iLikeTrees

I would just briefly explain to the prof that you've had a circuitous route and would have multiple transcripts, that while they would be reviewed by an admission committee, are largely unrelated to your current track and ask the prof what he would like. On a side note, I actually think that people who have had this kind of change of career track are often stronger candidates. You've been down a path and realized it's not what you want, which not only reinforces that this is what you want to do, but gives you a lot of experience and maturity that those you'll be competing against for the spot don't have. I just hired somebody with a similar story as a summer worker and he's been one of the best we've had and his story really made him stand out in his application.

A while back my advisor and I had talked about applying for the NSF DDEP (through OISE) to fund some international research I'd like to do, but when I go to the solicitation, the most recent updates say that it's been removed from the solicitation. (see link below) nsf.gov - OISE - Funding - International Research Experiences for Students - US National Science Foundation (NSF) Does anybody know if the program got cut because of budget cuts etc or is it just somewhere else that I can't find. I'm guessing my next best shot is a DDRI or DDIG (my research could fall into either). Anybody know anything that can help me out?

I didn't have any publications when I was applying to grad school and it didn't hurt me, at least where I was applying. Granted I had a lot of work experience to balance it out that most potential advisors saw as a bigger draw and my field isn't as competitive as maybe something like biomedical research. Where I DID come into problems was when I applied for fellowships like the GRFP last year. I had some research experience that produced posters and was working on my masters degree and got slammed for not having papers published. Never mind I was still collecting data from my first field season when I was writing the #&$* application. (grrrr....) While this definitely hurt me, truth be told, it possibly wouldn't have mattered as much if my essays etc. were stronger. In short, I doubt not having publications will be a major problem for getting into grad school unless you're applying to an uber-select program where most people work in a lab for a few years before going into it.

I already did a masters and am not eligible for the NSF anymore, so I'm not currently working on a similar grant that I can just re-hash and don't want to waste my time if there's no funding. :-/ As for the acceptances, last year the notifications were made around the same time, so I don't think anybody was forced to respond before they got both notifications. I emailed the address listed on the website at the end of last week... so far no response. At this point I think I might just forget about applying for grants this year and focus on getting my MS research published instead. It'll mean there's a few things I won't be able to apply for anymore, but at least it'll be easier on my sanity.

Anybody out there know anything about the DOE SCGF that was new last year? I keep checking the website to see if it is continuing to be funded or anything changed from last year and it doesn't look like it's been updated recently. Last year the deadline was Nov. 30, so if I'm going to apply, I really should start working on it now, but don't want to waste my time if it's not being funded.

My letter & replies were pretty much the same as Evolve. The only big thing I added was one line asking for recommendations on other people & places I might want to check out since finding people & funding and been a little tight lately. It was a very different department (forestry), but one of the profs from UW actually sent me a great email suggesting about 5 places and people I should look at since he wasn't accepting students and didn't think anybody else there was accepting students with similar interests as mine. It can be really hit or miss. I think almost all of the people I emailed, I had no connection to outside of research interests. I'll also mention that I typically emailed people a 2nd time if they didn't respond since emails honestly do get buried, especially if professors are out of the office for an extended period of time (vacation, fieldwork), etc. The 2nd email never seemed to annoy anybody (most appreciated a second chance), and while I had a high response rate, I'd say only about 50% were currently taking on grad students. Some other rules of thumb, I'd heard from various people that might be of use for future applicants: Keep initial emails short; be polite, clear, and concise. Attach your resume and let that do the initial cheerleading for you rather than spending time pumping yourself up in the letter; follow up emails (Thank you for responding...) are good whether the response was favorable or not. If you've received a favorable reply from a professor expressing interest, make sure you keep up contact after an interview or the first big talk as your application is in review. Sorry for your bad experience, BioBio & others, and maybe you did do everything right everything you could. I just thought these tips that I've heard from professors & recruiters in industry may be helpful in the future for others and hopefully you. :-)

The USDA has apparently started a new set of grants in their Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, and supposedly they're creating a fellowship along the same lines of the NSF, EPA, DOE etc. I keep checking the website (Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) RFA) but it just says that they anticipate the RFA release in May 2010, which has clearly passed. Before I start having too much time on my hands and find who to bug for more info, I thought I'd start here and see if anybody knows anything about who's qualified, fellowship perks, etc.

