waddle

Absolutely I'll take a break! I can't afford to lose sight of what matters to me--nurturing relationships with friends and family. I know some people work continuously and/or are hard on themselves about it, perhaps because that's what they value and that's how they derive their self-worth. That's fine, and I'm not judging. I just know that if I neglect my relationships with the people I care about, I would go insane. I'm now planning my career accordingly.

(My value for building relationships, carving out such an appropriate existence given the constraints of academia, explains my topic on "How family-friendly is life as a professor". I thank you all for your thoughtful comments.)

If we live to work, we'll work to death. Work to live instead. At least I subscribe to that maxim in my case.

I'm sitting in my bedroom at my parent's house on New Years Day (Happy New Years everyone!) at 1:36 AM wondering why has life suddenly become so gray? Exactly 3 years ago I went to a party in NYC (that took place at a building in Brooklyn that used to be a jail, but it was filled with acrobats and all sorts of fun stuff!) and it was the best time I've ever had. I like to go out sometimes (well, it also depends on where I go), but I feel like as I get older (I'm 27 years old), going out or just having fun is considered uncool. By "going out," I don't necessarily mean going to a club and getting drunk; but instead just getting together and enjoying whatever it is that we're doing.

I went to Spain for five months through a study abroad program and one thing that I liked about the people that I met there was that they were able to go out and enjoy life even at an older age. I would meet people in their 40's enjoying a beer and talking to people of all ages. It was great and I miss that openness.

I've taken out a loan for graduate school and since I did not have enough money to drive to NYC from Florida, I decided to just visit my parents in GA instead. I still have some friends (who are in graduate school and medical school) that are in the hometown that I grew up and some of them just wanted to stay in for NYE and watch a movie or sleep. There were fireworks going off everywhere in my neighborhood! The sky is clear and the stars are out! When has being in graduate school and getting older become synonymous with not appreciating the small beauties in life?

http://www.bp.com/sectiongenericarticle800.do?categoryId=9036591&contentId=7067599

it's not that late. Some professors will email right back, some will get back to you in January or sometime after the app deadline has passed (presumably because they saw at least part of your application package by then), some will never get back to you. Or since we're talking about the Earth sciences, some people you contact may actually be out in the field (I had that happen and wondered why they took 3 months to get back to me ...).

So in summary, you signed up today to:

1. Tell us you got an NSF on a NDSEG thread and,
2. Inform us that you will not inform us if you get an NDSEG, on an NDSEG thread.

this looks fishy to me (haven't opened the link, though)

I can't recall if I first saw this hilarity here, or on a friends FB page...at any rate, it makes me laugh every time I see it...worth the re-post (if that's the case), and hopefully bring a little much-needed humor and a smile! :-)




(My attempt to give credit where its due.)

Yes, citations are OK. Just don't put a dozen of them.

BTW, I'd like to ask when did you take your GRE. In october or in November?

I think that there are, indeed, people who did all they could to research graduate school and their program in advance, and still didn't find it to their liking.

From what I've seen doing recruiting and meeting with prospective students, as well as helping first years settle in, those that properly did their research and for whom it still didn't work out are very much in the minority to those who just didn't research their programs, and are upset at things that were clearly stated and easily found before application.

I'd also add that I find there's a benefit to "more mature" graduate students- whether they were non-traditional undergraduates, or worked some between undergrad and graduate school. There were several of my peers that really found it took them about 2 years to "settle in" to graduate school- and have wondered if they might have been more successful doing an MS or working for a few years before they applied.

And, as StrangeLight said- people leave. If you really thought grad school would work for you, and it's not, a good program and a good advisor won't look down on you for leaving. I will caution that it's worth waiting before you decide, however- I see lots of posts (and hear from lots of people) who want to leave/think grad school isn't for them a few weeks or even a few months in. That's not really giving yourself time to acclimate to a new setting, a new set of priorities, etc. It's also not enough time to try multiple workstyles- maybe you work better early mornings, or late nights, or would work better if you took a nap every afternoon. Give yourself long enough to try these things and see if they work.

