Langoustine

I saw the status page is different this morning! It still says submitted but now it shows your LOR too....

I'd say go ahead and ask. Kathiza is right, if you need them and those profs are the ones you thought best represented you this time you shouldn't have to switch to 'alternates' for the next cycle. I am getting a little antsy too but it is still early...I wouldn't seriously start thinking about that stuff until after this month. I haven't had to do this with grad apps but I've def done it with job/internship apps. I checked with them before opening the floodgates and they always reply in the positive!

Never even noticed the counter! Neat!

I've always seen "advisor"

YESSSSS February is here!!! I am so excited/nervous I ate two chicken pot pies in one sitting! I don't think I will hear anything definitive until March but I know I should at least hear something about interviews this month!

I have had the same mindset as you, that I would go for fit and friendly department atmosphere. But I have had multiple people tell me (even a jogger I met on a trail and struck up a conversation with) tell me that bottomline: Go for the highest ranked school you can. And this is just all for job prospects....Then again part of me is like, well I will have such a good time in a nice place right?? Of course I don't want to be in a great program with crappy people or a mediocre program with nice folks. I think if you are thinking between two decent schools and there were no red flags from the visits or any other interaction then def factor in rank. I know for me at least I wouldn't be able to eck out a life in a place that made me miserable...So I don't know if this helps you any but... For wanthony86's question I would go for the rank of the department, specific to the field. Chances are if you stay in your field it is a small world and people know names. People will recognize people you worked with, collaborated with, etc. I applied to a school that, although decent, wasn't really on my radar before but have been told of their awesome department. I am glad I did because my potential advisor has been described as the 'Brad Pitt' of 'insert specific field here .'

Agree with jazxwolf! Grad school is to explore and hone your research interests! Obv you picked these schools bc someones' research is very pertinent to what you want to do...show them this

No idea at all, but your guess is what I would think....eeeek maybe you'll get word soon!

Hahah what a great idea! Zouzax your story is AWESOME! I will give it a go, since we are talking of fears - I had a fear of milk when I was a kid. Ok maybe not *fear* but I really really really did not like it. Like my mom would use milk as a punishment for me. She would pour me a glass and told me I had to drink for whatever thing I did. I remember crying. But it's OK because now I really like milk Um I am awesome at limbo and have won every contest I tried (3), I can mimic bird calls pretty well (not little chirpy passerines), I lived on a pacific island for a few months and was able to 'talk' with some of the local birds!

Hmm so if you feel 'eh..' about the school, location then what is keeping you interested is the research, yes? If it is really interesting and you can see yourself going there then def go. You have lots of other interviews so you are in good shape, but it doesn't necessarily mean an acceptance...you have until April to make a decision anyway so I say go for it and keep an open mind. Who knows, you might be surprised!

Has anyone heard about interview weekends from Indiana U?

Hey, I was looking around forums in fields different then my own (Biology) and I agree with most people on here. Money is no doubt a big factor, flying people out and hosting them for a weekend, maybe even longer sometimes does cost a pretty penny. Also, someone said Soc does not have POIs working directly with grad students. In the sciences this is basically what it is. You find a lab whose research matches your own and apply to join said lab. Personality fit is a huge factor in my field, a lab (professor, other grad students, post-docs, techs) becomes an extended family of sorts and everyone I talked to (grad students, and professors) have told me I will not get into grad school without at least a phone interview. The best is a face-to-face. I hope this helps. Good luck everyone!

Columbian exchange

What a fun idea!!

A friend just showed me this hilarious Lady Gaga parody video! For my fellow bio grad students this is especially funny http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl4L4M8m4d0

Congrats on your recruitment invite! There have been a lot of threads in this vein. Here is one of them: If you look under the section you are in there are tons of useful tips. Good luck!

Lols, if you were able to see a lobster in there somewhere that is one very flexible imagination!

Oh and SLAC. Small liberal arts college. Took me FOREVER to figure that out!

My mistake! Yes my avatar picture is a bat! I was confused and was thinking of my username! That is an eastern red bat, I was tagging along with a grad student who was working on them in undergrad I don't know why I chose that picture I was just bored of my default one!

This thread is awesome! I had a dream last night that I got two emails saying I had been invited to the interview weekends! One school gave out the names of the other people who would be going too and there were 8 of us...then I woke up, checked my email and nothing...