000

Oh, I certainly wasn't suggesting that relationships are not about compromise; quite the opposite, really. And I probably jumped the gun given that I do not have all the facts. But here we are comparing "does not like location, does not affect career, only lasts two years," versus "dramatically affects career prospects." Seems like a no-brainer to me. If he has an amazing location-specific job, or he has family that needs to be taken care of (not just that he wants to be able to see all the time), then that's a completely different situation.

The way the OP presented it, she has a choice that rises above the others in the worst location. The boyfriend should jump at the chance to get this. In his situation, I'd swallow my opinion about location and never even attempt to convince my SO to go somewhere else for my sake, because her future is infinitely more important than where I live for two years.

You're not gonna like this, but if your boyfriend works from home, has been with you for seven years, and isn't saying with complete sincerity that you should go to the best program you get into even if it's in the middle of freakin' Siberia, you should really be re-evaluating your relationship. That's outrageous.

I am a neurobiology graduate student. If you are being honest with yourself about this? This really should mean a lot. 
 
You are at a major disadvantage with your GPA. I know that some programs will throw your application out immediately when they see it, but not all of them will. If you can get letters of reference from people who are as respected as Ed Boyden and Ann Graybiel, you should be able to overcome your undergrad record. Your recommenders need to address your GPA in their letters and say that it is not a good reflection of who you are as an applicant. Try to get all of your recommendations from people who are at this level of research. 
 
I can tell you that if you came to top-tier programs with glowing recommendations from these three people, you would be admitted somewhere. I am concerned that you're not able to get a technician position at MIT with anybody else... that suggests that there's more going on. Neuro labs in MIT/Harvard are not generally hurting for funding, and if you did a good job at your previous position, you should be able to "upgrade".

I am a neurobiology graduate student. If you are being honest with yourself about this? This really should mean a lot. 
 
You are at a major disadvantage with your GPA. I know that some programs will throw your application out immediately when they see it, but not all of them will. If you can get letters of reference from people who are as respected as Ed Boyden and Ann Graybiel, you should be able to overcome your undergrad record. Your recommenders need to address your GPA in their letters and say that it is not a good reflection of who you are as an applicant. Try to get all of your recommendations from people who are at this level of research. 
 
I can tell you that if you came to top-tier programs with glowing recommendations from these three people, you would be admitted somewhere. I am concerned that you're not able to get a technician position at MIT with anybody else... that suggests that there's more going on. Neuro labs in MIT/Harvard are not generally hurting for funding, and if you did a good job at your previous position, you should be able to "upgrade".

I am a neurobiology graduate student. If you are being honest with yourself about this? This really should mean a lot. 
 
You are at a major disadvantage with your GPA. I know that some programs will throw your application out immediately when they see it, but not all of them will. If you can get letters of reference from people who are as respected as Ed Boyden and Ann Graybiel, you should be able to overcome your undergrad record. Your recommenders need to address your GPA in their letters and say that it is not a good reflection of who you are as an applicant. Try to get all of your recommendations from people who are at this level of research. 
 
I can tell you that if you came to top-tier programs with glowing recommendations from these three people, you would be admitted somewhere. I am concerned that you're not able to get a technician position at MIT with anybody else... that suggests that there's more going on. Neuro labs in MIT/Harvard are not generally hurting for funding, and if you did a good job at your previous position, you should be able to "upgrade".

I am a neurobiology graduate student. If you are being honest with yourself about this? This really should mean a lot. 
 
You are at a major disadvantage with your GPA. I know that some programs will throw your application out immediately when they see it, but not all of them will. If you can get letters of reference from people who are as respected as Ed Boyden and Ann Graybiel, you should be able to overcome your undergrad record. Your recommenders need to address your GPA in their letters and say that it is not a good reflection of who you are as an applicant. Try to get all of your recommendations from people who are at this level of research. 
 
I can tell you that if you came to top-tier programs with glowing recommendations from these three people, you would be admitted somewhere. I am concerned that you're not able to get a technician position at MIT with anybody else... that suggests that there's more going on. Neuro labs in MIT/Harvard are not generally hurting for funding, and if you did a good job at your previous position, you should be able to "upgrade".

I am a neurobiology graduate student. If you are being honest with yourself about this? This really should mean a lot. 
 
You are at a major disadvantage with your GPA. I know that some programs will throw your application out immediately when they see it, but not all of them will. If you can get letters of reference from people who are as respected as Ed Boyden and Ann Graybiel, you should be able to overcome your undergrad record. Your recommenders need to address your GPA in their letters and say that it is not a good reflection of who you are as an applicant. Try to get all of your recommendations from people who are at this level of research. 
 