Starting graduate school is a lot of new stuff pushed on you all at once- teaching, when many of us never taught before- research as a primary job, as opposed to something secondary or tertiary from undergrad- a new city, often away from family, friends and support network- and higher expectations in and out of classes. Adjusting to not only the pace but also the shifting priorities, while at the same time living more "alone" than many of us have before can be quite a system shock, and really takes a long time to fully adjust to. Not only that, but it's amazing how fast you can get accustomed to the new work pace- journal articles took me several hours to read my first semester, now I can get the same amount out of them in a 20 minute read with a few notes. You get into your area of research, you learn the techniques and the details and the major players, and suddenly it gets much easier. You get more efficient- you can do more with less time and energy commitment.

Chances are, if this is something you've always wanted, it's something worth sticking to- just relax, take a deep breath, and give yourself some time to adjust properly.

This idiom is frequently leveled at prospective graduate students to warn them of the challenges that await should they pursue a graduate degree; or, worse, as an admonition against those graduate students who are currently unhappy in their programs. I want to try to unpack the meaning of this statement, and what it means for those of us who, despite meticulous preparation, find themselves in a situation much different than anticipated, and are perhaps questioning their commitment to graduate school.

Be sure before you go to graduate school. As I find myself deeply unhappy as a first semester PhD student, I look back on the number of times I interrogated my certainty in the three years between getting my Bachelor's and entering grad school. I emailed each of my prospective advisors; if I didn't meet with them in person, I spoke with them on the phone. I talked to their students, often at length and having frank and open discussions. I visited the campuses, toured the cities, of my top three choices. During those three years of careful plodding, and especially during the frenzied application cycle, I had painstakingly long discussions with my undergraduate mentors where I made no attempt to hide my neuroses, fears, and anxieties about graduate school. Indeed, I entered my top-choice program with a fully funded offer confident I had done everything I could to know what I was getting myself in to.

But somehow the logic of that other common idiom -- "you never know until you try" -- escapes the ethos of graduate school. We are told we cannot, should not, enter into it lightly. I did not apply on a whim, upset with the economy, etc. I developed this plan carefully, and it took me three full years to execute. In the interim I had satisfying work, traveled extensively, and suffered the loss of a close family member. I had moments of agonizing doubt. My devotion was not blind. Indeed, each of these circumstances forced me to be all the more thoughtful about making a long term commitment that would move me further away from my family and friends at a very sensitive time. Yet there are so very many aspects of graduate student life that I simply could not have known had I never made it this far. And make no mistake, there is an acute difference between reading about the challenges of grad school and experiencing them for oneself. I think it's counterproductive to tell anyone on this forum or elsewhere who is experiencing doubts, "well, didn't you know? Didn't you do your research?" Of course they did. Most of us are entering research-intensive programs. Of course we did our research.

There is a certain impossibility of "being sure before you go." While I do encourage all prospective graduate students to learn as much as they possibly can before committing, who amongst us can claim that they really truly knew the intensity of the loneliness, the depth of internal doubt, the purgatory of unstructured time? (And I worked from home for two years, so structuring one's time should come easy, right?) A person with a goal will rationalize these things away -- I spend lots of time alone, and much prefer quiet days and nights to socializing; and I'm already insecure to a fault. But these are not the reasons why I want to leave my program. Nor do the particularities of my program contribute to my discontent -- in fact, the place is great, and the people are wonderful, and the city is spectacular. Perhaps many amongst you will be incredulous when I say this, but what I found when I got here is that I simply do not want this life.

My intent here is manifold. It seems that many people are blamed for their lack of foresight if they express doubt about being in grad school. I want to express my solidarity with those people who felt they were extremely calculating in their plans and preparations. I also want to suggest that, yes, graduate school is a serious thing. But the pedestal it's put on contributes to unrealistic expectations. If someone wanted to quit their job -- a job they earned by having a particular education or level of hard-earned experience -- would you say to that person: "but they're paying you a salary! Think of all the resources they wasted on you!" Would you hang the threat of tarnished reputations over their head -- not only their own, but their references? Somehow, this sounds ridiculous when applied to a member of the working world, yet draws no suspicion when directed at a grad student. I think this is an ideal we impose on graduate school more than it is the reality of things. While I am taken aback by many things in graduate school, one amongst them is how reasonable my professors and colleagues are. As people who value intelligence and thoughtfulness, I think there must be a way to bow out with the same graces that got you there in the first place.

