fuzzylogician

Well, my question is this - what will happen if you get an incomplete? Is that possible, or is there a consequence to failing? This is grad school -- the important thing is that you acquire the skills you need to do your research, how you go about doing it is less important. I would say, if there are no serious repercussions, stick it out. It sounds like you'll get more out of the class you're currently taking. Otherwise - drop it, take the class you'll pass and learn what you need by yourself. Basically, do what serves your interests best.

I also had one school that asked for a 500 word essay but when I asked it turned out that the requirement was imposed by the graduate school and they didn't mind if it was longer. It always pays to ask. Also: yes, it's possible to condense a 800-word essay to a 500-word essay. I ended up having to do that. It's a painstaking process where you have to strip the essay down to the bare essentials, but I actually ended up really liking the short version. It had no choice but to be very concise and professional...though I still would have preferred to submit the longer version, if I could.

Frankly, it doesn't sound like you're ready to apply to graduate school right now. You need to know what sub-area you are interested in; very likely, you'll need to have some research experience before you apply, or otherwise you'll need to be very convincing when you explain how you chose your specialty and why you are sure that it's right for you. An applicant with no experience, low grades and an unconvincing background will be very risky for a department to admit. If you change your mind about your interests (which I think is very likely, given your posts here), the department will have lost the time and money it invested in you. A PhD is not something you enter into lightly, and without the necessary experience it seems like that's what you're doing. The best way to zero in on an area of interest is to do research in that area. Start by reviewing the classes you've taken - maybe also consider taking more classes - which of them interested you the most? Did you write papers for any of your classes? which would you like to follow up on? can you get involved in an existing project at your university as a research assistant? can you do some guided research, even as a volunteer for no pay or credit? those are all ways to get more familiar with specific topics in different subfields of psychology. Really, you shouldn't be applying before you have much narrower interests than you seem to have right now. If for no other reason, then because right now you won't be able to choose the right programs to apply to. You need to know what sort of problems you want to research so you can apply to schools that have good mentors who could guide your work on those problems. You'd also benefit from reading a bit more about the application requirements on different departments' websites. Make sure that you have the required qualifications (e.g. stats, advanced seminars or whatnot). I'd seriously suggest that you consider taking next year off to improve your application; then apply in the next admissions cycle, not in the current one. There is no way that I know of to transfer out of a Spanish PhD program (or Masters, it doesn't matter) to a psychology PhD program. What qualifications or classes would be transferable? At most, you will have acquired some useful research skills, but it seems to me that psychology programs and Spanish programs train students to achieve very different goals using very different methods. I doubt a Masters in Spanish will enhance your application to psych programs, though certainly it won't hurt. I think you need to worry less about your GPA, though it is a weakness, and worry more about your current lack of direction - which is a much bigger weakness.

I am not an expert on history programs but in general the importance of the GRE is more or less only to get your application past initial cutoffs. Once your application lands in the hands of the admissions committee members, it's going to be your qualifications that get you in; the GRE can only keep you out. From what you write you should have a decent shot at being accepted at good schools, depending of course on how your SOP and writing sample look. For a history applicant I would suspect that a score of at least 650 is expected so I'd suggest you retake the test and try to at least get a 600+ (or the equivalent of 90th percentile). Again, a lower score is not a deal breaker if the rest of your application packet is strong. I don't know anyone whose application didn't have some weak point that they were concerned about. The worry is only that your application might get tossed without being read if there is a sweeping cutoff score. So, retake the test but don't stress about it overmuch. You should be spending the bulk of your time on the essay parts of the application, not the tests.

This is a great resource, one of the best I used when I was applying. I'm glad to see that it's been kept up to date!

I put: <document name, my name, Ling PhD program@university of X> in the header, <page number X out of Y> centered in the footer. I am sure the adcom members know their program's name but it helped make sure I didn't get my documents mixed up (or the grad secretary, or whoever else handled them at the grad school), so I don't think it was superfluous. If there is no specific instructions on the department webpage, anything you put will be just fine.

