kahlan_amnell

Don't worry too much about it. That section isn't particularly important, unless you are applying to schools that have strict GRE score cutoffs and include AWA in that equation. Writing samples and SOPs are much more important.

Don't make any decisions about transferring yet, it is still early. Also, transferring will probably cause you to loose some of your credits, and might not look good in the future if you didn't have a good reason.

Does anyone know a good place to buy a winter coat in Pullman or Moscow? I don't mean a down jacket, I mean something professional looking, such as a wool coat. I've been told the Palouse Mall isn't that great, try Tri-State. However, that looks like an outdoor goods store, and I think they might tend more towards the down jackets than the professional looking jackets. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Wow, I knew I posted a lot in August...but I didn't expect I'd be second. Yay!

If your only reason for leaving is that you aren't close enough to your families, I think you should consider how serious you are about graduate school and academia. Of course your families are important, but as an academic, you have to be willing to take a job anywhere it comes up, at least at the start of your career, if you want to have a good chance of getting a job at all. If you aren't willing to move away from your family, that will seriously limit your options for grad school and academic jobs.

If you are applying to more than 4 schools, I do think you have to wait for the official score report to send the additional ones, but I could be wrong. Anyway, one month is cutting it close. Some schools get their GRE score reports in batches, and that can delay your scores getting to schools even more. Your GRE score reports will likely be late to some schools, but they generally are understanding about this.

As long as you are applying to schools that have a writing sample as part of the application, I wouldn't worry too much about your AW scores. Things like SOPs and writing samples are a much more important measure of writing ability.

Yes, you will probably have to take the GRE again, unless you stay at the same school for your Ph.D. or find one of those schools that doesn't require GRE scores from applicants with a MA.

Yep, I agree. I did write them down on a scrap of paper once I left the test center just to be sure though.

Mine was around two pages. I don't think four pages is too long if that is what it takes to present the information you want to present well. It is only too long if it is over a page limit for a certain university, then you need a shorter version.

So, now that most of us have been in Pullman for a month or two, what do you think? I'm enjoying it so far, though I am hoping that the weather will cool down consistently soon. Also my department is great and my classes are going well. How are things going for everyone else?

Of course your first draft needs lots of revision, it's a first draft and that is to be expected. I went though many many drafts of my MA thesis before it got to a point where my advisor was pleased with it. So, don't be discouraged. If some things your advisor asked you to revise don't make sense, ask for clarification. In the meantime, work on things that do make sense. You have plenty of time to get this done before January.

I'm sorry but what you said there came off as really insensitive. Being in a relationship is about supporting each other. So you significant other had a bad day and didn't get what he said he was was going to done. This happens. You should support him, assuming that he does the same when you've had a bad day. You're both under a lot of stress and are going to need to be patient and supportive.

Depends what you mean by that. Drinking by yourself to deal with stress= bad. Going to a social event with fellow grad students to vent about stress while drinking responsibly= a good way to deal with stress. Find something to do to get you away from work. Work out, keep up a hobby, go to a movie, whatever works for you. Socialize with other grad students, and vent about stress, if you have a department culture where that is done. I've been enjoying the grad student social events in my department.

I didn't go into complete detail. Loosing TA funding for a lot of people would mean they could not continue working towards a degree, because it is not wise to go into debt to get a Ph.D. in the humanities. TA funding is the main sort of funding available here, and someone who lost their funding due to low GPA probably wouldn't be able to get other funding like fellowships. However, to be more specific about why B would not equal Ph.D in my program I quote from the requirements "Ph.D. students who fall below a 3.3 cumulative grade point average in any 2 semesters will be permanently barred from further enrollment." A B+ is a 3.3 a B is 3.0 here. So B would not equal PhD and B+ would equal being on the verge of being dismissed.

They do matter. Getting a B in grad school is like getting a D or even an F in undergrad. Getting a B+ is like a C. Many Ph.D. programs require students to maintain an average between B+ and A- and some programs don't consider anything below B+ or even an A- as satisfactory progress. To keep my teaching assistantship I'm required to maintain a 3.5 GPA at minimum. An A- is a 3.7 and a B+ is a 3.3. So for me, B would not equal Ph.D.

Usually when you want to get a letter from a TA you ask if they could get the professor they TAed for to sign the letter as well, which seems to give the letter more weight. If the TA has since become a professor himself this might not be necessary. I don't think it really matters how good a school he is a professor at, though a letter from a big name prof at a famous department would of course help your application.

You can do that if you want to, unless the application specifies that they want a graded paper for the writing sample.

I'd say avoid taking out loans unless you are thinking of going to grad school for something you are pretty sure will dramatically increase your earning potential. If you can get a funded offer, or otherwise avoid loans, then I'd say it is a good idea to go.

You could just ask the other student at the beginning or end of the class if they are interested in a study group. Or if you have a class e-mail list you could send out an e-mail.

Ok, at the risk of people getting completly sick of my posts I'm going to post again about my travel issue. I have found a ride to Spokane, now I'm only looking for a ride back. My flight arrives at 11:05 p, on Monday 9/7. Yes I know it's late. Is anyone headed from Spokane to Pullman at that hour, or on Tuesday morning (9/8) in time to get to Pullman by 10:30 am? (That would mean leaving before 9:00) If I don't find anyone I guess I might just take wheatland express, if the professor I'm TAing for is ok with me missing one class.

You already went though one application cycle without knowing that extra curriculars don't matter unless they are related to your field? Well, now you know.

I don't think you can do that, but your best bet would be to contact ETS and ask. Sorry not to be more helpful!

Anyone in Pullman headed to Spokane this Thursday or early Friday? Could I get a ride with you if you are? I need to get to the Spokane airport for an early flight on Friday morning, and the price for shuttles or cabs is really high unless you can take Wheatland Express. Unfortunately, that only runs once a day, and won't work for getting to this flight. Help?

You can get a lot of warm clothes online. I'd reccomend Land's End or LL Bean. Land's End makes good winter coats for kids and adults, here is the link to their outwear section: http://www.landsend.com/ix/outerwear/in ... &cm_re=D-2 . They also have general cold weather clothes, like turtlenecks and sweaters. LL Bean is good for boots and flannel or fleece lined pants, and they also have good long sleeved shirts. They do also have good winter coats. If you don't like shopping online, go to a department store in the area you move to in the late summer/early fall and you'll find lots of cold weather clothes.