Eh, I am kind of into men's fashion... I think it makes me more manly for admitting it! Also, the only moments of bonding I could ever find with my sister was when she'd help me with my wardrobe so something rubbed off. I'm going to go for it here.

Here goes:

A pair of black shoes and brown shoes. A black belt and a brown belt- match your shoes and your belt! A blue oxford will go with any tie as well as a nice white oxford. if you aren't wearing ties I like plaids and Gingrahams- buy blues deep earthy reds, purple/maroons --> mix colors that are earthly tones so you don't look depressing in spring or out of place in winter. Add color. You need a wardrobe that can cross through seasons if you are going to be near broke. Ties- University ties are easy enough (the one's with horizontal stripes) these along with solid ties are essential. A nice wool or cotton charcoal grey tie will kill with plaids and other patterned shirts. Yes, you can mix patterned ties and patterned shirts as long as they are different patterns- even Micro striped shirts will go with striped ties if the the size of the stripe on each is clearly different. The only large patterned shirts I like to buy are plaids and gingrahams. Unless you get micro stripe shirts I always feel like a candy-cane. Before I leave this one- You are going to want to learn how to match ties and shirts. Most men look like their tie and shirt combos were bought in one of those cheesy shirt/tie sets you find a JC Penny's. Find a color wheel online and learn how complimentary colors work unless you want the "shades" of whatever your shirt color is look. I'd get bored looking at that every day. Getting ties in your primary colors is a good start for a wardrobe...but a good grey tie will go with a great deal of clothing Dark denim. Straight up black or blue with no cheesy washes. The darker the more professional...they'll looked washed out a bit with age. You can avoid looking old by wearing jeans with a nice blazer and button up. Just make sure these are classic or slim fit for this to work. Blazers/sport coat. I like Browns and Grays. I find these go with nearly everything and look more contemporary than the traditional blue or black. For material I recommend tweed (a nice tweed), corduroy or a light wool. Technically there is a difference between sport jackets and blazers but- that aside just make sure your jacket has 2 buttons and not 3. It should fall slightly below your waist but not drape over your backside. Chinos: Blue, dark gray, brown to play it safe. A nice cardigan or two can be dressed up or down with ties or without ties.

My favorite look: Dark blue jeans with Clark's desert boots a nice dark brown sport coat worn over a sharp plaid. I can fit in with older crowds without looking aged or ridiculous and I can easily hit up a cool trendy bar with my friends who are in their 20's and stand out just enough from the rest as to not fade to the backdrop.

The biggest rule is make sure your clothes fit!!! Jackets should not look like tents, pants should fit your legs and waist without needing a belt to hold them up and shirts should be able to be tucked in without yards of excess fabric draped behind you. Expenses aside, you will never look decent in clothes that don't fit!

For fun:
Don't wear shinny shirts- It isn't 2000.
For Pete's sake don't wear a yellow tie and a blue shirt. It is business school attire 101 or the garb of middle aged overweight men.
Don't wear pink. Most guys can't pull it off. Even if you can it is cliche. Check out purple if you want the same vibe without looking tired.
Pink ties and black shirts are for frat guys.
Don't match everything you are wearing with different shades of the same color. Most guys do this because it is brainless.
Not a huge fan of slacks if you want the the look that strays between proper casual and professional. They just look too dressed up and old IMO.
Repeat above: No pleats- They never looked flattering on anyone other than larger men.
You can buy cool colored socks to look a little more fashionable.
DON'T BUTTON UP YOUR JACKET ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!
Grab a couple handkerchiefs to put in your sport coat/blazer pocket when situations call for you to be dressed up a little more than normal.
You don't have to spend a lot of money on clothes for them to be nice. YOu just have to know what to look for quality wise when you are buying on a budget.
I've seen 200$ shirts that were horrible and some of my favorite shirts were total steals at 20$
Cute ties are a no no and should be saved for when you are a father and your kid doesn't know what to get you for father's day. They always look messy and out of place.
I like Gilt.com for the net if you have a couple months to shop. They do flash sales daily with some really great deals on some top products. Even if you don't buy there it is worth signing up (free) to at the very least see how outfits are put together.
Outlet malls are great. If you are looking for one store to hit, if you had to do it this way, J.Crew is pretty solid in the last few years. The retail spots can be pricey, but the outlet stores are often a steal.

