
solefolia
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Everything posted by solefolia
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I've applied to three, considering a fourth Masters/safety program (it has a later deadline). These schools are all excellent fits for me and while I would love to get into any of them, it's not the end of the world if I don't. I'm able to reapply next year, so applying to schools that only sorta fit just to increase my odds is not something I'm interested in doing (this is for me personally, I imagine it's different for others in other fields). I realize that it is probably easier for me to find a job at least somewhat relevant to my interests for a year with a degree in Biology than it is for someone with a degree in English or Philosophy (from what I understand, at least), so my options are more open if I don't get in. That's not to say I'm not giving it my best shot this year, but I realize that some admissions decisions are completely out of my control (funding, sheer number of applicants, etc). Apply to as many programs that fit well for you (and fit by interests, not prestige of the school) without emptying your bank account or giving your recommenders a part-time job.
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My practice scores through POWERPREP and any other free ones I could find were pretty consistent. mid-500s for both verbal and quant, maybe breaking into the 600s. Day of the test, I thought I did awful because I started getting some really easy questions (which told me the computer had adapted to earlier poor performance). I didn't feel confident at all, but I managed at 610v, 710q, which I'm quite happy with. Biggest difference to me? Making maximum use of my time. Blame a poor attention span or noisy household, but it was hard to concentrate on any practice tests at home and I often rushed through them. The actual test, I took my time and toward the end I knew I had to speed up a little since time was running out. I think this is what made the difference for me, especially in the quant section.
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Classmate FORGED letters of rec... What do I do?
solefolia replied to vanasme's topic in Applications
The "cultural difference" thing was more of a reference toward the very relaxed, "Who cares?" attitude of the poster (UKGraduate). I've got Brit friends who I've been puzzled with when they have similar attitude toward issues. It was not meant to be a dig or indirect insult. I realize it was ignorant generalizing to even make the comment and I'm willing to admit that and apologize for it. It really was a silly, innocent comment made because the attitude reminded me of some Brit friends of mine. There's a point where you have to consider context and intention, rather than automatically assuming racism/sexism/etc. At any rate, I'll try to be more clear or less generalizing next time. But to have those two words equated to racism (how I could possibly know the racial identity of any poster on this forum is beyond me) or hate speech baffles me, though. As far as Americans seeing other points of view... As a couple other posters have said, this goes even beyond an ethical concern, it's just plain illegal. And I think the issue most people have with "UKGraduate"'s post is that he insulted the OP for their actions. Reporting a crime should not be looked down upon and I would hope that other points-of-view would feel the same way. -
Classmate FORGED letters of rec... What do I do?
solefolia replied to vanasme's topic in Applications
Wow, when did I say ANYTHING about race... I was referring to "UKGraduate" being, presumably, from the UK. Surely differences exist between Americans and Britons and I thought maybe that might be an indicator of the poster taking a much more casual reaction to the whole situation. I'm afraid I'm not going to sit and argue the meaning of my words in that regard, as it was nothing but a passing comment that I'll admit I probably shouldn't have made in the first place (I had a bad feeling I'd get a reaction similar to this...) I think you're taking what I said way out of context and just looking to pick a fight. At any rate, perhaps I wasn't clear in my post. The person in question is not so much the target of my "indignation" as the alleged crime committed. I said myself that I don't know if I'd bring up the concern or not. I'm usually content to ignore things like this. But I don't think the OP should be called a "nosy knob" or "tattletale" for bringing up his or her concerns. I don't even know how to respond to the rest of your post, because it seems nothing except a personal attack. I do apologize for poor wording, though! -
Classmate FORGED letters of rec... What do I do?
