Andsowego

My friend (who did receive funding last year) had the exact same date on his letter as the date on my waitlist letter (I just called him and asked - lol). I'm not sure about outright rejections, but it seems that the waitlist letters and letters of success were sent on/around the same date. edit: I didn't ask him if his was a hardcopy letter though... hm. Maybe his was via e-mail? I can say for certain that I never got an e-mail, just an old-skool letter, and that it was dated on the 21st of April (but if I recall correctly, it took a while to get to me due to silly Canada post - it might have even been the first week of May by the time I got the letter).

Last year I was notified by hard copy mail on April 21st (see my post above). I'm not sure I can be more specific than that! However, going on past experiences, "in the spring" really can mean anything. April, May... who knows!?!? Just gotta stay sane and play the waiting game until then.

I'm not sure about numbers that have been sent from your particular university, but NSERC makes public the list of people who were actually successful in being funded (which includes the name of their uni's and the titles of their work): http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Disclosure-Divulgation/grants-Subventions_eng.asp

You might need to organize a joint meeting between yourself, your supervisor, and your graduate advisor (or dean, or whatever that person is called at your school/department) where you can sit down and discuss a completion timeline for your dissertation, and talk about expectations of the department, etc.

I love that blog. So freakin' hilarious. Every time I see "alot" I think of that blog!

Last year, my "you're on the waitlist but haven't been funded at this time" hard copy letter was dated April 21st (I just checked my files). I assume we'll have to wait until at least April again this year!

This thread has been highly amusing for so many reasons. I seriously haven't laughed this hard in weeks! I just read the entire thing in one go, and wow. What a fantastic read it is! (literally, in case there was any misinterpretation of potential sarcasm). Anywhooo... here's my addition to the actual purpose of this thread: Try explaining to an undergraduate music student - whose first language is not English - that although they are phonetically similar, the terms "french whore" and "french horn" are actually quite different (this is also a great example of why spell check and autocorrect are sometimes evil!).

I honestly can't believe this has happened, but about an hour after I wrote that post ^^ I got an e-mail from my university confirming that I've been forwarded. Talk about crazy timing! It seems that my university is on top of the early communication this year!

Well, I heard the news today... and it's good! I wish the same for others who are waiting to hear!

I think this thread is great! Such insightful, well thought-out advice. As someone who has been a student rep on the admissions committee for their university, I'd add the following common sense (or not so common sense) advice: 1) Learn how to edit! Spelling, grammar, context, everything. I'm shocked at the number of applications I've seen where a doctoral applicant has mixed up "their" and "they're" or used "it's" instead of "its" or used the (non-existent) word "alot." I honestly can't believe that someone would turn in an application without proper editing. It's painful for an admissions committee to read those kinds of errors. If you really aren't great with words, then enlist the help of someone who is! 2) Don't give a university any reason to automatically toss out your application. If they ask for three rec's, then send three not two. If they ask for original transcripts, then send originals not photocopies. If they ask you to contact potential supervisors well in advance, then don't e-mail someone the day before your application is due and think that this will be okay! Grad school entry is already competitive enough without you giving the admissions committee a reason to immediately toss you. They'll think one of two things: 1) that you can't read or follow directions; or 2) that you somehow think you're "above" the requirements. 3) Prioritize supervisory fit and the academic strength of the department over the level of prestige the school's name carries. I know many people will disagree with this, but in the end, if you and your supervisor are a bad match, your life will be hell and no amount of school-name-prestige will help you get published, or hired, or funded, or make you happy.

TheSquirrel, I just read your original post, and I have been through (and am going through) a similar situation. I do agree with what others have said, in that the violent outbursts are absolutely not acceptable. You have the right to feel safe in your environment, and to have confidence in knowing that your property will be respected. In my situation (for which I cannot give much detail here), I ended up having to speak to the dean in my department about the other student. We never used a specific name in our conversation - I just filled the dean in on the behaviour and my concerns. Even without names, it was very clear during that conversation that this student was already on the dean's radar. I was advised to document any incidents that I felt could be classified as harassment or bullying, and to be in regular contact with the dean if the behaviour continued. The bottom line, is that some people are highly toxic. And when they enter the stress of grad school and realise that they perhaps aren't as amazing as they view themselves to be, their toxicity becomes amplified as they lash out. Ultimately, you should be looking out for your own well-being in your learning environment. Avoid the toxic person as much as you can (can you request a different office?), don't give that person any fuel for their rage (e.g., never discuss your grades), and when there is an incident, make sure you've documented what happened and get in touch with someone who can make a difference (e.g. a dean or advisor).