I'll conclude with two things. First, if you have women in your life trust them (mothers, grandmas, sisters, girlfriends or friends) as they will always help you look sharp. Lastly, a good goal for men's wardrobe should be versatility. You are going to drop some money on clothes no matter what and you want to make sure you have shirts you can dress up or dress down, same with pants and sweaters, jackets, etc.

FYI: I could do all of the above, either on Gilt.com alone, or with summer sales for 600$...maybe 5. This is all provided you have none of the above. If you are going to do the Gilt.com thing PM and I'll send you and invite to the site. I think it is still invite only.

My school definitely has its share of things for me to be annoyed about. These include:

- Takes three years to get a MFA (seniors say we have to take on a doctorate-level workload for a master's degree)

- Financial aid office ignores all loan applications because they expect you to fill out their special little form (I was eligible for $20K in loans, but the school would not give it because it was a federal loan. Meaning you can only get private loans here)

- Amount of work. Program claims to be for working professionals, but I hardly got everything done and I don't even have a job.

- People who are not only master's upperclassmen, but who have real jobs in art who make mediocre final projects. How can these people have such crappy skills and get hired? I hate to sound arrogant, but I know my skills surpass some of my classmates' skills, so why don't I have a job?

- Just a rumor...due to working people being unable to meet deadlines, the school is allegedly not letting anyone who works full-time enroll. This does not effect me, but it seems unfair.

- Cost in general. $4700 per semester and $500 for two weeks of food?

- Worthless classes like art history. Methinks this is just the school's way of squeezing a few more thousands of dollars out of everyone each year.

- Need to have an average grade of at least a B in each course.

- My major is set up in such a way that you cannot quit and come back.


I know a lot of those are money issues, but hey, I don't have any money whatsoever. And when I can't get a loan, it becomes a big deal. What about you? What goes on at your school that you hate?

Hello All,

I have just recently taken the GRE and, as a result, have some new stats to post on here. I am looking at applying to programs in molecular and cellular biology. The schools I am looking at are Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Cornell, UPenn, Michigan, and NYU. What do you think my chances are at getting in these prestigious programs? Here are my stats:

Cumulative GPA: 3.678 (Rigorous Science Curriculum at University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fl)
Quantitative (Range): 750-800
Verbal (Range): 540-630
Research Experience: Currently doing a post-baccalaureate fellowship at the University of Kansas in Developmental Neurobiology (the program started in June and will last up until I begin graduate school in the fall ~1.5 years). Before this, my research experience was in the field of peptide synthesis and nanochemistry (1.5 years).
I have written what I believe to be a phenomenal statement of purpose and should be getting great letters of recommendation (1 from my current PI, 1 from my PI in Chemistry, and 1 from a well respected Biologist who is the assistant provost of undergraduate research at the University of Miami). I have prior teaching experience (General Chemistry Lab TA, 2 semesters; Biology workshop leader, 1 semester; Chemistry Workshop Leader, 4 semesters) and extensive leadership experience (Research Coordinator of BBB honor society executive board; Undergraduate Facilitator in Research in Ecology; Biology Peer Advisor, 2 semesters). I also worked throughout college in retail and did several volunteer/service experience )National Gandhi day, relay for life, Biology guest lecturer and science fair judge at local high school). I have attended several national research conferences and have memberships at a few science societies. Also, if it helps, I am a latino minority. What do you think?

