fuzzylogician

I think I got my prepaid SIM my first day in the US at a Radioshack. I'm sure Target and similar would also be good places to try.

I think there is extra stuff they have to do the first time you enter the US, but someone who's done this more recently should tell you about that. If you miss your flight because of immigration, I believe the airline should book you on the next available flight, but at the end of the day it's up to them and it's possible that they'll want to charge you some fee.

Getting offended is a choice, and what you do with the comments you get here is also a choice. I don't think anyone here was attacking you or saying anything inappropriate. We've told you about what often happens at orientation at the schools we know (usually just our own, so for each of us, sample size (n=1)). If you expect things to be different at your school, then go ahead and do what you think best fits your situation. I personally think the university-wide orientation events are mostly useless and it's fine not to attend, except if you're interested in free food and/or want to meet new friends (both legitimate goals, the second perhaps less attainable if you'll spend the entire time with your parents). Departmental orientations are more important to attend, but even at the social events, I think it's unrealistic to think that you'll be able to spend the entire time with your parents. This is a great opportunity to meet new friends, and it'd be a shame not to be able to do so. As Eigen says, it's common to leave guests on their own at some point(s) during their visit. They are visiting you at your work place, and it's not always going to be possible for you to drop everything for the entire time they visit and just hang out with them. I don't think it's rude, it's just the reality of visiting someone while you are on vacation but they are not.

Same here. There were no parents at our departmental orientation. I guess there might have been parents at some larger university events, but I didn't notice any. You do occasionally see parents visiting and being given a tour of the university/department, and that's perfectly fine, just not as part of any official departmental event (other than graduation, of course).

Hi Baloch, I think you are not getting any answers because there aren't really many taught MAs in the US that are funded. A couple of programs that do come to mind are the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC) and the University of Chicago. One option is to look outside the US, if that is something you are willing to consider. Here are some schools outside the US that have good MAs that would prepare you for a PhD in the US, many of which have at least some funding options (concentrating more on programs with a strong syntax/semantics background, because that's what I know more about): - Canadian schools: University of Toronto, McGill, UBC (look into the "qualifying year" as well as into the Masters), possibly also U of Ottawa, Simon Frasier U, Concordia. - Dutch schools: ILLC in Amsterdam, Leiden, - UK schools: UCL, Queen Mary, Edinburgh, Cambridge, Oxford (funding options vary) - Asian schools: Hong Kong (PolyU, CUHK, City U), Singapore (NUS, Nanyang) - German schools: Tuebingen, Potsdam, Leipzig (look into DAAD funding) - Russian schools: the funded Masters at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow

Beyond what was already said, the two things that help me the most are to (1) keep detailed lists of actionable goals, things that I need to do to get settled in the new place (or whatever is causing the anxiety). I like crossing off things I've done (gives me a sense of accomplishment) and be specific about what I need to do next (gives me a sense of control over the situation); (2) remember that nothing is set in stone. You can always move to a new apartment next year, and it'll be easier once you're there in person and get to know the city. You can switch advisors or programs or fields, if any of that becomes necessary. No decision you make now pigeon-holes you in a way you can't recover from. If advisor A isn't a good fit, I am sure that advisor B will come along. I've long been a believer in "personal fit over research fit", when it comes to grad school. Things have a funny way of working out, if you let them. That all said, these are all natural doubts, and above anything I think it's important to concentrate on seeing the good in your choices and getting excited about everything that is about to begin!

Can you explain how you think your background in French/linguistics fits with Soil and Water Science/AgroForestry? I don't see how one would inform the other.

All of your questions need to be addressed to your advisor. There is no one correct way to make these arrangements, so it's completely dependent on the situation. I wouldn't even try to guess here. The question about how this will affect your relationship is up to you and your boyfriend. I'm really not sure how you think we can know anything more than you do. The one thing I will say is I think your third option (start over at a new school) doesn't make a lot of sense, given your other two options. I fail to see why this is something you are even considering.

