Zouzax
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Posts posted by Zouzax
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Im sick of waiting too!!! I talked to one of the heads of the department in February and after my interview he said, I don't see why you wouldn't be accepted. I sent all of my paperwork to the school at the end of April and havent heard a peep since. Last week I wrote a follow-up email saying, "Just checking to make sure you have received my application" and STILL no response!! Is making me reconsider whether I want to go to this school or not
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I have no doubts about my plans. I know my decision has nothing to do with extending my youth, escaping reality, maintaining a fragile ego, or earning a six-figure salary. I would love for my family to one day embrace the choices I’ve made with my education and my life, but I know I have to be prepared for the possibility that they will never fully understand why this was right for me.
This this this!
Ive mentioned it in other threads too. My parents came to the States when they were teenagers. Both graduated from high school, but the quality of their education is a bit suspect. I remember helping my mom balance her checkbook when I was 8 or 9 years old, and proofreading my dad's letters when I was in middle school. The one advantage I had was that my father made a decent enough living for us to be middle-class. I don't remember money for necessities ever being an issue, but once I got into college it was made quite clear that I was on my own.
Because of this, Ive been working non-stop since I was 16. I mean, the day I turned 16 I went to the local Burger King & asked for a job (I hated that job. I always smelled like Cini-Minis). It's a running joke among my friends that I've literally worked in every industry. At this point, Ive been working non-stop for 12 years and I'm already burned out lol.
I didn't consider my first-generation status to be a disadvantage until I entered graduate school. Here I have met people from all over the world that knew things I couldn't even grasp. They had read books by authors such as Dostoevsky, Kafka, and Cummings in high school. We never had books in my house growing up. My father always said, "if you're not working or cleaning, you're wasting time." My fellow students also had such an amazing command of the English language -- honestly, I didn't realize how poor my English skills were until this point. Suddenly, I realized how terrible my family's English was, and how that had affected my English, too. It had to start all over again. At 28 years old, I was learning proper English! I felt so behind.
Sometimes I get a little jealous when my classmates talk about the trips they're going to take, or the things they're going to do over the weekend, or (I'm ashamed to say) the things they're going to buy etc. I have 3 jobs (1 full time, one freelance, and one seasonal) so I'm constantly going to one job or another. With all these jobs, I'm still just making enough to pay my bills, keep food in the house, and pay for other incidentals. I'm just managing to keep up with my schoolwork and my thesis. I complained about not having time to finish all my work to one of my peers and she responded, "Just call your parents & tell them you can't work anywmore!" I thought, "WOW. Why didn't I think of that!"
Besides financial and education issues, it's difficult to convince my parents that what I'm doing is worth it. They still don't understand what it is to be a graduate student. As I said before, my father values working or cleaning -- but studying?? My goal is to study as a career? I thought his head was going to explode when I tried to explain to him what a Ph.D entails. My mother, too. As the previous poster said, Im going to have to pursue this dream with or without my family's support. I think it is a big obstacle for first-generation students especially -- my parents see success in terms of money, not knowledge.
On a positive note:
The best parts about a low-income upbringing is that living on a 1500 stipend isn't that much different than any other time in life, and when that 6 figure job drops we'll have the common sense to still live like we do on that 1500 stipend
a 1500$ stipend!! Thats way more than I'm living off now. I won't even know what to do with all that money
.- Zouzax, Langoustine and far_to_go
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This is a great topic. I, too suffer from feelings of self-doubt or semi-failure. At the age when many people are finishing their Ph.D programs, I'm going for a second Master's. Like another poster said, I feel like I'm pursuing pursuing pursuing without ever really achieving my goal.
But then you have to think of everything else. I have a B.S., a post-bacc, and a Master's under my belt. I've lived in several places throughout the world and learned 5 languages. I've met and had the joy of teaching some wonderful students. I've broadened my horizons and have seen things my HS friends will never see.
