ritapita

I have 12 websites, and don't know a single bit of code, except for how to make something bold. I use weebly. Super easy drag and drop, and if you know code, you can do code. They recently raised their prices but are still cheaper than most. I have been buying my domain names through bravenet for almost 10 years, and at 12.95 per year, they still are one of the cheapest. Easy 2-step redirection as well. if you would like to see my main site, please message me. I also use linkedin and academia as well. I'm still not too keen on linkedin put I'm drinking the koolaid and still wondering what the hype is about.

I am 40, and just finishing my second masters and hoping to start my PhD in the fall. I didn't start college until I was 26, and that was after I have served 7 years in the military, got married and divorced and had a child. Now my child is in college, and I left a second career to go to grad school at 36. It's different. Age is an issue, but it also isn't an issue. I agree, we earned our admission so there is no reason to question our age in the program. The average age of grad students is on the rise as well, so if you are in your late 30's I almost guarantee you will not be the oldest one in your program. If you are, I will be very surprised. I always felt old, but inevitably there was someone much older than I was handling things just fine. Maturity might very well be an issue. If you have lived a life so-to-speak, and are raising your own children, you might find it a bit harder to relate to younger students that have gone directly through the academic system. But they may also find it a bit difficult to relate to you. Study habits might be different, time management, etc. I found that sometimes I felt a bit of resentment towards young students that still were being funded by parents, never had a job, not doing assignments because of partying or whatever reason when I was a single parent working 2 jobs, and getting straight A's. But you will see a shift in this in grad school. Grad students for the most part are more mature and have worked hard to get there too, regardless of their situation. I think you will most likely notice differences when it comes to social aspects rather than academics. And you might strongly connect with younger students as well. I rarely do, but one of my best friends now is only 27. We spend a lot of time together, and there are disconnects with some things like dating, etc but all in all it will come down to the person. You also might find it a bit easier to connect with professors than some of your younger cohorts. Not always true, but they too seek to relate to students and it might make things a bit more accessible some times. I know it has for me, and I am very close to many of my faculty. Bottom line, your experience WILL be different than your younger cohorts. However it is neither less nor more valid. All of our differences make for a rich educational experience. Some things I can suggest based on my experience: - get to know your cohorts the best you can, without prejudice, as much as your time allows. - be a mentor. I have found that some of the younger students have reached out to me for advice or a shoulder when going through something difficult or unfamiliar. This will take time for them to know you and understand you, but I bet it will happen. We have life experiences many of them have yet to have, and you might be the person that they call on to head to the doctor with them or something because it is a little too personal for friends. - stay involved. This was a mistake I made for a while. I let my own 'life' keep me from being involved with department and campus cool stuff, and it made me feel even more disconnected. It might mean a bit of extra time management, but it will really help your experience. - call on younger students to help you and vice versa. Maybe there is a younger student working a couple jobs and needing some extra change, so maybe they can babysit for you, or pet sit, or house sit. Some younger students have been consistently in academia, where we have taken a break, and they might have more academia experience than you, such as conferences or presentations, or different software stuff, whatever. Get them to lend you a hand. Find ways to connect even though you might not be hanging out with them on the weekends. - most departments have a lot of drama...some more than others. Stay out of the gossip, rumor mills, etc that perpetuate when people get weird. It will happen. You will find that there are certain students (and possibly faculty) that will perpetuate this stuff, much like highschool, and it will be to your advantage to be the mature older student at that point and keep your distance. I am disconnected enough that I just watch everything implode from a distance, but your opinion also matters so don't be too disconnected. It is a balancing act that will take some time to navigate. I am sure there is much more that I will come up with in the shower tonight, but all in all your experience is what you make it. Age is only a very minor factor in it all. Good luck and have fun!

