gellert

Love this idea! Another thing that my housemate has started doing is making Quinoa Tabouli. Ingredients 2 cups water 1 cup quinoa 1 pinch salt 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 cup lemon juice 3 tomatoes, diced 1 cucumber, diced 2 bunches green onions, diced 2 carrots, grated 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped Directions In a saucepan bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature; fluff with a fork. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine olive oil, sea salt, lemon juice, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, carrots and parsley. Stir in cooled quinoa.

Yes. Well, I paid for a second session before I took the first GRE because I felt like it might make me less nervous, make me feel less like it was my "last chance" (I took the old version and did NOT want to take the revised test). I definitely think it made a difference, though I did end up going back and taking the second test as well (with an 80 point increase).

Does anyone have any good desktop wallpapers? More specifically, perhaps something that inspires you to study and work hard. (Right now I've got Michael Fassbender on my background which, while he is lovely, isn't exactly encouraging me to study.) Here's my offering: Fire (If you can't read it without dloading, the quote says: "Success is not a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.")

^ Not only are they not counting GRE scores, I believe they aren't even accepting them as optional submissions anymore.

^Actually, it probably depends on when that school's classes start. For example, my UG school's classes started yesterday, so right now IS perfect for those professors. Look up when classes start at the school in question and email the professors then (or now, if it's now).

I've been told now by three separate tenured professors that right now is the best time, before classes get too busy. So get to it and good luck!

hot mama

There's Industrial-organizational psychology (wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_and_organizational_psychology) which is more about the study of employees. Consumer psychology is considered a subfield of I-O, but depending on how you wanted to approach it, it could also be studied from a social psych perspective. I'd check out this website, which I found through a simple google search. Maybe this will give you some ideas? http://www.myscp.org/default.aspx

I don't have a good and knowledgeable answer to your first question, but I think I can help you out with your second! My general advice given is to just spare a single line in your SOP on this -- keep it focused primarily on your research and only mention your illness in such a way as it seems positive, like something that helped you gain further strength and clarity or direction. Even better would be if you can get one of your LOR writers to mention it in his/her letter for you. That way, you don't have to waste space in your SOP talking about it and can keep that focused on your research. Your letter writer will also be able to phrase it in such a way that makes it sound even more like an obstacle you overcome rather than making it sound like a pity point (not that I think you'd go for that angle, but sometimes adcomms will read funny things into a SOP even if you didn't mean it to come across that way). Good luck!

angus barn

Not a grad student yet, but something I've learned from living as a poor senior undergrad: At the beginning of each week, calculate how much you expect to spend on food, entertainment, etc. Withdraw that amount of cash from your account and keep it in your wallet. (You can even split it up by what it's supposed to be spent on using colored rubber bands or different sections in your wallet, if you like.) It helps you know just how much money you're spending on things, and if you've sectioned it off, you can make a more informed decision about whether or not you truly want to use extra money allotted for food or entertainment to buy that pair of too-expensive shoes. Something else that a grad student I know does (that I don't necessarily do myself) is break all of his large bills into ones, then pay with one dollar bills every time. He says it teaches him the value of money, and asking people to break bills for him helps him meet new people. He's a bit strange, though, so take it or leave it.

homeopathic healer

And another question piggy-backing on THIS one: what if the final two years includes a semester studying abroad, in which all classes are language classes unrelated to your field of study?

^ Depends on what types of programs you want to apply to. Most top-tier places have cutoffs of 1350 (according to my current lab adviser, who is DCT at a top-tier clinical program), but most others have cutoffs of 1200-1250. For those, you'd be above cutoffs...but it'd be up to you if you're fine with just being "above the absolute minimum" or whether you want to aim more for the average GRE of accepted students or -- if you're feeling competitive -- above that.

Good. Question. Been wondering this myself, and anxious to see what everyone says.

Ooh, nice thread. I love recommendations. My favorite shows at the moment are Bones, Doctor Who, Torchwood, House, The Glee Project, Glee, Criminal Minds, True Blood, 24, Supernatural, The Big Bang Theory, and Firefly.

I've contacted a few of my POIs, but I'm waiting until September to send out the real emails inquiring about whether or not people are accepting students.

If that's too many, then I'm definitely applying to too many. Right now my list is at 15. I'm desperately searching for ways to narrow it down. But I'm thinking that some of the people I like won't be taking students this year, which should cut off at least 4-5. But that still leaves me with 10. ...Dear god.

I second what neuropsych said. Getting a Ph.D. in psych means research. Research for 5-6 years, then research for the duration of your career (most likely). Who was it that said, "whatever you do when you're procrastinating, that should become your career?" Most people I know who are prepared to go into a Ph.D. program (meaning that they're applying straight out of undergrad, or have taken years off to do some more lab experience) couldn't imagine NOT researching, simply because it's something they are passionate about. They love research and want to make it their career, so there's rarely a sense of wanting to "take a break" from research before grad school. This isn't to say a Ph.D. program isn't right for you at some point, but from what you've said, I'd guess it wouldn't be a great next step for you right now. In taking time off, I'd suggest doing whatever it is that you do when you procrastinate. Do you like to read a lot? Maybe try getting a job as a librarian, or an internship the publishing industry. Do you like to travel? Go do that! Do you like teaching? Teach for America is always looking for talented people. If a Ph.D. program is right for you, then no matter what it is you decide to do with your time off, you'll find yourself wishing you were back at a university doing research. If that is indeed what happens, and you decide you DO "need" to do research, I'd still suggest getting a job as an RA somewhere for a year or two to make sure it's what you really want before investing money in a master's program or time and effort in a Ph.D. program. If it's strictly clinical work you are wanting to do, I'd advise skipping the Ph.D. route since that's very research-oriented and looking into masters in clinical social work or a Psy.D, which tends to focus more on practice and counseling than on research. Good luck!

I love this one! Chock-Full-of-Veggies Chili Cooking Time: 40 minutes 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 bell peppers (any color), chopped 1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms 1 large onion, chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with juices In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add peppers, mushrooms, onion, celery, and garlic; cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to soften, about 7 minutes. Add chili powder, oregano, cumin, and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes more. Add beans and tomatoes with their juices. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until chili is fragrant and slightly thickened, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.

I think the practice math was a little more difficult than the actual test, and the verbal generally a little easier than the real thing.