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Think_Positive

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    Epidemiology

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  1. hehe, I'll throw in the cheesey quote that I've been reciting like a mantra: "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan, 'press on' has solved, and always will solve, the problems of the human race." -Calvin Coolidge
  2. Hi all - I was wondering if any one took any Subject GREs for applications to Epidemiology PhD programs. I've seen one or two schools that suggested (although not required) the Biology GRE, and I was debating if I should attempt it before the next round of applications. Has anyone else taken it? Any suggestions on how to prep? My undergrad was in computer graphics (not really related), but I will be completing an MPH next spring.
  3. Wow! So glad to finally see someone else mention this program.... As far as I've found, no one else on this forum has ever mentioned it... and I have very little information I can share with you about it. I applied to it this semester and I didn't get accepted, but I am in the middle of an MPH program right now, and got rejected at all 4 schools I applied to (one school told me specifically it was because I was in the middle of another program), so I take it with a grain of salt. I do know that the program has only been around since 2008 or so, they accept around 5-6 people a year, and for this year they offered a stipend for ~$27K. But that's about all I know. Hopefully this thread will get more people talking about it and we can get more information
  4. I also think that your GRE scores are excellent - and that there's no reason to retake it. The analytical writting may be a little weak, but since you are going in for Computer Science which is more technical than writing oriented, and you will also have your SOP to demonstrate your writing strengths, I would not waste the time and money on retaking it just to up your AW. I probably WOULD invest that time in taking the CS GRE however. Given how strong your GRE scores are, I think you'll likely do very well, and that's a nice little edge to put you over at least some other applicants in the process. Like most people have suggested, strengthening your SOP and adding a bit more relevant academic experience will probably help as well. Schools want to make sure you can still handle an academic work load, which has a different set of demands than the working world. I'm in a similar boat - applied to only four schools, because those are the only ones I felt had an appropriate fit to my interests. Updating my SOP, and reaching out to specific professors at each program are my goals before the next round of applications. By forming a relationship with a professor, I'm hoping that I can create an even more specific and relevant SOP for each program, and that the relationship might help solidify my application in front of the admissions committee.
  5. I was wondering where people have lived or are planning on living during their PhD studies? Did you rent an apartment? Buy a house? Did the school offer subsidized housing on or around campus? I didn't get into a program for Fall 2010, but I'm looking forward to applying for 2011.... However, in April of 2011 I am getting married, and my fiance and I had hoped on buying a house as a next step once we move out of our current apartment. The schools I'm looking at are in a geographic location which I would ideally want to work in (the DC-Baltimore area for its close connections to government opportunities), so we would likely want to stay in the area for quite a few years. If applications don't go well next year, I'm also planning on job searching in the same area because by then I'll by finished with my MPH. However it is a bit daunting to be house hunting, job searching, finishing my MPH, preparing for our wedding, and waiting to hear back from grad programs all at the same time....
  6. My field is very different - but my story was similar. Applied to four schools, rejected from all... ramping up for the next round of applications without missing a beat! Well, apart from those first few days/weeks wallowing in self-pity, but I think we earned them after the roller coaster of apprehension that is the application process. And like your boyfriend, my fiance deserves a metal for not just putting up with me the whole time - but actually remaining supportive and optimistic, even once all the rejections came in. From what I've read throughout this site, I think SOP and LORs are extremely important. So I suggest you definitely try to get LORs you feel confident about and you're sure could best write to your strengths (sounds like you have on thats questionable). Same for your SOP - I don't see anything against mentioning professors names. Not for the purpose of name dropping - but to display how your interests lie specifically within ongoing research and opportunities of the program you're applying to. The advice I was given was to make sure schools know you want to be at their school, and their program... and that you're not just sending out a blanket application from a student-for-life. And I think getting more ongoing experience related to your field will help all of these aspects of your application. For my own app - I'm looking to tighten up my SOP as well, and am looking to get some real-world research experience before applications are due (most of my experience has been soley academic). I'm also planning on reaching out to POIs at each program to work on making better connections and more relevant information that I can use to strengthen my SOP and hopefully increase my chances when it goes ebfore the admissions committee.