Hi there, I can relate to you all. I didn't even start college until I was 26 because I did military first. Now I am 40 and finishing up my second masters, getting ready to hopefully start a PhD in the fall when I will be 41. I figure I will be done at about 46, and whenever I think about that I cringe a little. My son is 19 and in college now. I struggled during my MFA as an older student. I certainly wasn't the only one, and there were others that were older than me, but I guess my personality just didn't work well with it. I found it horribly hard to relate both in and out of class. I think it was exemplified by the fact that in an art program so much of what you do is personal, and being in a graduate class with 23 year olds that have never had a job made my head want to explode. I ended up connecting with other departments and doing a second masters, which helped me connect a lot, but there was still a big difference. I found that I challenged myself a lot more than necessary in ways that were not helpful. I did quite a bit of comparing about how so and so is so much younger but so much further ahead with research etc. I am not sure any of that is a valid argument but I think it is hard to avoid some times. I had to remind myself often that I have a life of amazing experiences that those younger than me had, and also that our experiences are different, and no less valuable or valid than the other. I did make some friendly connections with some younger students, and one of my best friends now is 13 years younger than me. But she is also a very advanced PhD student in a gender studies program. I found great connections with faculty, and now that I am out of both programs, I am much more connected to them than fellow former students. I do find, as Shana mentioned, that there can be a maternal thing happen with a couple of female faculty, but really I feel like they are lifelong sources of support for me now, and I love them dearly. Former male faculty have been more like good friends - buddies. We hang out and drink beer and network each other. I often wonder whether my future in a PhD program will be different than my masters time, as far as socially. What I have learned is that these age and experience differences contribute to making our education much more rich than if we were all on the same page. We will be the older friend for some, and the younger friend of others. We will provide insight on life that others might not have, and they will push us to perform academically. But finding strong friends within all that is going to be trying. We don't connect with others the way the new generations do...there simply is a disconnect. We still had analog phones in highschool !

I personally wouldn't tell them you are getting a gift before the deed is done. That seems kind of awkward to me, almost bribe-like, but not. It feels genuine to them if we don't divulge, and I think for most of us it is a genuine gesture. Some letter writers I am sure never get something from those they write for, and I know that 2 of 3 of mine were very surprised and very thankful for the gesture. The other one is a very motherly professor and gets gifts all the time from students. I am sure they aren't sitting there pondering what gift we might give them if they write us that letter. Then again, maybe they are and its all a ploy! haha.

email now. Gift in the mail box for when he returns.

I guess my first question is when are your applications due to the schools you are applying? Most programs are due by January 15th, and if that is the case, I would say you were not actually ahead of the game, but rather a bit behind. Can you clarify this first before we give too much feedback?

Thank you all for agreeing with my conscience on this one. I had already told myself all the above statements, and then immediately tried to justify them, because, you know, writing SOPs SUCK! Thanks for reassuring me that I was pushing the boundary so to speak. So done. So burnt. So fried. Moving on.... Happy crunch time to the rest of you!

One of the programs I am applying to wants an SOP 'roughly 1-2 pages' yada yada yada. I know that its best to tightly summarize, stick to page count, effective writing, etc etc, but I have got a rockin' SOP that is about 1/2 page over their vague guidelines. Does anyone have any experience/insight with this? The great thing is my POI has offered to proof my statement prior to submitting, so I am sure they will let me know if it is too long, but just looking for some feedback here.

I too got my letter writers books and a card. In my case they were all closely involved in my graduate research, so I got them books that related to that but would also be very enjoyable. In one instance, I got an out-of-print hardcover book. This person also served on my committee, so I went a little further for him, but all the books will have a special place on their shelves and will be an easy reminder of our experience together. I feel letter writing is so crucial to our successfully moving forward to a PhD. Some people don't take it serious, and look at it only as a step that needs to be checked off. A lot of time and work goes in to constructing letters for us, by people that are already swamped with work. These letters could make or break us, and the more you have to submit, the more work it is for them. Any gesture of thanks will be appreciated, but if you can make it personal, all the better!

You should have absolutely nothing to worry about. I have two letter writers that did multiple pages, and the longest one - almost 5 pages(!) was from a professor that I have a similar relationship as you do. She is tough on the outside, but genuinely cares about my wellbeing and progress, and maintains a somewhat personal connection, which is what it sounds like for you. My guess is he is a good letter writer that spent time articulating the various work you have done and gave insight to it all. You should be just fine. And yes, no one is going to formulate a 4 page negative letter.....if you got a paragraph or two, I would be worried.

