was disheartening, but I planned to reapply. I actually ended up applying to programs outside of my previous field because my research interests were a better fit there. This change, in addition to all the rejection last year, made me really nervous about my chances. I found out this week that I got into one of the top programs I was interested in and they sent an email saying I was a top applicant. 
The point is, my GRE, GPA, background, and LoRs didn't change between the app cycles. This year I made sure to apply to programs where I knew I was a great fit, talked extensively to profs that I wanted to work with, and polished my SoP until the damn thing was shining bright like a diamond. Ultimately, this proves to me what we (and the programs) always say: it's not so much about the numbers. It's about goodness of fit and your ability to articulate that fit. Don't worry so much about the acceptance rates and published stats (unless the program explicitly states cut-offs or something). 

oh wow @mintless, 17 is such a crazy amount of apps to need to do and keep straight. How are you managing?
Anyone else nervous that January's right around the corner?

oh wow @mintless, 17 is such a crazy amount of apps to need to do and keep straight. How are you managing?
Anyone else nervous that January's right around the corner?

Omg,  how did I miss this? Congrats, Im so happy for you! 

I didn't get in anywhere last cycle. It hurt and was disheartening, but I planned to reapply. I actually ended up applying to programs outside of my previous field because my research interests were a better fit there. This change, in addition to all the rejection last year, made me really nervous about my chances. I found out this week that I got into one of the top programs I was interested in and they sent an email saying I was a top applicant. 
The point is, my GRE, GPA, background, and LoRs didn't change between the app cycles. This year I made sure to apply to programs where I knew I was a great fit, talked extensively to profs that I wanted to work with, and polished my SoP until the damn thing was shining bright like a diamond. Ultimately, this proves to me what we (and the programs) always say: it's not so much about the numbers. It's about goodness of fit and your ability to articulate that fit. Don't worry so much about the acceptance rates and published stats (unless the program explicitly states cut-offs or something).