Safety can vary greatly depending not only on the city but the neighborhood and sometimes even specifically which street you are on. Generally, the US is very safe, especially where students are likely to be walking around, but some universities are notoriously in not-great parts of town. If you say where you'll be someone can probably share some relevant thoughts, and I'd suggest checking out the thread for your city in the City Guide forum, as well as googling for some information online. Other than that, there is generally not much more to know about staying safe in America that's different than staying safe anywhere else, and others have already covered many of the specifics.

Here is a broader question: why do you want to get a PhD in linguistics? You're 8 years out of school and I assume (and correct me if I am wrong) that you didn't have any research experience as an undergrad and the job you've had since graduating isn't related to linguistics either. If so, what brought about this decision to apply to grad school now? What do you expect to study in school, and what do you expect to do with your degree once you graduate? How do you know this is the right decision to be making right now? (If I am wrong about one or both of my assumptions, then the obvious go-to people for LORs are whoever you did research with and supervisors at your current job who can talk about your ability to do research and your suitability for a PhD program.) Don't feel like you need to answer me here or justify yourself at all. I am spelling out these questions because they are questions that any admissions committee will have. You'll need to demonstrate that you are making an informed decision, that you understand what is involved in getting the degree and it's really what you want/need in order to further your career. No one wants to admit a student who is likely to drop out, either because they shouldn't be getting a PhD at all or because they don't have reasonably well defined research interests that fit with the school. One way to demonstrate that you have thought this through and are choosing schools that truly fit your interests is to have strong LORs from professors who support your decision to apply, think you have a high likelihood of success, and think the schools you chose are indeed good choices. If these are not relationships you developed as an undergrad and it's not something that your current job can help with, then that makes the situation more complicated. There are not many things you can do, but here are some thoughts. For one, you can make sure that the other aspects of your application are as strong as possible, and in particular that you have a strong SOP that does a good job answering these questions that the adcom is sure to have. Another is having a strong writing sample, again to demonstrate that you understand what goes into research and you're well equipped to participate and succeed in a PhD program. At the same time, I think it's unavoidable to seek out some sort of relationship with linguistics professors who can write you suitable LORs. Of course it's hard to have a strong relationship with someone you haven't been talking to for very long, but I think there are basically two options here; one is to reach out to your undergrad professors, remote as they may be. Ask to talk on Skype or on the phone. Remind them of who you are and what you did as an undergrad and seek their support in applying. Not everyone will respond, but if you are serious, you might be able to find someone who will support you. The other option is to find a local linguistics program where you are now and try and make some connections there. Again the caveat about short-lived relationships comes up; it's a bit late in the game to reach out to people who you might want to use as LORs. Since it's the summer, you can't just start attending talks at a local university or try and sit in on classes as a visitor, for example. The bottom line is, I think, that it may be hard for you to get into a strong program now, since you've been away from the field for a long time and you lack some of the pieces that normally go into a strong application. You can of course still try and you might get lucky, especially if you are able to find a professor or two to write decent letters for you, and you have strong letters from your job. If not, though, I would recommend thinking about doing a Masters before you apply for a PhD. This will give you the background and experience that you are missing now. It'll help you find LOR writers and perhaps help you better define your research interests so you can write a more focused SOP. It's just hard to see how someone who's had no contact with the field for 8 years makes a comeback that leads them all the way to a strong PHD program, without first filling in some of the gaps.

