Strangefox

Hi! I certainly did not mean to imply that a question about chances should not be asked at all If a poster uses many details describing their experience and academic interests, if it is obvious that a poster has researched programs and POIs (potential advisors), the question about chances is totally legitimate because others can actually answer it. Good luck!

Ok, not little All too often people post here asking what their chances are at this and that school. I completetly understand their desire to know the answer. However, I also understand why some other people get somewhat annoyed by this question. Indeed, it is very hard to tell what somebody's chances are at certain schools, even if you know their stats and other details like a number of publications they have. That is why I decided to write this post. I will explain how, in my opinion, one can estimate one's chances and choose programs correctly. I hope that other people experienced in application process will correct me if I am wrong and add their advice. And may be, if moderators consider this post useful, they will be able to make it always stay on top of this board - if it is possible on this forum. First of all, if you want to know whether your stats (GRE, GPA, TOEFL score) are good enough for you to be accepted to certain schools - there is one easy way to find the answer. Most schools post stats of students they have accepted, like on this page here. So try to find this info on websites of schools you are planning to apply to and if you can't find it, ask graduate secretaries/coordanators if such a page exists and if not, where you can find those stats. Remember that if your stats are low but not abysmal, that does not mean that your chances are low. It does not (always) go like - lower the grades, lower the chances (unless they are above some bare minimum) and vice versa. Because... Second of all, even with the best stats, numerous publications, brilliant letters of reference, etc. you may not be accepted to a school if you have not chosen a program wisely. Because the most important thing in this game is fit. If a program thinks they are a bad fit for you, they will not admit you, however wonderful your application is. So you should apply only to schools that fit well your research interests and experience. How can you find schools with a good fit? First, of course, you schould know what your research interests are. If you know that, visit as many websites of programs in your field as you can find - and read about them, very carefully. Where can you find a list of programs? Well, browse the internet. When I was applying last year, I came across a biiiiiig list of programs in my field (it was not a ranking, just a list) and I spent a lot of time just going through all these program's websites. If you don't find such a list, just find some rankings. Not in order to find out what programs are the best in your field (many people don't believe in rankings anyway) but just to see what programs are out there. So, you read about the programs on their websites. From the way these programs are described you should get an idea if you would be interested in studying there or not. When I was choosing programs to apply to, I first used the list that I had found to make a shorter list of programs with a very general fit. Then, as I knew that I would not be able to attent a program without funding, I looked through this new shorter list looking for programs that were offering funding. As you can imagine, the list became even shorter after that Then I started to read about faculty in the programs from the last list, looking for professors who could potentially become my advisors. Then I contacted these professors, telling them about my research project, asking about their opinion. When some replied and I saw that they liked my ideas, I asked them if they would be taking graduate students next year. In the end I had only 5 programs left and I applied to all of them. About contacting professors. As far as I understand, you can do that in all fields, except - for some mysterious reason! - English. (Here I ask other experienced forumers to correct me if I am wrong.) BUT: If a professor is interested or even very very interested, that in no way guarantees that you will be accepted to this program because there are many other factors at play during the application process (most important of them being funding and faculty politics). But of course having a professor in a program who has expressed interest in working with you is a very good sign. It is definetely better than having no such professor. If you find a profesoor who is willing to take you as a graduate student but you are unsure about your stats, you can ask them about that. But of course don't ask it in the first letter to them!!! Only when you see that they are interested (and friendly). Finally, I want to say, that all I have told above is based on my experience and it helped me - I was accepted to a school with a great fit (which is supported by the fact that they decided to give me a nice fellowship). May be there are other ways to choose programs and estimate your chances with them. May be in other fields (I am in social sciences) rules are different. I hope that others will correct me or pitch in some ideas based on their own experience with application process. Good luck!

