emmm

Johns Hopkins might be another school to look at: http://catalog.ep.jh...38&returnto=482 Specifically (near the bottom of the page): Online Options Students may complete the Master of Science in Computer Science online, and all students may take advantage of online offerings. While not all courses are available online, a complete program is offered and additional online courses are being supported each year. Interested students should review the information at http://www.ep.jhu.edu/online-degrees or consult an academic adviser. Since it is part of a program designed for working professionals, the admissions criteria are not as demanding as for a regular, on-campus, full-time program.

I think you have a chance. Especially if what you wrote is good and if your letters are good.

Perhaps you could offer to pay the fee to change the ticket and go to one of the other dates for program A. I have a similar issue -- but I suspect that at this point, there won't be open slots for me to switch to (based on earlier communication with the first program).

uldo - so sorry to hear about your awful experience. You're better off NOT having this prof as your recommender, I think. In fact, sounds like you'd be wise to completely avoid him as much as possible -- what a miserable person! My profs have all been wonderful, and have asked me for (and thanked me for) reminder emails. You definitely got a bad egg.

I got a 6 on the analytical writing without having written any practice essays. BUT . . . I thought my position paper was one of the worst things I've ever written. I really felt as though I was trying to salvage it at the end and make it coherent, since I didn't have time to scrap it and start over. The argument essay was much easier. It definitely helped that I had just come off a year of being a writing grader for a business law class, where some of the assignments were in this exact format, as all the students need to pass a very similar writing exam for their transfer applications.

So funny, but true. Thanks!

Are your scores really old? I remember that scoring from the first time I took the GRE, back when I graduated from college mumblety years ago. I seem to remember they would be more-than-decent scores (except for Quant), so I don't see why that would be a problem, unless they want more recent scores?

I am also facing an interview conflict! I never expected this to happen, since I applied to a limited number of programs, but I guess there ARE only so many available weekends. I'm hoping that the latest program will be able to come up with an alternative date for me, since I already changed the date of the first interview (at their request), in order to be able to speak with a specific faculty member. From what I have heard, WHEN you interview shoul not affect your chances negatively. Good Luck and CONGRATS!!

alphabetizing . . . . REQUESTS FROM flutopian: UC Berkeley (Infectious Disease) ??? University of Washington Pathobiology: ??? Brown-NIH GPP (Neuroscience): Feb 28-Mar 3 Columbia CMBS: Jan 21-23 / Jan 28-31 Duke: Feb 4-5 / Feb 18-19 Emory (Neuroscience): Feb 10-12; Feb 24-26 Gerstner Sloan-Kettering: Jan 18-20 Harvard BBS: Feb 10-13 / Feb 24-27 Indiana U IBMG: Feb 3-5 / ??? Johns Hopkins--CMDB: February 10th-13th NYU Sackler Institute Biomedical Sciences: Jan 13-14 / Jan 20-21 / Feb 3-4 / Feb 10-11 OHSU Neuroscience: Feb 6-8 Rockefeller: Mar 3-5 / Mar 10-12 Stanford Biosciences (Chem/Systems Bio): March 3-5 The Scripps Research Institute: Feb 24-26 / Mar 3-5 U Alabama - Birmingham: Jan 13-15 UC Irvine CMB: Jan 27-29 / Feb 3-6 UCLA ACCESS: Jan 29-31 / Feb 12-14 / Feb 26-28 UCSD Biomedical Sciences: Feb 17-20 UCSF TETRAD: Feb 3-5 / Feb 24-26 University of Chicago--Immunology: February 10th-12th U Georgia - Genetics: Jan 27-29 U Maryland - Baltimore Neuroscience: Jan 21 / Feb 11 / Feb 18 University of Minnesota Neuroscience: March 3-6 UNC BBSP: Jan 27-29 / ??? / ??? University of Pittsburgh CNUP (Neuroscience): Jan. 27-29 or Feb. 3-5 USC PIBBS: Jan 13-14 University of Virginia Neuroscience: Feb. 3-5 or Feb. 24-26 University of Washington Immunology: Feb 17-19 / Feb 24-26 University of Washington Neurobiology and Behavior: Jan 18-19 / Jan 19-20 Wake Forest Neuroscience: Jan 13-15 Washington University in St. Louis Neuroscience (WashU/WUSTL): Jan 27-29 Watson School of the Biological Sciences: Jan 27-30 / Feb 3-6 Weill Cornell Immunology and Pathogenesis: Feb 16-18

I would put the most recent.

I don't think you're COMPLETELY nuts, you sound at least as sane as I am (but that might not be saying much . . .). I am probably a decade or so older than you, and applying to grad school this cycle. Unfortunately, I can't give you much advice, since I'm applying to the one area you specifically mentioned as NOT being an option for you (sciences). However, I went in to the application process thinking I was a real long-shot for serious consideration, especially as I could only apply to our local (and very competitve) university, and I now have interviews! So, it is possible. Of course I worry about what my future employment options might be, and I do not intend to take on any student loan debt. In fact, a graduate stipend is probably my best option financially right now. I'm not sure I'd be considering this path if I had to pay for the degree, given the uncertainty in the job market right now. So, sorry I couldn't be more help, but I wanted to let you know you're not crazy and to wish you good luck.