solefolia replied to vanasme's topic in Applications
I agree with Minnesotan. The GPA comment peeves me a bit, since I've known plenty of folks who may not have excelled in undergrad coursework, but were perfectly well suited for graduate study. And to suggest that this person is somehow exempt from any wrong-doing because they were lazy and unethical (but hey, they have a high GPA) is ridiculous. Maybe it's a cultural thing to be dismissive toward something like this. Is the fear of being considered a "nosy knob" or "tattletale" a justifiable reason to turn the other way when something like this happens? Stuff like this makes me worry about who my future colleagues are. Who knows, maybe I'm naive for expecting otherwise. And as much as we'd all like to believe that people get what they deserve, I've found that is usually the exception, rather than the rule. Sure, this person might be found out by their own carelessness, or stumble sometime in the future. But I'd say it's far more likely that without direct intervention, if this sort of thing is something the person can shrug off, it'll only continue from there. In the shoes of the OP, I can't say whether I would take action or not. But I certainly don't think the OPs motives need to be questioned, nor does their integrity. I find it hard to understand why someone is getting chastized for bringing a serious ethical concern to a professor. -
A PhD at 35? With a baby? And an app turnaround of a month?
solefolia replied to phdmaybe's topic in Applications
I have heard that grad school is the best time to have a baby (as opposed to right after you get into the job market, or after you've got tenure), so I imagine you will be alright if you already have a child. I can't give any advice beyond that, really, but you should check out women_grads on LJ (http://community.livejournal.com/women_grads/profile). There are a lot of women there in similar situations and you can check through some old posts (I know this sort of thing has been asked before) or make your own. Best of luck! -
If anyone actually thinks Ferraro gives out anything but amusing, obviously trolling advice, they probably aren't too much competition for anyone. OT: Depends on the program (probably the most used phrase here). I've seen programs (often in the sciences) that stick you in a rotation the first semester, so naming a professor isn't really encouraged, since you'll get to know them and be able to choose one with greater confidence after you've gone through rotations. Other programs (most of the ones I've applied to are in this category) require you to list some faculty names, or at least areas of research that are represented by the department you're interested. Use your best judgment.
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I can't give you a definite answer for either but from what I understand... 1. Not waiving your right is considered a big faux pas. If you are worried about what your recommenders might say, then chances are, they aren't a good source for a recommendation. 2. Sending more than 3 won't be a problem. I've heard of many people sending in four. Sometimes all of them are read, sometimes only the first three. Five might be pushing it, but I can't imagine it would hurt you. The worst that could happen is that they only take the first three.
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Someone might have a different answer for this (I've heard mixed feelings on having a boss write a LoR)... Do you think your boss can vouch for your academic/scholarly ability, based on your work? How much independence do you have, as far as being able to show your own abilities, rather than just follow directions? personally, I think if you feel your boss knows you better and can write about your potential as a graduate student, then you'd be better served asking him/her for a recommendation. If not, go with the professor. Overall, I think so long as you're not a retail worker, asking your boss for a recommendation is completely appropriate if they are the best choice/know you best.
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I've always been pretty clued in about financing my education while in undergrad, but grad school is a whole other ballgame and I haven't been able to find any concrete information. Hoping you guys can help. I have a "decent" amount in both undergraduate federal loans and private loans (rough estimate of about $20k each; federal is mostly sub. stafford, some perkins). In graduate school, I anticipate attending an institution that has a tuition waiver and a stipend that is enough to live on and with extra to pay down my loan amounts. I realize things can change and I might not get in at all, but I would like to be better informed, since I am least prepared for this situation. Here are my questions: 1. Are federal loans acquired during undergrad deferred during graduate school? If so, does my subsidized stafford loan remain subsidized? 2. Are private loans acquired during undergrad deferred during graduate school? Or does it depend on who I got the loan through? 3. How does consolidation work? Is it always separated by federal and private loans (that is, only federal loans can be consolidated together, and private loans consolidated together)? Can you defer a consolidated loan? 4. Is it a good idea to consolidate when starting graduate school? Or am I better off paying down private loans and keeping my interest-subsidized loans deferred? 5. What course of action did you choose for your loans while in graduate school? What do you recommend in my situation? Any help or advice you guys can give me is greatly appreciated!
