SlothOfDoom

As you may notice, I'm going back to grad school for anthropology, but I have a BS from Harvey Mudd and currently work as an engineer -- so my information is both credible and up-to-date .

Even a BS in ME will get you >$50,000 most places in the country. With an MS you can easily start at >$80,000, at least in Los Angeles where I currently work. Here's what I've learned from being on the both the applying and hiring sides of things: Having a big name on your resume will get you some more money, but the biggest advantage is options. You're much more likely to get a first interview with an MS in ME from Caltech than, for example, one from UC Riverside (remember that hiring managers generally go through large stacks of resumes when filling a position) -- and when you do get offers you'll be able to play them off against each other. Maybe you'll choose the offer that gives you more money, or maybe you'll realize that you're making a career of egineering and you should be happy in your job. Choose the job close to your family or the one that really matches your interests. You'll have that luxury with a big name on your resume.

I_heart_fieldwork: That institution is violating the spirit (if not the letter) of the Council of Graduate Schools Resolution, http://www.cgsnet.org/portals/0/pdf/CGS ... ec2008.pdf. Note that the PDF link lists schools which are signatory to the resolution. Since that institution is playing hardball you may want to as well: accept the offer and, if you get a better one, rescind the original one in writing by April 15th. That might burn some bridges, but they started it! See: http://www.cgsnet.org/Default.aspx?tabid=206. BTW, are they making you decide on the acceptance before Apr 15th, or just funding? If acceptance, that's *way* out of line! Best, Sloth

Parts of hollywood/west hollywood are sketchy and others are fine (hopefully somebody who's lived up there can provide more detail). I have friends who like it enough up there that they commute down to El Segundo for work. A big consideration is where your boyfriend ends up working, and what hours he works (whether they're flexible or not). LA traffic is often bumper to bumper one direction in the morning and fine in the other direction, then vice versa. When I lived in downtown LA my roommate rarely hit traffic commuting west on the 10, whereas eastbound was awful. This can be true even on the surface streets, though to a lesser extent. Take a look at Google maps traffic during morning/evening rush hour. Sloth of Doom

Can I do without a car if I live on campus? Or will I find it too inconvenient, what with grocery shopping, heading out on the town, etc.?

I've lived in LA for six years and two of my best friends go to UCLA. Until recently I lived with them in a house in Culver City, and one of them didn't have a car and so commuted to UCLA on the bus. There's an artsy area near the intersection of Washington and Helms that (I think) you would find almost perfect. There's a great French restaurant/pastry shop there called La Dijonaise, plus plenty of other nice haunts. Keep that in mind. If you'd prefer a quiter, more residential area, try the area around Culver Blvd and Overland Ave. It's still walking distance to the great places in downtown Culver City. Fair warning: LA is the car capital of the world. You may find yourself missing out on some social scenes if you don't have a car. SlothOfDoom (Fear the Sloth)

I have an answer to where UCLA is in the decision process! Just rejected via an email link to their website. Best of luck to the rest of you!

I got an official acceptance from Stanford recently (I'm the "evil" unofficial results poster from earlier... all I had until this week was unofficial). I know some other people have been at least unofficially notified, but I'm not sure if the different branches are synched up (e.g., couldn't say anything about cultural). If this can be considered bad news, I apologise for being the bearer . I'd still like to know where UCLA stands...

Does anybody have the inside scoop on when UCLA will be notifying (PhD)? The only result on the boards is an unofficial rejection. It's the one school I might choose over the places I've been accepted (nice to stay close to friends and family!). Cheers!

As I recall, you have been in contact with professors at some of the schools to which you applied. I expect they will appreciate what you can offer archaeology, given your unique background. If not it's their loss! In the unlikely event you don't get an offer you like (funding is important!) look into field school. For better or worse, US universities emphasize holistic admissions (another word that comes to mind is capricious), as opposed to Indian universities, which heavily weight class rank and test scores (or so I am told by my Indian roommates/friends). Having a field school on your CV will improve your admission likelihood and (as importantly!) your likelihood of getting good funding the first year or two. Professors want to fund serious students. You know you are a serious student (as do I), but they don't. Costly signaling comes to mind... Regarding field school, I am certain American universities (and Australian, British, French...) do some digs in India. Look into that if you haven't already. Nor is the US the end all or be all in academics! Australia and the UK are both excellent places to study. Did I mention funding is important? Best, SlothOfDoom

For your amusement, do a Results Search on 'Cornell Mathematics'. Funny!

supriyasingh, I hope all is well. If you have not already done so, read my reply to your original post ('Am I eligible'). I have a physics degree from a tech school. Because of budget troubles, schools are playing chicken with each other over sending out admissions notices. Notifications may come a couple weeks later than normal. Hang in there . Best, SlothOfDoom (Fear the Sloth)

Answered archaeology and physical. Evolutionary, really. HBE.

Perhaps I can provide some further advice (Sachi's was also spot on). I have BS in physics, also from a premier technical institution, and have chosen to study anthropology. My cumulative GRE score was 1440 (5.5 writing). I wanted to apply for Fall 2008, but realized my application would be weak. Instead, I took an introductory anthro class, participated in an archaeological field school, and researched west coast anthropology programs that emphasize a scientific approach (I want to stay on the west coast... which is a big hint as to where I went undergrad). I contacted professors at a handful of institutions and received encouraging responses; it seems there is plenty of quantitative work to be done in anthropology, but a dearth of quantitatively minded applicants. I applied to nine schools for Fall 2009, and so far have been accepted by one and rejected by another (the one that accepted me is on my short list of "top choices" ... but I will have to visit campuses before making a decision). If you took some anthropology classes as an undergrad or have field experience, you are already prepared to apply to MA/PhD programs (perhaps you already have for Fall 2009, as your post was from last September). Otherwise, I would advise a little more preparation, which will also -- as Sachi noted -- demonstrate your commitment to the field. Please message me if I can provide any more help. Best, SlothOfDoom