samman1994

yeah, honestly with your mindset, I think the best action would be not to even think of her. Assume she will do absolutely nothing, and apply and plan with that mindset.

Thank you for the feedback. Changes made: 1) I slightly rewrote the introduction (I hope it sounds less generic now). 2) Discussed my research step by step, instead of instrumentation check marks. 3) Went into more detail regarding my focus, and now only 2 faculty members instead of 6 4) Shortened the whole thing by about 100 words Let me know what you guys think, and thank you again as always!

Thanks for the reply! I am a little confused as to "flushing out my contribution to the study". Are you saying I should describe my undergrad experience more as a play by play account of why I used each instrument, and it's results? E.G. After solving the structure and observing the dynamics of protein X using Y, I wanted to observe how mutations in the binding interface would effect its binding capabilities. So I conducted binding studies on various mutants of protein X using instrument Z. To help explain discrepancies between our data, I probed the dynamics of the mutants of protein X using instruments Y, and solved their structures using computational modeling simulations. The above is just an example, but instead of stating my contribution as a whole (found a mechanism for binding) and just a list of the instruments I used, I go step by step and explain what I did and why. Is this what you mean by "flushing out my contributions"?

Hello everyone, I had made a previous post about this, but I recently made it a google doc so it's easier for you guys to look at it, comment, and edit (if you so desire). This way, there is no need for PMs, or emails, or a bunch of comments to be made on this post regarding that. https://docs.google.com/document/d/143O5ez8D8Zs-EKr-IBWVfOFAPbKfgRlbAvdp6BzowjM/edit?usp=sharing As of the moment, I know the intro is a bit generic, so I am working on fixing it. I also know it is a bit long and am currently working on shortening it. A few ideas I'm currently working on as of the moment (e.g. talk about less faculty members, but go into more detail regarding the ones I do discuss. I also don't go into too much detail regarding my focus, so I plan on integrating the details of my focus when I discuss the faculty members research in detail). So if you guys get a chance to look at it, please let me know what you think! Thank you ahead of time!

Haha this is poor PR gold.

oh yeah, if you add in the time of researching the company. In regards to following up however, the number on the website of the company is usually just a general customer service line, do you call them and ask for HRs department? Like I'm curious how you are able to contact HR, to call them. Also when you call them, what do you say? Do you say I wanted to follow up and see how the process is going? Or just call and thank them for providing you with the opportunity to work there and for their time looking at your application?

Dating sites work really well actually, so you could try that. Local club activities and events work well. I personally like the whole night-club dance scene (love salsa night). So there are plenty of ways to find someone, hell you might find someone in a grocery store. My parents met in a photography class they took outside of school for fun, so you never know.

I can't speak in regards to the ethics of it, however in regards to the guy I was talking about, he started dating one of the faculty members in our department. I won't go into too much detail, but it caused conflicts within our department with other professors. (There was a jealousy issue with one of the other professors, sometimes he would talk to her for hours preventing her research lab students from reaching her, etc.). Overall, it became too much drama for both of them, and decided it would be easier if they split.

@BunnyN if you want to continue this discussion, you can message fuzzy, or make your own post on the matter. This applies to everyone else commenting on this as well, regarding the female issue.

I mean, to be quite honest, I didn't think the term female was offensive either, mainly because I never looked at the term that way. (honestly I can say I have never even heard of this). I can also state many females really don't care about being called female over women, so this is more a case by case opinion on the matter. There are many words used interchangeably in our language, female and women being one of them (I can think of a million in science), that do not mean the same thing (textbook) but are used to mean the same thing (in talk). [This is not used to justify the action, but explain I don't think any offense was meant here]. Anyways, on to the post itself. In my lab we had a grad student that was in his early 40s, and he used to complain about this problem often as well. Initially he tried for people on campus (e.g. faculty members and older grad students), but that didn't work out too well (mixing relationships with work). Then he tried for maybe someone a bit younger, but he didn't really like their personalities (I guess not mature enough). He found his best success off campus, using Tinder at the time (older women use it too!), and various other dating sites. He ended up leaving a while back, but the last time we talked, he said he was much happier and having much greater success looking off campus than he did ever looking on campus.

Well I don't know about putting 4 hours a day into applications, there aren't that many new job postings every day (that are new). But follow ups are a good idea that I forgot (I only followed up after the interview, not application itself).

@Sam12345 My main advice would be to discuss what skills you have obtained during your previous majors that would contribute to your current focus. Now if you're looking at what skills in particular, I'm afraid I don't know anything about any of the fields you stated (I'm in the sciences), nor what classes you took and what you've done in terms of work experience either, so I can't answer that. You'll have to find out what the program entails, and see how you fit in the program (which is really what your SOP should be about anyways). Personally, I'm going from Chem to Biochem, and the coursework is relatively similar (Chem focuses more on synthesis and Biochem more on bio). Since I have experience in a Biochem lab however, I don't really discuss much in regards to my Chem background, and focus entirely on the Biochem lab I was in (and the skills developed there). I use only 2 sentences to discuss my change from Chem to Biochem throughout my entire SOP, and after that it's all about my lab experience.

Each application is different but the general concensus is: "The GRE does not improve your chances much, but it can hurt them". Each department values GRE scores differently however, some really care about, others not so much, and some don't even look at it. You can either google the average GRE score at the school of your picking and the department you're applying for, or if that is not online, you can email the graduate coordinator for it. You can also ask them how much they value the GRE over other factors (although you may just get a response saying they look at the application as a whole, and that they cannot say).