  7. I am 27, getting married next April, and looking to start a PhD in the fall of 2011. My fiance and I are looking forward to starting a family sooner than later, and while I'm its quite a challenge no matter when you decide to start a family, we're thinking things might go a bit smoother while I'm in school . However, when I spoke to my older sister about this, she gave me some advice I thought I'd pass along. She suggested that the best course of action is to only look 6 months ahead. Don't try to plan out the details of your entire life, or entire academic career, or anything of the sort. Things may change in your relationship, in yours or your significant other's schedules, in your family's health or prosperity.... Or, you might just realize that you're still not quite ready. Just decide "Are we ready to have a child in the next six months?" and if not... keep moving ahead and focusing on (and enjoying) all the life events that are going around now, instead of just looking towards whats coming next. By the way.... for some of the biological debate. I'm not an expert in the field by any means, but I thought I'd throw out a few things. You are borne with a set number of eggs.. It's not just the fact that you have less eggs as you get older, it's the fact that your eggs are getting older and starting to degenerate. That's why women are encouraged to start a family when they are younger. Once you have had your first child, the huge influx of hormones refreshes your eggs to some extent, making it safer to have children later in your 30s and I suppose even early 40s, but there is still an increased risk as time goes by. But these are not magic numbers. It's not that when the clock strikes 12 on your 30th birthday, your chances of a healthy baby suddenly plummet and your entire body chemistry has changed... They're just rough thresholds based on statistical studies. Every woman is different, and every couple is different - I agree with several posters that the most important thing is making sure you AND YOUR PARTNER have the time, commitment, and energy to take care of a new life you bring into the world - be it the healthiest baby or not.
  8. Thanks for all the suggestions Yeah, given what a hassle it has always been to get him to submit the letters, and my mild embarrasment at how many letters I've asked him for over the last few years (I did a semester of undergrad to bolster relevant academic experience, a round of Masters program applications, a round of PhD applications... and now looking at a second round) .... I think I'll drop him off the 2011 application and go with more recent professors. With any luck, I'll get a research opportunity for the summer so that I'll have two recent professors, and one more professional reference.
  9. Really? LOL I always thought it would hurt to include more than the request numbers of LORs. They don't frown upon that kinda thing?
  10. By now I'm sure a lot of people have gotten the majority, if not all of their responses. I was wondering how many people got rejected across the board, and what their battle plan is from here on out? For me, I knew this round of applications was a bit of reach because I am in the middle of my MPH (I will finish in the Spring of 2011). However, I couldn't help but try, since I know it's my end goal anyway, and my MPH is not funded. From the feedback I've gotten, it looks like one of the biggest complaints about my application was that my MPH was not finished, so I'm very hopeful for the next round. In the meantime, I'll be sprucing up my SOP and running it by as many people as possible, and hopefully picking up some real world experience during the Summer. For the first few days after I knew I wasn't starting my PhD in the fall, I was pretty depressed. But I've gotten to the point where I just see opportunities to find better programs, wait for next year which will hopefully be better financially ( = better funding), and to get a better idea of exactly what research I want to focus in for my doctorate.
  11. So I'm trying to line up letters of recommendation for next year. Basically, my undergrad and much of my recent employment history is in a fairly different (albeit not completely unrelated) field than my current MPH and future PhD. In prior applications I've relied on an old employer who is VERY unreliable when it comes to sending in his LORs, had me write the letter for him anyway, and by the time they are reviewing the Fall 2011 applications, will have not been part of my life for almost four years. However, it is a good letter of recommendation (I know since I wrote it), and he is the president and founder of the company that I used to work, and I worked with him for almost 2 years. So my question is.... should I drop this letter and just take one of my professors who might not know me quite as well but are more current and relevant to my interests? Or should I keep hassling this guy for another round of LORs, not only for the strength of letter, and who he is, but also because it relates me current endeavors to my employment history to some extent?
  12. Hm... I'm going to disagree with a few people on this forum. I think that if they don't readily remember you, they're not going to write a memorable letter of reccomendation either. I would be very concerned that it would be very generic and not playing to any of your specific strengths and characteristics. I would probably go to your former employers. Since you're going in for Law and/or an MBA, those are skills that are applicable across a much broader range of professional skills, and not something you'd have to limit to academic references. Tell your employers abt the program you're applying to, and maybe even copy the mission statement of each school so they know what parts of their experience with you they should highlight for that type of program. But I definitely think that a LOR from an unrelated source that really highlights you as an individual, will be better than just name dropping a relevant professor who writes a very generic letter.
  13. LOL this is me to a T as well. This roller coaster makes me hysterical. And then every now and again I have second thoughts abt starting a whole other degree process... but I think that's mostly my mind's way of comforting itself since I've only gotten rejections so far. All in all, I can't tell which way is up anymore
  14. Ugh, I couldn't agree more.... If I get in this year I'll start classes two weeks before my 27th birthday.
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