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I'll talk to the professor. Need your suggestions.
solefolia replied to xzjohn's topic in Applications
I don't think mentioning your girlfriend is a good idea at all. If you have interest in his research and like the school on some level, then that is reason enough to be applying. I imagine professors know that applying students have a good sense of what their top school is, which school they'll choose over another if accepted by both, etc. For him to ask why you would pick that university over another doesn't seem like a fair question in general and I don't even know if you should expect to hear it. Someone else in your field or someone else who has experienced a call like that might be able to give better advice. But I think mentioning your girlfriend in any way sets up a big red flag. Whether or not it's likely to happen, the first thought that someone will likely get is, "What if they break up?" And in this case, does that mean you'd leave the program if your only reason for being there was because of her? Will your work suffer because you're trying to find a new place to live or because you're upset about the breakup? These are big "What Ifs" but something that I wouldn't blame a prof or adcom for taking into consideration. I think you might be looking into it too much. People base their decisions first (hopefully) on a good fit. Secondary criteria depends on the person: Some people want prestige, some people don't want to live where it's cold, some people want to be in a city, some people want to live in a diverse area. And those reasons are fine because eventually you will have to make some tough choices between programs if you're accepted to more than one. But I don't think most people would mention their desire to live someplace warm for their reason for choosing the school, especially if they were speaking with a professor. Fit should be good enough. -
Apply to as many programs as there are that have faculty that fit your interests. Whether that's 4 or 15 depends on how many good fits you find. As far as applying to 14, that seems like quite a bit, but I know there are plenty of people who have done that successfully. It takes a lot organization, money, and some willing LoR writers. When you go to ask if they'll write letters, I'd be sure to mention that you're applying to 14 programs and not drop them all on them after they agree.
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Just trying to drum up a little activity here, if there are any life science folks around What types of programs are you applying to? what are your interests and where are you applying to?
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I wouldn't worry that he changed his mind. Send him a few gentle reminders, or maybe give him a phone call again? I've had difficulty getting in contact with a prof I was supposed to be working with who lives on the other side of the country. I sent her a couple e-mails spaced apart several weeks, and when I still got no response, I called later one afternoon and left her a voicemail letting her know I had sent out some e-mails and if she could call me back (I called after hours because I didn't want to catch her if she was in the middle of something and this way she could call me back when it was convenient for her). The next day, I got an e-mail and she apologized because things had been busy and my e-mail got lost in the shuffle. Phone calls and voicemails are a lot less difficult to lose track of than an e-mail.
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GRE Date/Will Schools Receive My Scores In Time
solefolia replied to killerparties's topic in Applications
I would do the preliminary/"day of" report of scores to the schools with the earliest dates. I think most graduate schools realize that sometimes things get delayed or lost in the shuffle, so even if things do show up late, as long as you let them know the scores are on the way (and you had them sent well in advance), I'm sure they'll understand. -
contacting professors - can someone walk me through it?
solefolia replied to frankdux's topic in Applications
Depends on the program. Certain programs encourage contact, others don't really specify, some programs don't expect you to have a potential advisor picked out ahead of time (I know some Bio programs take you through lab rotations your first year and you're introduced advisors that way), so it's your best judgment. Most of my programs encouraged contact. I sent out three e-mails a couple weeks ago and got two encouraging responses. One has yet to reply, but having worked with a few "e-mail-phobic" profs before, I realize sometimes things get lost in the shuffle. (It was also one of my least "personal" e-mails; I worry the lack of response might have been because it was not super specific/did not mention any of their particular work) In my e-mails, I basically just introduced myself, said I would be applying to their university, briefly mentioned some of the research I've been involved in, mentioned my research interests and said I felt like our research interests were a good match, would they be taking on students in the Fall, etc. I've heard mixed opinions (as with most grad application process advice) as to how in depth the e-mail should be. I've heard a brief introduction, mention of interests, and inquiry as to whether or not they are taking students is all you should send. But I've also heard that you should ask specific questions about research, their lab, etc. Use your best judgment based on the program and the person. I personally found it a bit nerve-wracking. I'm the type of student who spends ages typing out e-mails to make sure I've got good e-mail etiqutte down (and probably over-thinking the e-mail in the process), but it really is a motivator when you get an encouraging response. I've got a phone call with a prof on Monday Good luck!