gellert

dread pirate (roberts)

I submitted my application this afternoon!

omg I think I am done with all my essays. I'm really not sure how I feel about this. They will never be perfect. ETA: Has anyone else still not sent their LOR writers copies of their NSF essays? I didn't want to give mine to anyone but the adviser who was reviewing them for me until they were in half-decent shape. Is it too late for that, with only two weeks left on their clock?

^ Same here! I'm on my last revision. alskdjfal; This is insane. At least one of my profs gave me an extension on an assignment so I could finish my NSF app instead.

Doubt it. Two of those Cs are C+s, and you only have three total? I'd be concerned if this was in your proposed graduate field of study, but unless you specifically want to study the history of economics in grad school, I wouldn't get all torn up over it. Most things we as applicants see as red flags are barely even a blip on the adcomms' radar, as I've learned from my adviser after much anxious bellyaching over minor flaws on my own record. Good luck!

iawtc. It might not hurt to mention specific courses (though if done the wrong way, it could sound pandering), but you could use that space so much more wisely. I'd recommend spending some time focusing more on what you've learned from prior research experiences or gaps you perceive in the field rather than listing out your entire proposed first year schedule. This might just be a personal preference thing, though.

^ Oh yeah, Asheville, NC is very LGBT-friendly. Stores there even have "visibility matters" or "we welcome all families" stickers on their doors.

Can I third (or is it fourth?) the Chapel Hill/Carrboro/Durham recommendation? I'm LGBTQA and it's generally a great scene. Especially Carrboro, which can seem more queer than straight. Even the straight people I meet in Carrboro always preface it like, "well, all of my experiences have been heterosexual, so...."

^ I think it's nice of them when they do, but "owe" us one? No. They don't owe us anything at all until we've actually matriculated. I think you're right, though, that it is quite frustrating when they don't reply to so much as just say "Yes I am" or "No not this year." :/ (Voice of experience)

^ Same, by multiple tenured professors and even a DCT. Professors are very busy people. Attaching an unrequested CV carries the implication that you think so highly of yourself that you expect them not only to send you a brief reply about whether they are accepting students (and it is very nice of professors to do this, but let's not kid ourselves -- they don't have to), but to read your entire CV as well and give you some sort of feedback on your fit with the program, and to trust the attachment doesn't contain a virus. One prof told me that he automatically throws all emails with unsolicited attachments into his email's trash without reading them. So. Take that as you will.

Slightly OT, but does anyone have a sense of how long is too long to wait after a phone convo to send a thank-you note? Because it honestly did not occur to me, and I had my phone conversation back in October. Could I save it just by mentioning my appreciation in an email in a few weeks when I tell him I've submitted my app?

^^^ Excellent advice. I had a phone conversation with one of my top POIs in October, and I was actually really surprised when he hardly asked me any questions at all. I had to lead the entire conversation. It definitely threw me off, but I know I was able to show that I knew enough about his work to ask questions about that, and enough about grad school in general to ask intelligent questions about that process. Don't take your POI not asking you questions about yourself as a sign of disinterest; it's just a different technique. Relax before you go into it! I did mine really stressed out, wearing a sweatshirt on the top floor of a house that had the heat on too high and I was nervous. Bad plan. By the time I was done I was drenched in sweat and felt like I'd just run a marathon while my POI stood on the sidelines and demanded that I recite all the cranial nerves. Relaaaaaaaax. One of my undergrad advisers told me that there's no way you can mess this up. Not unless you do something truly horrendous. They aren't looking to accept or reject you based off this conversation. Even if you do really well, this won't get you in. It'll just get you a careful look on your app once it's submitted. And if you're nervous or flustered, it won't get you rejected, either. Good luck!

All right, we're in that final stretch before December deadlines! Where do you stand? How much more do you have to do? How are you feeling? I'm editing SOPs right now and still waiting (im)patiently for one of my transcripts to get mailed to me so I can scan it into apps. (Wth, I ordered it over a week ago!) Also working on the last bits of my NSF app. I'm more excited than stressed, though. (So far, anyway.)

I'd say it's fine! I'm going to be doing the same with an in prep manuscript and an under review one. Just make sure it's listed clearly as such!

^ And take it to mean precisely that. I wouldn't try to add any extra significance onto it because he doesn't have enough information to know for sure if you're someone he'd like to admit yet.

Two questions, one for-real and the other just ... yeah. 1) As a senior undergrad, what to put as the institution at which you'll be doing this research? Just your top choice, or the best fit for your proposal, or where you think you'll be most likely to get in, or what? 2) Anyone else still have at least one essay completely unfinished? (Not in terms of outlining, just...no draft yet.)

Noooo no no no no no. Don't do this. It seems like you're making an assumption and can be taken the wrong way. Don't attach ANYTHING to your email unless requested.

General consensus from what I hear is that yes, 9 times out of 10 it's a very good idea. For the profs who don't like being contacted, it will generally say so on the website. If not and it's a personal thing for them, worst that can happen is ... absolutely nothing. They just won't read it. They're not sitting around vindictively taking names of students who contact them like "muhahahaha this student did something that vaguely annoyed me but is typical of the field! I shall be sure not to accept her, regardless of how well-qualified her application is! muhahahaha!" ...You know?

random guy

Yes and no. I don't think this is any indication of whether or not you will definitely get in. All you can really read into this is that he thinks your qualifications, experience, and interests are a good match for him and the program. But even if he likes what he sees, he hasn't seen your transcripts, GRE scores, LORs, SOP, hasn't interviewed you, and -- most importantly -- hasn't seen all the other applicants. He's seen one facet of your application and it was good. But as I said, I do think this means that you chose a school well (good fit, etc). All other things being equal, I'd say you could assume you have a decent shot. Unfortunately, all other things usually aren't equal, so at the moment it's still impossible to say.

I don't think it will hurt you at all. In fact, I reckon you'll be in a pretty good position, as you'll have the coveted "life experience" -- and, if you're being funded to continue doing research in a master's program, with luck you'll have even more pubs and presentations under your belt by the time you're applying. Compare that to the straight-from-undergrad "superstars" with their lone sixth-author pub and collection of posters, and you'll stand out brilliantly. Not to knock straight-from-undergrads, as I am one myself. But the point is, extra research experience is never going to be looked down upon. Continue to learn, get a great LOR from this guy, retake the GREs, and reapply. You'll be fine.

Then yeah, I'd say panel 2. Sounds like it could overlap just a bit with social.

fly fishing

Well, what exactly are you trying to study within evopsych? A lot of studies aren't strictly social or developmental or personality, but a combination of two disciplines. You could choose whatever's closest to your "secondary" field, if possible.