my current EDC:

mighty wallet tyvek wallet
iphone 3gs
carabiner with: leatherman squirt ps4, 4sevens quark mini 123, fisher trekker space pen, spy capsule with earbuds, house/car/department keys.
BIC lighter

if i'm headed to out campus i add:
macbook pro 13"
AC adapter (if i'm anticipating working for over 6 hours away from home)
however many books i have to read/discuss that day

i'm eying other lighters since i blow through BICs so fast lately. also considering a small spyderco folding knife, but i need to research the PA knife laws a little better first. i've been using a scarf in place of a hanky a lot, so i'm going to grab a handkerchief next time i see one i like. i considered getting a leatherman wave, but i find the squirt is perfect for everything when i'm out and about and, at home, i have all the other tools i'd need.

The military will not take me, due to medical conditions I've already tried to enlist.

So I've been looking at the in state rate for a pharm D program in my state at a public university. Total cost of attendance for the 4 year graduate program is $158,422.00 of that tuition is $73,000.00

http://www.pharmacy.unc.edu/admissions/pharmd/tuition-costs

http://studentaid.unc.edu/cost/ssa_gr_general.html

I cannot get enough federal loans, scholarships (looked at a few I could surely get from major retail pharmacy chains), grants, work/study etc to even come close to covering this, so how the heck is everyone else affording graduate school?

Please only answer if you actually made it through graduate school.

You have to make time for some type of friend outside of your classmates, you know normal folks. They help to keep you grounded and give you a sense of perspective that is lost in the lab grind by the rest of us. For instance, I used to drink beer with the night janitor while getting my MS. When 11pm rolled around, I'd stop what I'd be doing and we would walk the halls drinking Bud Lights in koozies, bullshitting, and I'd help him empty the trash. I'd tell him about my problems, he'd tell me his, I'd explain my project to him, and he would ask me why I was doing something. I still miss our evening constitutionals, where we discussed life, science, why the PI down the hall was such a bitch, and whose turn it was to buy beer.

Moral of the Story: Make some damn time for friends. You are never going to have balance all the time in your graduate career. At some points you will feel like you are spending too much time in the lab or too much time on your personal life. That's fine, just let it balance out in the long run. How many scientists were there 200 years ago? A shit ton son! How many can we name? Not too many. Science is not your life, its something you are passionate about and do to live your life. Enjoy the people around you and let them enjoy you.

Now get your ass out of the lab and make friends. Oh and study too.

Melting fish!! That just made my morning.


Here is one:


Q: If we keep clear-cutting rainforest, why is it difficult for plants to re-establish themselves?

A: It will harder for them to find their pray and with everything going on they could get scared.


...another display of the lack of understanding about basic ecological concepts (like...photosynthesis).

Not one of my students, but an officemate's (we used to read each other funny snippets to stay amused). The question was something along the lines of: given what you've learned about melting points of saturated vs. unsaturated fats, why do you think cold-water fish have unsaturated fats in their bodies?

Best answer ever: "Because otherwise, the fish will melt."

(We just about fell on the floor, we were laughing so hard)

As usual, these articles fail to acknowledge opportunities for PhD-level scientists outside the academy. We get DoE national labs, DoD labs, the NIH intramural program, NASA, NOAA, the NSA, FFRDCs, government contractors, nonprofit research institutes (e.g. WHOI), Big Pharma, technology startups, the energy industry (both traditional and alternative), the research labs of large for-profit companies (Intel, IBM, Microsoft), the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the military. Not everybody wants or needs to be a professor. PhDs are crucial to large parts of industry and government. The fact that there are more STEM PhDs than there are assistant professorships is a feature, not a bug.

One of my projects at work - a government contractor - has four PhDs working on it. These people didn't fail to get academic jobs. A couple of them were the pick of the litter. They came here by choice. They are happy here, they get to work on cool research, they avoid the race to tenure, and they make more money than they would in academia.

This sentence is just incredible:

"Many young Americans bright enough to do the math therefore conclude that instead of gambling 12 years on the small chance of becoming an assistant professor, they can invest that time in becoming a neurosurgeon, or a quarter of it in becoming a lawyer or a sixth in earning an MBA."

