GutLogic

For vocab, I can't say enough good things about this flashcard program: http://www.brain-scape.com/. Instead of just flipping through flashcards, it has the words divided into manageable decks, and as you get to each card it has you rate how well you knew the answer. The rating determines how soon you see the card again, and you can watch your overall mastery of the deck increase as you go, which is encouraging. It was way more efficient than normal flashcards or vocab lists, and since it gave me more reinforcement for words I didn't know as well, I ended up remembering the words a lot longer. I also found the list matched up really well with what was actually tested.

I was so hung up on getting into a PhD program, that nothing else really mattered to me. I watched as my life was completely swept up in LoRs, SoPs, GREs, GPA and every other acronym known to the academic world. When people asked me how I was doing, the answer always revolved around my PhD process and never anything else. It was PhD or bust, never really sitting back to think about if that's what I REALLY wanted. I had this mindset of "I am capable to achieve it, therefore, I must achieve it." It kind of reminds me of that Jurassic Park statement that Jeff Goldblum makes about scientists recreating dinosaurs. He said something like, "Scientists spend so much time thinking about whether or not they could, that they don't stop and think about whether or not they SHOULD."

Now, one year after I had decided that PhD was the life for me, I am sitting on the very real possibility that I will not be getting in to any of the 11 programs to which I applied. Instead, I'll likely be falling back on my safety net of a Master's program at the institution where I am an undergrad.

And you know what? I am ECSTATIC about that, actually! I have always prided myself on living a balanced life, enjoying time with my significant other, my friends, relaxing online, all while maintaining a good academic profile. The thought of a PhD program CONSUMING my life for the next 5-7 years never really hit me while I was in the application process. It has now. Call it rationalization for me not getting in, but that's fine with me.

I am actually quite relieved knowing that I will be done with my graduate studies in two years and I can go on to teach at a community college and do my own research without so much pressure to publish. AND I'll have time for myself! Once I dropped the "PhD or Bust" attitude, reality has set in and I cannot believe that I thought of a Master's program as a "safety net" when most of America cannot even obtain an undergraduate degree.

I'm proud of my accomplishments, PhD or not. And all of you should be too.

Ann Arbor is actually a pretty decent place to be for non-undergrads. You'll find that there are plenty of young professionals around (Ann Arbor is the home of a major Google office as well as JSTOR, and a number of firms and startups either affiliated with the University or the U of M hospital.) In terms of night life, there's good news and bad - the good news is that if you stay away from South University, you can avoid the largest concentration of party party party undergrads. The bad news, though, is that its impossible to avoid them altogether - Ann Arbor's downtown is small enough that even "grown up" places - like, say, The Jolly Pumpkin (Belgian style gastropub) or the aforementioned Ashley's (Microbrew focused bar - they have like 50 taps and rotate through really obscure beers) will have at least a few undergrads hanging around. They're usually pretty well behaved.

As for food, just check Yelp - pretty much every major cuisine can be found in Ann Arbor (although if you want a good and authentic taco, you'll have to head over to the East side of Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti.) If you can scrape together the dough, get a sandwich at Zingerman's deli for sure, and Zingerman's Road House (on Jackson on the West side of town) has been getting some national press for their modern barbeque. Seriously, though, if your boyfriend likes holes in the wall, send him post haste to Ypsilanti (Ann Arbor's poorer, grittier, less annoying neighbor, 10 minutes down the road) You can get a burger at Sidetrack (one of GQ's best 25 burgers in the country,) a breakfast the size of a semi-truck at the Bomber, the best Thai food in Washtenaw County at Thai-Thai (do take out though, there's literally 3 tables,) crazy good Tacos at La Casita, etc.

The Arb got mentioned in terms of primo outdoor zone, but there's also the Matthei Botanical Gardens just outside of town, and I believe there are 2 or 3 dog parks (you can get an off-leash permit from the city too, if that's your thing.)

