bgk

1) I have added an RSS feed to the results page. The link is here. You should also see an RSS icon in the address bar of your browser. It's basic but it does have one nice feature: you can create a feed for any page you can search for. To do this, perform your search on the main page and use the RSS link to add to your feed reader. Some examples: http://thegradcafe.c...edia+studies%22 is latest Media Studies results http://thegradcafe.c...ll|upenn%29&t=w is Cornell or UPenn Neuroscience in the past week. I will probably be playing around with exactly what info appears in the feeds. Let me know what you think. 2) I have updated the blog software. Should be a fewer bugs now!

See

Hi All, I do plan to add this functionality over the break and a lot more. I'm currently swamped with writing a paper, but as soon as it's done I'll get to work! PS In the meanwhile I'll allow polyfractals feed to continue to work.

... someone with too much free time?

Hi Guys, I've had a few questions about how "view new content" button at the top of the forum works. There are two modes depending on your settings. 1) All New Content Since Last Visit - Will show every post since you last visited the board. 2) All Unread Content - Every unread post (based on 'topic markers'). To alter the settings go into your User Control Panel and go to settings: Then alter the search settings at the bottom of the screen Hope that clears things up!

You're a cynical bunch . As you'll soon be aware, even those with amazing stats (all around, not just numbers) will be in for some disappointments. Getting in is by no means a sure thing. But good luck to everyone!

The goal should be to get to the best place that does the research you are interested in ....

I imagine most adcoms haven't started meeting yet. So it's not too late to send a mail to get yourself noticed by a potential prof. Although as you say, the deadline is rather close and it would have been better to ask sooner about research opportunities.

Have you found professors at those universities who are working in the area that you want to focus on? I suggest checking their current research profiles and seeing what they are doing. (Looking at their recent publications is a good indication if they don't update their sites.) Checking a relevant journal/conference is another way to find professors working in the field you are interested in ...

Difficult to say for a "safe" university. If you just want to get admitted (and don't care about funding) try some lower "ranked" universities and see what your seniors in the US think. As for the LORs, you can only go with what you've got :-).

Hi Guys, I've installed a (beta) of the latest blog addon. I think it looks much better and it has many more features. Take a look.

At Cornell they offer an MEng degree, which I believe is a 1 year taught course. This is specifically designed for those whose goal is a professional career in Engineering (i.e. working professionals as you call them). There is no terminal MS program (if you get an MS its supposed to be along the way to a PhD). So in this sense certainly the MEng is 'weaker' than the PhD and MS. I think other engineering programs here have an MS degrees (distance based) as you described. To answer your question better I think you should say in what they are comparing to? MS, Engineering vs PhD? MS, Engineering vs just a BS?

You should try to compensate for the GPA (which is OK anyway) by getting good LORs and writing a good SOP. If you can demonstrate that you are a competent student then you should be OK. Also investigate whether your seniors have got into any US universities, as this kind of prior experience is often helpful to the admission committees.

Hi Guys If you are desperate to read/post in forums whilst out and about, you now can. I have purchased a new mobile skin optimized for iPhone and Android devices. Just navigate to the forum on your phone and it will auto detect. If it works on your device, the forum should look a bit like this:

Hey All, You might have noticed the board was down for 5 minutes earlier today while I upgraded to IPB 3.0.5. For those who are interested here is a (somewhat technical) list of what was fixed: Facebook Button Chrome"View New Content" NOT WORKING'Other Styles' BugReputation Rank still has a bug,Search Showing Threads Not Suppose to be ViewableRTL: Edit Messenger FoldersMerging postssearch result page: width = 107%RTL: Report PagePosts - EditList of links in offline messageFind Posts Last Poster InfoAttachment ordering in messenger lost with multiple recipientsFrontpage uploader issueSearch Results Not Directing To Proper PostError when click on IP Address on Member Validating QueueParachat < 7 bugError on index page when not logged in[Mark Board As Read] is no function , if guestHebrew Text - Navigation & a JS errorold macro in forum viewpp_status index reporting not presentuse furl for sign in indexStatistic Center still messed up in 3.0.4Portal Online Users Plugin Lo-Fi skinOpenID login option visible in LoFi skinRegistration With Password BlankWarnings in profile viewValidating Group 3.0.4Graphical glitches in the install guide on OperaDriver error Registration statsTemplates last updatedNew PM popupsAdvanced search paginationPost icons disappear after editing a postRecount Stats doneScreen link incorrectseoTemplates keySubforum Hide Last Post Info still shows in parent forumACP Members page always thinks it's being filteredA couple of more problems with "members" and "forums"Forum/Category Markers (mark as read)ACP Fatal error on app installation[sphinx] extended search characters affected by htmlentities()Formatting stops after 35th itemFacebook Connect & ACPOptional BBCode necessary?referer set incorrectly with HTTPS sign inSEO Urls are corrupted on UTF8 stringsInstalling applications - skin templates are skipped for custom skinsipsRegistry::_appPositionSort must be called staticallyCalendar hook kills memory in 3.0.4report center not scaling down imagesIncorrect permalinks/typos 301 redirect to a session URICalendar portal plugin fails when the app is disabledACP Live Search Javascript Error&nbsp; are converted by prettifyManage AnnouncementsLittle spaces mistake (X per day on profile)En Translation-language typowrong variable for ip addresses?Root admin and email notificationsSignature permissions with secondary usergroupssql info problemReport Center update user name.Missing image used by '_deletePostsDo' in tools.phpHTML in BB-Code Page (Code-Tag)Toggle for HTML Auto/Raw always reverts to raw in Quick Edit modeEmoticons JS errorForum moderator doesn't have ability to warnProblem with {parse variable}Rounded class missing in the messengerConverter Presentimg tags and spaces before the closing taglinks stripped from emailsIssues with search and watched topicsMissing attachments in XML skinResynchronize Topics does not rebuild seo namesJSON exception editing templates in ACPBBcode is parsed in reply view even if the setting is disabledDefault Topic View ModeSMTP AUTH EHLO instead of HELOUpper vs lower case BBCode tagsUseless code loading the emoticons listRTE font sizes don't match submitted font sizesDisplay name / login namesDuplicate media tag getting inserted into post$this->member->can_use_fancy_js isn't used/setDriver error checking IP addressCannot multi-moderate postsInsert listExport language XML filesSmall translation issue on forum index"View new content" link unnecessary for guestsdouble slashPartial login process inappropriately skipped"Translate Externally" changes default value in admin_js and public_jsTopic view reason for editDisabled messenger, still possible to reply to existing PCsDouble compressionOpening A Draft Causes PHP WarningMember list advanced filtersAdmin Only Task, auto disabled taskhtml tags in the forum name break the formDriver error in profile when no forums availableerror not shown in the flash uploaderDouble quote in group prefix/sufix breaks poll "Who voted for" pop-upACP -> Add New Member, no duplicate error.Manage User Agent MappingExport Emotion Packbbcode alias not checked properlyuser_controls has no child elementSWF Upload outdatedBadwords not removed from emailsreport a user profileResync Topics kills moved topic linksLanguagepack mistakes / bugs / typo mistakesNext IP lookup bugHighlight from Search breaks URLsSpam flag notificationAJAX requests fail with session IDPortal "Latest Discussions" block not showing Guest nameMember photo doesn't support SSLmemcache return a fatal error on failUnhonored disabled group prefix on search resultsIP.Converge doesn't update the cound and the cacheapplications.php file undefined functionapplications.php file language string missingIncorrect message when "Automatically unlock account" set to "No"Converted PMs out of order'pfields_content' erased when partial member signs insignatures are saved unparsed if a moderator edits themnumber max of images triggered blocks the parsingProfile FURL breaks (404) when username contains . linked from friends.Active in messenger -> Viewing Board IndexPoll who voted user popups (RTL)"Help Files" in nav in UCPFriendly urls in modules ajaxMerge Members - Cancel doesn't actually cancel -- Forum ManagmentTypo in Confirm DialogueNot really a bug, not sure where else to put it though.Hook without files - "You must apply at least one file to this hook."When you use Member Suspension systemCharacter counter doesn't reset after submitting a new profile commentJS filter? lowercasing all "alert"sRequired fields on registrationWeird code in IPSMember::buildDisplayData with custom fields.<br /> missingMemberlist is reversed is ACP on first view.Very Minor! - Username/Email method not reflected on admin login.View reputation points on member profile, Admin CP.Merging membersMissing space under Settings -> Username Restrictions -> Error Message to DisplayPrint/Download topic, doesn't include all attached imagesError message 111159Resynch Forums/TopicsTo install a fresh copy bugMake forum categories searchableDriver error when searching error logsPasswords with symbols400 Bad Request -fao Matt - topic markers Fatal errorFatal error on upgrade from 236Settings titlesSearch page Calendar tab doesn't check event permissionsTop Five Moderators doesn't show the top fiveBoard Stats - wrong data in the last registered memberCant insert image using img tagHook access point "skin_topic.topicSharing.pre.endif" cannot be usedrssimport.php - code errorConverter login method populating $this->memberData when logins failAvatars in report centre reportsEmoticons in the report centerGametrailers.com Media codeAdmin CP functions returning bad JSONUnable to edit tasksfetchDirectoryContents brokenbuildSEOUrl() Broken in tasks.Restricted admins / password changeOld act=module&module=... links don't work anymoreSQL error in profile viewSign error in calculation of Report Center stat chartforum_tracker.member_idForum moderator mass pruneuseless IPSMember::load in member_form.phpCanonical tag: showforum=03 same tasks for the core applicationsFind Posts/Topics default valuesLost pass doesn't work correctly via SSLUpgrader driver error[postgresql driver] group by bug in emoticons.php[postgresql driver] fields not properly escapedReputation issue[postgresql driver] wrong default values for profile_portal updatesQuick edit topic title does not check for badwordsAcronymProblem when tags is put inside quote starter tagSQL InjectionLoophole in registration procedure[postgresql driver] boardIndexTopPosters group by clause[postgresql driver] more "group by" bugs236 upgrade brokenMissing table on 2.3.6 upgrade"Unban" action logs as "Ban" actionPortal - Latest Discussions - shows me as a Guest userNO skins on 3.0.5