Location is definitely an important consideration!!! Like you said, especially for PhD programs, it's important to be a place you'll be happy. If you're unhappy because of a location (social life, weather, proximity to family/friends...) it bleeds over into everything else. You will be most successful where you're happy, so consider all aspects before making your decision. Also, if you're constantly griping about how [school A] doesn't have X it really won't help your professional or personal success if you're seen with a negative person. I would say don't rule out a really good program immediately because you don't think you'd like the location, but don't ignore the location either. If the program/advisor/research sounds awesome, go visit, you might be surprised. Location concerns is one of the (many) reasons I went for a M.S. before deciding to stay for a PhD -- I wasn't ready to be tied to a single place yet.

As bon to the jour alluded to, my advisor motivates me by playing a mother-like role in my academics and research. She is always very supportive and hand-off giving me "privileges" like being able to more or less do what I want, when I want. It's a really positive relationship and the outside motivation (on top of my own self-motivation) comes from not wanting to disappoint her. Whenever she has to step in and say something to correct a situation, I (and my lab) feel very guilty that we let her down and really should've done better. That being said, my advisor has realistic (but high) expectations for our work, provides critical, constructive feedback, and doesn't burden us with "busy work" that she simply doesn't want to do herself so we all try to reciprocate. She is also very much a mentor and encourages us to find a life-work balance and not spend all of our time in the lab/books etc and that goes a long way towards a relationship of mutual respect. While the positive atmosphere and support really helps me thrive because I'm highly self-driven, I feel like this maybe wouldn't provide as much pushing as some people might need/want. and for what it's worth (since somebody mentioned it), I'm in the natural sciences, if that colors your interpretation of what I've said.

I'm going to do the same thing. I've even decided against netflix since there's enough websites where I can find almost anything I want streaming for free. And Melusine, my bf is a giant CC fan too!! I was surprised to see that name come up and just had to reply! I'm guessing your bf will be glued to the internet or TV for most of June/July as well then...

If you want it to be able to carry a bunch of stuff, but not having lighter loads flopping around, look for something with synch straps. I have a hiking backpack that I use the most since it allows me to carry large loads (books, lunch, computer, change of clothes) comfortably each way & keep stuff separate on my 30 min walk to/from campus. It also lets me strap it down into a more compact form when I don't have as much to carry. It's probably bigger than most people would want to haul around all day and doesn't look very professional, but it works really well since I originally bought it for fieldwork when I was hiking 15+ miles a day for my job. I also have a smaller bag that I leave in my office and use to tote notebooks etc around campus or to/from my apartment if I don't need the big bag one day. Anyways, my recommendations for features to look for in a bag include: - ergonomic/padded shoulder straps - a size that fits you (I'm small, so I have too find women's-specific frames) - synch straps to compact smaller loads - water proofing or maybe a pack cover in case of unexpected rain (my pack seems to get wet quite a bit) - a separate, removable sleeve for your computer. I find that built-in sleeves aren't can be uncomfortable if you computer doesn't fill it up I also recommend looking at discount sites for good bags for cheaper. I got my (rather expensive) pack for 1/2 price from campmor because it was an old model. Spending the money is definitely a good investment since it will almost certainly get a LOT of use.

