ritapita

Got an acceptance to Kansas State today. Still waiting on 2 programs. I specialize in rural cultural geographies, so it is a great choice for me, but I still can't wait to see if there will be other options. So nice to know I have at least one. How is everyone else doing?

I know that all of the schools I applied to, as well as the one I am at now do not allow any outside employment if you are at a funded .50 FTE position as a TA or RA. I have heard of some people having problems with this, and others not at all. I am sure you signed a contract when you accepted your PhD position. I would review the contract, and also just see what happens. Obviously it's selectively enforced in your program. And your circumstance seems to require the employment. You have already proven that you can manage both. Make a good case for yourself if there is a problem. Also, he may come back with funding that puts you better off than your job. You don't know until you have that chat.

I must say, I am actually somewhat thankful for the weekends because that is the time that I know there is absolutely nothing I can do about the situation. Its during the week that is rough, because I know that they are in the office, and must be discussing all of our apps, and why on earth can't they just send me that email or pick up the phone!! As soon as I know its technically close-of-business for the day at each school, I actually relax a bit. Besides, I can have a cocktail and sleep in on the weekends, which helps this situation a lot!

I just keep on reminding myself that I am thankful I am not seeing acceptances to my programs pop up on the results search before I hear anything. If I start seeing them and I still haven't heard anything, that is when things are gonna get crazy and I am really gonna pity the people around me. omg, just thinking about that scenario incites a level of panic!

those close to me are now just shaking their heads every time I bring up 'no news'. I am going insane because several Masters acceptances have posted for my top choice, but no PhD results...I just don't understand . I also know that my top choice made many decisions last friday for acceptances and funding, but still...crickets for miles. I calm myself by telling myself the 'delay' is that those acceptances must now be going through their grad college before notification. One of my schools was due Dec 1, and still silence...and they don't use a web app system so I have no way to be OCD about checking their site. I keep telling myself it is early, but it doesn't help. I seriously had no idea I would be this insane about the process. I was so burnt out after applying that I thought I would naturally be disconnected from it. Man was I wrong!

i just feel like I wanna be your friend

anyone hear from Kentucky yet? There are a couple MA acceptances on the board, but no PhD yet. I do know that they were making final acceptance/funding decisions yesterday.

So I got an email from a POI two days ago that wanted me to contact the DGS to ensure my app was good to go, as they were reviewing and he wanted my name to be fresh on their minds. When he emailed me, he (i believe) unintentionally fwd'd me the email from the DGS to the faculty talking about how he/she(DGS) wanted them(faculty) to comment on certain apps and that they were making final funding and admit decisions in two days. Having that internal email has now driven me bonkers....I know I am not supposed to have it, but it has given me GREAT insight into their scheduling. What it has also done is made me go totally mad trying to figure out if he sent me that email because he didn't see me on the review list, or if he was just being extra diligent in ensuring I get recognized, or, or, or, or......ugh! And today is the day the DGS stated they are making final decisions, so of course I am checking my email every 2 minutes, and having heart palpitations every time my email dings, and constantly analyzing the time difference between the school and where I live....save me!

I have had this happen. I got cancer in the middle of the semester and it was nothing anyone saw coming. I was an instructor, so they collaborated with a couple other people that knew my subject matter, to tag team the class for the rest of the semester. It wasn't the greatest for the students but the class got done. On short notice they can prepare for backup instructors to cover your load. They have to, because they can't cancel a class mid semester, therefore they do have procedures in place for when these things happen. You have an advantage over me, in knowing that you may be presented with a need to leave. I had no notice. Communicate open and honestly, and as far in advance as you can. They will take care of you. My best friend's father died mid semester and they shifted her from teaching to grading support so she could keep her income, but it allowed her to travel back home and stay with her father his last few days, and then stay there to be with the family for a few more weeks. I am sure there is someone in your department that is designated to manage the TAs and Instructors...that would be your first stop, along with your supervisor. Best wishes.

