PokePsych

my intel informed me that Columbia is going to send their interview invites soon (I expect this week?)

Being in a very good PhD program and having talked with my advisor about this - after making the initial cut it is all about FIT. Some POIs prefer people who they can train a lot (i.e., who they can still mold), others who are more experienced and need less guidance, but most important are research interests. You can have amazing credentials but still be 2nd choice because someone had more closely aligned interests.

If anyone has applied to UVa - they may take some time because they're hiring a new faculty member and most likely will try to get students who may also be interested in working with this person [they're pretty big on working with multiple people in the area]; but not clear yet who it will be.

doing this IRB and really no clue what I"m doing.

THIS yes I know it's hard. But I do feel I'd have great opportunities OUTSIDE academia as well. It also really depends on your field (psych with quant skills goes a long way these days tbh). Plus, I wouldn't mind working in academics in a different country necessarily - and having a degree from an American top school is by no means gonna harm in that pursuit..

I would for now say - write first, then edit. I always find that order way easier. And sometimes it helps to take some distance for a bit.

I'm sorta happy I left UVa 'on time' to get my flight, not sure how I would have left Cville with this messy weather haha. But also sad to miss it.. Cville is growing on me..

Travellin for 35 hrs is not good for my body..

had the first 8 hrs of my 38 hr journey :')

Its all gonna be fine... eventually.

Only need an abstract and fix my title page.. And I'm exactly on 15 pages.. (excludign references, abstract, and title page), so that's perfect. Was not able to do a superoptimal lit review but its def good enoguh.

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO tired.. worst ever..

As for admission committees. My intel (transferring to an ivy through the normal applications) is that my advisor can demand to take me in, regardless of the ad comm (given that he has no students now as well). So POI's may/may have not some sort of 'veto' in the say. Given that fit is so important, I know that here at my current school POIs do also have quite a say in it. I also know that somewhere in Canada I applied all the applications will basically be given to the POI and the ad comm has far less say in it.

^what the person above me says. And also be mindful of what you want to do AFTER your Ph.D. The extension of J1 for a postdoc can be nice, but if you don't have one lined up it can be a problem if you'd get one in a later point in time as you'd have to wait a year before another J1 visa can get issued. Same goes for academic jobs that go on a J1 visa (so you cant transfer from a J1-student visa to a J1-prof visa directly; you'd have to wait a year). Similarly, the OPT that is tied to a F1 can be great for people looking to get work experience after their PhD.

time stress.. and yet I only got to work at 11 am coz my brain had the hardest time to wake up.

writing against time sucks.

this is true. And sometimes then even within a department it can be different as I got a skypeinterview basically around the same time others came from interview (and they were obviously notified earlier I assume)..

Just make sure to get it right if you actually get to the interviews These things happen!

TA-ing, we're supposed to do 10, but at this point, i do way less. We get sections from 2nd year though, so then it's more or less that amount. Also varies per class. However, we basically shouldnt do more than 10..... Lab work: Currently none, I usually use RA's and lot of Mturk or existing datasets. Lot of it is also just surveys that can be done online... Classes: I think I spend approx 6- 10 hrs in class (depending on the nr I take), preparation maybe 5 - ish atm? Of course more when a paper or presentation is due, but i usually write on topics related to my research so I don't really see it as 'classes'.... Am transferring next year though >.<

hahah wrong version? Still, the departmetn knows, so let's hope they won't tell ad comm or use both letters...

UVa!

I wouldn't raise the 'would love to chat' thing now. If you had contact with them before, it may be worthwhile to notify them that you submitted your things (so they can request your file).

tell them. You may run into issues if you don't bring it up now, get admitted, and find out they don't match.

Do NOT start on the I check my email all the time mode....

I just had the hardest time coming up with a research topic for my proposal (I now have something that is loosely related, but at lesat I like it.. This class is so not my thing). I have the paper already in my head. Still, it's going to be madness to write it in 3 days basically. Thi is probably stress - do take some time off. It can actually be refreshing to go for short walks (or indeed binge wtach) as it sort of resets your brain.