This is going to sound really cliche, but in the end, life really isn't about money or other material things. It's about experience and the journey that you've taken. When I remember this, I'm so happy with the things I've done so far, and I can't wait to find out what I'll experience next. Don't worry, it'll get better!
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80K. will never be able to pay it off.
EDIT: well now I'm depressed. this is such a sad topic
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this summer I will do the following:
1) go to the beach at least 3 times
2) visit my family for 2-3 weeks
3) decide where I'm moving & get required visas
4) depending on 3), possibly sign up an intensive French course (see you there!)
oh right .. and
5) finish my thesis so I can graduate
and that's it!! the summer's too short already. My semester doesn't end until mid-June so there's still so much to do before I can concentrate on the list above. Can't wait for it to come!
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I'm in the same boat -- I'm the first in my family (extended and nuclear) to attend grad school, and neither of my parents (or aunts or uncles for that matter) went to college. After undergrad, I tried my hand in the business world for a few years but I was really unhappy. I felt like I had so much more to learn & that my mind was literally wasting away while I worried about inane things like shipments & accessories & whether a client got a button delivered on time. When I finally mustered up the courage to leave my job & apply for a post-bac program, I didn't tell my parents for 3 months. I didn't know how to break it to them.
When I finally got my acceptance letter I told them I was "leaving my job". They accepted it as the university was highly respected & they could brag to their friends. I think they assumed I would find a "real job" after I finished.
After that program finished I decided that I wanted to go for my Master's, and after that, my Ph.D. I waited a few months to tell my parents this too. My sister is the one who told them, because she knew they would go crazy & she wanted to be entertained. The only way I can describe their reaction is ... pure disappointment. They asked me things like, "What's a Master's? What's a Ph.D? Why do you want a doctorate if you can't even work in a hospital? What do you mean you're going to be in school for another 7 years?... etc etc etc.
My parents still couldn't accept my decision even a year into my Master's program. My mom called me one day and exploded. She said, "You're still a student, you still have no money, you shouldve become a hairdresser like your sister. Look how much money she has!" My father would continually call me and ask incredulously "And what job are you planning on getting after this Ph.D?". The rest of my family would make jokes that I was "delaying the real world" and wanted to be a "lifetime student" like it was a bad thing.
It was honestly very depressing. I doubted myself and my decision for a long time. It took a lot of self-reflection to realize that I need to live for myself, not for others. And thankfully I have a great SO that supports me & encourages me when my family gets me down.
I think everything changed when I started applying for Ph.D programs & writing my thesis. My family finally started to see all the work that goes into it & how difficult it is to be accepted and receive the degree. This past year things have been much better. I knew the tide had finally turned when my little cousin was talking about graduating from undergrad this year. He was unsure of what he should do as a next step. My dad was telling me this story, and afterwards he said, "I told him he should consider grad school". Finally!
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I agree. We ought to write accessible text. That is a separate issue from what texts the GRE should sample from. The GRE should sample from the kind of texts you will read in graduate school. Unfortunately, many scholars do write like this. You will need to be able to read such writing in graduate school, regardless of whether or not it ought to exist.
ok now you've passed the border of making a point to being just plain obnoxious.
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I agree with MoJingly. Grad school is not nearly as dire as this. Ive never had back problems, because I make sure to work out 4 days a week. Ive had some weight gain, but that was because I was drinking too much wine & eating chocolate like it was a 6th food group.
Any mental health issues were surely not triggered by grad school. They were due to the fact that I'm crazy. My therapist in the States was making some headway with me, but I came to Europe & Ive been crazy as ever. I blame it on my therapist.
Well, if I had any hobbies I surely would have time to do them. Sadly, I spend my free time playing mindless games such as Diner Dash & Sally's Salon on my iPad. Once, I decided to take a language class at a private school. I had plenty of time to do that. So, I think if I weren't playing so many video games I would have time for an extracurricular.