I have been thinking a lot about what to say when it comes time to decline offers (if of course I am lucky enough to be presented with that predicament!). I have been working with each POI extensively over the course of several months, and have really grown to like them in the process. It is going to be uncomfortable of course if I then need to cut that cord. Most likely only on my part...but I would hope there would be a tad bit of disappointment on their end. They have each done a lot of work on my behalf to help with applications, funding searches, etc etc. I know that it is part of the process and that they expect this to occur with many of the potential students they engage with, but I am looking for input on the most professional way to approach this difficult task. I am curious how others have approached this...

I have 2 Masters and a grad certificate. Now heading into a PhD, and after 4 years already in grad coursework I am burnt. I know I will be excited and renewed in a new program, but seriously so done with classes. I am very specific about my research and end goal so I know I am doing the right thing, but sometimes I do wonder...

Shadowclaw, we are in similar fields. This app basically didn't ask for more than 3 yrs of employment, and my education history. No volunteering, no awards, no grants, no teaching, no publications. Super limiting. It was almost like a super basic job app. I was nice and thorough on my SOP thank goodness, but still there is only so much of that you can put in there. All my other apps, like you mentioned, were very redundant of my CV. I am glad they are filing mine, but it will be no good if they don't use it. I suppose this school is very focused on SOPs and LORs. Sucks when you are in sciences.

I recently applied to a program that did not ask for a resume in the application itself nor in the department supplemental materials. After submitting the app, I emailed the DGS and grad secretary directly and called this out, as I thought I might have missed it somewhere, and I also attached it for them. They did reply and stated that they do not consider the resume a part of the application but that they would keep mine in my file since I sent it along. I reviewed the app again to see how much pertinent info would be lost if I hadn't sent it, and I realized how very pared down and simplified the app for this program really was. This bothered me. I am keen on the program obviously, since I did apply for it, but I am wondering how on earth they can get a good sense of me as an applicant without my resume. I have never seen this before in any application for masters or PhD, and I am wondering if others have encountered this as well.

IMO I would visit as many schools as your schedule feasibly allows. Pace yourself, but do as many as you can. This is a decision that you will only make once and a visit can really do a lot to factor in to your decision making. I have done visits to a couple schools that were super high on my list and when I got there, I removed them from my list altogether. I would have regretted heading to one of those schools had I not visited prior. I have also visited schools that were low on my list and suddenly became very high on the list. If you have a grand and glorious idea of a place and you get there and the lab is crap or the professors are dismissive or unengaged or you simply cannot stand the campus and surrounding area, then you have saved yourself from several years of misery. Right now my 3rd choice school was never even on my list until I visited it, and fell in love with the faculty dynamics and location and working area. I know I would be very comfortable there, when previously they weren't even an option. In comparison, one of my top choices had labspace still in construction (for the next 4 years...almost my entire program time!) which meant researchers literally had nowhere to work, and clear budget issues which were impeding grad teaching, etc. None of this would have been known had I not showed up. If you have them paying for you to visit, you are losing nothing but possibly some sleep. Take advantage of it. It will really help you decide. And this is a decision that will affect the rest of your life.

This is really interesting. I am not sure I have a valuable response, but I did want to engage. I have been a TA for 3 years and never really noticed any huge difference. I am female, and have had a couple males along the way try to sweet talk me, which I don't buy into, and a couple males try to aggressively retaliate against me for not bowing to their demands of accommodation, which had to be taken to departmental admin. I am also 'out', and have had young newly out female students try to push attendance and due date deadlines - I got the impression they thought I would favor them in some way, compassion for the cause or something, I dont know - but I shot that down hard too. But then I have had a nice chunk of lazy and manipulative female students as well. It is really a tossup. I have also taught my own courses for the last 3 years as well, and now I adjunct and I have no problems with any of that, but I am in total control of the situation when I am teaching my own classes. To answer your questions, I do think gender matters. We could get into some gender theory here to help explain why these guys are bombarding you with excuses, but I will save that for now. Yes, I think that you might be getting more excuses because of your gender but also paired with the fact that you are only a liaison of power for the professor who clearly seems to be a pushover to begin with. You are in a position 'above' your students, but you have no power to enforce standards. It is truly problematic. However, you also could just be getting the bulk of the problem students. It would be interesting to try to quantifiably analyze this situation but I am not sure how you could effectively factor in the 'luck of the draw' with your group. You might just be getting the lazy guys. We will never truly know, and can only speculate. There is something to this though. Have you talked to the professor about it at all? I wonder how he would feel about it, and if he would amend his attendance policy at all? Sounds like the students need a little reality check. But I think you are doing the right thing with checking in with him on some of them. Ultimately it is his call, but it doesn't make it easier on you in the mean time. Ultimately I think it helps to ensure that the student is reminded of the attendance policy and that their grade will reflect as such. If I have frustrating students pushing the boundaries and not participating like that, I just keep giving them the reminder. When grades hit, they will freak out, and that is when you can say, hey buddy I reminded you each time you asked for an absence, and this is what the result is.

