purplepepper

I think I'm glad I'm in a totally different subfield

Yes, as everyone has said, it all depends on lifestyle. My husband and I are living off my stipend for the moment, and we make it work (though barely) each month without having to starve ourselves or live like hermits. And we have a car. Half the stipend goes to rent, his health insurance, and utilities. We do not eat out and we do not go to bars. Or maybe like once a month. And we don't really need to, as these days you can buy a relatively drinkable and decent bottle of wine for $3. I also usually bring my lunch to school. I think all together we probably spend about $800/month when no other expenses come up. A few hundred extra dollars a month would really really help so we could add to our savings, but I suppose that will come with time when he finds a job. Off the bat expenses will be more than you think. With that being said, I cannot imagine living in NY with a stipend of $23,000...and I think that might be impossible with a family So, in the end everyone's expenses are different. It all just depends on your lifestyle and how you manage your money. It's doable if you really put your mind to it.

There's already a thread about this on the forum somewhere. My impression is that grades might help you get extra funding, but they matter not when it comes to jobs. Your research is important and as long as you aren't blowing your school work off (which you probably aren't) I'd say you are fine. I don't know why people keep saying grad school grades are inflated....I work my butt off for my grades, which I think are pretty fairly reflected. I can't imagine a situation where someone throws together a half-assed project and walks away with a good grade just because they are there. (this is a general statement, not about you!) So, don't worry about it, put it behind you and just focus on your work in the future. B's really aren't that terrible you know.

I don't think I'd start over into another academic career...if I wasn't so stubborn when I was "young" (when I thought I had to do academics). i'd become either a sommelier or a train driver in Europe. But at least going into academia will allow me to drink lots of wine and give papers in places where I can ride on trains

though you have to remember that just because a faculty member may be on leave, that doesn't mean they are necessarily out of town /away from the university

No one ever gave any updates. boo.

graduate school And we have come full circle.

I did my MA at SOAS, it's a brilliant place. Though, I was there several years ago when you would walk into the building at night to get to the library and on the way get high from the cloud of pot that wafted up from the bar in the basement. I heard they cracked down on that now (no pun intended), so I don't know what it's like anymore. I was also there at a time when the $ was a little bit stronger..I went back a few years ago and was absolutely shocked to see how high the tube and restaurant prices have gotten. London was never cheap, but now it's really really not cheap. Otherwise, the atmosphere at SOAS is brilliant, my classmates were awesome, I loved the course. I really grew during that year, probably one of the best years I've ever spent in school. Highly, highly recommended. As far as the housing, they have a graduate dorm, which I lived in. It wasn't bad at all. If you are a girl, I'd opt for an all girl flat. (you share a kitchen, but have your own bedroom/bathroom). I'm not against living with guys but you know, they get very needy when it comes to kitchen stuff, and it's something that you just don't want to deal with when you have so much work (no offense..there are plenty of self sufficient men.) When there are guys and girls living closely there is always drama..saw it lots. It's just something you want to minimize as much as possible in school. Not that it happens all the time....but well, it does happen.

I think you should go for it, GPA and GRE are not everything. (i got into an ivy league for my PhD with a 3.2 undergrad GPA...but loads of experience that I was able to concretely show) Experience and maturity of ideas count for a lot more than people think. Keep working on that SOP until it makes you want to vomit. Then work on it some more.

This happened to me last year...after calls, emails, countless voice messages, my third LOR never sent in the rec (after he promised, after I saw him and person to thank him yadda yadda). I got emails from my schools in Jan. saying that they were missing a LOR. It was very stressful. Thankfully, I found at the last min. (i.e. in mid Jan.) a professor who I didn't even know very well who was willing to write one. He ended up saving the day. It's not too late actually, could you call the department for the contact info for the retired profs? What about the prof that you think doesn't like you? You might want to try that, you really never know. Fuzzylogician's idea is a good one too--ask the department if there is anyway someone, anyone, could write you a rec based on your past performance. Ask if there is someone you could get in touch with, introduce yourself and send a CV (though you should ask if you could send one as an attachment before doing so). If you are working, as a very last resort, I wonder if you could ask a supervisor. Good luck with this, I know the feeling and its awful.

Are you sure it's 6 months? My husband has a conditional 2 year green card at the moment and I believe that he is allowed to be away for a year without having to apply for a reentry permit. Just want to make sure, immigration issues are always tricky

Negligee

Dude. I'm in art history. I love my computer, and I have had some very bad experiences with PCs. I don't mind the rant, as I know some people are sensitive about this stuff. Sorry for mixing up my "computer lingo," but this is not a computer forum, nor a competition, so chill.

