Zouzax
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Posts posted by Zouzax
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I'm trying to stay positive, but I keep feeling like I've wasted three months of my time applying to programs that are just going to laugh at my application and throw it in the garbage. All I want is to get into a Ph.D. program and I'm terrified that I'm not going to get in anywhere.
My significant other asks me "what will you do if you get in everywhere?" and I have to tell him that the likelihood of that is so low that I don't even want to think about it. He loves me, but I don't think he gets it. Although, he is wonderful in the simple fact that he believes unconditionally that, not only will I get into a Ph.D. program, I'll get into more than one so I'll have to make a choice.
From his mouth to God's ears....
Seriously, I feel like you just wrote down my situation exactly ...
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I have nightmares about the following:
1. that I won't be accepted to any schools. In fact, that they'll laugh when they see my application and reject me immediately
2. that I WILL be accepted by one or two, but I wont finish my Master's thesis on time, thus making it impossible for me to graduate and thus not able to go on to Ph.D
3. that I WILL be accepted, will finish my thesis on time, then enter the program just to find out that I'm not prepared for it at ALL, thus having to drop out and ruin all my dreams of obtaining a Ph.D.
As you can see, the stress is never-ending.
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how many times did you have to say: "Not until March" this holiday season? I've been keeping track, my number is up to 6. And 2 of those were to the same person, on different occassions.
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I can relate to this topic as well. My parents don't really understand the graduate school application process. They think since I have a decent GPA I can just choose which program I want lol. As a side note, they want me to go somewhere close to home. But they don't get how hard it is to get in ANYWHERE let alone having the option to choose where.
Like others have mentioned, they keep asking even though I told them I won't know until late February or March.
haha SO true about that decent GPA -- my parents are CONVINCED that just because I did well in undergrad and know a few languages, thats going to lead to an automatic acceptance. Wouldnt that be wonderful, if it were true?
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The other night when I was lying in my bed I noticed that a spider was descending from the ceiling and the beast fell almost on me!!!! After that I looked carefully at the ceiling and noticed another spider, who was seemingly hesitant as to where to descend. It was wandering to and fro right above my bed and instead of peacefully falling asleep I had to lie there looking at the doubtful creature!
Im not joking ... I would move immediately. And by 'move', I mean change apartments.
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I'm terribly afraid of fish.
I dislike going in the ocean for fear of meeting fish.
Taking me snorkeling is tantamount to torture.
this is so funny, im terribly afraid of fish, too!! i will NOT go in the ocean, lake, or any other natural body of water they may contain fish, or in my opinion, *sharks* - even though I'm assured that sharks cannot possibly live in a lake, that water is too clear & calm for there to be no shark activity. I don't take any chances.
@strangefox -- don't even get me started with fear of spiders. just writing that word makes the hair on my arms stand up. i am so afraid of them, im afraid of the very thought of seeing them, and avoid channels/shows/movies that I believe hold a high probability of just POPPING one out at me with no warning. (ex. Salt, the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, Fear Factor, and some reality talent shows, especially German ones). The worst is how they're always just SURPRISING you with them, they should most certainly have a disclaimer before showing such a thing on television.
- Strangefox and DrFaustus666
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I'm so happy I saw this post. I am very, very secretive about where I'm applying to, to my family & friends. My family puts a little of pressure on me to succeed in whatever I do, and if I told them where I'm applying, that'd be it. They would get in their minds the one school they want me to be accepted to, and if I'm not accepted the disappointment would be all over their faces (talk about pressure haha)
Also, I'm constantly asked if I know an answer yet. I dont know how many times I've said February/March. But I also try to reiterate that it's not a matter of WHEN it's a matter of IF.
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now that i look at my post, it might have been confusing, so let me clarify: i said I'm teaching 20-25 hours a week, but its not a TA position. I teach at a school that's about an hour away from my university. I also live an hour away from both work and my university. This is why I say I have no time to do anything. Im sure working on campus this many hours would be a (bit) easier.