Don't mention it. You don't have a good explanation anyway, and besides a low AW score is not a "major flaw". Better use the space for something more constructive.

or they could check the university website themselves. Don't lie. Tell your writers that want to mail a complete packet so you'll need their letter X days before the actual deadline in order to mail everything on time.

Listen, it's not going to help but it's by far not going to be what decides whether or not you get accepted. I assume that for creative writing the writing sample is crucial, and like any in other application - so are the SOP and LORs. One low grade won't break the deal, especially since your grades are otherwise consistently high. I assume you'll get at least one LOR from someone at your current school; they will surely praise your writing skills and research abilities in a way that will offset any doubt your one low grade could have possibly raised.

robot_hamster, I think that caffeinated_librarian made some very good points. From the way you're describing the situation it doesn't sound like there is a lot you can do -- if no professor within your specialization is willing to work with you then it'll be very hard for you to succeed in your program. I feel for you, it's outrageous that a program will accept a student when no suitable advisor is willing to take that student on as an advisee. I'd suggest you try to finish this semester and use the advice that you've been given here to try and improve your standing in the program. Maybe someone can suggest a way to support you better, once they realize that currently you are not receiving the mentorship that you need. However, if things don't change then I don't see a point in staying. Cut your losses, don't take any more loans. I am sure that there are better opportunities out there for you!

I'd suggest you go on the websites of programs that you are interested in and check for yourself. There are tons of schools and most data people here could give you will not be relevant for your needs. Regardless, I don't think that choosing a program based on its toefl score requirement is a good strategy. The grad school will usually have a minimum toefl requirement which you can find on the university website under "prospective students" or "admissions"; most requirements I have seen were for scores of 80 to 100+, sometimes asking specifically for a minimum score in one or more of the the exam's parts. On top of that, some departments have their own requirements which are higher than the university-wide minimum.

I think it's very important to learn to prioritize. I recently had a conversation about this with one of my favorite young professors and the picture that emerged was pretty much this: you need time off, otherwise you'll work yourself to exhaustion. You need to learn to say 'no' when someone asks you to do more than you are able to. And you need to decide which of your tasks is more important, which you can postpone or get away with doing a so-so job on, and which you choose simply not to do. I think it's better to pick something and do it well, rather than spread too thin and do a mediocre job at everything. Time off is so important, if for nothing else then because it helps you work through material subconsciously. I don't know about you, I always have good ideas while I'm in the shower, or playing basketball, or cooking.. As was suggested, decide to take at least one of the two weekend days completely off. It's so important. You may find that you need to give up on doing something. First off, resign yourself to not always presenting your best work everywhere, life gets much easier once you do that. I've found that what works for me is to give up part of the readings, and maybe only skim - not read everything. Next, I sometimes hand in OK-but-not-brilliant assignments, just enough to get by. Same would go for end-of-the-semester presentations or squibs: I will continue working on projects that I am interested in, but I've learned that in terms of satisfying formal requirement, I should only do what's required and not more. And, I've learned to care less about TAing. I've learned that it's usually a waste of time to write long comments on students' papers, they rarely read them. I've also developed a grading system to minimize time spent on each assignment. I think it *is* important to come prepared for class, though, so I take the time to do that seriously. And I take my research very seriously. What's going to matter in the end is your research, not your coursework -- no one is going to hire you (or not hire you) because of how you performed in some seminar or other. The first year is hard and there is a lot to catch up on, maybe you need to change your approach to studying. Maybe you can get some more support from classmates, TAs or professors? I know it's important to work through things yourself, but getting occasional help is also important and it'll help keep you sane. Is it possible for you to reduce your courseload? Three classes plus guided reading plus TAing plus catching up on background is A LOT. Could you still graduate on time if you postpone one of the classes that is not in your specialty to next year? If you can, maybe you should consider doing that. Otherwise all I can say is hang in there, it's hard but it'll be over sooner than you think!