I can tell you that if you came to top-tier programs with glowing recommendations from these three people, you would be admitted somewhere. I am concerned that you're not able to get a technician position at MIT with anybody else... that suggests that there's more going on. Neuro labs in MIT/Harvard are not generally hurting for funding, and if you did a good job at your previous position, you should be able to "upgrade".

You're liable to hamstring yourself by preparing questions ahead of time. Good departments are looking for people who are bright and conversational in science. 
 
While particular questions about the program are fine, in some sense, the #1 thing faculty are looking for is for you to be engaged and quick on your feet with questions that pertain to what they've been talking about. You don't need to prep; you need to pay attention. If someone spends 10 minutes talking about their research, asks you if you have questions, and you ask a canned question about the graduate program... that won't reflect well. 

You're liable to hamstring yourself by preparing questions ahead of time. Good departments are looking for people who are bright and conversational in science. 
 
While particular questions about the program are fine, in some sense, the #1 thing faculty are looking for is for you to be engaged and quick on your feet with questions that pertain to what they've been talking about. You don't need to prep; you need to pay attention. If someone spends 10 minutes talking about their research, asks you if you have questions, and you ask a canned question about the graduate program... that won't reflect well. 

You're liable to hamstring yourself by preparing questions ahead of time. Good departments are looking for people who are bright and conversational in science. 
 
While particular questions about the program are fine, in some sense, the #1 thing faculty are looking for is for you to be engaged and quick on your feet with questions that pertain to what they've been talking about. You don't need to prep; you need to pay attention. If someone spends 10 minutes talking about their research, asks you if you have questions, and you ask a canned question about the graduate program... that won't reflect well. 

You're liable to hamstring yourself by preparing questions ahead of time. Good departments are looking for people who are bright and conversational in science. 
 
While particular questions about the program are fine, in some sense, the #1 thing faculty are looking for is for you to be engaged and quick on your feet with questions that pertain to what they've been talking about. You don't need to prep; you need to pay attention. If someone spends 10 minutes talking about their research, asks you if you have questions, and you ask a canned question about the graduate program... that won't reflect well. 

Sorry. That was uber mean. Hope you guys won't hold it against me. But with all this tension, I had to get a joke in somewhere. Just FYI, it probably won't take all night for them to update.

it let me download the excel file because i had that page open and clicked excel after it went down....!!!!

THE excel file!!!! Heyoooo

I'm just messing with you all. April Fools a few days late.

Oh, I certainly wasn't suggesting that relationships are not about compromise; quite the opposite, really. And I probably jumped the gun given that I do not have all the facts. But here we are comparing "does not like location, does not affect career, only lasts two years," versus "dramatically affects career prospects." Seems like a no-brainer to me. If he has an amazing location-specific job, or he has family that needs to be taken care of (not just that he wants to be able to see all the time), then that's a completely different situation.

The way the OP presented it, she has a choice that rises above the others in the worst location. The boyfriend should jump at the chance to get this. In his situation, I'd swallow my opinion about location and never even attempt to convince my SO to go somewhere else for my sake, because her future is infinitely more important than where I live for two years.

You're not gonna like this, but if your boyfriend works from home, has been with you for seven years, and isn't saying with complete sincerity that you should go to the best program you get into even if it's in the middle of freakin' Siberia, you should really be re-evaluating your relationship. That's outrageous.

You're not gonna like this, but if your boyfriend works from home, has been with you for seven years, and isn't saying with complete sincerity that you should go to the best program you get into even if it's in the middle of freakin' Siberia, you should really be re-evaluating your relationship. That's outrageous.

You're not gonna like this, but if your boyfriend works from home, has been with you for seven years, and isn't saying with complete sincerity that you should go to the best program you get into even if it's in the middle of freakin' Siberia, you should really be re-evaluating your relationship. That's outrageous.

You're not gonna like this, but if your boyfriend works from home, has been with you for seven years, and isn't saying with complete sincerity that you should go to the best program you get into even if it's in the middle of freakin' Siberia, you should really be re-evaluating your relationship. That's outrageous.

You're not gonna like this, but if your boyfriend works from home, has been with you for seven years, and isn't saying with complete sincerity that you should go to the best program you get into even if it's in the middle of freakin' Siberia, you should really be re-evaluating your relationship. That's outrageous.