Columbia University CMBS Jan 21-23, Jan 28-31 Duke University: Feb 4-5 or Feb 18-19 Gerstner Sloan-Kettering: Jan 18-20 Indiana U, IBMG, February 3-5 (2 dates total only offered one) NYU Sackler Institute, Biomedical Sciences, Jan. 13-14, Jan 20-21, Feb. 3,4 or Feb 10,11 Rockefeller University, March 3-5 or March 10-12 The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, February 24-26 or March 3-5 University of Alabama-Birmingham, Jan 13-15 UC Irvine CMB Jan 27-29, Feb 3-6 UCLA, ACCESS, January 29-31, Feb 12-14, Feb 26-28 UCSD, Biomedical Sciences, February 17-20 U of Maryland, Baltimore, Neuroscience, January 21st, February 11th or 18th UNC, BBSP, January 27-29 (5 other dates) USC PIBBS Jan 13-14 U of WA, immunology, Feb 17-19, Feb 24-26 Wake Forest, Neuroscience, January 13-15 Washington University in St. Louis Neuroscience (WashU/WUSTL): Jan 27-29 Alphabetizing . . .

Duke University: Feb 4-5 or Feb 18-19 Gerstner Sloan-Kettering: Jan 18-20 Indiana U, IBMG, February 3-5 (2 dates total only offered one) NYU Sackler Institute, Biomedical Sciences, Feb. 3,4 or Feb 10,11 Rockefeller University, March 3-5 or March 10-12 U of Maryland, Baltimore, Neuroscience, January 21st, February 11th or 18th UNC, BBSP, January 27-29 (5 other dates) U of WA, immunology, Feb 17-19, Feb 24-26 Wake Forest, Neuroscience, January 13-15 Washington University in St. Louis Neuroscience (WashU/WUSTL): Jan 27-29

next . . .

Pros -decent GPA from top-10 school -teaching experience -good GRE -hardworking (OK, scraping the bottom of the barrel here) Cons -long history of SAHM -minimal research experience in area I'm applying to -older than most applicants

All of mine were $75. I applied to 6 programs -- so $450. Doesn't seem too unreasonable.

I think you have some unnecessary words. I recommend the following: When I first learnt about Gregor Mendel's theories of heredity, I was intrigued that (this part of your second sentence is awkward, I would suggest rewording). Most importantly, Mendel's illimitable dedication and perserverance motivated me to display the same thirst to excel.

Yes, rising_star, that's what I mean -- I thought the OP went to the prof, explained what had happened, and asked if there were any way to still earn a certain grade, otherwise she would drop the class. I'm sure the OP had done the grade calculations and that that was why she was seriously considering dropping. If the desired grade were a mathematical impossibility, and no "special accomodations" were going to be made, the professor should have confirmed this, so that the OP could make her decision. And I don't think the practice of discounting/minimizing one grade is that uncommon. When I went to college, we never got syllabi with all the percentages spelled out (which meant we couldn't do grade calculations . . . ). I've even had professors say that they consider trends.

I haven't seen any cases yet where dropping just one grade would make a truly significant change in the overall grade, but I haven't been teaching for very long, and the class I teach is set up so that there are quite a number of assignments, quizzes, and exams. My problem with the situation described by the OP is that it doesn't seem as though his instructor was honest with him. The OP did not have the information he needed to determine whether to stay in the class or to drop it or to determine how much time and effort to put into completing the course assignments and studying. Time management is always critical, and the instructor misled him with the response he provided, although this might have been unintentional. From what the OP posted, it sounds as if he was led to believe that producing exemplary work for the rest of the course would "save" him from the C (or whatever) that the straight numbers would give him. He would have dropped the class otherwise. I'm assuming he made this clear to his professor. I may have misread the situation, but that was my understanding of it based on the OP's description.

I think this is a very difficult situation. I see the validity of the argument people are making that "taking into consideration" does not mean "ignoring." However, I also think it is pretty clear to instructors, especially at CCs with their smaller class sizes, who in the class really knows the material and who doesn't. I have not been teaching for very long, but final grades are rarely a surprise to me. If a student had made his mastery of the material obvious over the course of the term, I don't see why an exam couldn't be dropped. A colleague actually does this for students on a case-by-case basis. If a student really has just one anomalous grade, he will count it much less heavily. As for it not being fair to the other students -- how is it not fair if the instructor would do the same for them?

Thanks! Congrats on your interview. I did an internship in a plant pahology lab this summer -- had a great time.

Invited to interview -- UW (Seattle) Immunology!

No one's asked me if I got in yet -- I don't think they realize people are hearing this early. I have been telling people about my applications. The more I tell people, the easier it is and the more real it seems to me. I consider myself a long-shot to get in, so I don't think it will make me feel uncomfortable if I have to tell people I didn't get accepted anywhere.

I have loads of things I could be doing now as well (and some of them I AM actually doing!), but it doesn't seem to be keeping my mind off the waiting very effectively. I didn't expect to be so impatient. I had some crazy vision of myself relaxing and forgetting about my applications for a while once they were all finally submitted -- WRONG!

Is there anyway to modify your topic somewhat so that you can still research and write about the author you're interested in, but in a context your potential readers would be more comfortable supervising? This is not my area -- so the suggestion might be no help at all -- but can you focus on the genre/time period/style/whatever of your author rather than the author himself?