Going to grad school does not mean saying "good bye" to fun and even vacations. Grad school is often what you want to make of it. You're not a robot and nobody expects you to be. (Ok, usually. everybody hears advisor horror stories.) Sure I spend a lot of time on my research, classes, TA responsibilities, etc, but I also spend a LOT of time doing fun stuff. Fun is a very important part to mental health. For me, the key is to be an efficient worker. When I work, I am really focused, work hard get a lot done. If I'm unfocused and not being productive, I often cut my losses, give up, go have fun and come back later when I can concentrate. This is true for a lot people I know and one of the advantages of having a flexible work schedule. There will definitely be periods where you feel like all you do is work and worry about the work you haven't done yet, but it tends to come and go. There are plenty of opportunities for fun. I actually don't work a ton on the weekends, because I reserve that for going out, socializing, and general relaxing. Sure I work some, but really it's pretty minimal unless i have a big deadline. And you CAN take vacations, you just have to find gaps in your schedules and make it work. Even though I have classes & TA responsibilities during the academic year and fieldwork ALL spring, summer, and fall, I work it out with my lab so that I can take off for a week or two without any problems. As long as my work is up to the high bar set by my advisor and myself, nobody complains. I guess if your version of fun is being a beach bum for 3 months every summer, out partying until 3 a.m. every night during the school year, and have never had to balance work with play, maybe you will see it as saying goodbye to fun, but I don't think that tends to be the case with most people in grad school :-) t's all about finding a balance that works for you. As for the OP, I think trying to do about half the summer is a good idea. Moving in a bit before classes, etc. start is definitely nice. For me, I talked with my advisor and took a non-related job in a great location for most of the summer and then came to where I am now a month early to get in the swing of things. For me, not having a job was NOT an option, but I enjoyed doing something different to take a breadth before jumping into work. If they say they need you to start 2 months early, see if you can work it out so that you can still take some weeks off at points. In my experience, most labs are pretty flexible with incoming students before they start. As for this forum making it sound like grad school is the end of fun and all non-academic life, I think it's skewed because many of the current grads come here and post to vent frustration, share learning lessons from the mistakes they made, etc. It's like how ratemyprofessor.com tends to be skewed towards negative reviews or why voter is high when they're dissatisfied with the government... few people bother to say anything when nothings wrong. Or maybe they're all out having fun rather than wasting away obsessively checking the [fill in the blank] forum. ;-)

I discovered that the citation software I had in my undergrad had a 2-year license and expired as I'm in the final stages of my MS thesis writing. (booo!) I had Sente (I got it for free) but wasn't super-impressed, so I'm wondering what other grads out there use and recommend. I don't really know what's available and the one I've heard about most is Endnote & I've heard mixed things about that. I'm doing my writing on a Mac and I'm in a science field, so recommendations that suit those two specifications would be great. Thanks!

Sadly, this perspective does seem kinda cold, but this is my current perspective too. I know I'm still growing and figuring things out and I'm not ready to factor obligations to another person in that yet. Luckily, when I brought this up with my boyfriend when we had been dating a few months he agreed and said he felt the same. I was looking around for PhD problems and we both agreed that he shouldn't be part of my decision. If we were still together when the time came for me to move, he could follow me (he's a teacher) or not based upon what he felt was best for him. Similarly, if I stayed (which I did) it was not because he was there. Everybody's different and at different points in their life though. Even though I've been with my boyfriend for quite some time now and care VERY deeply for him (I have a phobia of the L-word), there are still parts of my life I'm not ready to compromise on. I feel I'm too young to want to be tied down and regardless of who I meet, I'm not ready to give this up. By some miracle, my boyfriend has no problems with this and encourages me to live my life first. We just talk as things come up and take life one step at a time. He's right for my life right now and I for his, but we are honest and talk and re-evaluate when we hit bumps. So far, so good, but neither one of us is looking for a life-long commitment right now and that's what matters to us. There's nothing wrong with this. Maybe it's not romantic or fit other people's notions and experiences, but it works for us, we're happy, and honest and that's all I care about. I have plenty of friend that got married right out of high school though and had no problems compromising from the start. That's what they wanted, chose, and have been happy with. As for the OP, if you convince yourself that situations won't allow it to work, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. It happens just because you believe it will. Be honest with yourself and your partner. Nobody can tell you this is how you have to do it, or this is how it should be, but you do owe it to yourself & your partner to be honest with each other.