No problem!

Hi Guys, Sorry about the downtime earlier. Moving server - things might be a bit unstable for the next few days ... Thanks for your patience! -BK

Not quite the same .. but when I'm working on writing up a paper I find a glass of wine allows me to focus.

I think I've PMed everyone who has requested a blog. Any more takers?

I was 26 when I started my PhD. One finds that starting a few years after completing undergrad has its advantages and disadvantages. Overall it's working out though ...

Top 10 Posters LateAntique 123peanuttheanthro 104JerryLandis 79captiv8ed 75fuzzylogician 65rising_star 59coyabean 54modernity 53mudlark 38iggy 34 Congrats LateAnqtiue! So close yet so far... CBF+pwn 34Ziz 32Ptarmigan 31pea-jay 31joro 30 In total there were 2,927 posts made this month. There were 65,964 visits. 29,056 Unique Visitors and 435,294 Pageviews.

Hi guys! A few weeks ago I got a surprise message from Invision Power Services (the guys who write/sell the new board software). Owing to a fortuitous personal connection to the Grad Cafe Forums, the President of IPS extended the forum license for an extra year free of charge! Thanks Charles!

Just a quick note to say all who asked for blogs should have them! If anyone else is interested please let me know and I'll enable it for you too. You'll all be really bored soon once you've got your apps in, so what better way to kill time?

Thank you for your thoughtful post! I'm trying to avoid too many sub sub forums, so I have taken the main headings and created a sub forum for each and used your sub-sub forums as descriptions

I've added you people so far to the 'blogging group'. You should see a new forum on the main page and there are some instructions in there!