raise cain

You're good to go. On a hallucinatory whim I shifted my entire SSHRC application and mine is due Oct 22 but I have a conference overseas so I must be done by the 17th. It does need many drafts, but too many cooks in one kitchen isn't good either. People will have differing opinions telling you x and y and z and then your voice is lost. This is just a general observation, and something my supervisor also warned me about.

Most of the people in my PhD program are early to mid 30s, with some 40+ I can't believe being in your early 30's is considered old now. I started my PhD in my late 20s & I was one of the youngest in my cohort.

*tumbleweeds* Anyone out there?

Yes, we should. I have started my application and am not looking forward to the major depression that will hit me following its submission. The last two times I took off class and course work to focus on the application, this time I have my doctoral exam due, FQRSC and a major international conference presentation all due right before SSHRC. Fun! Anyone else not excited to apply this year? I better perk up my attitude if I want to stand a chance. I know, I know... but just let me whine for a minute.

I appreciate this candidness. I am definitely not someone who has sailed through academia AT ALL, but I do know of a few people that ostensibly have... of course they don't talk about it, because (rightfully so??) they have been conditioned not to...

Well, now we live in different provinces which is about 6 -7 hours by bus. Not to mention he is often away on tour, and me on academic trips.. It's ok to be frustrated, I would be too. There's not much you can say to her either, as she seems totally in her head. Good luck!

2.69 over all GPA from U of Toronto because of a course I got a D- in what was a fucking shit show and the nasty prof, despite my valid reasoning, doctor's notes, etc, refused to swipe it from my record and let me re-take it. I spent years dealing with it, and even took extra courses to make up for the mark, but still killed me and as a result I was not qualified for OGS, SSHRC, or any other internal awards when I accepted York U MA. I was accepted cos of high recc letters, and sufficient work experience. However, because I was never eligible for those awards in my MA, it has now trickled up to lessen my chances at SSHRC the last two times I have applied. I am working on everything else, but it is so frustrating. 4.08 from my MA. So far 4.22 from my PhD.

Applying for the third time... here goes 'something.'

Seems like your roommate has some dependency issues. Two hours away? Give me a break. My partner and I lived in the same city but were two hours away on public transit. The joys of living on opposite sides of a huge city But I certainly didn't cry all the time. You obviously seem much stronger than that, and I'm sorry you have to go through her melodrama. Don't be jealous... her situation sounds horrible. I can't imagine what the guy is like either.

This. Scares. The. Shit. Out. Of. Me. I'm in a 9 year long-distance (since sept 11 for my PhD) relationship and at first I thought it would be great since I'm very independent, etc.etc., but then the no regular sex, no comfort, no calling them up in the middle of the night with an anxiety attack to come over and fuck the stress out of you.... it's taking its toll. Some of your stories are incredibly inspiring, especially the ones where you both sat down and discussed options for the future. I am so impressed. Definitely not the way it is in my household.

So, I *think* I am eligible for FQRSC this year. I got a Quebec Health Card and I paid QC taxes, even though I came here to be a full time PhD student. There is little info on the web, and it is confusing. Not to mention most of it is in French and Google Translate is not so good with precise instructions. I am attending a workshop in a few days. Any Anglophones applying, or have applied? Any tips. The application seems so confusing, especially in relation to SSHRC and OGS.

I don't think anyone is asking you to apologize, but be aware and self-reflexive of your privilege. My family are Holocaust survivors, and education was important to them, but education is secondary when you have to survive. I also think there is a bunch of conflation of what we are all referencing as "privilege" like you point out, but I think what koolherc states is the more salient conflation (imo) - privilege through economic status and privilege through cultural, societal status. I may not come from a wealthy family, heck, by Canadian standard my parents are below the poverty line, but I was lucky enough to live in a metropolitan city that gave me access to people and resources to have that cultural capital to assist me in working towards a PhD. By the by, how come for the life of me I can never spell privilege right?!