I mostly agree. But I think it somewhat depends on your reasons for moving. If it's merely your interests really lie in another topic, you should definitely talk to your current advisor first. If your current advisor really doesn't want to let you go or the person you want to work with can't take you, maybe you could skew your project to combine both your interests. Unless the fields are completely different and there's no way to mix the two, this is pretty common. You might want to explore options for being co-advised by the two faculty if you don't want to burn any bridges. This isn't uncommon in my field, particularly if somebody wants to shift direction a bit or thinks they would benefit most from working closely with two specific people. If you have some personal/professional problems with your current advisor that are prompting you to move, I would talk to somebody in the program (chair, trusted experienced 3rd party) about your concerns and the best way to approach switching advisors. This method of moving is usually the messiest, but if it's something so serious where you think you need to completely change advisors, it's probably best.

Since it sounds like you have the motivation and capability do well in grad school, the biggest advice I can give is to form and use good support networks. There will certainly be days when you question what your doing and if this is what you want, and this is where you need friends that remind you that you really are awesome and can handle it. Great morale cheerleaders are essential to my sanity sometimes. :-) My family has always been a huge part of my support section because they really value education and aren't afraid to remind me of my strengths/weaknesses, but I know others who can't really rely on family support since they don't understand. Other grad students in your department or outside of it are great in this case since they have been through or are going through the same process as you. The other part of the support networks means admitting when you don't know something and asking for help. It's always better to admit ignorance and get help before a challenge becomes a major problem. Everybody comes into PhD programs from different backgrounds and have gaps in their knowledge. Having the self-confidence to admit when you don't know and taking the initiative to fill in the gaps or build upon what you already know will really help you succeed. Your morale cheerleaders can also help here by giving you second opinions on your work. When I have to give presentations for a general audience, the feedback I get from my friends outside my field are honestly more helpful than my advisor and labmates since they don't fill in the jargon/background without thinking. Of course all of the undergrad stuff of study hard, stay on top of your work, don't get behind, be self-driven, etc applies to, but I'm guessing you've got that covered. (I should note that I thrive in a collaborative non-competitive atmosphere where the biggest person pushing myself is me with my advisor encouraging me to challenge myself and do better. If you're more a person that is driven by outside forces, I don't know how helpful my advice is.

ScotchDave, I think I know what you're talking about because I remember hearing something about it on NPR a few months ago. If it's what I'm thinking of it wasn't focused on grad school or academia at all, it was actually more for the corporate world. Sadly, I don't remember the website. It is possible that it got shut down because the article I heard on it made it sounds pretty controversial since there was no way to fact-check allegations and (mostly negative) comments employees made.

I feel like we say this a lot in this site, but it depends a lot on you & your advisor. For me there's a ton of back and forth with my advisor, both in person and in email. We meet every two weeks, but in the meantime if anything comes up which she should be filled in or if I have something to ask it's completely fine to email or just pop into her office (for quick things). She was always more than happy to see new results or give me feedback on not finished grant applications or thesis sections. It also goes the other way though: it's not unusual for me to be working in the lab (across from her office) and she pops in and out with questions and comments or send emails about random lab stuff. In our lab group all of us (advisor and students) are constantly sharing papers, relevant findings, etc. I really like the open flow of communication in our lab and it really helps keep everybody on the same page and heads off problems early. Not to generalize, but I think younger professors with smaller labs have less of a problem than this than professors with large labs. I think if an advisor has tons of grad students, it would probably be hard to get anything done if advisees were constantly sending stuff looking for feedback.

The academic year varies slightly from university to university. At my school, the academic year is 10 months: August through May. A few places may only be 9 months (September - May or August - April), but most schools at least in the east I think are 10 months. I recommend you check your school's academic calendar or check with somebody from your program.

