TheDude

First LORs are due Dec 1. Two of three have been submitted. Starting to get nervous but realize there is nothing I can do other than be a pain, which I hate being!

This section is so subjective and effectively horse shit. I killed my first essays, both of them were beautifully constructed and thoroughly thought out. I received a 4.5. My second experience with the GRe my essay (issue) was terrible. I received a 5.5. My verbal score was a 560.

I think you just have to resend official transcripts once you graduate. It won't bias against you unless you suddenly decide to bomb your last semester.

Recent decent movies: Goodbye Solo: The cinematography towards the end is arresting. Half Nelson: A little bit of a contrived story line, but Ryan Gosling is for real as an actor. TV Shows: In Treatment: The format can be tiresome. However, you have to have ridiculous acting chops to pull this show off. House: The story lines are way too predictable. It is network TV so I wouldn't expect less. Hugh Laurie, however, is amazing!! Everyone else in the show can just bow out gracefully. The Wire: For real. Well, as real as what you can put on TV and sell subscriptions. Mad Men: Pretty good. I don't think it warrants freaking out over at ever party I am at. "Oh my, have you seen Mad Men? It is to die for....so realistic." I find this ironic coming out of 20 year old mouths.

I'll second the post above. Conferences were a big wake up call for me in terms of encountering the "awkward" world of academia! My undergraduate institution was, I guess, in the minority. I could grab a beer or lunch with a professor, there were always really great parties thrown by professors to get all the students involved in research or the department in the same area to mingle, things were just really tight. I consider myself somewhat diffident, but I've never had any problems giving presentations or teaching large classes. However, one on one I always get really anxious. Conferences always felt like middle school dances. People will walk by your poster, try not to make that awkward eye contact, some will read and not always acknowledge your standing right in front of them, you can address some of them and get no response. At some points even delivering a friendly, "Hello, how are you today?" resulted in some of the most petrified gazes I'd ever seen. At this point I should say I don't have any physical deformities, and by all accounts am a pretty decent looking and approachable guy. I guess the idea of exchanging dialogue, for some of the academics I've met, is something they just need to see in a journal before they actually try and do it! Quixotically, dealing with academics more and more has actually helped to alleviate my social anxiety. Seriously, don't sweat it. Just do it more and more. Also, start talking to strangers every single day. Conversations can't be planned. As much as I've "planned" how I talk about my research it changes every time I have to do it depending on many factors surrounding individuals I am speaking with. The parking attendant, the coffee girl, sales clerks at malls, the construction worker outside, these people all have great stories to tell and are people too. I feel most of us walk around in a self-absorbed comma. We put our ipods in our ears or work out the nuances of a problem we are working on in our head and we miss the social world we live in. It's actually very tragic. However, if you talk with everyone you can you learn to work with what you get from people. I'm not socially skilled in any way shape or form. On the other hand my father shows no signs of erudition but within 2 minutes of ANYONE he talks to manages to gather an entire life story from them. Just the other day I spent 5 minutes talking to the woman working at the parking garage after I paid my ticket. I learned all sorts of great things about her life. I might not ever see her again but it gives me a different life perspective. Doing these kinds of things are still very difficult for me. If I'm out and get approached it is hard to turn off my fight or flight response. However, I've worked on trying to get better in social situations over the last couple years. I could have done much more, and somedays I don't really want to talk to anyone, but with continued efforts I am getting much better at it. A simple smile and a question that breaks social routine (eg., you look happy...how is your day going?) will go further than you think. When you can open up your ears and listen to details of what someone is telling you all you have to do is ask questions. I know I was winded here and got away from speaking with academics, but being socially awkward is something you have to work on in all situations. It will get better over time if you want it to and put in the work. If you don't try and battle with this now you'll just remain as awkward as a gun rack on a Volvo!