Sorry, I shouldn't use that many acronyms this early in the application season For the record, SOP - Statement of Purpose WS - Writing Sample LOR - Letter of Recommendation DGS - Director of Graduate Studies

Hard to say. What are you applying for? Some posters here might be able to tell you how the selection process at certain schools goes. Do you have any research experience? Publications? Most people applying to grad school will have some deficiency or other, and they are not usually fatal when taken by themselves. In your case, since there might be a minimum GPA requirement that will mean that you application will not even be read, I'd recommend several strategies to improve your chances of acceptance. 1. Contact potential advisors ahead of time. If you manage to make a connection, they might look for your application when the admissions committee meets (if they are on it) or inquire about your status (otherwise). 2. Apply to more schools, specifically ones that get less applicants or ones that do not specify a GPA cutoff. Your application is likelier to be read at those schools. Once it is read, the parts that will get you accepted are the SOP, LORs, WS -- your grades will matter significantly less. 3. Contact the DGS at schools you want to apply to; ask whether they have a cutoff that will get your application thrown out automatically (save you the pain and costs). Ask whether your having successfully taken more classes which are not on your record will help your cause and if so, make sure you know how to mention them in a way that will get noticed. 4. Make sure the rest of your application rocks.

The visa students usually get is the F-1 student visa. J-1 is a visitor or exchange visa that is used more for post-docs and for other uses. I've never heard of anyone who was forced to choose a J visa; most schools will only have F and the issue never arises. Anyway, if you're funded by your school, the 2-year requirement isn't enforced, as far as I know. Anyway(2), you have plenty of time before you (may) need to decide.

Once you're accepted, you'll need to get a student visa in order to study in the United States. Students usually get F-1 visas; some schools also make available J-1 visas. There are some small differences between the two visas that don't matter that much, regarding e.g. things like OPT and how long you can stay in the US after you graduate. What does matter is that if you are married, your spouse will be able to get a work permit on a J-2 visa but not on a F-2 visa. On the other hand, some J-1 visas have a requirement that you return to your home country for two years once you finish your degree (whether or not this is enforced depends on the source of the funding). Usually schools don't worry about issuing the DS-2019 (for J-1) or I-20 (for F-1) until after the student has been admitted and has accepted the offer. Are you sure that you need to provide all this information now? I think you should contact the graduate admissions office and ask. FWIW the international office won't be able to issue you the visa forms right now anyway, at least not until your funding has been decided on (=after you've been accepted).

Based on very similar personal experiences to yours which I prefer not to elaborate on in a public forum - since you're starting a PhD program now, the only thing that really matters is whether or not your not having finished your Masters will have any effect on your status in your new program. The best way to know that is to consult with someone at your new department - your advisor or the DGS come to mind. Most programs are direct from undergrad and don't require a masters degree. In that case it may be a bit disappointing, but I think it's wiser to get over the past and move on, especially since you say that you're changing direction. If you have to have the masters - then I think the best thing you can do is find out what the minimum requirement would be, and do that. You've learned from your experience and you've grown, and maybe you'll have reason to use the techniques or material that you learned during your masters in your future work, but I don't think you should spend more time correcting past mistakes than is necessary. In the end it's your publications and (possibly) your dissertation that will matter, not your MA thesis. From asking around my department - no one really cares. People were interested in the data and analysis that I (would have) suggested in my thesis, some have tried to convince me to go back to looking at it again, but absolutely no one seemed to mind that I didn't officially finish the degree.

"we had each semester taught for one calendar year. Instead of like the usual 3-6 months." meaning that your lazy professor who threw you out of her office not long ago decided on her initiative to teach her class for a year instead of a semester? this happened with all of your classes in the last two years so you could only take three classes instead of six in a year, but the credits are still for semester-classes and not for year-long classes? There's no one outside your department you could talk to about this? Sorry, I think I'm being dense but it's hard for me to understand how this happened why you're all putting up with it for so long. Also, yes, I second everything lewin00 said above about your attitude. I'm sure it's detectable and doesn't make people want to go your way when you need their help.