I understand it's stressful to do all these things for the first time, so I hope this helps: - In your confirmation email, each flight is associated with a ticket number (usually a long sequence of numbers, roughly 12-13 characters long) and/or a booking code (alphanumeric, roughly 6-7 characters long). The exact names of these numbers might change between airlines, but all of them will have something like a booking code. Make a note of these numbers somewhere that's easy to find when you get to the airport, along with the airline name and flight number, for each flight. - 24 hours before your flight, you can usually check in online. Some airlines will then let you print your boarding pass at home. - Before you get to the airport, make a note of what terminal your flight is supposed to leave from, if there is more than one at the airport you're departing from, so you go to the right one. - You can always print a boarding pass at the airport, if you don't have a printer or if you prefer to have the "official" boarding pass. When you arrive, there are two options. One is to use a kiosk (small computer) for your airline. There will be kiosks for many airlines, so be sure to find the right one. Input your booking code or ticket number and whatever other information they ask for, and the boarding pass(es) will be printed. If you bought the entire journey together, you should be able to receive all your boarding passes at your home airport even if they are with different airlines. If for whatever reason only the boarding pass for your first leg is printed, you will have to find the machines at the next airport and print your boarding pass there. The other option is to stand in line to talk to the people behind the counters, who will check your bag and print your boarding pass. The advantage to self-check-in and using the machines is that it's faster and there are fewer lines. If you're unsure of what to do, you can always stand in the longer line and have an actual person help you. - If you have large baggage that has to be checked, there is usually a bag dropoff line. In case you've already checked in at home, you can go directly to this line. This saves time. Your bag will be checked through to your destination, but remember that you'll have to pick it up and clear customs the first time you enter the US (as we've discussed in other threads). - Once you've done all this, you go through security and go to your gate. - For connecting flights, make a note of all your flight times and numbers, and check the electronic boards after you land to know where to go next. Flights might be organized by departure time or by destination city. Often you'll have to go to another terminal and therefore clear security again. If necessary, print your new boarding pass (could be before or after security, depending on the airport), go to your new gate, etc. This is all very straightforward, and as rising_star says, you can easily find all this information online.

There was a professor who was your student? That seems odd, and if that's what you meant then I'm not sure what you'd expect the LOR to say. If you won't have any research experience until next summer (meaning, I presume, a year from now, well after the application cycle ends and implying that even then you'll only have a couple of months of experience because you'll then have to move to the States to start some program in the Fall), then I think it may be difficult for you to articulate your research interests in an SOP, and for that matter I also think it will be hard for your to define them in the first place and to choose appropriate schools for a PhD. I don't know that saying that your interests are different than they really are just because it's easier to fit your knowledge of languages into the SOP is a good move, especially if you're applying for PhD programs. I don't mean to discourage you, but I think a stronger application comes from someone who really knows what they want to do, and if you haven't had any relevant experience it's hard to see how you can be very sure, and how you can communicate that to others. Since your grades aren't great, you need to stand out in these other ways. Without any experience it's hard to see how your LORs can be very strong or how your SOP can really stand out. In this case, it may be wiser to either apply to MA programs or to wait another year until you can have a stronger application, or alternatively you could of course still try, but adjust your aim and expectations. (And, of course, this seems like a good time to again reiterate my disclaimer that I don't have full knowledge and I could be wrong, so take everything I say with a grain of salt.)