The only thing I will agree with is the relationship trouble. Between classes, working full time, writing my thesis, and the things mentioned above, I barely have time for a relationship. I have a boyfriend but he's been away for a few months, he'll be back in 3 weeks and Im actually worried about him coming BACK. I really don't see myself having time for him. It's difficult to split time between a relationship & grad school.
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got into umass boston!!!!
woohoo!!!!!
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this is really interesting. When I took the SATs in high school, my verbal and quantitive scores were only ten points apart. Ive always considered my math and reading skills to be on par with each other. So I was really surprised when my GRE scores came in and my verbal score was 120 points below my math score. During the test, I had a really hard time reading the passages and answering all the questions in the allotted time -- that was definitely the part that slowed me down. This article explains things really well.
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i go home twice a year -- christmas and summer. once I went home during spring break, too. I found the professors to be more than understanding and cooperative, even letting me take an extra day off here & there if the dates didn't match up. If flights weren't so expensive, I think I couldve gone home more & no one would have said anything. I really don't see it being a problem for you all.
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*tears own thesis to shreds, shakes fist*
- XOwlfan and Neuronista
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Im definitely sticking around! I think this site is great. And Im applying again next year, so....
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When I first started grad school I used to wear comfy clothes -- not sweatpants and yoga pants, but big, comfortable sweaters and T shirts with sneakers and jeans. Problem is, I was TOO comfortable. I wanted to fall asleep every class. No amount of caffeine could wake me up either. Which is difficult when your class has MAX 5 students.
This year, I tried a different technique and started dressing a little smarter (this actually happened more organically, some days I was teaching directly after class so I had to dress more professionally). You know what? I found that it actually made me a better student. I felt more efficient, more professional, and for some reason more mature. The only thing I can think is that maybe dressing professionally made me approach school with a job-related mindset, so I was more on the ball.
Anyway, Ive been doing that ever since. Can't say my grades have gotten any better though.
- Ennue, natsteel, runonsentence and 1 other
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wow I just looked up what you were talking about and that IS incredibly annoying. He cheapens the whole process. He makes it look like you can just wake up one day and say, "I think Ill get my Ph.D this year. Yes, thats what Ill do!"
Also, isn't it strange that he's entering in Fall 2012? Don't people not even apply for that until NEXT fall? It's infuriating that he's taking a spot when only 20 out of 400 are accepted. One less person that ACTUALLY deserved it & worked their butt off for it will be left out because James Franco had a whim.
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good luck! let us know how it goes.
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The key think is to
keep your self motivated for your goals (which by the way I am currently struggling to do) and fight for your dream school.
Yep, this is exactly what Ill be doing this year -- fighting for my dream school
. Which means Ill be working in a lab, writing a paper or two for (hopefully) publication, trying to participate in as many conferences as possible, getting more overall experience, and making sure to apply for outside grants before the deadline. Good luck to you all!! -
I agree with everyone that said revise, revise, revise. Then wait a few weeks and revise some more. I did total revisions on my SOP and CV at least 7 times. Finally a week or two ago I let myself look them over again and there was SO MUCH MORE I could have changed/ fixed.
Research every aspect of the programs you're interested in. Learn everything you can about what's available in your field. If you want to go to a school just for the name and you know deep down inside that you're not compatible with the program/ research, don't waste your time and money. Name isn't everything. Through some links posted here I was able to find 3 more schools that I think I would be really interested in. I didn't do enough research on what's out there.
Start thinking about your writing sample as early as possible. Any paper can be a potential writing sample. Stay on top of what you write, and if you think it could potentially be a sample, edit it according to your prof's suggestions right away. Dont wait until a week before you send in applications and quickly try to revise a random paper (like I did).
On that note, something I wish I had done and something I will DEFINITELY do next time --- take your time applying. don't rush. make sure every detail is included, every piece of information you wanted to say, that every "i" is dotted. If you're unsure about whether or not you want to add/ delete something, sleep on it. I just wanted to get my apps over with so I sent everything in almost 2 months before the deadline and it was silly. Unfortunately that application packet is the only thing that represents you to the adcoms, the only thing that stands between getting an interview or getting thrown into the reject pile. Make sure your 100% happy with it before pressing 'SEND'.