I was here last year and already had a project 3 months underway. I was naive enough to think I'd have one publication for sure and a second one under review by the application cycle this year. The review process takes forever. I put 15 months into a project and in that time frame managed to do the following: Found a fellowship to support the work As of today have 4 conferences. Basically it is a variation of the final research themes I was/am working with. All of the conferences are refereed, but I started local and last week was accepted into the biggest conference in the world within the field. One invited talk: It was to my University so it isn't that great of a CV booster Have the manuscript under-review for a real high tier journal. It still might get rejected because I wanted to reach for a journal a little outside of the specific field I am in and to something more policy orientated. I busted my ass collecting data and networking with people to gain access to new data pools. Most of the lag time was because advisors are busy and need a ton of time to go over what you've accomplished with stats, conference proposals and manuscript proposals. The bottom line is it takes a ton of time to gain serious research experience. If you have a proposal get to work now gathering data and you'll have some posters on your CV by 2011. I still haven't received my rejections or acceptances this year so I can't tell you what constitutes "enough" work for grad school admission. I will say participating in research, in a really serious and involved way (i.e, more than a data monkey) will make you a far better interviewee as you will have little issues handling questions in grad school interviews. At least that has been my experience thus far and I tend to be diffident.

Well, at the most schools there are other professors doing cool research, but it doesn't relate to what I want to do. Most programs have a string of developmentalists, and only one or two specialize in psycholinguistics. I could tolerate working in some of the other labs, but I guess finding the artful way to phrase that in my SOP will be key. I like the one suggestion. I met with 3 professors at one program and was told that the one I want to work with has grant money and I'm smart to make my SOP very specific because in the end this person gives the final yay or nay to applicants. I guess I figured it worked the same way at other universities. I'm not going to a university where my POI gives me the impression that they are flakey, crass or a bad fit. I don't care if I turn down the one offer I get if it is that kind of situation. I'll work a day gig somewhere else, but I'm not going to devote 5 years of my life to that. I received that kind of vibe from a few programs when I contacted professors and grad students early in the process. I am not even applying. Those stories, are however, very scary. Luckily, the meetings I have had thus far have been almost too good to be true. There are totally advisors that could advise me with methodology or other things at the programs I am applying to so I'm not nervous about that. I'll get cracking on writing that last paragraph. I've received conflicting advice from professors whom I look to for advice. It seems to be either go for broke or be "smart and just vague enough to fit in everywhere." I'm just going to trust my gut with this one. This all helps very much.

Thanks for the link. I should have searched the forum. This might be a problem for me, "For one, you should show fit with more than just one professor. Having just one potential advisor is a big risk both on your part and on the program's part." I targeted researchers who were working on similar ideas in the field. In all but 2 of my schools that is only one individual in the department. I went for broke with thesis proposals in both essays. On the the plus-side, I contacted professors ahead of time to see who was taking students.

My first SOP was for the program I really want to attend. There was no word limit for this essay. Consequently, I managed to weave how I fit into the program through the entire thing. The essay feels really natural and at this point is done. The other programs I am applying to have a more rigid word limit so I have to take a more "stock" approach to writing. I want to be able to use the next essay for the rest of the programs with the goal of only having to change the paragraph mentioning program fit. I guess I am posting because this part of my essay feels, I don't know, cheap. I basically say, "Program X would be a great place to pursue my research idea. So and so professor, directing lab X, is addressing similar themes in their line of work with (insert similar topic here)." That's really all I mention. I thought about mentioning papers they have written but there is no space. Is this sufficient? What would you insert? I spend a great deal of my new essay outlining a proposal for research. It's pretty forward looking and I am hoping to get by with just one fit paragraph. thanks

I have decided to add a section to my CV titled past work experience. Here I listed my non academic jobs while I was an undergraduate. If I was already an established Ph.D. I wouldn't keep that section on my CV, but because mine is only pages I decided to keep it, not to mention I think my past jobs are pretty cool and related, in part, to the kind of research I want to do at a couple universities.

I think name cache can buy you a lot in job markets outside of the US or in a different region of the country. Aside from that, if I'm fortunate enough to get multiple offers I am going to the place where I get the best department vibe.

Thanks so much Tauren...that was really uplifting!