A few thoughts, some of which have already been expressed above. First, I don't think deciding this early on on a very narrow sub-sub-subfield is a very good decision. It's still very early in your career and interests often change with time and experience. You don't want to put yourself in a situation where you can't grow because you've not left yourself any room to do so. Second, even if you are absolutely positively sure that this sub-sub-subfield is the way to go, putting yourself in a situation where there is just one person you could possibly work with is very dangerous, for several reasons. You may discover that the two of you don't get along on a personal level or that you have different needs from an advisor than this person can provide, or the advisor may at some point leave (be denied tenure, or be hired elsewhere), or may have health issues, etc. Putting your entire education in the hands of one person gives them too much power. What if there turns out to be some messy politics behind the scenes? You absolutely don't want to get caught in a power struggle where there is only one person on your side, or alternatively one person with all the power who is acting not in your best interest. Even if it all goes well, at some point you'll need to form a committee and you will therefore need to find other people with some reasonable overlap with your interests, and similarly when you go on the job market (academic or otherwise) you will want to have LORs from multiple professors. Which is all to say, being only able to talk to one person is not a good idea. Finally, I think this idea that the PhD project needs to fully match your interests is not very realistic and not very helpful. You want to develop at least some relevant skills for whatever job you want to have next, but frankly I would choose a good advisor with an imperfect match in interests over an advisor who I don't get along with very well with very compatible interests any day. Sometimes it's hard to know ahead of time who you'll get along with, so it's very important to have several options that could be a reasonable, albeit perhaps imperfect match. As far as being too specific in your SOP goes, I think a good compromise is to choose schools with one expert in your particular area and 1-2 other people who are imperfect but reasonable matches. In your SOP you could then elaborate in more detail on how this one person really matches your interests very well, but you should frame things in a broad enough way that makes it possible to also demonstrate fit with these other potential advisors. This is part of a general strategy of demonstrating fit with each department you are applying to, which generally requires showing how your interests overlap with more than just one person. I'm not too familiar with your field but if there is anything like rotations, you may have to identify more than one lab you could join before you make your final choice, so you want to make sure it's clear that such options exist for you and you've thought them out.

Do you have any research experience? Any conference presentations? Publications of any kind? Are you writing a thesis now as part of your MA? What will your LORs look like -- will they be strong and from well-known scholars, or less so? Your scores don't really make you stand out much, so in order to get into these schools you mention, some of which are very selective, you will need to shine in some other way, most likely by have a very strong SOP. Having a strong SOP means being able to very clearly articulate your research interests, which usually implies having some kind of background and previous experience in what you're working on (or hope to work on) so you can explain why what your are working on is interesting and important. If you can write a strong SOP, have some experience, and have decent to strong LORs, I think you have a decent chance of getting in somewhere. I would possibly try to add at least 1-2 more schools to your list, to give yourself more opportunities. As far as languages go, my experience is in theoretical linguistics so things may be somewhat different, but at least as far as I know it doesn't really matter so much that you've studied multiple languages. If you can tie the languages you know into your research interests somehow then that helps but even then what really matters is leveraging your background with these other languages to better motivate and delineate your interests, not simply that you can speak multiple languages.

But you don't give us enough information to know what your case is, so you ask extremely broad questions. Part of getting help is knowing how to ask. Help us to help you. You know you get detailed answers here, but sometimes it feels like we are spending our time telling you things that the first hit of any google search will tell you, or are most likely irrelevant to your specific situation. I assume you aren't actually eligible for a green card through any venue other than winning the DV lottery, if your country of birth makes you eligible. More information, e.g., on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_Immigrant_Visa and on the State Department website: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/diversity-visa/instructions.html. If there is another reason why you might be eligible for a green card, tell what it is. In general, students aren't able to apply for a green card and the time you spend living in the US as a student doesn't count toward anything. If/when you get your first job in the US, after graduating, you can look into self-sponsorship for a green card, but that's not relevant to your question since you won't be a student at that point and we're talking at least 5 years in the future. Similarly, you may be able to get your employer (for your imaginary job 5 years in the future) to sponsor you for a green card (this is better than self-sponsorship). Or you might fall in love with an American citizen and get citizenship that way. Obviously, none of those things are something to plan on now. You can read about the process by simply googling about it, you can learn about applying as a student too. Maybe someone who's done it will come along and share personal stories here, but if you google e.g. "dv lottery f1 student" you'll find lots of relevant posts and questions in immigration-related fora, which are really much better equipped to answer your questions than we are.

Forgive my question, but since I answer many of yours, I have to ask, do you even try googling for the information before you post here?