I think I need to try the freewriting thing a bit more. Thanks for the reminder of the old-school ways. I do so much of the glazed over stare at the blank screen thing, which like you said, just makes me feel even more pressured and guilty. I also think the computer glare really affects us.

I have cancer and am currently going through chemo. I have not taken any time off, but did take a couple incompletes that I am finalizing and that will not be posted until after I submit transcripts. None of my applications have any 'additional info' spaces. However, I have had long-term dialogue with all my POIs - even from before my diagnosis. They have kind of seen me go through it. I have been very upfront and honest with them all from the beginning because it has affected my ability to visit campuses, and even had me reconsider applications. With that said, they all told me to put that in my SOP - 4 schools told me to! Why? because it helps contextualize any struggle you have had to overcome during your schooling, and if you still walked away with good GPA etc, it shows dedication and resilience. I left it out of one (my top choice school), and my POI had volunteered to edit my SOP - he sent it back to me and told me to include at least one sentence explaining my cancer situation - that it prevented me from applying last year, affected my GRE score since I had to take it during chemo, and why I am resolving incompletes on my record. I have always had feedback that disclosing a hardship is nothing to hide. It shouldn't be the focus, but cancer is no joke. Seriously, if you are going to be working with these people for several years as you develop research, they need to know who you are, and how hard you are willing to work regardless of the situation you are in. Also remember that adcomms and faculty are people too...many have been through serious things in their own life...cancer, disability, divorce, etc etc. They are not immune, and many can relate to you. They can look at you and say...hey, this student is a trooper... I also know, as a cancer inflicted person, that we all deal with our cancers differently. Many people are very private about their experience, and that is what you might need to do for your own personal reasons. It depends on what you are comfortable with, but I guess my point is to not be ashamed of it, and not hide your experience with it, for anyone else. You went through it and it made you stronger and you are still pushing through your academics, and that is an accomplishment that not only you should be proud of, but in my opinion bears more weight than any academic success. PM me if you would ever like to chat! I welcome the dialogue

I have done a visit, but still interested in what others can offer for insight...I am particularly interested in: - best areas of town to live - insight on public transpo - is there a bike lane system and how is the bike culture for getting around town? - good things to know about campus and town (for a 40 yr old) - good outdoor areas/stuff to do...hiking, camping, etc

Best of luck to you lizardclan. Keep us posted I take out max student loans, but no credit cards. Interest rates are better and you have longer to pay, among other reasons. Its been tempting from time to time, but I refuse. I have had to long term plan for application season. Last student loan cycle I used part of my refund to order all my transcripts and pay in advance for my GRE. This loan cycle I used part of my refund to pay for my applications, which I was able to do yesterday (4 days before apps were due!) I never asked for waivers, but now I wish I had. I don't even know if the schools I applied to had them. I originally was only going to apply to one school, but many faculty told me to at least do 2 more. mb712 - don't be embarrassed to ask for help from parents or friends with this stuff! Easier said than done, but you are doing something good, and they should be proud of you. Its not like asking for money for a tv or something. I am a slightly older student, and my son is in his first year of college now. I actually am using bits of my student loan to set aside for some of his expenses so he won't have to cover them. I would gladly pay for my son's grad apps, as I am sure many parents would. School is tough and poverty ridden for most. I am sure they understand! I am 40 and I had to ask my mom to order some transcripts for me for my apps. Also, I know we are all as creative as we can be with finding money to live on during school. There are days I wasn't able to get to class because I couldn't afford gas. It can be super tight. I happened upon a cat sitting gig for a faculty member, and now almost 3 years later I have a good handful of faculty that I housesit or pet sit for and it is great supplemental funds. Not only that but it is a quiet place I can get work done. Maybe ask around. All my faculty pay me $20 per day, one pays me extra for gas. Many stock the fridge for me too. I also housesit for fellow grads when they are out of town, but only charge them $10 a day unless they are loaded. Every month I make a good extra $200 and during the summer, I am even better off. Plus there are no taxes to pay on that.