If you want to know other people's stats you can go to websites of schools you want to apply to and see stats there. They often post stats of students they have accepted. If you don't find this info, try to contact grad secretaries and ask them where you can find it. I think your stats are great so you will not have problems applying - unless you apply to schools with bad fit. As the other poster has written, fit is far more important than stats. To find if a school is a good fit for you you should read carefully all info about the program, read about profs there, see if there is somebody who can be your advisor. Then you can try contacting this person (these persons), tell them about your research interests/projects that you have in mind and ask them if they will be taking grad students next year. Good luck!

Congrats on the job offer! The most important thing - you should not give up your dream! There is always a way to overcome difficulties. You are saying that your sister and brother-in-law have steady jobs. That means you have no obligation to support them financially. As for your mother - I am sure you will be able to support her. It will probably be more difficult inicially and you will have to give up some things - but hey, it's your dream that you are moving towards! And if you work hard and stay true to your dream, I am sure you will be able to both make your dream come true and support your mother. What we do, what we are is all in our hands. Good luck!!

I am not sure about foxes but there is a user called Strangelight. May be you mean him/her?

Congrats! Good score!

I think that if you have a student email, it might be better to use it. But you can use any other email address if it does not have a silly nickname in it

Remember that on GRE the first 5-10 questions are the most important (whatever they say on their official website). That is why it is recommended to spend more time on these questions. That does not mean that you can skip others. Actually, you must answer every question, even if choosing an answer randomly. But spend more time on the first 5-10 questions because they determine your score far more than the following ones. Good luck tomorrow!

Snow is great! I hope you'll love it

I am changing for a different climate. But luckily it won't be too different. I would not want the change to be too drastic. So it will be warmer than in a place I have lived in, but not too much. Which is perfect!

I found out that's it's really helpful simply not to switch my computer on Because when it's on I am checking my email and my LiveJournal friends' page all the time... There are so many temptations online for a curious fox!

I always start formal emails with "Dear". Then it can be "Dr. Brown" or "Mr. Brown" or "Ms. Brown". Or may be just "Dear Maria" if it's slightly less formal but still formal. If I don't know the suname of a person I am writing to, I start my email "Dear Sir/Madam". And I usually finish my formal emails with "Sincerely, My_First_Name" But sometimes I can finish with "Thank you, My_First_Name". Hi, Hello and Regards are for informal letters.

What a great list!

It definetely would not hurt (unless you do bad TAing job, but I am sure you will do great!) and it might help. But to what extent in might help - is very hard to predict. Being in the program as a TA you will be able to learn a lot about it - and that is important. May be you will find out that it is not a good fit after all. Or may be you will see that it's a perfect fit and will be able to articulate that in your SOP because you will know all the datails about the program from actually being here. You might get a chance to talk to a person whom you would like to be your advisor. You should be very careful here of course, not to appear to pushy. But if you act wisely, they will see that you can be a great student and that, of course, can only help. All in all, I believe that TAing in a program you want to apply to is a great opportunity. So congrats!

Thanks!

Oh, I had this anxiety too when I was younger. Even now I can sometimes feel a little worried before calling somebody I don't know but I am not afraid of it anymore...

That's a great idea, thanks!

Thanks for the reply!

Thanks!

It's obviously just a troll. He/she has posted similar responses to some other threads.

Thank you Hejduk! Yep, I am talking about PhD advisors and I am mostly interested in their role in social sciences. But it would be also interesting to know the difference between social sciences, humanities and exact sciences in this respect.

Ok, I know what they are for, in very general terms. But I would like to hear details. I studied in a university outside of the US and I had several advisors. However, I am not sure that this mentoring thing works the same in my country and in the United States. Obviously, I can (must?) consult my advisor about courses I want to take. I will talk with them about my research. What else? If am writing an article for a conference, can I ask my advisor to have a look at it? Not to co-author it, I mean, but just to tell their opinion, point out flaws I have not noticed. Can I discuss the job market with my advisor, talk about future oportunities, conferences, etc? I have talked with grad students in my program, they all said that my advisor is a very nice and helpful person, so I am sure I will be able to approach them with my questions. But I don't want to be annoying, asking them about something they are not supposed to help me with...

Ok! I prefer to be on the safe side

So you are saying it is not true?