Teaching Faculty Wannabe

@ray92 According to the pdf file they have of FAQs, a final decline notice will be sent out by March 15th. However, the entire confirmation process (sending in transcripts, accepting sponsors, getting details on your summer internship) must be completed by May 1st. I saw on another email I got a few days after accepting my sponsor that you must confirm your employer sponsor by February 6th, but that must be for people that get sponsors by then. Possibly after that, employers will continue to look for people until their spots are filled, especially if people decline the internship. So, I think after March 15th, the only way you can get declined is if you lied on your application and/or don’t fully complete the confirmation process by May 1st.

I think so. Of course, you have to report your funding through your tax returns, which will determine how much financial aid you can get. The deadline application depends on the state and university you are at. They can be two different deadlines. You can look up the state deadline on the FSA website and the university one on its financial aid office website. Important for everyone: Also, the order of the schools you put on your FAFSA can affect the aid you get! Look up if the schools are you applying to have a specific order they want it in.

@thejellybean So, I visited the University of Michigan for Biomedical Engineering last October. It wasn’t for an internview, more a just to visit and get to know the campus (all expenses were paid). I have also had two phone interviews this year, so I am basing what I am saying on these experiences. First off, take deep breaths. Keep reminding yourself to do so. Also, remember that you aren’t the only one there that is nervous and the faculty have been in your place at some point and will know your nerves. I think they might have scheduled them for three hours so you have sufficient amount of time to talk with them and maybe explore their labs and possibly talk with grad students. I wouldn’t think they would expect you to talk with them for three hours. You could always ask whoever has been emailing you about this visit so you can have more clear details and maybe reduce your nerves a little. As said above, be familiar with your research interests, your past research experiences, and why you want to pursue a PhD, and why at this specific school/program. I would familiarize yourself with the faculty’s research. Read one or two recent papers and look up info on their lab website. Also, think of some questions you might have for them pertaining to their research, their lab dynamics, the department, the university, and the town of the university. You can look up interview questions you may encounter. In my phone interviews, I was asked about my research interests (what were they and why?), where I think I will be in five years after grad school, what about their research interests me, and how I will handle the challenges (big learning curve) of getting a PhD. I think business causal is good. I feel like only a few engineers do full business attire. When I was at my visit last year, some people went all out with nice skirts and pantsuits, but most girls wore slacks, blouses, cardigans, and flats or boots. I think your earrings will be okay as long as they are not super distracting. I have a double ear piercing, and I think it was fine for me. Also, take lots of notes and drink lots of water. Wear comfortable shoes yet business causal shoes as well, like flats with some cushion. I am sure you will do great! Just believe in yourself. Faculty, even though intimidating, are people and human as well, so they aren’t perfect and understand you at personal level what you are going through (if they don’t, I feel like that’s a red flag in my opinion). Good luck! You got this!

Welcome to the GEM crew! I hope you both hear things from a company soon! @thejellybean Congrats on being admitted to a school!

@eutectic_points I haven't heard anything from any schools, but I had two phone interviews with professors at UConn.

I got an email about the rescheduled seminar.

Anxiety. Anxiety. Anxiety. Anxiety. Anxiety.

@matscigradapp Wow, your profile is awesome! I think you can definitely get into the schools you applied to! By the way, UMichigan is a great awesome school! I was luck to be able to visit it last year.

Ditto. I just want to know if I got in or not so I can figure out what I'll be doing the next couple of months.

I am not in statistics, but I know two people who did their PhDs in Stats at NC State and I also did my undergrad at NC State. NC State has strong connections with SAS, which is a large software company. SAS funds a lot of projects at NC State and I believe there are a lot of collaborations with the two (https://news.ncsu.edu/2014/08/sas-agreement/). The Statistics Department is located in SAS Hall. The program might not be super well-known but I think having that connection with SAS is good and NC State is a top research school in general. The two graduate students I know seemed to like the program and they were able to work on multiple projects while they were there. Additionally, NC State is part of the Research Triangle, which allows for a lot of collaborations with various companies, universities, and government agencies in the area. Also, Raleigh is a really cool place.

Hi all! I have my first Skype interview this Wednesday with a professor that reached out to me. I didn't know about him until he sent me an email, but he thought my research was good and thought I would be a good fit in his lab. Since I am a nervous wreck like everyone else seems to be right now, I have many questions: What usually happens in Skype interviews? What should I prepare for? How should I prepare for this? What questions should I have ready to ask the professor? How should I dress? Is business causal okay? How I make myself feel and look less nervous during the interview? Any advice would be helpful! Thanks in advance!

