rheya19

Interview went well!!! They like me!!!! (I can't post this picture, but here's the link) http://img.pandawhale.com/post-26029-kermit-the-frog-YAY-gif-0hBT.gif

Yesterday it seems that NO ONE heard from any schools, but I have a feeling about today. Today is the day. We're going to start hearing from a bunch of schools. I'm not sure which, but the emails are being written as we speak. Also I have my Iowa interview today! It's gonna be a big day! I'm gonna light a candle and pour out a little wine to John Harvard, John Princeton, John Iowa, John UT-Austin, and any other Johns you fine people might be waiting for.

My husband and I moved here from Chicago, and like @feyfatale, we've been very underwhelmed by our experience here. Not a ton to do, the local people tend to keep to themselves, so the only real social scene is on campus. There are some good microbreweries, and the Krannert Center hosts interesting concerts, but that's it. The restaurant options aren't great (though getting a little bit better). You have to drive a ways to find non-cornfield nature. After a school year, you've seen everything there is to be seen here. The upside is that you will get a lot of work done. Think of it as a place where you can focus fully on your work and get your PhD done faster. IMHO

Sorry, just to clarify: PU has made its decisions about interviews or admissions? Are you saying they've contacted finalists?

Oops ?

Looks like at least one person heard from Harvard. They got asked to apply to the MTS program instead.

Love that sketch! "Ever notice how Sally Fields played Tom Hank's love-interest in Punchline, and 5 years later was playing his mom in Forrest Gump?"

Check out UChicago, too.

Ahhh... we have fun, don't we?

"Hail, John Harvard, full of scholasticism! Blessed art thou amongst Anglicans, and blessed is the fruit of thy loins, Harvard University. Pray for us now and at the hour of our funding. Amen." My husband's going to wonder why there are lipstick kisses on the monitor....

Also, just for the record, until they contact me, I'm choosing to believe that I still have a very good chance of getting into UT-Austin. Until I am hand-delivered a rejection letter, I'm telling myself that I can use the Secret or Scientology or something to get myself admitted. It's going to happen!! Do you hear me, Universe??

I don't even care if this is true or not. I LOVE <3 <3 <3 it.

Well, I reckon we'll all just be sittin' out here waiting for Harvard this week. Anyone got a guitar?

Can you be happy working on research that isn't really your main interest? Are any of the ivy league profs doing things you would like? Grad school is miserable and joy-sucking enough as it is without having to resent doing research you hate.

When I told my dad I was to grad school about 7 years ago, his words were to me, " Well, all right, but just be careful. A man doesn't like a woman who's too smart."

Even the best heels wear out. They're not really meant for walking or even standing for long. But at least you always have an excuse to go buy new ones!

I'm still stressing about Harvard! Why are you starting with BU??

You'll never make any money no matter what. That's all you need to know about religious studies.

It also depends upon what kind of work you produce in your PhD and the contacts you make throughout the field. You could write a ground-breaking dissertation, or gain the attention of respected researchers who want to give you interesting post-doc opportunities. It also depends upon your career goals. I'm honestly hoping to be the head of a Humanities department at a small state school or community college someday, so I can protect those kinds of programs from the budget cuts and general de-valuing they're facing. Some people want to be well-known researchers and writers, but never see the inside of a classroom. Some people want tenure at an Ivy league research institution. Others might take their degree and apply it to a non-academic industry, like journalism or a non-profit or specific businesses, etc, etc. Ivy league educations are great, but I don't think they're always necessary.

Sucks! Sorry to hear that!

Thank you for the interview advice! I'm going to start working on answers to these questions this weekend.

Teach ESL abroad? Take a job not related to your field and have a chance to rest your brain from it and look at the world in a different light?

Obviously I've never met you or your mom, but it sounds like you two have trouble setting boundaries between your life and hers. Arguing or even explaining your reasoning behind your decisions might just encourage her to argue with you further. Instead of justifying your decisions, you might just have to start saying something to the effect of, "I understand you're concerned, but I've made my decision on this." Period. The end. And if she continues, repeat it again, no raised voice, no anger. And if she still doesn't stop, then just change the subject or, if you have to, politely excuse yourself from the room. Make your boundaries clear, and don't argue with her about things that are clearly your choice. Many years ago, I used this strategy with my dad, and it worked. He couldn't argue with someone who didn't argue with him back or dismissed his researched suggestions outright (but dismissed them gently and politely, always.)

"I love teaching, but I think that research in this field will help me develop my career by blah blah blah."

I definitely see myself as more of an educator, but I'm not sure if schools prefer to hear that you're more of a researcher.