I seriously don't understand what you mean when you say "I have only had 2 semesters so far. Each of them lasted for one year". Here is how it work at every university that I know of: A class is (usually) taught for one semester: you meet in a certain place at a certain time every week, you might have assignments or reading to do on a weekly basis, you might have to lead the discussion or give a presentation at some point during the semester; then you take an exam or write a paper (or some combination thereof) and you get a grade. Are you saying that you did everything you're required to do and the professors are just not giving you grades on time? Are you saying that not having grades makes it impossible for you to register for classes the following semester? Are professors not allowing you to take their class "just because" in a way that prevents you from fulfilling the program's requirements? Those are concrete complaints that can be easily handled by your student rep/student council/dean of students or whoever is in charge of that at your school. It sounds very strange to me that a department can prevent whole cohorts from graduating on time (or at all) when they are paying full tuition; how has the situation been allowed to come to this? If it's as you're describing and you're paying for extra years because the department is actively not allowing you to meet the requirements it sounds like you have strong grounds for a lawsuit. Strange, as I said.

I'm confused, is your program structures so that you have to have one specific professor as a mentor each semester, and that person changes each time? That doesn't sound very productive. I didn't understand if you're still doing coursework or if you're supposed to be writing your thesis. If you're doing coursework maybe you can take a different class with a nicer professor; if this professor is supposed to be your thesis advisor I'd advise about the same -- find someone who you can work with, who will support your research. What do other people in your department do? Do they also take very long to graduate? If they somehow get through the program faster, maybe there's something you can change to improve your pace?

Here is the logic of the waiver. By waiving your right to view your LORs, you: 1- show the adcom that you are confident that you will get good letters. 2- give your writers the freedom to write whatever they want without worrying that you'll see what they said later on. In the past there have been threads on this board that disputed the logic of waiver-->more trusted-->better letter. I think in the end I am convinced that there's not much to the reasoning I stated above. However, it is a conventional wisdom that it is better to waive than not to waive, and adcoms are said to trust those letters more, so why not just do it? If you do not sign the waiver, you do not have immediate access to your LORs. If I am not mistaken, you may only ask to see your application file at the school whose offer you accepted, so if you get a really bad letter and get rejected across the board, you won't be able to tell anyway. You have to be enrolled at a school in order to request to see your records there.

Indeed. It will also greatly help your cause if you could maintain good relations with the professors at your current school. If you get positive recommendations that praise your skills as a researcher and confirm your change of interests, you'll have a much easier time.

1 - it's not going to be a positive. Schools that are considering your application will have the very serious concern that you will drop out after they have invested considerable amounts of time, money and resources in your training. It's always a worry that an applicant might not make it to the end of the program, but you will have demonstrated that at least one PhD program wasn't for you. You'll have a legitimate explanation for this, but undoubtedly there will be some concern that maybe you just can't hack it in that kind of program. 2 - I think your reasoning made perfect sense. Changing fields/interests is not uncommon and from what you write your current school can't support your new direction. You'll have to make a very convincing case in your SOP that with this new application, you're now certain that you are on the right path and you won't change your mind again. More so than usual, I think you'll need to give some very serious thought to explaining how you've come to form your new interests and how confident you are in them. That, and your fit paragraph, will be crucial to a successful application in your case.

I'll just be reiterating what newms said above but - what you write is not set in stone and no one will be upset if you change your mind. In fact, if you go through grad school without ever changing any of your interests or goals (refining them, changing methodology, using the same methodology to explore a new area, etc) that will be surprising and (I think) quite disappointing. You're continuing your education to both broaden and deepen your knowledge, so it makes perfect sense that you will make some fine tuning and have a better understanding of your interests once you've started the grad school process. If you're not decided on what you want to do after school I think it's a reasonable strategy to say so and then go on to explain in your SOP how the school you've chosen fits you in terms of giving you the kind of guidance and mentorship that you'll need in order to decide, and how it can train you to both continue studying X in academia and getting a position in industry in field Y.

I can take a look at it, send me a PM.