Looking for some input on how others have approached this. I think most of us are going in to PhD apps with a pretty good idea of our area of research, which is easy to address in an SOP. However I was told by my POI for one of my apps that I need to provide a clear statement outlining my prospective dissertation topic in my SOP. This troubles me because I feel it could be really limiting when it comes to the adcomm. I was always told that a clear but rather generalized approach to research topics is best because it won't pigeon hole you at admissions review. Not only that, but I am not in a position to have a clear dissertation topic. In fact, I have a good idea of what I would write at this minute, but in 2-3 years from now, after coursework and comps and committee selection and and and... I am sure my clear topic I put down right now will change 5 times by then. I know some will say it is just to give them an idea of what your focus is, but to be so specific right now? I know they have to know it will change over time. I feel like this is a recipe for a rejection....thoughts? experiences?

I have an MFA, as well as teach at an institution, and I can tell you two things - #1 - ripping up work is something that needs to be addressed. That should not happen, ever. There are major egomaniacs in the system, but even many of the worst of those just dish out condescending or insulting comments about a work, or talk down about other students. Most of that is unprofessional personality b.s. that won't change, regardless of the fact that it is tacky as hell. Destroying a work is not acceptable. Joke or no joke. It sends a very bad message, and should be addressed. If you feel uncomfortable confronting him about this, at the very least, put in a negative comment in your end of semester review of the course, and outline the situation. Those are normally reviewed by administrators, and are also normally anonymous. #2 - An MFA, although terminal, is still on much of a different level than a PhD. Regardless, you are not considered a colleague. You will not be seen as having earned that until you graduate. They will interact with you much differently than if you were an undergrad, and you will have more ability for input, etc. But you are there to learn, and they are there to guide/teach you. What I generally advise my students applying to grad school is this: In undergrad you learn the skills to base your art practice - the ways of making, and you begin to understand concept and context. In grad school you will come in with the knowledge to create what you find your voice to be - the why's of making. It takes time. Your input from professors during your MFA will be much more about making work that reflects YOU. You have a lot to learn still, let yourself be open to it rather than going in thinking you own a place at the table. You will find your professors to take issue with that, and they will behave in ways to put you in your place so to speak. It happens a LOT. I think many of us have done it. Its part of the process.

Just wanted to start a thread and see what people have to say about dealing with burnout...you know, when you have another 20+ pages to write, and they were due like yesterday and all you can do is stare at the screen and the last thing you want to do is type anything because the action of thinking and regurgitating any more info makes you feel like that time you ate too many clif bars on that camping trip 8 years ago and now you can never ever eat another clif bar ever again, and if you do you will puke. That. I know it passes, I know we have all been there. But seriously, how do you all tackle this issue?

I absolutely would tell your advisor. First, our faculty mentors are people we will be working with for several years. They cannot fully support you or help you with resources, etc if they do not know your situation. A divorce is no little thing. I've been there too. Many of your faculty have been there. Would you rather be struggling with your focus and your work early on in your program and them wondering why? I agree that not everyone needs to know, but at the least your advisor should know. They are in a way designated to be your advocate and go-to until you get a committee chair. They don't need to know all your personal business but if something is affecting your coursework, they really should know. I might not go into details - they won't want them, or need them. But at the least say something like, 'I just want you to know I am experiencing some added stress right now due to an unforeseen divorce. I noticed that the stress is starting to affect my focus and performance, but I am seeking support with that and will continue to work through it.' Be as professional as possible, but being forthright will help your case if anyone ends up questioning you. As long as they know you recognize it and are on top of it, they will support you. In the end, after it is done and over with, you will most likely be in a healthier place and most likely your work will be better as well. Best wishes to you. Head up, charge through.