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Thanks for sharing, Zouzax. I am also gonna be doing master only. Working on-campus is what I want, but I guess I also need to have a talk with my advisor about this first. Is this semester your first one in grad school? Are you still looking for assistantship from the department?
actually I'm in my second year of a 2 to 3 year program (that I'm trying to finish in 2). In terms of an assistantship, I'm in a different situation because I'm an international student at my school, and at my school that means I can't do an assistantship. It's fine, only 2 students in the whole department do it & theyve been in the position for at least 2 years. Most people find relevant jobs in the field, or should I say in the 'real world', which is why I started teaching (hoping it'll be good experience for TAing as a Ph.D student).
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Considering what was said in older topics in this forum, usually the schools inform admitted/waitlisted applicants by the end of February. (Perhaps this year will be different!)
Yes, they probably say mid-March so that students don't start harrassing them for decision news in February lol.
Btw, just got an email from MIT, saying my application is complete, on file for consideration, and the review process will begin after January 2nd. I know its just a confirmation email but I swear I almost threw up in my mouth. Of course my biggest 'reach' school is also the school I want to attend the most.
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There are US schools that do that.
I submitted my app to Penn State by 7am sometime in late October... And got a call by 12pm that same day saying I was accepted and that a funding offer was on the way. It's the wonder of rolling admissions, and as mentioned above, there are lots of schools that do them- but sadly, there are also lots that don't.
And as someone else mentioned above, departments within the school can even differ on rolling admissions/not.
But yeah, adcoms are out of business now until early January, imo. I know most of our prof's are taking some time off, reviewing grants, catching up on all the stuff they had to throw out of the way for finals. Most are planning to resume business as normal around New Years.
Wow ... that Penn State story is amazing. Wish I applied to one or two schools with rolling admissions. Thankfully my semester doesn't end until late January, so just when I'm over finals & starting to get antsy, I'll (hopefully, cross my fingers, knock on wood, plus any other kind of good luck gesture) start hearing about interviews, etc.
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I'm in a Master's program, and I teach about 20-24 hours a week. It's definitely a lot of work. When I first started, my advisors suggested that I not work, but it wasn't an option, because I'm not funded, and I have to eat (unfortunately).
I agree with the previous poster about trying to work as many weekends as possible, and finding a school-friendly place to work. When I was an undergrad, I worked on campus & it was great. If I need money during my Ph.D, I will definitely look into this option again. Working on campus is great because: a) they are completely understanding if you can't come in due to a big exam, big paper, etc. etc ... and in my experience, if work was slow, they had no problem with me studying during work hours. and
usually the pay is really good in terms of the job, because they assume you're spending the money on school-related expenses.The first 3/4 of this semester, I taught every Mon-Thurs and Saturdays, and although the pay was great, I really really regret it. I couldn't take the classes I wanted at university, got no work done on my thesis, let alone my research papers for the classes I was taking, and had no time to attend talks, presentations, or try to get a paper published. I'll never do that again. Now, I'm working all weekend and then just 2 nights a week, and it's much better.
Honestly, I think working makes you better at time management, and makes you get things done faster. I work more than any of my colleagues & I finish all my projects earlier than them because I know how precious time is
In short, it's doable. Weekend and school-friendly jobs are key. Good luck! -
I think you've already made your decision, but you're putting feelers out there to see how it'll be received by others. If you're truly unhappy, leave. As another poster said, life's too short. I did kind of the same thing. i really regret all of the student loans but, in the end, it never would have worked out. On the other hand, if you only have one semester left, just bang it out and get the degree. itll be a miserable 4 months, but it's only 4 months after all....
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if i get in for Fall 2011, Ill be 28. Got my bachelors at 21, got a business postbacc at 22, worked full-time for 3 years (not in a relevant field, what a shame), started my Masters at 26... hopefully will be done this summer!
i completely agree with other posters who stated they would have NO idea what study if they went for their Ph.D at a young age. When i first entered college, I wanted to be a neuroscientist. Then i switched to psychologist. (left with a psych degree). then i switched to business, & wanted my MBA (even took the GMAT --got a halfway decent score --), then thought about law (studied for the LSAT). Then i was convinced I wanted to be a doctor (didn't last long). Wasn't until my mid-20s that I seriously sat down, thought about what I wanted, did some research & applied for/entered a graduate program. Who knows what kind of Ph.D I'd have right now if I had applied when I was younger!