Ha. Hahaha. Do these authors know what the job prospects are these days for lawyers, and how much it costs to go to law school? What kind of oblivious person these days markets law school as a path away from penury and toward job security (of course, if you combine it with a STEM PhD, you can be a patent lawyer and have a relatively easy time getting a cushy job)? Do they realize that in order to be a neurosurgeon, you have to spend four years in med school at $50k/year, completely win the residency matching process - almost nobody's a shoe-in for a surgery residency - and then spend six years working 80+ hour weeks for pay of $40k/year, and maybe a couple more in a fellowship? Have they noticed that an MBA doesn't do much for most people unless it's from a highly competitive, expensive, top school? At least in a STEM PhD program they pay you while you get your PhD, even if not very much.

Also, with all due sympathy for the biomed folks, not every field of science expects you to spend half your life bouncing around postdocs.

"A prime symptom noted by all: a growing aversion of America’s top students — especially the native-born white males who once formed the backbone of the nation’s research and technical community — to enter scientific careers."

Oh noez, not the native-born white males, whatever shall we do...oh wait, in the modern world, the US scientific talent pool includes women, people of color, and immigrants. Now, in fairness, they say that top US students in general are avoiding scientific careers. But aren't they writing this article about how US students shouldn't go into scientific PhD programs? Shouldn't they approve? If they don't, have they ever considered that articles like this one might be playing a role?

Tonyum--

Hang in there. You can do it!

Remember that your department believes in you, your ability to work hard, and your potential--otherwise they'd not have offered you admission. Your department believes in you. Trust their wisdom. It wasn't by accident that they said "Come, be one of us."

Right now, the learning curve looks steep because you're building upon your previous experiences to build new skill sets. As formidable as the new terrain may seem, you have it within you to figure out ways to navigate it successfully.

Let go of fear. Your legs are shaky now. Yet visualize yourself on that day in the not so distant future when you'll be running, looking over your shoulder, and laughing "Hey, slowpokes, keep up!" You can do it.

Now, in addition to the options outlined above, please consider the utility of the following.

Get to know some of your professors. As they have been there and done that, they know what you're going through. Among them may be a professor or two who can offer words of wisdom, an empathetically appropriate response, and maybe even friendship. (If a friendship does develop, keep the boundaries clear in your own mind. And remember that empathy is different than sympathy.)

Get to know some of the grad students who have been around a while. They may know some tricks of the trade that will benefit you.

Carve out some "me time" in your schedule. As an example, when I was doing my coursework, the interval between the end of my last class of the week and the evening of the following day was mandatory decompression time. Concurrently, I made a commitment to watching most of my favorite team's games--no matter what.

Now and again, these requirements led to some long nights to make a deadline. And maybe I'd have been better off missing a Lakers' game to peck away at a draft. But sometimes you just have to stick it to the man.

If you do designate "me time," consider a counter-programing approach. For instance, if you're going to have a "Friday night" make that night Wednesday. This way, you'll have to deal with less traffic at popular venues.

Carve out some discretionary funds in your budget. I know times are hard and the life of a graduate student can be austere. But designate a certain amount for certain activities and then pursue those activities. As an example, budget fifty bucks a month for music and/or a similar amount for Starbucks. Spend some of your "me time" leisurely spending your money. (Alternatively, you could get some magazine subscriptions at the student rate.)

Then, just before you get ready for another session of hitting the books, put your feet up on a chair, take a sip of your mocha while you listen to your iPod, look around, and take pride that you are on your way to knowing more about chemistry than most people who will ever walk the face of the Earth.

Cool story, bro.

Things not to say/do:


Well, it's not like you had a shot anyways. Reality check, eh? How does that feel, mate? <point and laugh> Cool story, bro. So where else did you get rejected from? Even <insert names of other people they know> got into there! And I thought you were better than them!

A letter from a high school teacher is a big no. Job supervisor, maybe. Try sending your old professors an email. They might actually remember you. (Try trawling the forums for previous threads from people who have lost contact with professors.)

don't feed the troll, please