Kitkat

Lot's of wonderful advice! Thank you everyone!

Well I guess what I am really wondering if anyone knows how much it would help in getting into programs, if I went say, during the application. It seems to have worked out well for you UnlikelyGrad, and this is why I am wondering. Is it something that is more helpful for science majors? I am assuming at this point that during the application season is a good time to go, and at this point I should just be reading up on possible advisers, getting in touch with them before hand in order to figure out where to apply, and then after I have done that, but before they have gotten back with acceptances/rejections go and visit at least some of the schools that I have applied to.

It's probably just a very mixed group. I'm taking a biogeochem class now as a part of my BS, and a lot of the programs that I am looking at now seem to think that this is important. On another point thats similar to this, I am looking at a lot of geobiology related programs, and a lot of them seem to be taking both bio and geo students.

Most of the schools that I am looking at are not too far away, and have family nearby that I can stay with if necessary. Only a few would be a bit harder to do, like UT- Austin, since I am in NYC. I have an aunt 2 hours away from that campus, so even that would not be impossible, it would just be a matter of getting airfare together.

I am wondering if anyone as any advice about when is a good time to go visit schools that you are looking at. Are people going at all before they apply? During the months of the application process? And how do you go about this. I would want to talk to the possible advisers that I might want to work with if possible.

string theory

So what programs are you looking at?

Thank you. I'm glad that we have our own section now. It seemed to me that there were enough earth science people floating around that this wouldn't seem like such a bad thing to have.

So hello to all the earth science people! I guess I will use this one as the new place for all of us. BTW, to thegradcafe.com, thank you for starting this for our own group!

I'm not entirely sure about this, I'm running purely running off people I know who are going into this, but if you want to teach, it depends on where you want to teach. Many schools K-12 want at least for you to have a BA in teaching, if not a masters in teaching, but like I said I'm not sure about this. If you want to go for a masters of history, then you can teach at a community college. Now, for college itself, in 99% of cases you do need your Ph.D. if you want to teach at that level. But with the k-12 bunch, I would say look at the school districts that you might want to teach in and see how much/ what type of grad education you might need.

Wow, first month posting and I get on the list. But I guess it is a quiet month for posters?

With reading their previous work, how much should read? Just an article or two? Stuff that you are interested? The things that you would like continuing work on? And does it matter how recent it was do you think?

monkey business

open water

life size

find me!

It gives you a good idea on your field, and some of the schools I am looking at, but does not say much about sub specialities within each department. But it gives a good idea of what you are looking at, how much funding the department has, how many see the light at the end of the tunnel for that program and all of that.

printing press

I know that when you go to grad school, you are automatically considered to be independent. But in many cases this can be a good thing when you are applying to some forms of financial aid. I would suggest starting early on applications to schools and other forms of merit based financial aid well before the deadline, to give yourself the best opportunities at these. As for the fee waivers, it would probably best to email the admissions and departmental offices to see what their specific policies are.

modern art

I think the more the merrier.....

conference hall