I grade about 400 students a semester on my own....yes shoot me now... With that said... rubric rubric rubric. Make sure the rubric is clear and concise, easily available to students, and both you and your students refer to it often. Consistency is key. I have done the rotating grader thing and I personally feel this is less effective. Some will disagree. My perspective on this is that each grader or professor, while on the same page and even with similar styles, will grade differently. If a student has the same grader for the whole semester, insights you give to that student will be better founded. If insight and suggestions are made to a student that has a different grader each assignment or rotation, than improvements made may not be noticed or heeded by another grader and it will be harder to discern any improvement or shortfalls from the student. You will learn what you like. Own yourself in your position as a grader. Your professor is trusting you with that, and you are expected to perform as their representative accordingly. If you are passive in your grading your students WILL pick up on it, and that will make your job more difficult. Ask for feedback. Each professor you work for will want something different. You will learn quick to ask for clarification on what they expect from you. It could be as simple as them not wanting you to provide feedback to students, timelines for grading etc, or very vague such as too much feedback or too little, or pen color, or whatever else that makes you pull your hair out. Provide feedback. Your students need it most in the beginning of the semester so they know what to expect from you and how to improve. You will shift your feedback as the semester progresses and towards the end it be less of what to expect, and more of what they missed improving on through your earlier suggestions. Anything less than a perfect score on something should come with a clear reason of what they did to miss those points. Vague feedback ca mean potentially running in to student confrontation. Have thick skin. You WILL have problem students. You WILL have students that think an A- isn't fair. You WILL have students that get horribly offended when you correct their grammar. You will get sick of grading short narratives or discussion board posts that are more text message than proper writing (ugh - my nightmare!!). You will have students love you and students hate you. You will have professors love you and professors that you will never be able to please. Most importantly always be able to back up the grade you give. Inevitably you will need to defend a grade at some point. As a TA, you will have to defend it to a professor you work for, when an angry student heads their way. As an instructor, you will have to defend it to your department head and in bad cases, possibly a dean. It may never happen, but most likely it will, and you will need to justify it. Its kind of funny because when we have been students for so long, you would think we would go into grading knowing what to do and how to be fair, but really it is very different. You will get more confident the more grading you do. You will learn a lot through grading, not just about grading and interacting with students, but also subject matter, syllabus development, lecture techniques, etc etc etc. Think of it as an active learning experience. It will help when you begin to take on your own classes. Have fun if you can.

I have two Masters degrees, and I both agree with getting two but also disagree. I believe it is situational. In my case, I got both from the same institution, but in vastly different programs. I am an artist, but I also have a long-term science background, which is similar to yours - my undergrad is Geography and GIS...I got an MFA in studio art, but after my second year of a three year program, I started an MA to satisfy my need to maintain an analytical academic presence. I also knew that I wanted to pursue PhD programs that were not in art (Geography), so I needed a masters that could support such an application. For me it has proved successful. However in the process, I did a lot of research about second masters, as for a brief time I considered doing my second at a different institution than my MFA. I can tell you that PhD programs will highly question why you pursued a second masters in a related field. They will question why you did not move on to a PhD if you got decent grades in your first masters program. They will also see all your transcripts from all programs you complete (or not complete for that matter), and a second masters does not make up for anything you do in your first masters, as a masters potentially could with an undergrad. And if you do a second masters in an unrelated field and then move directly on to a PhD program, they will question this time spent (as you should too) if it does not directly apply to the PhD program you are wanting to get in to. In my case, both my degrees assist me well in my PhD applications because my MA is Geography based, and my MFA is rooted in my Geography practice - my studio art employs in a non-analytical way the principles of geography, and is highly community engagement based. While I can relate to the motivation to think more is better, and in some cases it can be, I feel you would be best served to potentially rethink your strategy so that admissions committees for PhD schools don't end up questioning your work...they can potentially read a situation such as this that the applicant is unfocused and non-committal, rather than over-achieving. Also take into account that you could easily become burnt out moving from one masters to another to a PhD... that could result in about 8-10 years of continuous hard core school. Masters level work is no joke...its not a PhD, but it certainly isn't an undergrad. The mantra of 'work smarter not harder' would be best applied in cases such as this. I would say you might consider doing your best to get the highest grades possible in your grad work, and maybe do a related grad certificate to support your application to PhDs if you are concerned that just a masters won't do the job. best of luck! also, just because you get good grades in a masters program does not mean you will get in to a prestigious PhD program. Most PhD programs are extremely competitive, especially the higher ranked ones. They don't just look at grades, they look at activity as well...publications, conferences, etc, and even that doesn't always do it. Concentrate on getting in the best masters program you can, getting the best grades you can, writing good papers, and solidifying your place in the field as best you can. You might also think about looking at programs that offer masters in passing, normally meaning that you receive a masters as a requirement before moving on to a PhD. Depending on the field, many but not all still work this way. Often times they will consider applicants with either a grad degree in a related or other field, or even an undergrad. They usually see this as a sort of a preparation for moving on to the PhD. You are normally enrolled as a PhD student, but if at the end of your masters in passing, if they do not feel you meet the standards of moving on, you are awarded your Masters but do not continue on. I do know many people that have been in these programs very successfully and quite a few are also pretty competitive. Sometimes funding can work a bit different, so make sure to find that out.

At my current grad institution, my GPA is at a 4.2 due to a couple A+. However at my previous institution they did not award A+'s. I have also heard of A+'s being granted but with no GPA change...i.e. max 4.0 no matter what you get. Not all institutions give A+'s for grad students, and some institutions discount any incoming GPA's above a 4.0 as they consider it grade padding, which I somewhat agree with ( I think my A+'s were generous but unnecessary of my professor, although they were wonderful at counteracting a couple A-'s I received!)