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I agree with everyone that says you need to have an end date (meaning, a day when you'll finally be together for good) in sight. Even if there IS an end date, it's hard. I did an international LDR for 1 year & it was really, really difficult. Thankfully, we had the means to see each other 4 times during that year, but your whole life becomes waiting for that next time.
I'm happy to say that, after 4 years, we're still together, but it was a very, very rough ride. Now, he's in the military for 5 months, so we're doing the 'long distance' thing again, even though he's only an hour & a half away, we can't see each other, which maybe in a way makes it worse.
What's the key? Communication, communication, communication. See each other as often as possible. Write each other little notes. Text, yahoo messenger, skype. Video chat. After 4 years, I've become a veritable expert in communication techniques, international and domestic.
When you're away from each other, take advantage & take care of YOU: school work, gym, errands, etc. This way, when he/she comes, you can devote all of your time to each other.
Try not to make your life ALL about them, even though it's easier said than done. If you can succeed at having your own life, it won't be as difficult when they're away. Have your own friends. Join clubs. Get a part-time job, tutor, etc.
Make a real plan with each other for the future, so that you have something to look forward to. For example, something like: once you're both done with school, you'll move in together. It also keeps you together, because you have a common goal, and it won't seem so helpless when you're away from each other. If, at times, you feel like giving up, you can think of this date, and I promise it'll keep you going.
I know it's difficult, but you can pull through.
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I think the ApplyYourself systems that some schools have makes all the difference between a really organized vs. confusing and frustrating application process.
I agree. ApplyYourself is great. Used that for Yale & it was by far my "favorite" application to fill out.
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just got an email from the linguistics department at Stanford, they confirmed that my application is complete and say a decision will be made by mid-march 2011.
long wait
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I'm in the middle of my Master's thesis, too. Thankfully, I worked really hard this summer & did the bulk of my research, met with my advisor & hashed out the structure of my thesis, because this semester I've done NOTHING. Honestly, I worked way too many hours & barely had time to keep up with the classes I'm taking, let alone sit down & work on my thesis. I'm trying to reduce my hours at work but they're not having it.
Anyway, I'm writing a thesis on psycholinguistic aspects of translation - for example, how word choice, grammar, structure, form, etc. affect readers from a psycholinguistic standpoint. I may or may not include neurolinguistic aspects as well. I'll know more once I start writing , which will start JANUARY 16th. No excuses (my finals are over January 15th). I'm trying to finish everything by June (but since my thesis has to be somewhere around 100-200 pages, cant be sure how realistic this is).
Wish me luck
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Does anyone know how important those Diversity Statements were for the UC applications? Those essays were sort of sprung on me at the last minute.
California is pretty much done... now for UMass, MIT and Rutgers, all of which are due in January.
Stanford required one as well ... interesting, I'm starting to realize that ALL the california schools, whether they're UCs or not, seem to have similar applications ..
I basically wrote mine on the fly. I wasn't prepared for it either. I wrote about being a minority, having lived in europe, my experience with languages, and some other life experiences ive had that make me diverse. it was only 700 words so it had to be short.
in terms of how important it is, i dont see professors looking at our applications, being prepared to throw them into the REJECT pile, then saying, "Oh wait!!! But look at this fabulous diversity statement!!! Let's completely change our minds!!" For that reason, I just made sure it was grammatically correct & said some relevant things, then I sent it on its way.
Btw, I applied to MIT too! Good luck
I'm thinking my chances aren't too good, I got a neutral response from one of the professors when I explained my experience & research so... yeah. But of course it's my top choice (I love being disappointed). -
When I was little, I was obsessed with numbers. I used to read the phone book, literally. My favorite part was the section in the back that listed all the zipcodes in New York State. I would write them down in a little marble notebook & try to memorize them. I also taught myself high school math, because my big sister was learning it & I thought she might want a tutor. I still remember trying to learn the rules of algebra. I loved that textbook.
I taught myself French at this age, too. Not because I was curious about language, but because I was planning to run away from my family, and figured that Paris was the best place to do that. My dad thought it was cute & would drive me to the local teacher's supply store so that I could buy workbooks. I still know French to this day.