Yeah that's what I'm going to get once I fix this

I mean, I have access to literally pounds and pounds of it, but for obvious reasons I'd only use it if I was away, also don't know if the carbon monoxide alarm reads carbon dioxide as well, because then it would go off if it did. Regardless, that treatment seems uneffective unless you douse the whole room (don't know how much CO2 bed bugs can handle, but due to diffusion, not enough of it will saturate in one area to kill them, meaning you'd have to saturate the whole room, in which case it makes it unliveable for you). So seems like a huge hassle with potential for little success (they might just run away into the wall cracks). Seems like an exterminators job for that.

dry ice? never heard that one before

Hello everyone, So anyone of you get bed bugs in your dorm or apartment when you moved out for undergrad/grad school? If so, how'd you treat it? If in a dorm, I assume you'd inform the school itself and they'd call exterminators, but how'd you deal with those in the apartment? Considering college kids are low on funds, exterminator wouldn't be the first choice (unless landlord decides to call them). I've looked up Diatomaceous earth food grade, and looked at just spraying that basically everywhere, especially around and within the box frame and mattress, and around and inside my couches. Seems like most of the bug bombs are useless for bed bugs.

So I agree with most of Greeneyed comments on the SOP itself. As a whole, I'd say it definitely needs to flow better. A SOP should flow like a story, yours flows a bit like snapshots (e.g. you go from learning languages, immediately to become a teacher with no transition), and I'd say it's definitely not detailed enough (as Greeneyed has stated in her comments). Secondly, it needs to be more organized. You want all your ideas in one place and concise. You seem to have 2 main interests (and a lot of minor ones), but they're split across 3 paragraphs, and at the very end (these should probably be stated earlier). Finally, the SOP should show why you want the school, and why the school will want you. You vaguely discuss why the school should want you (hardworking, experience teaching, great interest), but again, most are vague and none of them flow (connect) together properly. I'd also recommend going into more detail about why you want to go to the school (maybe mention some faculty members who'd interests align with yours). There are also plenty of grammar issues and awkward sentences spread throughout. Hope this helps. All in all, I think it's a good start. Just some rewording, moving things around a bit, and a little bit more explanation and it should be good to go!

This POI personally told me to contact them when I apply, so they could get my application through and get me into the school (to join their research lab). So I doubt they would be doing that if they were at another school. I think its probably what bhr said.

ok thank you!

Hello everyone, Looking for feedback on my SOP. It is for a Biochem PhD program, so it does have a lot of biochem jargon in it, but any help would be appreciated!

I asked my professors about 3 months ago if they would be willing to write me a LOR for this fall applications, and they all agreed. However, I told them there was no rush since I wouldn't need it till the end of the year, so they had plenty of time. None-the-less I'm sure none of them have started to write the letter, and have most likely forgotten about it. I recently emailed all of them asking when they had time for an appointment. My appointments are all within the next 2 weeks. My plan is basically to walk in and basically update them on my current situation (these are the schools I'm applying to, this is how my life is so far, this is where I am in my application process, etc.), and simply inform them the deadline to apply is Dec. 1, and I plan on applying the first week of November (I don't, but I want a buffer period in case they forget again). This leaves them with a little under 2 months. Now I know they may probably still forget, and I don't have this in writing because it was in person, so I'm already planning to email them mid October informing them as to the status of my application (e.g. I've taken the GRE now, I got these scores, finished my SOPs, spoken to these professors, etc.), and asking for an update as to the status of the letter, and just reminding them of the deadline again (e.g. I've gotten my whole application together now and plan to submit this data). If I don't get the LOR (or an update to it) by basically November, I plan on emailing them again as to an update of the letter, and just ask if they need more time (like i'm running short on time, but if you need more time to write it, that's fine, please just make sure to email it to me/or the school by this date). My entire approach is primarily just updates, that act as reminders. First reminder is me updating the professor about my life and school status. Second reminder is an update on the letter and my status, as well as a re-iteration of when I want to apply (so it's in writing). Final reminder is update on letter and deadline again. So I want it come across more of a conversation as to my entire PhD process with them, instead of a constant "hey I need my letter" or "hey wheres my letter" etc. Anyways that's personally how I plan on proceeding with it. Key things to keep in mind, you don't want to bother them (this is why I have 3 reminders set between 3 months). It also matters how close you are with your PI. I was very close with my PI, to the point where I used to walk in to her office and we'd have conversations all the time (it'd usually start about something lab related, and then go into a billion different directions). So if she did forget, I wouldn't really have any problems being more straight forward with her about the deadline and when I need the letter. The other professors I don't have this relationship with, so I'm a lot more careful with my tone and frequency of emailing them. So all that being said, if you and your PI are close and do use Linkden to communicate about your school and status, then I see no problem contacting him via there. I think your format is fine, although I think it could be maybe a little bit more descriptive I.e. "Hello Dr. X, I wanted to inform you I'm deciding to apply to school X, Y, and Z for my PhD in these programs. I wanted to sit down and discuss my future school plans and goals." Afterwards you could tell him what times work for you based on your schedule for an appointment. Then you can inform him you sent an email to him as well, but since there has been a history of the email system glitching out, you wanted to contact him via Linkden as well. Anyways, hope i helped!

oh ok. Thank you!

Hello everyone, What is a courtesy appointment in academia? I know you have primary faculty, secondary, emeritus, etc. But this is the first time I've come across courtesy appointments. A quick google search indicated that these are almost like "contractor" professors. They are not theoretically hired by the school itself, and often times are not permanent. One of the professors I've been looking at for my PhD is listed as a courtesy appointment, but I don't want to join their lab is they aren't going to stay there for very long. Thank you as always!

From personal experience, the professors who did make themselves first author wasn't about the amount of work they did, they were just assholes. They're justification was "my lab, my money, so I'm always first author", even if they had very little involvement outside of writing.