Lisa44201

Take a break! It's so easy to get wrapped up in the whole Grad School thing that we forget there's life outside the classroom, office, etc. Make time for yourself, even if that's just going for a walk at lunch, but be sure you put stuff down and walk away from it a few times a day.

Two dogs and two kids. It takes conscious effort. I find that they (collectively) force me to take a break from my schoolwork, which is necessary in the long run for mental health, not getting burned out on grad school, etc.

It happens; some classes transfer, some don't, especially if a class is considered a requirement for a particular program.

I'm guessing it would involve a TA/RA position; although that sentence could mean that your particular program is not a funded Master's, but there are funded Master's programs in other fields at the same university. I'd suggest asking your mentor.

Spunky: GAM. The nature of the data is such that a parametric analysis isn't appropriate. NicholasCage: I stumbled across http://www.gardenersown.co.uk/education/lectures/r/basics.htm and http://ww2.coastal.edu/kingw/statistics/R-tutorials/index.html which have been, by far, the most helpful Intro-To-R sites I've come across. The way I learned VBA was by recording macros in Excel, then opening the macros & reading the code. That gives an idea of the grammar of the program; specific codes can be found through Google. SPSS is written on the same language (so is AMOS, for that matter, but the list of people who program AMOS through the code instead of the graphical interface is very, very small); it then becomes a matter of finding the exact code for the task at hand, and plugging in the variables.

I've come to enjoy SAS - been mostly great with the nonparametric stuff I've needed it to do, although I think I may be taking a second look at R sooner rather than later - trying to wrap my mind around a non-parametric GLM, which I can (theoretically) do in R, but nowhere else. I'm at the stage where I'm considering if it's really worth it to try and code this thing....

See, I can do SPSS syntax in my sleep - it's essentially VBA, which is used in every Microsoft program known to man (you can even write Macros for Word, if you're so inclined), and is close enough to the good old days of Basic (Line 10: Do blah blah blah, and so on). I'm not really a programmer, as such, which is probably part of the problem with R - I walked into it figuring it was more syntax, just a different language; it is, on some level, but I still haven't figured out the rules.

Keep in mind that the folks who like it probably aren't going to take to the interwebz to shout their joy from the highest electronic hill; complaints, on the other hand, are apparently fun to share with everyone. Yes, the job market sucks; income potential is better for graduate degree holders than it is folks with a BA/BS. Unfortunately, a Bachelor's degree doesn't carry a lot of weight anymore in the job market. You especially are in a research-intensive area. If you don't like research, grad school is probably not a good idea for you. OTOH, if you want to go into academia, I'm guessing that's not an issue for you. A PhD is not a guarantee, so you might want to apply to Master's programs with the understanding that you may have to take out loans to get through the program. Obviously a funded PhD would be better, but that doesn't always happen. Personally, I like research, and I feel fortunate beyond measure to have been accepted into this PhD program (especially since I was not accepted the first time I applied, and got a Master's degree, instead). But I'm not going to blog about my happiness, either - for starters, I'm too busy with schoolwork, and besides, it seems like gloating.

Yeah, I'm taking a Stats class in the Stats department this semester - Nonparametrics, even - so I'll be using R again this semester. My main issue with it is that the coding language was not intuitive - at least, to me. I'm not afraid of code - with the exception of SPSS and AMOS, I've taught myself all the statistical software I use, and all of them are code-driven. At some point, they all have a grammatical structure, and the grammar of R, for lack of a better, doesn't make sense to me. I've stumbled across some how-to websites, which have helped, and TINN-R as a code de-bugger has been a lifesaver.

Coffee cup, headset for dictation software, three notepads, 2 staplers, a brain (stress release thingy, not a real one), Multivariate Stats book, psychopathy assessment manual, and two laptops. I've got a lithograph (best friend is a print-maker), two dry-erase boards, and a peg board on the wall, and a hula hoop (I make them) resting against one of the file cabinets.

It means it's not required. Honestly, the subject GRE (psychology for me) wasn't too bad. Not sure how you're going to find out how important it is; if you've got several schools that recommend it, I'd just go ahead and take it, and get it out of the way. I wouldn't send in a score if you're below the 80th percentile or so, but I'm neurotic when it comes to test scores.

How did you know? That's damned uncanny.

It didn't freaking work. Buggy, persnickety program. The book we were using had code to go with the examples, but the code didn't actually work in the program. Many hours on Google, many tears.I still have it installed; I hate the idea of being defeated by a computer program, but it's collecting electronic dust at the moment. It is also my benchmark for comparison when I get new statistical programs, as in, "Oh, it's not as bad a R," or, "Wow, that's almost as bad as R." Heh, I've been called worse

R?? Nooooooo......... Had bad times trying to get R to do Bayesian analyses; I still cry a little. MATLAB is kinda fun for matrix algebra, and makes really, really pretty pictures. Mplus has graphing capabilities! Sort of..

Hah! True story. AMOS is a good program to start with, though; once you've taken a class or two on SEM, get a copy of Mplus; you'll never look back....

Oh, wow. Does your department have a specific person who is responsible for the Grad students? If so, I'd contact that person; if not, contact your adviser again (ask him/her who to contact), and/or the Graduate College, and/or whomever's signature was on the letter saying you were awarded the position.

Your better bet might be to apply to a selection of both, and see what sort of offers you get.

http://www.amazon.com/Structural-Equation-Modeling-With-AMOS/dp/0805863737 This is a good one for AMOS. Quite readable. The program itself is also very user-friendly. For SAS, I got a copy of the program, went through the tutorials, then used it exclusively for statistical analysis for a month. Anything I would have done with SPSS, I did with SAS. Google the specific analyses to get the syntax, then just use the program.

i also shift around in my seat a lot, and fidget; changing my posture every so often gives me chance to wiggle around. I have a Koosh ball in my backpack (that toy from the '80s) that I will play with on lecture-intensive days; having something that's so variably textured gives me an outlet in that regard, which helps me focus. YMMV.

Your scores are fine. i would not suggest re-taking it; your GPA more than makes up for it, and honestly, your GRE isn't that bad (it might hinder your chances if you applied to Clinical programs, but for Counseling you should be fine). Just do well on your SOP (hint: have faculty review it). I'm hoping you're applying to other programs as well, just in case?

You have to go through the application process again. Furthermore, not all of your credits may transfer, even if you are accepted somewhere else.

It depends - how are you a different candidate than you were last year? (FWIW, I'm attending currently a program that rejected me two years ago)

Your parents paying the bill and you getting a free ride are two different things. I wouldn't consider your situation a free ride. Aside from the financial issue, a TA position is good experience if you want to teach. I would suggest that, if you want to go in in academia, the TA position might be a benefit there, too.