How do the eligibility rules apply to individuals in joint bachelor's-master's programs? Individuals in this category applying in the 2019 competition (Fall 2018 deadline) will have one more opportunity to apply as first-year doctoral students in the 2020 competition (Fall 2019 deadline). Effective with the 2020 competition (Fall 2019 deadline), individuals pursuing a master's degree simultaneously with the bachelor's degree (joint bachelor's-master's degree) will be considered to be graduate students and will be limited to one application to GRFP; they will not be eligible to apply again as a doctoral degree student. What if I previously applied in the final year of my joint bachelor's-master's program? Under the one-time rule for graduate student applicants, am I still eligible to apply in the first year of my Ph.D. program? Yes, but only in the 2019 competition (Fall 2018 deadline). Effective with the 2020 competition (Fall 2019 deadline), individuals who have earned a joint bachelor's-master's degree will not be eligible to apply again as a doctoral degree student. I have completed more than one academic year of graduate study. Are there any circumstances in which I could be eligible? Possibly. Individuals who have completed more than one academic year in a degree-granting program, who have earned a previous master's degree of any kind (including bachelor's-master's degree), or who have earned a professional degree (e.g., law, medicine), are eligible only if they have had a continuous interruption in graduate study of at least two consecutive years immediately prior to the application deadline and are not enrolled in a degree-granting graduate program at the application deadline. This means that you cannot already be enrolled in graduate school at the time of the application deadline. You must address the reasons for the interruption in graduate study in your Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement. See the GRFP Program Solicitation for detailed eligibility requirements. What if I previously earned a joint bachelor's-master's degree? For the 2019 competition (Fall 2018) only, you are eligible to apply as a first-year doctoral student. Effective with the 2020 competition (Fall 2019 deadline), your joint degree will be counted as a master's degree, so you would be ineligible unless you meet the interruption category described above. ---------------------- Soooooo, all of this is kind of confusing. However, I think I know what it is saying with all of these. A definite fact is that you can only apply once as a graduate student. I feel like there is change from this year's competition (2018 deadline) for next year's (2019 deadline). I believe that you will only get to apply once if you are in a joint BS/MS program. If you apply next year while still in this program, then you won't be able to apply the following year (2020 deadline) when you are a doctoral student since you will be considered a graduate student while doing your joint degree. I honestly don't know why it is changing next year, but this is what is seems like. However, if you wait two years after getting your joint degree, then you can apply when you get your doctorate. I hope that makes sense. GEM Fellowship NASA Fellowships DOE Office of Science Graduate Fellowship program (SCGF)

Nope, they haven't contacted me at all. I never even did an interview. I think I may contact them through the GEM website. I also haven't heard anything about a seminar either.

That's odd, but as long as it says accepted under the employer status, then I am guessing all is good. Did your company ever contact you after being accepted?

Hmm, I didn't have to. At least not yet. Did you get an email to resign it or did you have to reaccept your GEM Employer?

Hi there! I think the amount of schools you have is good and you definitely have a chance of getting in. You have a great GPA, good GRE scores, and some research experience with a publication. If you feel like it, maybe apply to one or two more schools, but seven is good and I think giving yourself a break from applying is always good too. Also, I am also applying to the University of Delaware for MSE!

Oh, I am so sorry! I hope you get one, though!

That's so awesome! Durham is a cool place! Good luck!

I think the schools you listed first aren't too much beyond reach. Yeah, you have no publications, but if the other aspects of your application are good (GRE scores, LORs, research experience, statement(s), GPA), then I think you should give them at try, at least the ones you are really interested in! Your GRE scores are great, your GPA is good, you have extensive research experience, and your LORs seem good too! Give it a go! Good luck!

This is fun! Photography, reading, writing horrible romance novels that I will never finish, going to museums, eating food, volunteering, baking, watching movies (especially at movie theaters), doing yoga, painting, traveling when I can afford to do so, and going to concerts.

@ray92 Awesome, thank you!

Does anyone know if it is possible to combine the GEM Fellowship with the NSF Fellowship? I am just curious.

Thank you!! It is with a national lab, which is my dream. Who would have thought?!!? And that's great that you still have your name in papers. And surprisingly, I didn't do an interview. I just happened to check GEM today and there it was that I have a sponsor and I accepted it.

I got an internship with GEM!! So pumped! Good luck everyone!

I actually am not much of a physics person. I think it is cool, but I struggled with it in college. The only physics I am good at is materials science-based physics, like mechanical properties, but beyond that, I suck. I am sticking more with the biology side of materials science. I hope I get in! I hope you do too! And I haven't . Have you?