Last year I was informed on Jan. 18th (from SSHRC) and on Jan. 19th (from my university). I'm still on the waitlist from last year, so I had to apply all over again this year. Given what the pattern was last year, I don't expect to hear any news until at least Jan. 18th. Good luck! The waiting is almost over, thank goodness!

sports bars

Are you working at a desktop? or on a laptop? The only way I can keep from going crazy with the long computer hours, is to take my laptop and stack of papers/books/whatever to different locations. It varies from libraries (off-campus for a change of scenary), to cafes (if you don't mind noise), to sitting outside somewhere when the weather is nice (unless you need internet access, then it gets tricky outdoors). It's amazing what a change of venue can do for the work ethic and mental state!

Does your faculty/department have a graduate student society? I was pretty lonely in my first year, and in the second year I got involved with my faculty's student executive, and BAM! Immediate social connections sprang up as if from nowhere and it's just been getting better and better. If there's nothing in your faculty/department, try getting involved in your SGPS (not sure what they might have at your uni) but here it's the Society for Graduate and Professional Students - they organize social events like mixers, concerts, pub nites, holiday events (halloween, etc.), and a whole host of other cool stuff that is more "mature" too like trivia nights, interdisciplinary study, research seminars, etc. You could also try seeking out a volunteering experience outside (or inside!) the university where you can meet like-minded people who are into stuff that really matters (rather than partying and wasting time). It will build your social life while also enhance your credentials! Don't limit yourself to your own faculty/department/program for making friends. Good luck!

I've written reference letters for students for grad school entry - and I always decline to write the letter if I know it won't be completely glowing. Even if I know the student to be good academically in the particular course I taught, I still ask for the following (and if they don't provide it or if I don't feel comfortable with what they send, I decline): 1) a copy of their current professional cv/resume; and 2) a sample of their work (e.g., a copy of their research proposal - usually 2 pages, or whatever they've done to meet application requirements, maybe a writing sample). After reviewing these items, I've still said no on a couple of occasions. The rule of thumb for me is as follows: If someone from the university the student has applied to is going to potentially call me on the phone, and wants to follow-up on my reference, I have to be able to be 100% honest in that conversation. After all, it's my reputation as a professional that is on the line too, not just the admission of the student! If I can't envision myself being completely honest, I know I shouldn't be writing the reference. I also don't see it as my job to tell students that they're not grad school material (who am I to decide that when I'm still a PhD student myself and perhaps don't know everything about their personal context?). I'm just honest with them, and say that I don't believe I'm the absolute best choice for providing an academic reference in this particular situation, but that I wish them nothing but success, etc.

Just to follow up: as a Canadian, I'd never bring someone with me to my parents' home on a major holiday without asking my parents first. They're the kind of people who would *never* say no (I've brought home countless people!), but it's common courtesy and good manners to ask. If there's going to be a stranger in my parents' home, they should know about it ahead of time (plus, major holidays = major meals, and my mother for example should know how many people she has to plan to cook for). I agree with Gentlelife on this issue... I think that the housemate was definitely rude to not tell the parents, rude to send the guest to bed, and rude in many other ways that have nothing to do with culture.

Hi quaintrelle and ah233, Kingston is a decent city, and it's CLOSE to other major cities! (not sure why javi7830 claims it's "super far" from other major cities since it's only a 3-hour train/bus/car ride from Toronto, and a 2-hour train/bus/car ride from Ottawa, and only slightly further to Montreal or Quebec City). It's one of the best-located Canadian cities in my opinion! If you get sick of the small-town feel of Kingston, you can easily escape for a day or two to Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, or Quebec City, no problem! (and if you want to visit the USA, New York City, just fyi, is only a 5-6 hour drive too!).

I just want to say that I think this is very smart advice. I'm 75% done my PhD, and I used this exact strategy when selecting committee members: 1) How will this person contribute to the academic success of my work?; 2) How will this person contribute to my success as a human being?; and 3) How will this person work with other people I'm considering as committee members? I also did what you've suggested - went to hear potential committee people speak, made appointments to talk about their work and my work, and did a lot of informal observations (e.g., How do they act at social functions? at the presentations of other students? when they're talking to colleagues? What is the tone of their academic writing?). I also asked around (in a politically correct, nice way) about which prof's were the most enjoyable/productive/communicative to work with. I've been very happy with the committee I ended up with as a result. They communicate well with myself and each other, and they each contribute something unique and useful to my academic work. Most importantly, all of them support me as a real, live, human being. I feel comfortable asking for direction, expressing my need for guidance, running random ideas by them, or asking for advice on things like motivation, stress, etc.. Bottom line: choose wisely after collecting evidence, and don't be afraid to ask a lot of purposeful questions! It's better to do your investigating up front, rather than find out later that you've missed a huge factor (e.g., political/personal conflict between committee persons) because you didn't do your homework.