- yellowjane and fortsibut
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I'm currently a senior majoring in linguistics and decided to apply to my department's MA program for fall 2011.
I think I have a very good shot at getting in; my GPA overall and in the major is very good, I have some research experience, recommendations from a few professors within the department, doing an honors thesis, and a decent SoP.
However, my GRE score is very depressing. I got sick the day before the GRE but I did it anyway (I had no choice, with the deadlines and all) because I was satisfied with the results of the practice tests I had been taking. But I admit, I can't blame it all on that since I did a piss-poor job of preparing for it.
Now, my department "expects" a GRE score of 600 each (I got 400) but at the same time they say they take a more holistic look at an applicant's background, which does give me a glimmer of hope.
Still, is it realistic to believe that I may still be admitted? I mean, they must have a cut-off point somewhere. Is it possible to be accepted with a very low GRE?
I should be finding out any day now, and I am very anxious! :-(
Thanks
I'm curious what your results were -- did you get accepted?
If you didn't, I think it would definitely benefit you to take the GRE again. This time you'll have a whole year to prepare and do well. Unfortunately, Ive heard of some programs that set a minimum GRE score. They don't even consider applicants that score below it.
If you really don't want to take the GRE again, there are some programs that don't require it. MIT comes to mind, for example. You can look into those and see if any of them suit you. If the rest of your application is decent, there's no reason why you can't give them a try.
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speeding ticket
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I only got into one program too. Thankfully it's a program that I really like. Before I knew I would only be accepted to one program, I was stressing about what I would do if two or more schools offered acceptance -- which would I choose? How would I make the decision? How would I know that my decision was the right one? I think it's natural that you're feeling some 'buyer's remorse'. I have a hard time making decisions, too so I think I would be experiencing the same thing in your position --- the big ol' WHAT IF.
runonsentence is right when they say there isn't a 'wrong' decision per se, just a different one. its a great way to look at it. give yourself a little more time & think about the reasons why you DID choose the school & all the great things thatll come out of going there. Im sure things'll be fine in a few days.
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Formally accepted Berkeley's offer of funding (notified at about 1:00 AM today CST) over UMass Amherst's offer (notified that I was off of their waitlist at about 3:30 yesterday) and Cornell's. I went from having one offer with funding to three offers with funding in about six hours on April 14. Let this be a cautionary tale to anyone who might think "they're definitely not going to fund/de-waitlist me, I should just accept [other place]!"
thats great!! congratulations!
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late show
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A word of caution in telling the letter writer that the deadline is earlier than it actually is. They may get an email from the application website with the actual date, or they may have other requests for letters to the same school from other students who tell them the actual date. Perhaps you can let them know that you would appreciate it if they could get in the application by the earlier date without making it seem that your earlier date is the actual deadline.
To the OP, you can ask by email, in person or by phone (I felt more comfortable asking by email) but make sure to be able to summarize what it is you want to study in grad school, so that the letter writer will know what your plans are. Good luck!
I agree with newms. My situation was a bit unique in that my professors are not too familiar with the American Ph.D process. I was also the only one in my department applying to such programs, so I had to explain things a bit more but also had a little more freedom in what I could request from them. I told them December 1st for all the apps but since one was actually due on the 1st I think they realized my goal was to send them all in at the same time.
Also, I had requested the LORs before the semester even started (we start later here), so I did everything via email. Also, I just felt bad doing it & felt email was the best way for me. I have problems requesting things from people & really dread hearing the word "no", so I felt an email was the best way for them to turn me down if needed. Anyway hope this helps, sorry for some of the confusion.
what does your family think?
in The Lobby
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this. this. THIS!!!!
I feel guilty all the time that I can't call my mother & tell her to quit her job because I'm going to take care of her. And the way my parents talk, you would think I ran off to a crack den to sell myself for money. Hey, at least I would be paying the bills. Not really but .... really.