I have joint supervisors for my graduate work and I love it. It can be a challenge but I think, at least in some instances, it can be very beneficial. They have differing approaches, but also compliment each other. I ensure that I meet with them both together, and separately. As with any input, and as you will learn further as you progress through graduate work, it is important to weigh their insights and recommendations but ultimately it must be your work. You must defend what you feel strongly about and determine how to incorporate their guidance. As you gain experience with this type of situation, your management of input from two supervisors will become easier and more fulfilling. It will not always be what you want it to be, but if you have two people that have your best interests in mind, and provide good guidance, it will be rewarding.

All my apps have wanted to know how I used my time in between degrees...much like an employment app in a way, where they wanted timeline via employment/education history. I am pretty certain you will have the same. Plus you most likely will provide your CV. I would say it depends on what you did with those 'gap years'. More and more students are non-traditional and I have found that at least in the my fields, they like people with real world experience. Did you use those years doing something related to your academic work? Also, I would say an extra year on your masters is probably not an issue...especially if it was a two year masters that you did in three years. There are many three year masters programs out there. Unless they are personally familiar with your masters program, they probably wont notice the difference on your transcripts. Their main concern is grades and types of courses. If you took an extra year because you were redoing classes or catching up on incomplete classes, that would not be a great scenario, but if its because you have a life besides school, particularly a family and if you are funding yourself, I don't think it would be an issue. Remember, your statements should not highlight anything negative, its all about presenting the positive, so I wouldn't say anything about it unless you need to explain some grades due to illness or something. Make yourself out to be the trooper that you are...funding yourself through a graduate program while caring for family, or whatever the situation is. Also, make the best case out of your gap. Gaps are not uncommon, but try to make that time relate to the program you are applying to.....' after graduating with my masters in X, I spent several years working in the industry, gaining experience Y, which provided me with a thorough working knowledge of yada yada that has provided me with a strong foundation for application to your program....' You get the idea.

I got each of my letter writers a gift and a note card. In my case, my letter writers have been close faculty mentors and committee members for my masters work, so I know them on a personal level very well. They wrote me long, thorough and amazing letters. I didn't wait for results, because I wanted to let them know right away that I appreciated their efforts. Plus it is the holiday season, so it is good timing. I got each of my letter writers a book. They were all closely involved in my research and I got them each a book that they would enjoy but related to my research somehow, which would make it a bit memorable for them. None of the books were over about $20, but I picked wisely and made sure it was something they would enjoy and keep. I would say thank you gifts/notes depend on how close you are to them, but if they were a good letter writer for you I would put some personalized effort in to it. It takes time and thoughtfulness, and our futures in grad work do depend on these letters to some extent. Even problematic letter writers should get a note of thanks out of respect for their time spent. Any gesture WILL be appreciated regardless. If you don't know what they would like, or want to keep it super generic, a good ol' starbucks card and a thank you note will suffice.

Breathe We are all sweating bullets over little stuff. If they notice it, my guess it will be no big deal. Even if you didn't make a typo, I bet you would still be stressing for the next two months. ohm!

I know we are all on edge now waiting for results...and I am no exception to the 'reading between the lines' scenario... I have a POI that I have been closely and mutually enthusiastically communicating with in length over the last few months, who all the sudden seemed to turn a bit almost dismissive in this persons last email. This person went from very enthusiastically networking and connecting me with others, to basically telling me to just keep them posted. This is a program that depends on grant funding, and this is all in the process of setting up a visit. Now I am not sure what to do. I know its a stressful time for all involved, so regardless in the major shift in tone, I am trying to stay positive. I am not sure I am necessarily looking for advice on how to move forward, I can figure that out. But I would love to hear from others that have stressful or interesting situations with a POI that might have lent to a result you weren't expecting, or a POI that wasn't what they seemed...etc..etc..

I too am human/cultural, but with an equal emphasis on animal. In a very broad description my work is with rural and island geographies, and livestock domestication.

@happy - Also applying to Kentucky. What is your focus? Did a visit in spring. Love that place!

Hi there - I have tried to drudge up others on this site that are applying to Michigan State's CSUS program....wondering if there is anyone else going that route, and if not through Michigan, what other similar types of programs you have been considering?