Tauren, I am curious. Since you were so successful with applications would you mine sharing your stats and background in research at the time? If you are not comfortable with that I understand.

I've have posters and symposia publications and a article under review so I didn't get too heavy with all the details. However, I did list things this way. Hope it helps and I will be glad to send you a PM with my CV to see how I constructed it. I have a section of mine that says: Research Interests/ Research Profile: Paragraph pertaining to my interests. Research Experience Research Assistant: I outline my responsibilities Research Fellow (Undergraduate Research Fellowship): Here I talk about what my project was about. I also have headings: Key Skills: All my IRB training, software training, SPSS, etc. Listed in bullet form Peace

I received 2 messages like this. It just means he's considerate and generous with his time.

Boston University is towing a hard line with my scores. I emailed today and retook the test Nov. 10. Basically if my scores aren't there in 15 days I'm f*cked and my app doesn't get looked at. They told me I'd have to pay to send my first scores as a precaution in case my second didn't arrive in time. I'm freaking a bit since the program is such a good fit. I'd freak some. I still haven't seen scores for my first test now 13 days later.

I hit it on mine and I scored a 650. Not a high quant score by any means. I thought I was doing well because they were throwing questions at me that took 2 minutes to understand. I think it was my 22 question. After that I had to guess to get through the last 6. Point is it wasn't on the test early but was there for me and I didn't score in the 700's.

I have to do this for 1 or 2 schools. I guess coauthored papers are not appropriate, even when the sections I wrote are delineated. I will just send a research paper with some grammar modifications.

Have you done many conferences where you have presented something? This helped me realize how to be succinct with presenting my research and ideas broadly, but also give me the skills to speak about it's nuances with more specialized listeners. I might sound crazy but I rehearsed how I was going to talk about my research with people. Conversations, as we all well know, are not rehearsed events, but it did give me a great deal of confidence in not freezing up when people would grill me in meetings. It also gave me a great deal of confidence in taking a bit of charge in interviews and not just sitting there like a sacred bug on a log! You won't sound or look convincing if you are reticent about communicating your ideas. Peace

Here is what an undergraduate professor told me about contact: Get your foot in the door whatever way possible, emails, conferences, etc. Bug administrative people without much worry about being too pesky. If you have contacted the professor a couple times and received no response, or initial response and then nothing, back off a bit. Maybe follow up once you have submitted your application with a message that just outlines that you followed through and look forward to hearing more about this person's research. That is what I would do.

Just call ETs. Both times they have been really nice and there was no wait time on the phone. If you have 2 accounts they will merge them. The other issues you have they might be able to help you out with.

The website has been screwy of late. My issues in short: Initially the system set my account up in two unrelated filesCould not log in with my information for 5 daysNever received my ID code (if that is what it is called)Once the account info was set up I opted not to send scores for test 1 to schools. Two days ago I log on and they have me having already taken the test on October 20th ( I took it the 31st) and sending my scores to Columbia, a school I am not applying to.System had me taking the subject test and I never took it. Quixotically, as I was on the phone with ETS the info outline in the last 2 bullets disappeared.

All the SOPs I have read have started 1 of 3 ways: With a quote With a vignette or quick story outlining how they decided to enter the field. Right down to business in essence: "I'm interested in this field because... I think it depends on how you work it into your prose and make it you.

Test 2 in the bag....above the 1200 cutoff. 560 verbal 650 quant Nothing to write home about, but as long as my scores get to BU before the Dec. 1 deadline I am feeling good about my application getting looked at. At that point I'm confident in my research history, SOP and interview skills. There's no reason I shouldn't have had above a 600 in verbal. I did not study for that section at all and most my issues stemmed from a lack of vocab. A word of warning to those taking in the future: Start studying vocab now!! Quant is quant, the time limit thing kills me. I still remember a few of the problems I ended up getting wrong. When I arrived home I solved 2/3. Such is life. Breathing somewhat easy for now...

Why do you care about this field? Can you demonstrate you involvement within it stems from deep-rooted passion?