Yes, international students can get US driving licenses. You can go to the local DMV website to see what documents you'd need to show in order to apply for a license. Since you can't drive, you'll need to go to driving school first. You can allocate enough time to learn to drive during grad school, sure. There's no studying to do outside the time you spend during your lessons in the car. If you can find a couple of free hours in your week, you're set. I am going to guess you're not going to be so busy that you can't spare a few hours a week for driving lessons. If it's important, you work it into your schedule. Whether it can be done in 2-3 months is hard to know, it depends on how often you take lessons, how good you are, and also on open appointments at your local DMV. Sometimes those can take long to get. It should be doable within a few months, I would guess.

Not being in Anthropology, maybe someone will come by and correct me, but I think that you are overthinking this. GRE scores can sometimes keep you out of school, if they are below any official or unofficial cutoffs that programs might use to weed out applications. 162 puts you in the 90th percentile. You really think your application will get tossed because you are in the 90th percentile in the GRE and not the 95th or 98th? Let's get real here. The GREs are used for screening, to give adcoms some way of comparing applicants who come from different backgrounds and schools and have different grading systems. The 90th percentile puts you clearly above any cutoffs. Once you've cleared the cutoff, GRE scores become meaningless. You'll get in because you have a strong SOP and LORs, because you can articulate your research interests and demonstrate fit with the programs you're applying for, because you can insightfully discuss your research experience and how you plan to grow next. Because you are someone who the adcom thinks will be an asset and contribute to the student body. Concentrate on demonstrating that you are that person, not on improving the part of your application that is already good enough.

That depends on the prices where you are now and in the US. For me, it actually made sense to wait and buy a phone in the States because it was more expensive where I was before.

DF394, email current students at your new department and ask if anyone has an air mattress or sleeping bag that they can lend you for a few days. That can save you a lot of weight and trouble.

^^Yes. For books, use the cheapest (and probably slowest) shipping option; you probably don't need them right away. Scan your notes, don't bring hard copies. It'll be a pain to lug around every time you move, even if you successfully bring them here. And family photos can be re-printed and framed at your destination, if you scan them. Bring the things you really can't (easily) replace or that it would cost more to buy at your destination than ship. Even if you have new fancy electronics, it may still cost more to ship them than buy new/used equipment here.

For moving from a warmer climate to a colder one, read this thread and the ones that are linked there: For moving in general, I don't think there is too much to say. You probably won't be bringing much or any furniture, I assume. (Well, except if you're moving from Canada, which is the only way it might make sense.) Pack as you would for a somewhat extended trip. Bring your good clothes (summer and winter, though your winter clothes might become "fall clothes") and shoes. Things like toiletries I wouldn't bother with and would buy there. I find it really helps to bring something small from home, to make me feel at home wherever I move. When I moved I knew my parents would come visit me a month after I arrived so I left behind some things I wanted to have but didn't need immediately (like warmer clothes, a winter blanket, towels). If that's not going to happen, then there are two options, one is to ship a box or two of non-essentials -- usually if you go via sea and not air it's not too expensive, but takes a long time, so get started as soon as you can and either use a local friend's address or your department's address as the destination; the other is to decide to buy new and cheap or used stuff (towels, dishes, sheets, etc.). A lot can be "inherited" from people who are leaving, if you do it right. It depends on what you already own, prices, etc.

