UnlikelyGrad

Which air quality group? Just curious...I know some people there.

I have to admit that I nearly cried when I saw that...

11 references for me. The samples I saw all had 10-12.

You know, my dad's parents shunned him (and wife, and subsequent children) because he married a non-white. I grew up not knowing my grandparents. They eventually reconciled after I was grown and gone. I've spent some "quality time" with my grandparents since then and I am GLAD that my dad chose to be brave and take a stand. See, even now that my dad's almost 70, my grandmother is trying to force him into her (limiting) mold. Ridiculous!!! Do what will make YOU happy. I am living proof that it's possible to go back to grad school after having a family. On the other hand, I picked a husband who was totally willing to support me in this endeavor (we'd decided on this course of action many, many years ago, not long into our marriage).

What does your boyfriend think? I personally don't care much about my furniture. I was inclined to take the same approach as my little sis, who's moved coast-to-coast twice--sell it all (except books!), re-buy (used) at the destination. My husband, on the other hand, is very attached to our furniture. So...yeah. We're keeping almost everything, except the ratty couch. Note that after almost 20 years of marriage, it won't all fit in even the largest U-Haul. Expensive!! (But on the other hand, we've spent probably $10k on furniture over the years, so spending $3k on moving might be worth it...)

Ummm...Frau Moderator! Aber bitte schön! So I guess I missed something, because I thought you'd already been admitted to Zurich. What's your admission status at the German Unis?

Ta da!! There are advantages to being a moderator...

Personally, I would go for Zurich if I were you--you seem happy enough about it! (Zurich is absolutely stunning.) (1) Don't assume that you couldn't get an English-speaking job--my current advisor got her degree in Switzerland and now works in the US. (2) Don't make your decisions based on how you think your parents might react. You don't know what their long-term thinking will be. My parents were not happy when my brother took a job in Hong Kong. However, after a couple of years, they realized that this was a great excuse for them to travel...they stop by HK every couple of years, but also use it as a jumping-off point for exploring other parts of SE Asia.

In my program, it's required to publish 3 papers in addition to writing a dissertation. You can incorporate your actual papers as part of your dissertation though.

Just posted to GRFP Facebook page: THIS JUST IN... The official word from NSF is that award announcements should be made in early April!! I hope so!

No kidding...I once used the example of "cold fusion" as an example of why you need to write up your methods so others can reproduce your results. My students all stared at me blankly. I explained what this was and mentioned that the whole fiasco started during 1989 (my freshman year in college). Then I got to watch them scrape their jaws off the floor, since none of them were born in 1989! I think the most bizarre aspect of being an older TA is that I get students who have crushes on me. I try to make it very clear that I HAVE A SON WHO IS ALMOST THEIR AGE!! (This has not dissuaded all of them though!)

I'm 38 years old, with four children (8 to almost 18). I'm handling it well, but mostly because my husband is handling all of the kid-related stuff. Networking? There are two other non-trads in my department but they're both reclusive males. I interface better with my profs than I do my cohort. I do work with an undergrad (senior) who's a bit older than I and also mom of four. That's fun in some ways, but she's headed for a high school teaching career and therefore has absolutely no interest in research.

I'm going to dissent and tell you to go with A. Yes, you are taking a bit of a chance on a non-superstar advisor...but you will get a lot more personal attention. That can be a BIG asset to you.

ACK!! Latest Facebook update says: just a reminder... fellowship awardee notifications should be sent out around the middle of april. hold on just a little longer!! Didn't they say the beginning of April last time?

I read fast, about 200 pages an hour (or about 1 brainless novel/hour). I commute by bus; that's at least half of my brainless novels right there. I frequently read myself to sleep, too. And I always read while I eat breakfast and lunch. Very little potentially productive time is sacrificed for reading.

I'm geochem, but I applied last year. My school does a lot of aqueous geochem. Where did you apply? Where have you heard from?

I never had to pay for any meals as a prospective student. In fact, current grad students were very eager to go out to eat with me so that they would get a free lunch (on the department tab)!!

I second this.

Another scientist here: I can dress up & look really sharp when I have to. If I were going to a conference, I'd wear dressy clothes all the time, even when not presenting. Why don't I do it on a day-to-day basis? Because I teach lab, and my students are klutzy. If I'm gonna get NaOH all over my pants, they'd better be cheap jeans, not my dressy Pendleton wool slacks. Ditto with shirts. (I do wear a lab coat but it doesn't cover everything.) Although I'm pretty good not spilling during my own lab work, I don't trust myself enough to wear a $70 Liz Claiborne top in lab. Sorry. As for the hair thing: I've spent my whole life hearing people criticize me for having "unbrushed hair". My hair is wavy (at best) or frizzy (on a bad day). It never looks good. I don't understand the people who can put their hair in a ponytail and have it stay there, more or less, for hours at a time. Mine needs brushing/redoing every hour or so in order to look good, which isn't always a possibility. (I spend up to 6 consecutive hours in lab.) I do the best I can. But if you have nice, straight hair that does what it's supposed to...don't diss other people's hair!

Interesting. The ARO has an environmental sciences division which meshes incredibly well with my field of study. Hmmm.... 13 days to go... *taps fingers nervously*

Mine is 50%. As other posters have mentioned, my department doesn't give me any other option. So: theoretically 20 hours per week, but I usually put in less than that. 9 hours of class time, 5 hours of office hours. I have to grade etc. but most of that can be done during office hours since it's rare I actually get students showing up for those. The only thing I can't do during office hours is runs Scantrons through the machine--but that's only a few times per semester. I think I work less than 20 hours/week most of the time.

What I did: comfy non-jean slacks, a button-down shirt, and comfortable walking shoes. If you're visiting So CA at this time of year, go for a short-sleeved shirt so you don't boil.

I have a backpack that's even nicer than that one. More padding along the back and I think slightly larger volume. I am, and probably always will be, a backpack kinda gal. As far as professionalism goes: one of our better-known profs here carries his stuff in a backpack. So there.

Good topic! A lot depends, of course, on what program you are going into. I agree with the file cabinet suggestion. You probably will need at least one floor-to-ceiling bookshelf for textbooks--I haven't bought a single textbook that I plan to sell, since all of my classes are directly related to what I'm going to be doing long-term. When I started last fall I didn't know what to get so I limited myself to the usual "back-to-school" stuff: binders, notebook paper, pencils (I use mechanical), erasers... Things I didn't have and ended up buying in a hurry: *Laptop (I only had a desktop--a nice one, mind, but I really needed something I could take everywhere--home, office, lab) *Lab coat. (Only for scientists.) I had one years ago but it was trashed. Then I worked for a theoretical chemist and didn't need one. When I started grad school I suddenly remembered how handy lab coats were. I have a cheap one right now but want to get a nicer one later. *Colored pens. If you're a TA, that is. Grading in black pen just doesn't cut it, as your comments don't really stand out. I prefer the traditional red, but I have friends who grade in green and/or purple.

This. It's what you say AND how you say it. If you speak the truth but act like an onager, no one will listen to you.