Hi Stevn7 - I am curious when your applications are due if you are applying for Fall 2015?? I was always told the general rule is to start a good 6 months out with initial contact. This ensures the professors are not horribly bogged down with tons of other potential applicant inquiries and will also help in preparation if they are genuinely interested in taking you on. Time needs to be spent in ensuring research interests are comparable, funding opportunities, etc. Remember that as you are contacting them, that they will get tons of people putting out the feelers, and many at the last minute. I started contacting professors at any and all schools I was interested in, after the previous admissions cycle was over. That way I wasn't too early, but also gave me time to build relationships. I found that some programs that were really low on my list got moved up quite high, and others I thought for sure were 'the programs' actually fell off my list completely. You will find that some professors are not taking on new students, or others who you thought their research interest might not be in line, were actually a great fit. You will also not get return emails from everyone. Either you didn't interest them at all, or you got buried in the stack. Some will reply within hours, others may take a week or so, if not longer. I would recommend that if you felt like a contact was far reaching and they don't reply, they may not be interested. It feels hurtful and rude when they don't reply, but you can't take it personal. You are just a number to them right now. If you feel like someone hasn't responded that really you feel should have, then reach out with a follow up email in a week or so to put you back on their radar. I always offer the opportunity for phone call or skype in my emails, and many have taken me up on this. I have also cold-called many professors, and have gotten many return calls back. If I do cold call and get voicemail I will send an email as well stating I left a message, brief intro, CV attached, request for conversation...very professional and to-the-point. Taling is a much faster way to suss out any possible fit or issues, ask clear direct questions, and be able to discuss freely other things of interest. It is relationship building and they will remember you much better this way. After a phone call/skype or two, you have a stronger basis for email conversations, and it really solidifies things. I have been in contact with a handful of POIs over the course of the last 8 months and now that it is application time, things are really solid regarding potential research opportunities, funding opportunities, networking with other department members, etc. It helps greatly with writing your application statements, making them truly connected to the programs you are applying to. I also, always include a CV, and websites (not everyone has them) with my initial email contact. I have been thanked many times for this. I can say I have probably email over 100 people since I started seriously researching potential programs a year ago, and have gotten replies from about 60-70%. Some lack of replies hurt more than others, and some replies were super surprising, positive, and motivational! Very few will email you back to tell you they are not interested. I have gotten a couple just to be nice, but most won't reply if they aren't piqued. If you are late in the game, you most likely are going to have to work a bit harder for a connection. You sound like you are certainly covering your bases in your email, but if applications are due soon make yourself stand out in your contact emails. Be as professional and thorough as possible, and make it clear why it is important that you want to connect with them. Send any info along that will help them determine whether there is a potential connection with you as a student. Followup. You want them to take you seriously and remember you when you apply. Also, as tough as it can be, try to be patient. Remember that they are getting tons of inquiries, as well as managing their professional responsibilities, such as teaching, committees, etc. If they don't respond same day, that is pretty normal. Most of all best wishes and good luck! The application networking and process is exhausting and stressful but you will learn a ton about yourself and your research goals as you talk to more and more professors and programs.

All - looking for feedback on American Studies PhD programs. I have my short list, which includes (for my research focus) Purdue, U Minnesota, Yale, and SUNY Buffalo, as well as Ohio State's Comparative Studies, and Clark's Human Geography program. I unfortunately do not have enough of an anthro background to get into a socio-cultural anthro program, which would suit me better, but I feel AMS will fit nicely regardless. I study colonialism and livestock; human-animal relations; livestock domestication; North American agrarian systems; and wool and industrialization. I employ post humanist and post anthropocentric theories often. My specialty is sheep, and I interface with the Navajo population regularly for my research. I will be going in to my PhD with an MFA in Intermedia, MA in Interdisciplinary Studies, a Graduate Gender Studies Certificate and a 4 point ohhh. Any feedback from those already in AMS programs, or others looking at programs? Is there a program you know about that would suit me well, or maybe a specific professor at a specific institution? I would also love to hear what programs others are interested in.....

I will be applying to AMS for Fall 2015 as well..... where are you looking?? lets keep in touch!

All - I am starting to prep for applications next year and am searching for a good fit. I am coming in with a BA in Land Use, MA Interdisciplinary Studies (cultural anthro focus), MFA - Intermedia, and grad cert in Gender Studies. I am very theory based, and have a strong focus on ethnographic and animal studies. I am looking for a good program that can allow me to work interdisciplinarily with support from animal studies and the visual art/visual culture departments. Michigan State has a well respected Animal Studies program, and even offers a grad certificate which would allow me some good theory development, but thoughts on the Anthro side? I am also looking at some American Studies programs but I have been advised by many that with my particular work it would be best to go the Anthro route to ensure better funding and more hiring opportunities after grad. I guess I am looking at some input to see what anyone might have to say about some programs I am not yet familiar with....