This. Flights and trips are expensive. My family and I moved to Canada 20 years ago, and last year was the first time my dad went back to our home country. This summer is the first time my mom is taking a vacation overseas. I'd say that most, if not all, of my PhD cohort has parents with a bachelor+ or at least fairly successful in some professional field. I know there are people way worse off than me in grad school, but I have yet to meet them. The majority of students I have met in my MA and now in my PhD have parents that have helped them out, even a bit. I used my student loan money to help support my mom when she was sick and out of work for several years. I am not eliciting pity, but I can't deny that sometimes it bugs the shit out of me that most of the people I know get kickbacks. Having said that, I try my best not to judge people's spending habits, because people have different priorities for what they want to spend money on & just because they buy expensive olive oil doesn't mean they're rolling in (pizza) dough. ;oP

I am so sorry to hear that. I mean, you were fast tracked because you are a top student. Doesn't SSHRC ostensibly want to fund and support the top students? Pfft.

Thanks all! I just wanted to clarify: this is for profs that are at different universities and/or in different countries - for courses I will never take with them. Does that make a difference? I definitely don't want them thinking I am fishing for ideas from them and since the academic world is small I don't want to leave a bad impression. I do check their websites first just in case they do have syllabi, but not all do.

I am wondering if it is bad form to email a professor (who you have no connection with) and ask them for a course outline? From time to time I come across descriptions of courses I am really interested in, and would love to see the reading list. I have done this with profs from my home university I don't know but I feel that is different, as they know my supervisor, etc. Thanks.

That sounds awful. Standardized testing is v problematic in my opinion, especially for those students who have varying learning abilities and shouldn't be discounted because they can't do a standardized exam.

Does anyone use mint.com to help organize their money and budget? I've been wanting to try it but I'm a bit anxious about giving up my bank passwords. I receive 12, 000k a year in a fellowship plus my TA/RA jobs which is another 12 or so, but next year, luckily, I have an extra 10K for a scholarship I won. I must say, it's more money than I am used to - grew up in a family below poverty line. My rent is 575, internet is 35, utilities vary at about 80 a month. I mostly bike and love to cook and bake, so that saves a lot of money. The biggest pain is having 40K in undergrad and MA student loans that I'm hoping to have saved up by the time I finish my PhD. *wishful thinking* I only travel when I get accepted to a conference, and usually spend more time in the area since the flight has already been covered.

Congratulations, you are an inspiration! When you say Erasmus Mundus, do you mean you did EM for your MA? I'm asking because I heard from two of my friends who went through EM and it seemed like a bit of a joke. The MA consisted of nothing more than a few 10 page papers and a thesis, not much class time, and so on.

Oh that would drive me crazy! That is very strange.... sorry I can't be oh help.

Congrats! You are one of the few! I wonder if we know each other. The Humanities/SIP program accepts so many lovely students. I am also glad I got the Concordia Fellowship or else I'd be screwed. I am thinking third time is a charm as well.

1st year undergrads can be so vicious. I think many of them feel that TA's are *just* students that stand in the way of their brilliance, and that the professor would never ever give them a bad grade because they would understand what a genius they are.

I did the MA program and LOVED IT. I was accepted to the doctoral program but wanted to move away from the city. I know plenty of people in the doctoral program and they are all quite happy. The program can be confusing because it doesn't have a department but it is pliable in making itself work for its students. The faculty is generous, fair and willing (well, most of them anyway....) Congrats & don't let the commute scare you!

Bad news bear. Second time applying to SSHRC. Last year I was forwarded by my university (York) but didn't win at national level. This year no one from my cohort at Concordia was forwarded. However, York was able to forward 104 doctoral applications to SSHRC and Concordia only forwarded 46, and the graduate student body is about equal. Bleh. All that work and falling behind in my courses for nothing.

I think the topic title should be changed because there are other universities in Montreal. ;o) I'll be going to Concordia for my PhD and I'm moving for September 1 as I have to finish my MA thesis before I get to there..... (nervous laughter)