freefallen

Congrats! I take a less optimistic route than girlathehelm, but this is because I am a super cautious person by nature and I do not leave things to chance. Consider options. If this is THE perfect program that will get you into a fully funded PhD program, then it will be time to step back and figure out how you will be able to manage going there. FinAid has a loan calculator that might be helpful: http://www.finaid.org/calculators/ If this is a program of mediocre sense, this is what I feel: grad school will always be there. Taking a year off to build a stronger application will, in my opinion, be more worthwhile. You will gain experience, but without the debt. What might help is to look further into the curriculum, the placement of recent grads, and also how helpful the dept is in helping you secure external funding. Good luck!

I'm sure it's just like the usual terms: completion of BA (if working), deposit, forms, etc.

Haha! I was wondering who got accepted to 9 schools!! Five for me, waiting to hear from two more.

I'd say try. One professor told me to let her know if I've been given a larger funding package because she'll use it to bargain and see if she could pull me more funding. All depends on how bad they want you and how much they have available. G'luck.

For my recruitment visits (meeting faculty, touring campus, etc.. not interviews), I wore dark jeans, a nice top/long sweater, and moccasins. I didn't stand out and was comfortable. The female clothing at the visits ranged from jeans & tank & blazer to dress slacks & sweater to skirt & button-up. But I always made sure to ask the person who was arranging my trip what the dress code was. Nearly all said casual, though I did get a business casual for one.

Developmental, early Feb.

I don't know for higher ed, but I already had an interview and response back from the applied psychology program. All through phone and email. I haven't even touched the embark page since submitting my app. :?

The years in this thread are confusing me. :? Nearly had a heart attack about HGSE human dev program until I realized that was a post from LAST year. Anyways, glad to see some developmental people around! Thought I was the only one.. though I am a mix of dev psych/soc. Weird, I know.

1 Monday, 1 Thursday, 1 Friday. Ironically, each of those days I had an invite to a bar for that night from my friend. :mrgreen: I tell him to send me more so I can get more acceptances.

Agreed. I'm sitting on three acceptances and I'm just kinda...bummed? But of course I've been reading bad apartment ratings, looking into my funding packages, examining the courseload/comps etc. It's sinking in, I think. I am excited on one hand of course, but I think the process of picking a school and moving away to God knows where is taking a toil on the joy. I get exhausted just thinking about packing up all my stuff and leaving everyone I know to spend 5 years in place across the country. Anticlimactic? Perhaps. My first acceptance was on a Friday and resulted in a complete drinking-fest at the club. My other two, I woohooed, and then went home and worked on my thesis.

Thanks! Do you know any good, quiet places or neighborhoods for grads? I've been looking online, but I'm not sure which areas would be safe. Also, do I need a car to get around? How's parking around the area?

Can I live here for 12k? By myself?

My mother used to be supportive until she realized that that being Dr. freefallen, PhD is different from being Dr. freefallen, MD. Once she found out I got into programs that are waaaay far from home, that cinched it. Also, the fact that her friend's friend's cousin's daughter with a PhD is now teaching for barely nothing in the middle of nowhere. Sigh. Parents. *the first-generation student laments* My dad's pretty chill. He met a client last week who got is a psychologist, and was like- my daughter's joining your ranks, be prepared.

I like all the places I applied to. I'll go to any that gives me a livable funding. (I'm pretty cheap! )

Ahhh, I'm still waiting to hear back from them; they're one of my top choices. Congrats on your acceptance though! :mrgreen: That's awesome. I'm interested in hearing about the community around there. What are the people like? How does the university interact with the tourism? What would be a liveable stipend to live on?

I've been asked a few times what the school ranked on my list. I always say they're in my top few. But then again, I like nearly all my programs around the same range, so it's pretty much true. I was under the perception that unless I sign my pencil across that official letter that nothing is final.

Really, it's all about fit and experience. My GPA is lower then yours (uh...yeah, 4.0?) and my GRE scores are only slightly higher AND I'm from a small college lost in the rankings. But I've been accepted to two programs and interviewed at another. All PhD and all highly ranked. And I say this so you don't feel that you're totally screwed. PS: And they're not the schools you applied to, lol.

Lol. I'm the same. I'm going from a place that's getting a blizzard tomorrow to a place that's like 60+ degrees. I have to do some odd shopping...for everything!

I think what I'm concerned with is not my school's name, but my potential adviser's. It was cool to see that the prof I'm currently working with is well-known and respected in her field. When I emailed other professors, a lot replied back with "say hi to XX for me!" I think having that connection is important. I was also part of a search committee, and there were some comments about "ZZ working with YY and that fits with the department, etc etc."

The air is brown? ..... How comparable is the graduate housing vs. renting an apartment outside of campus?

I agree with IvyHope. Plus, there are different styles of ponytails, and while I'd wear a slicked/classic one, I would not have a going-to-the-gym hairstyle. I'm trying to decide what to wear for my recruitment weekend too, sigh. I have to figure out the weather on the other side of the coast too. I wonder if black leggings, a long button-down/nice top, and flat boots would be ok? Hm. Leggings always throw me off. Plus, I hate khakis.

Can you let me know if you get your application money back if you withdraw? I'll probably do it for a few of my programs too if I get my money back.

...I started looking for a real world job yesterday night. Stressing that I have no skills to get any job to support myself really hasn't helped this stressful waiting part. Oh, and I did a bit of the whole real estate thing last week too when I watched House Hunters. It got me excited.

Haha, totally would scream. I like your #3 miratrix, I'll probably do that too.

Yes, but I just turned legal not too long ago therefore barely passing from the first group to second. ... :? Hope that made sense, hah. That's what I get for doing thesis and surfing the web.