I graduated college a year early because I thought I wanted a huge life change. I got a business degree, moved to New York & started working for two of the biggest luxury fashion companies in the world (I can be VERY convincing). Three years later, I realized I was living a nightmare. It was 'The Devil Wears Prada", before the movie came out.
I left my job on February 14, 2007. I left for lunch & never came back. It was a blizzard that day. I decided to do some much needed work on my psychological & emotional health before making anymore life decisions. I had serious problems since high school, including clinical depression, obsessive disorder, and sometimes delusions (I used to think people could hear my thoughts). My family never got me help, because in my culture, seeking help for mental issues is taboo. I had to grow up & make the decision on my own.
During this path of self-discovery, I thought I wanted to be a doctor. I volunteered at a local hospital & started taking science classes at a local college. It was nothing I expected it to be. It was absolutely depressing. I knew my life would never involve working in a hospital.
I soon found linguistics, and realized my love of languages. I remembered that since I was young (see above), I've always wanted to live in Europe. I knew this was my chance. I also knew my family wouldn't support it. So, I bought my plane ticket 4 days before my flight. Everyone was shocked, including me.
I came to Turkey with 6 suitcases, a cat, and nowhere to live. I went to a hotel that was in the center of the city. I remember that first night in the hotel. My cat was looking at me, her stare full of anger & questioning. I stared out the window, saw the lights of the Bosphorous & the mosques and the houses all on top of each other, and I thought to myself "What the hell did I just do?"
The next 2 years are a book in itself. Ive learned more about myself & others than I ever wouldve learned if I didnt take the leap. I think by now my cat has forgiven me, too.
Sometimes I think things happen for a reason. Maybe there's a reason that the catalyst for everything didn't happen until I was 24. I can now happily say I'm a (semi) normal individual, and I truly know I'm on the right path. If any of you aren't sure what you're doing with your life, feel like you're not normal, think you're too old & need to have a direction --- Ive been there!!!! And I think I've been through all of this just so I can let everyone know, it WILL be alright, and one day, you WILL find your way
.- psycholinguist, Alyanumbers, NadaJ and 3 others
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I'm surprised you were able to scrape money for Stanford, considering their application fee is so expensive! When my parents found out about the figure, they weren't too pleased haha.
I know, at first I only had a set amount of money, like 750$ or something, which meant I could apply to 6 schools, plus send my GREs, and mail a few transcripts overseas (which costs 100$ by itself). After sending everything, I realized I had a little more money than I thought, which meant I could try my chances at one more school haha. I wanted to apply to Stanford so I went for it. Maybe it was fate?? Thats what I'm telling myself at least
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whenever i say "linguistics", I ALWAYS get the blank stare. Then, when I try to explain what it is, I always get the inevitable, 'So, how many languages do you know?"
THEN, I'm left explaining the fact that I've studied many languages, but some of them I can just read, while some I actually speak. Watch as their eyes glaze over during this.....
or, if their eyes don't glaze over after this question, I always get the inevitable next question ... "Soo... what are you planning to do with this degree?". Once i explain THAT, anyone who was sticking with the conversation falls off.
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aren't there multiple '28 days' movies? i think i like all of them.. i like horrors with some sci-fi premise.
i haven't watched the walking dead, but i'm totally stoked on the video game that'll come out in 2011... it looks SICK!! (like sick as in awesome)
i have watched trailers for the episode though, and it does look interesting!
did anyone watch 'heroes' few year back? their first season was amazing, but then the show went downhill.
i follow/been following 'supernatural', and it's pretty cool.. check it out from the first season if you have plenty of time.
totally agree with you about Heroes. I was so into it the first season. The second season really fell off, then during the TV workers strike (remember that??? when we had no new TV shows for like 3 months???? I still have nightmares about that) they came out with a press release, saying they were thankful for the strike because they reworked the entire season. I was super excited, but they didnt come through. Stopped watching it mid-season 3.
Fall 2011
in Linguistics Forum
Posted
so guys, this is it! in 3 weeks or so we should start hearing from the schools. Ahh!