I know it's been a few months since you posted, but hopefully my opinion will still be useful! I'm a PhD student in Education at a very research-oriented university in Canada. Teachers/researchers... you can't really be employed in a Faculty of Education without being both! I have to demonstrate teaching experience and ability as much as I demonstrate my ability to get published and conduct formal research. I'd suggest that you take some courses in your Education faculty, or talk to the grad advisor in that faculty about opportunities that might be relevant and useful for you. Speaking from experience, there's no better teaching than "teaching future teachers!" It's nothing like teaching "regular" undergrad courses - you'll find yourself being challenged, but also appreciated by your students. I've been teaching Education undergrads now for 3 years, and I wouldn't trade it for anything! I just know that along with the teaching, *does* come an expectation of research - but they're not mutually exclusive.

I hope this doesn't come across as rude, but... you really need to check your geography! Though the two cities share the same name, they're nowhere near each other. The distance between Vancouver, BC, and Vancouver, WA is around 350-400 miles. And, there's an international border crossing in between (the Peace Arch crossing is one of the busiest crossings between Canada and the USA). People do cross for work, but only if they live within very close proximity to the border (and neither one of the Vancouvers is very close!). Sorry!

Perhaps you're looking at this from the wrong perspective? Maybe it has nothing to do with the housemate being American... maybe she's just inconsiderate of the needs of others! Rude people come in all cultures. The best thing to do, is move on from this experience and start fresh. Just as rude people come in all cultures, so do wonderful and nice caring people!

I've really appreciated reading through all these posts! I'm in the 3rd year of a 4-year PhD program at a Canadian uni, and even through I get semi-decent funding from year-to-year (it varies from Cdn. $18K-28K, but then I lose around $8K of that to tuition and fees immediately, and another $7K has to be earned through a weekly teaching fellowship which is a lot of hours), I find each month to be a struggle. Due to the type of scholarship I'm on, I'm not allowed to have an "external" job, so the internal funding I get is all I live on. I'm already cutting corners, and really need to cut more, so I appreciate a lot of the suggestions here that I hadn't thought of. For the first time in my life, I actually didn't fly home to be with my family for Christmas this year due to lack of $$ (it's approx. $750 round trip for me to fly from where I attend uni back to my hometown - Canada sucks for air travel!). I have a basic cable/internet package that I'm likely going to get rid of (though the internet at home is invaluable as a PhD student... I might have to keep it); I have a used (ready to die) car that I'm likely going to get rid of (not worth anything to sell, but the insurance/parking/gas each month adds up quickly); I've made a new year's resolution to go even more stingy with my food options (e.g., cooking multiple portions and using the freezer); I haven't had a professional hair cut in over four months; other than a new pair of winter boots (it's Canada, I couldn't avoid this) I haven't bought new clothing in over a year (it's only thrift stores for me!); I already spend practically nothing on entertainment (usually my entertainment consists of being with friends and sharing a pot of tea... and the last movie I paid to see at the cinema was Avatar, so that tells you how long it's been!). I echo the sentiment of others when they say how much stress the financial stuff adds to grad school. It's exhausting. Something's gotta give! I can't get another job, and I can't really cut more corners beyond what I'm already doing. Other than getting rid of my old car to save the insurance/gas costs, I'm at a dead end. Looking forward to reading more creative ideas from people!

"Has anyone heard from their universities regarding whether or not they have been forwarded to SSHRC? I heard this usually happens in December/January." My university informs us via e-mail in mid-January. Coming up soon!

Still on a waitlist here too (Education committee, PhD applicant, not my first time applying)... when I contacted SSHRC recently, I got nothing in the way of useful information. All they told me was "sorry, you're still on the waitlist" and refused to answer my specific questions about rankings. Other than the random score I received in my letter back in May, I have nothing else to go on. So, I re-applied all over again for 2012. I've pretty much given up hope by this point that anything will change, and if it does, I'll have to pay back the OGS (Ontario Grad Scholarship) that started back in September in order to accept SSHRC funding. So frustrating. We're almost back around to the point where I'll find out again from my uni if I was forwarded - again - to SSHRC. My university informs us via e-mail by mid-January.