Like everybody said, definitely talk to people to see if your perception is how he is always or if it what exactly to expect. Something else I'll suggest is talk to FORMER students or those that are NOT in his lab but have dealt with him. When students are still working under an advisor or have only recently gotten free, they have to be very careful about what they say because in many ways their careers and reputations are tied to his. I unfortunately know some people with a umm... difficult advisor. Make sure you can read between the lines of what people say. I'm not trying to be negative, but I just want to make sure you realize that your gut MAY be right. Your original impression could also be wrong, and it could definitely have been nerves or stress on your part. When you've been shoveled around all day in interviews it's easy to feel overwhelmed and pressured by an intensive professor. Also, there's nothing wrong if your what you thought was your #1 isn't after you considered other things. When I was applying to grad school I went to a school that was originally pretty low on my list, but after talking with my advisor and future lab mates, I completely changed my mind. I got into the other programs that had better reputations and got nice offers, but I decided I would be happier with my research and personal life at the place I am now. I have 0 regrets. I love my research and my advisor. Even if your advisor is pretty hands-off in how he runs the lab, he will still be a BIG part of your life throughout grad school and it's very important to make sure you find one that you can get along with. Again, I don't want to scare you and you've probably thought about this, but I've seen too many people miserable because they can't get along with their advisor and it's a situation to avoid if at all possible since moving labs can be messy for your program and academic politics. (Sadly politics can be a big part of some programs.)

Thanks for the encouragement, but I wasn't exactly after numbers and going through the "if only" stuff. My advisor and I were both shocked and a little concern that the most consistent criticism of my application was lack of pubs seemed to be a big deal to the reviewers. We both thought it would have been unusual for somebody in their first two years of grad school in our field to have a pubs, but apparently we were wrong. Sure if I'd written better essays, that probably wouldn't have been a problem, but I was just trying to gauge whether it was really a problem of I didn't play up other parts of my accomplishments enough or having something published in a peer-reviewed journal by the end of undergrad/beginning of grad was so common nowadays. Mostly it was for future reference for my grad and undergrad advisors (who now knows to push students to publish harder if they want to be very competitive) who apparently had different expectations than reviewers. I guess I was also just surprised and a little annoyed they expected me to have published from my masters when I was still collecting data (from my 1 and only field season). If i'd known i should have made that clearer or said pubs were "in prep" (although that is stretching it), I would've. :-/ oh well... too late now.

For those people that had publications listed in your application (especially people who received an award/HM), how many did you have and where did they come from? And what is your field? I and it sounds like a few others got the shaft for not having any publications. When I mentioned this to a few professors, everybody seems pretty surprised and thinks it would be rare to have publications when you're in your 1st two years of grad school, but perhaps we've been under the wrong impression? I have presentations from my research experience, but my reviewers apparently thought that there should be journal publications. For those that got awards, did you have any publications?

Now that many of us have heard about the NSF GRFP, anybody know anything more about when the DOE SCGF will be announced? Best I can find is still April 15. I'm definitely not expecting anything out of the SCGF since I got a flat out rejection from NSF and I'm guessing this will be uber-competitive, but I'm just tired of waiting.

I'm in basically the same boat: IM VG/VG BI VG/F (one says I didn't address all the criteria even though the other thought it was great) Basically the big thing I was lacking was publications from previous research. I have presentations, but in my small, undergrad-only institution there wasn't really a push to publish and I'm still writing my MS thesis and am not quite ready to publish from that. I can't apply again for the NSF and am very doubtful I'll get the DOE, but I feel better than I did this morning. At least it sounds like once I crank out hopefully 3+ pubs from my MS I'll be a strong candidate for the DOE next year. Congrats to winners & HMs and good luck to everybody with whatever you do now/next!

Me too! I got a migraine earlier this evening form the anticipation of knowing an announcement is soon and the stress of trying to finish my MS thesis. (19 days to get the penultimate version to my advisor!) No TA for me in the morning, but there I do have to do fieldwork with a raging case of allergies... oh spring!