Absolutely take the job! Working for a year before applying to grad school was the best decision I ever made. The experience and perspective you gain will make you a better and more motivated grad student if/when you decide to go for your PhD. It's true that a lot of people may say they're going back to school and then never do, but I'd look at it this way: 1) If you never go back to school because you enjoy your job and don't really feel the need to go back, I don't see anything wrong with that. 2) If you don't really like your job and can't see yourself staying there, you'll be all the more motivated to go back to school.

As one word of caution, however, I would say, if you take the job, be careful not to get strapped down with too many monthly expenses & responsibilities. This is probably one of the major reasons that people who say they will return to school don't. I will be going into grad school with a monthly car payment for the first 3 years- I don't regret it because it was a necessity for me getting to work, and the car will last me well beyond when I finish paying it off. However, be sure when you buy these sorts of things to be planning for a grad student's budget, not your current budget. I also adopted a dog last year, and while I absolutely love her, looking at starting grad school I have to consider her in my choice of housing, in my schedule, and in my budget. It's easy to say now that you will live frugally and below your means, but suddenly having the freedom that comes with a decent paycheck and no studying to do can really change your mentality.

Also, research experience may trump professional experience in applying to grad schools, but overall I think that professional experience prior to applying for grad school will be looked at very positively on your application- it will almost definitely make you a stronger applicant than someone coming right out of undergrad. Students who take a year or two away from school before going back tend to be more focused, confident, and realistic about their own abilities when they go to grad school, and admissions committees know this. If you get the chance, browse through the book "Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student's Guide to Getting an MA or a PhD" by Robert L. Peters. Also, take a look at the sample essays in the book "Graduate Admissions Essays: Write Your Way Into the Graduate School of Your Choice" by Donald Asher. These will make it extremely clear that the many, varied life experiences applicants may have between undergrad and grad school only makes their applications stronger.

Finally, if you are dedicated and disciplined enough, it's not too hard to keep up-to-date with research. Keep in touch with faculty from your university & friends/classmates who are going to grad school in the field you are interested in. You may have to pay for subscriptions to a research journal or two if you don't have access to them through your job. Just set aside some of your free time for reading. For me, time off of school gave me the chance to really expand my horizons and when I go to grad school I will be doing research that I find really exciting, but that I was never exposed to as an undergrad, and wouldn't have known about if I hadn't taken the extra time to read up on the range of research going on in/slightly outside but related to my field.

Finally, I'm guessing job openings at Microsoft are really competitive, and getting that job offer (in addition to all those grad school interviews!) says a lot about your abilities. I'm thinking you will be just fine no matter what you decide to do. So, congratulations, and good luck!

Hi Banksy,

I'm at a similar point to you- I am working in a biomedical lab while applying to PhD programs (in public health, though, I'm changing fields). A few comments:

It sounds like you have some really good connections at the schools you want to go to, and I think if you use that to your advantage, it could make up for the numbers. If you have people on the faculty who want you in their lab, and know you do good work, they will fight to get you in. I don't think there's any reason not to rely on that- I have good numbers, and I am freaking out cold-contacting faculty, because no numbers make up for having someone willing to take you on as an advisee. The way I see it is, you have landed a really good job, and from the sounds of it you have really proven yourself since being there. The publication process takes a really long time, but having a supervisor who is able to enthusiastically recommend you to his colleagues is for now the best concrete demonstration you have of your accomplishments. If you can get the senior scientist to introduce you to some of his connections, and start a dialogue, you probably have a really good chance.

As far as the GRE goes, I think in biological sciences the verbal might count almost as much as the quantitative section, although it might depend on the field you are in. If you do end up retaking it, I highly recommend this website: http://www.brainscape.org/ It is a flashcard program for GRE vocabulary, and although I generally don't like flashcards, this was an absolute lifesaver for me. I don't know what I would have gotten before using it (probably not a good score), but I ended up with a 700 on the verbal.

Overall, it sounds like you have what counts most in your application, which is demonstrated dedication and ability in research. Your work at your current job will probably be a real strength for your application, so definitely take full advantage of that.

Good luck!

Kim