Xanthan

Man, that's pretty harsh. Is it possible you're the one student in the cohort that nobody likes?

For restaurants, you won't need an ID to get in, only if you want to be served alcohol. Some bars, and especially nightclubs, will ask for ID before you go in. If you don't have one, they might not let you in, and may not serve you booze. (Note that in most places- it varies by state- they're supposed to card you, but often they don't. I guess it depends how old you look. Seriously, the majority of bars I've been in don't card anyone.) In general, most Americans don't carry around ID except for driving.

I just took a look at the website... as Porky Pig would say, "That's all folks!" All the reviews were totally positive, even fawning. Now, quite possibly (probably?) the advisors mentioned are great... but perfect? No one had anything critical to say? It sounds like grad students kissing up to me. Not that I'm suprised... except in the largest lab groups, it probably wouldn't be hard to figure out who had complaints, especially if those complaints were specific enough to be useful. And if students were afraid to speak about profs in private (you did ask in private, right?), I'd think they'd be too afraid to post online (in writing! un-deleteable!). I think this is more a cautionary tale for prospective students entering PhD programs. If there are no opportunities for students to be candid during your visit, or if you don't hear ANYTHING critical about faculty, be very wary of that situation.

Bear in mind that AT&T also does prepaid phones, which may actually be cheaper for you depending on how much you use it.

Smartphone: LG Optimus V (phone cost: $200) OS: Android Carrier: Virgin Mobile (Sprint network) Plan: Unlimited Data, Unlimited Text, 300 talk minutes Price: $25 per month Contract: No What more could you ask for?

Isn't that how Spiderman was created?

I've started early (just last week!) and it has allowed me to do a lab rotation at an offsite facility that's in another city than my program (so would be hard to do during the year). I'm getting paid, and my roommate is a second year student in my program, so I'm learning all the dirt on the profs in the school. It's a pretty good setup.

And after he won the Nobel, he retired to become a surfer dude. And that's just the tip of the iceberg of the insanity that is Kary Mullis.

Alternatively, you could live above a coffee shop. (And hope they don't turn off the wifi at night...)

Actually no. Telecom in the US is pretty tightly controlled by a small number of companies, internet especially. It's not a free market. (This is because telecom companies have money to give to politicians, and pols are easily bought.) The US is certainly not last in internet speed/price, but we are behind most of the developed world. (And many 3rd world countries.)

A big part of the problem is that we've had big time qualification creep. Jobs that even a decade ago required a HS diploma now require a BS; jobs that required a BS now require an MS, ect. I know someone who got a BS in business and then a job as an entry level HR droid. She's fully capable of the job (and more), but honestly, any halfway savvy HS grad could do the job just fine.

A few points spring to mind: 1. 3.4 isn't that low of a GPA. Plenty of people get into good programs with less than that. 2. Especially with lots of research and a pub... I'm pretty confident you'll get into a MS program. 3. If you want a MD or DO, why get a MS in biology? Do you think you won't get into med school on the first try and want to up your stats? The MS bio route may be one way, but ask around, there may be easier (shorter!) ways. If you do the MS, consider a non-thesis program.

I'm starting my PhD program in the summer. (We do lab rotations, and I'm coming early to do one this summer.) I'm starting the first week of June--I'm so excited! I'm also moving 900 miles to go there. I suppose I'd better pack...

It's impossible to say how competitive you are without knowing the rest of your app. How much research do you have? What kind of letters? What kind of coursework does your 3.1 GPA represent? As for the GRE score, personally I think it's fine. If your GPA was closer to 3.5, I'd say not even to bother retaking it. Since your GPA is a bit low, retaking it may be marginally helpful, but only if you can score significantly higher (30+ points in each section). Even then, I think it would only be a very small boost to your app. I got into multiple top 30 programs in the biosciences with a lower GRE than that, including a substantially lower quant: 630Q, 700V. You'd probably be better off spending your time tweaking your SOP, convincing schools that your research interests match their strong suits.

It seems that you will still be a nonresident alien even after 3 years; students on student visas (such as F or J) are "exempt" and thus their presence is not counted towards resident alien status. See here: Non-resident alien FAQ