I am so sorry to read about the troubles that you are facing. I think that the way you have been dealing with them is admirable, and I am glad to hear you have someone to support you through it and that you are receiving professional help. I have never had to face anything like this myself, so this post is not based on personal experience but on general knowledge and familiarity with (somewhat) similar situations. I think there is a question here of what it is that you want. Really, that is the only thing that matters and that should dictate what you choose to do. My guess from reading this post is that you want to continue the PhD now, but you are afraid of failing. I understand. However, I don't think that's a good enough reason not to try. This post will have two parts, one contemplating what you'll want to think about if you come back now, and one contemplating taking a job and returning later. In case you come back now, there are two issues you bring up in your questions. One is a technical question of "can I do this?," which is one you should clear with your department. It sounds like they have been nothing but supportive so far. If you make your intentions clear, I can only assume that they will continue to be supportive. The question on their minds will be whether you really want to be there and whether you can make it. You can assure them that you definitely want to be there, and that once you are recovered, there is no reason why you can't make it. The only reason you have been forced to slow down is your health, not that your interests or priorities have changed. I think they will understand, and I hope that they can bend the rules for you, since this is clearly an exceptional case. The other, I think more anxiety-inducing question is "what will they think?" and by that there is a faculty question and a students question. The faculty question can be addressed by having a DGS-type person or your advisor email discreetly to explain that there was a health issue holding you back, but you are recovered and intend to fully participate now. (I understand there may be a concern about recovery times and relapses, but you kind of have to assume it'll be alright, or you'll never get started with anything and I don't think that' a good way to live your life). The students question will probably have a similar solution, but it'll have to be you who spreads the word that you were slowed down because of a medical condition. You don't need to give any details. In case this is helpful, I know of someone who has been taking leaves of absence over the last maybe three years, on and off, and I don't really know what the problem is. My own impression, and I don't think it's unique, is that aside from the curiosity about what happened, my main interactions with this person are on a professional level, and if they are doing interesting work then that's all I care about. I think everyone kind of half-expects that this person will drop out and not graduate, certainly not at the same time as their peers who didn't take time off, but we would all be very happy for them if they do succeed. If you do come back now, I think you need to decide to think of yourself as an incoming second-year student and make friends with the younger students who you may not know right now. It's not fair to compare yourself to your former colleagues who've been working on their research for the two years where you have been dealing with your health. You could never win that kind of comparison, with good reason. You only had one year of grad school. You might even be slow to start as a second-year, given the long break between your first and second year, so I think it's important to have realistic expectations of yourself and the situation. This all said, there is a question whether coming back now is the right choice, as opposed to later. This is something only you can answer, together with your therapist. If trying again right now induces too much anxiety, maybe getting a job for a couple of years as a way to introduce some structure and peace into your life is the right move. There are several advantages to this approach, in my opinion. The main one is the option of starting over with a clean slate. If you come back 5 or more years after you initially started, it may just make sense to start over completely, instead of starting as a second-year. This way you could make friends with a new cohort, and not carry around this past (at least as far as the students are concerned). The second time around should be easier academically, which may also help with preparation for your comp exams. Even if you have to reapply, I think this is doable, especially if you still have the support of your program. I would suggest talking to your advisor and asking about your options, at least as far as having a spot and funding down the line goes. And finally -- and this is very important -- if after working for a few years you decide you no longer want to go back to school, or you want to study a bit in an unofficial capacity and not for a PhD, that is perfectly fine and IS NOT FAILURE. I cannot stress this enough. If you can get yourself out of severe PTSD and build a life for yourself where you are happy and productive, I think there is NOTHING wrong with not going back to the PhD. If you learn that it causes anxiety and affects your health, and you choose to stop and find a good job to improve your health, I think that is a success story if I ever heard one.

The best advice I can give is to look at the profiles of the people who currently hold the kind of jobs you'd like to have. If they have PhDs, then you need to get one to get the job you want. If not, then you'd be doing it just for fun but not for professional development. That's still alright of course, but then you'd want to weigh the costs and benefits. If you go to a full-time 5-year PhD program, then you are losing on work experience and connections as well as potential earnings. There is a question of whether you'd be able to come back to your old workplace or have a temporary position there throughout, and/or how difficult it would be to get a job once you're done, if a PhD makes you over-qualified. You need to decide if the enjoyment you'd get out of the PhD is worth the costs.

It's the weekend. Call your school's ISO first thing (their) Monday morning. Ask for their advice on what to do. I think you have to have this mistake corrected before you can have your visa issued, and if that's so then you want to try and move the date of your interview instead of going, having a problem, and having to reschedule (which I think means you'd have to pay the fees again). However, I am not an expert, so check with someone who is.