MacBook Pro all the way. I still have the one from when they first came out in 2006, and it's working like new. Never a problem, no spam, spyware, never crashed, never lost data. I had PCs for years before, one lasted 4 years, the other only 2. My husband had PC that got messed up with internet crap after only a few years, and even the tech guys at school couldn't fix it. Mac Mac Mac Worth the price, you won't have to get another computer again ever

The spouse/SO thing is always a tough question, everyone handles it differently depending on the situation and personalities involved. I know people who are quite content to have long distance relationships and some like me, who did that and just know that they cannot anymore. My husband followed me to school, he left his country and his family to move to the U.S. I know it's tough for him-he still struggles with English and doesn't really have any guy friends to hang out with. The thing is, we want to be together, and he knows that he chose to move. He knows why he chose to move and why we are here, so we can make it work. It's tough and trying sometimes, and I'm still scared about the future of course (what if he just starts to settle in with a job and friends and I get a job half way across the country?) So it all boils down to what your personal priorities are and what your priorities are as a couple. And you both have to be in agreement on this for it to really work. If you want to stay together, you'll find a way to stay together. And if you want a degree, you'll find a way to get a degree. It's not easy and life might suck for a few years but if you want to do it, you can do it.

Our semester isn't over yet, and I get the feeling that grades don't reflect all that much. But I love that the people in my cohort are so cool. Just really friendly and collegial...it's a great place to be.

The Charles River

you want to make the strongest application that you can. don't send out a rushed application just to get it in by the priority deadline! I doubt there is much of a difference anyway

You might want to call them and tell them your situation (where you are living) I can't imagine that they wouldn't offer you a phone interview so you wouldn't have to spend all that time and money to show up jetlagged...

I think a lot of that too, is just growing pains. Growing out of our teenage years wasn't easy either. I can never make friends from the getgo, and I always find that the closest friends that I make are always well into what I'm doing. Doing stuff now takes forever, but I think what the previous poster said before--you'll start doing things faster (finding references, reading, forming ideas) and that will make your work a ton more manageable, but to get to that point, it takes a lot of practice and patience. There is just no way around the suckiness. It only gets better gradually, little by little. So hang in there and don't quit yet.

The first thing that comes to mind is look at Courtauld.... Germany though, I hear, is free!! which would be less expensive than the UK. I think Heidelberg (is that how you spell it?) has some classes in English. But perhaps maybe all German universities do? If you want to go to France, you'd have to spend a year just doing language before going into a program. I'm not sure where to find info about that though...

$50,000 is too much to spend for an MA. Definitely, definitely, pay off completely the undergrad loans that you have now. It will feel great!!!!! interests rates suck now, but save the rest of the money. in a CD or savings account. If you want to do the MA, think about doing it part time so you can work and support yourself through it. Try to minimize spending and go to a cheap school (if you do well, you still havea great chance of getting into a good Phd program). Save as much money as you can. My husband and I make combined $25,000/year with my stipend and his pt job...we really don't have money (we do have savings though) But we are debt free and have insurance (car/health/dental/blah blah), so we are very comfortable. It's much better to live that way than with debt from undergrad hanging over your head and no savings.

I'm already in a PhD program for east asian art (you can PM me if you have any specific questions by the way). I know the MA Sotheby's program...is there any particular reason why you chose that as opposed to say SOAS? If there is a reason you might want to address that as well becuase I"m sure someone readign the app. might want to know the same thing. If there isn't a good reason just leave it out. I dont' think it's a matter of how good the program is but rather, if you are prepared to undertake a course of study at the Phd level -- your SOP demonstrates that. I never really had that much formal language training but I did live abroad for several years which helped a lot. Otherwise recs are really important, but they have some pretty good people at Sotheby's don't they?

hey eiren, where are you doing your MA? Your background in western art won't hurt you a bit, as the MA should prepare you for the phd.

Yep. It's all about the SOP and the recs and the fit, and unfortunately something you can't control, the timing (whether a potential advisor even has the clout in the adcom that particular year to fight for students). i.e. last year your advisor had 2 incoming students so this year he probably can't accept any. This really is something you can't know unless he tells you, which he might not, so really a lot of luck comes into play everything else is fine!