OK, there's good news and bad news. The good news: if you want a PhD in mol bio, I'm confident that you'll be able to get one. Your GPA is a little low, but it's not so low that it will keep you out of programs... it may keep you out of top 10 places, but you can still get where you want to go. Solid GRE scores will help (aim for over 1200 combined). A stand out SOP will also be required. The bad news: It's not a question of *if* you'll get in, but *when* and *where*. The biggest problem in your app isn't your GPA, it's your lack of research experience. And this will indirectly make your LORs weaker: the strongest LOR is one from a faculty you've done research with. Most applicants (especially so at more competitive places) will have more research than you, some a lot more. So, if you apply this fall, you have (as I see it) 3 options: 1. apply anyway. You probably won't get into the most competitive schools (Harvard, Stanford, ect). You may also not get into schools in more desirable locations (Boston, NYC, California). A willingness to consider lower "ranked" schools or less desired locations will up your chances. If you do apply, I'd apply to at least 5 schools, even 10 wouldn't be excessive. 2. wait a year. In that year, you can continue to research. This will also (hopefully) lead to a stronger LOR from your PI. A paper would be nice, but isn't required. The extra year will boost your chances quite a lot. 3. apply for masters programs. What you really should look for are thesis based programs. Don't do one that's solely coursework; lack of classroom time isn't your main problem. You could also do an MS at a school that you'd like to do a PhD at... this would allow you become a known quantity to the faculty there, and it [might!] make it an easy transition into their program. Plus, you could bring up your GPA. Of all the options, #3 is commonly done, but I consider it to be the WORST option. Why? For one, there's a strong chance you would have to pay out of pocket; many schools reserve their best funding for PhD students. Doing a PhD is already an iffy financial proposition, and paying for another degree makes it worse, especially for an MS that will be rendered irrelevant by a PhD. It's also the longest path: it will probably take at least 3 semesters to do, and the most important part of it, the thesis research, is at the end. If it takes 2 years (common), you probably wouldn't apply for the Fall 2013 class, you'd apply for Fall 2014. Are you prepared to wait that long? My best advice is to a hybrid of #1 and #2, or only #2. The extra year really will help, and you'll stand a good chance of getting into a school that has a program you're excited to be at. If you want to apply this fall anyway, only apply to programs you'd be super excited to attend. Only apply to programs that are doing the research you are interested in (and have mentioned in your SOP). Don't apply to "safety" or "fallback" schools--you can consider that if you don't get in on the first round. The decision to apply this fall depends on how impatient you are to get started, and how competitive a school you want to attend. I hope the above was helpful.

Parents: Yay, we're so proud! Grandparents: What, they *pay* you to go to school? Friend: You're quitting your REAL job?? Sister: You're moving to ALABAMA?? [banjo playing impression] My fish met the announcement with placid silence, as usual. I didn't tell them that I'm giving them away rather than move them 800 miles.

Physician, heal thyself.

Q: How long to put up with snarky professors? A: Until you get tenure.

I'm bumping this 5 year old topic because I'm moving to Birmingham over the summer to go to UAB. Any advice on where to live, what to do, ect.? What neighborhood in the city are good, and which are sketchy? I'll have a car and parking on campus is pretty cheap, so living outside of the immediate vicinity of campus is a possibility. Thanks a lot!

Wait... a faculty wanted you to get involved? That's dirty pool, and I'd stay well away. It's unfair to ask any student to stick their neck out like that. I'd claim conflict of interest to anyone who asks. Run in the other direction ASAP.

Congrats on your acceptances. I was a high school teacher for several years, so I thought I'd weigh in. I don't personally have a masters, but I know plenty of people who do. If I had thought I was going to stay in sec ed, I would have gone that way (for one thing, in most districts you'll get paid more with a masters). Honestly, seeing as education isn't a big money field, I'd be inclined to go where it's cheapest. Also consider that a one year program will mean half the living expenses. BUT... there are a few other points that could sway things: 1. You mentioned a S.O. That can change the equation, although if you're 3-4 hours away, that could make it hard (in both time and money) to visit. What is the difference in price between the programs? Remember that if you do the one year program, you'll be free to move near S.O. sooner. (Maybe you could just fly to visit S.O. on holidays/breaks?) 2. Where you you want to teach? Note that you'll be getting a cert in a specific state. Are they transferrable to where you want to be? (Check via websites of state departments of education.) Also note that if you want to teach in a place close to one of the schools, maybe going to that school would help you make connections there. However, as distance increases from Towson/Norfolk/Baton Rouge, the networking benefit will drop. 3. Is there any financial aid available? One thing you might look at is graduate assistantships. At some schools, mostly those that don't have doctoral programs, education departments have trouble finding GA's, because at some schools GA's have to be full time students, and many education programs are mainly part timers. Also, sometimes there are GA positions in non academic departments (graduate office, academic enrichment, tutoring center, ect.) My father is a professor (not of education), and he told me often students in his department get assistantships in education departments (sec ed, spec ed, eled) because they have lots of spots for few full time students. Ask around at your potential schools. Further, what about being a residence adviser? Might be a pain to do this, but at some places you get a tuition waiver and free housing. My cousin financed a masters this way. Any way, good luck with whichever program you choose!

Now that the application process is over...

I was told at the University of Kentucky that tickets to men's basketball were $5 for students (grad students included). Alabama-Birmingham is pretty much a mid-major school (D1, but not in a top conference)... it appears that most of their tickets are free for students.

I got my B.S. 9 years ago. In the meantime, I was a high school teacher, and also have worked in industry. I'll be starting a PhD in August. Sometimes I've felt that I could have saved some time, if I had known then what I know now. But that's the whole point... if I wouldn't have lived my experiences, I wouldn't have gained the self knowledge to know I'm on the right path. I'm not really worried about the academic or social aspects. Any lack of current detail compared to freshly minted undergrads is made up for by what I learned about pedagogy as a teacher. (And yes, I did use that line on my SOP!) As far as making friends, when I went on interviews, everyone was nice, and I didn't get the feeling my age would be a problem. But there is one scary thing: I recently got an email from a former student: he's graduating this spring, and this fall he's going to apply to graduate school!