PETRAL6

And then everyone scrolled up and tried to see if there was anything about Beagles on this forum I'm sure you'll be a quick study.

You'd think they'd give a break on car insurance just for your education. PS- now I'm intimidated by both of you smarties :oops:

ok... seeing that there are mixed messages being given, I have a quick question. How far apart are these schools? Is it top 5 v. 50? If it's a HUGE difference in a very competitive field I would have to say prestige. If it's a moderate difference and/or the field is not so competitive for job placements then you have some wiggle room.

Right on DuckRabbit. I feel exactly the same way except a stage somewhere in between. Something like "oh, well, even if I fail out, they're paying me not the other way around"

I am too lazy too move twice over the summer.... did it last summer and not doing it again. So, I'm moving in June, finding a job and subletting the other room until my friend comes in August. I hope I find a job and a sublet-er or my brilliant plan is foiled. Silly how much I will go through to not have to move twice isn't it?

Thank you for the change of subject. I was getting a little riled up. As for your post, I think that anyone who doesn't take you seriously is a fool. Obviously you have worked hard and deserve to be where you are. I would not call attention to your age as some undergrads may 1) decide that because they are older than you they can manipulate you 2) they may be intimidated since you are so young yet so successful. Hopefully they will know that you shouldn't ask people their age, but if they find out so be it. If they give you a hard time about it I don't know what to tell you, but hopefully the students will be mature enough to not do that. Just act like they should respect you and they will. Try not to be to lax to make people like you or to be too harsh to make people respect you, just be the intelliegent, informed (and I am assuming helpful) person you are and students will respect you for teaching them what they need to know. I know that this is hard for a lot of people, regardless of their age, so don't feel too bad if it's hard to strike that balance at first. I'm sure you'll do fine.

I agree... It needs to be a personal choice based on what is most important to you. Normally I would say go for the better school academically because you won't have time for much else, but that is just for me. Go with your gut! Good Luck!

I tried to read the last comment, but it was completely incoherent. I literally could not interpret what you were trying to say in any sentence. For the last sentence type word grouping, however I do have a comment. There is a difference between an evaluation of performance based on an entire semester of contact and a snarky post on a forum. Still, some evaluations with inappropriate comments on end of semester evaluations should be disregarded if they say nothing of your performance. These comments are indicative of the student, not the teacher. I doubt Johnny "Hot TA" is writing another evaluation of a teacher that actually assesses the value of their teaching. As for guest, actually I won't be deleting your posts or anyone elses. I thought about it and while they are hurtful to the person you post against and annoying, but I couldn't possibly post anything that makes you look worse than your own posts. By eliminating your posts, I'd be doing you a favor by relieving you from seeing what you yourself have said. Most people who read the forum will have the intelligence to evaulate your arguments and make a decision as to their merit for themselves.

Personal attacks are not discussion. Your disrespect for other people has been called into question. When I asked you to stop attacking people or to identify yourself, you refused. Being called disrespectful in this case is not an attack, but a true statement. Someone said to not let "some idiot" get them down, the comment was intended to make the person feel better after your attack on their integrity. Perhaps it could have been stated better. The last post about you being unattractive or ill-qualified for academia was unjustified, but after the continuing refusal to stop insulting other members of the forum, I feel little pity. Also, Bianca chose to stand behind her comments, rather than hiding behind a guise of anonimity. As for conseravtism or unatrractiveness, I have no basis for evaluation. Being able to deal with students in a civilized manner, even if they do not, is important. Women in general have to deal with a lot in academia and battles need to be picked. If any woman who has students making comments about her is automatically told it is her fault and she should have done something because she is "encouraging" that behavior it is definitely a viewpoint that is going to be considered an attack in the world of academic women. It is saying that women can only be attractive or intelligent and any woman who is considered attractive obviously is not worthy of respect.

Yes... I mean people who post anonymously on forums obviously know more about you than yourself. I forgot that. But, that does bring up a good point. I was really annoyed that people were basically saying that if female professors (there was little talk of males) do not berate students for making comments about them being attractive anonymously in an evaluation are basically unprofessional attention seeking hussies. However, I forgot that both of these anonymous types of "evaluations" are reflect the maturity and professionalism of the people writing them. They do not help you learn anything about yourself unless they help you improve. As opposed to comments about your actual performance on the job.

Capriccio: How'd that happen?

I've heard of it being done... but yes, it seems hard and sometimes impossible to do. Even if you do, it can cause poor relationships with the place you leave and you may have to meet up with those people later. I don't know that you'd be "blacklisted, " but avoid it if you can. My advice, which is probably not what you're looking for, is go in with a positive attitude and you will probably enjoy it. Take advantage of the location whatever it is and find things you like. Plus, it's not like you'll really have a lot of time out of the library and/or lab, so just make sure those are nice I'm sure that if you are academically happy you'll get used to location. It really is better than the other way around.

This topic has been addressed a few times, so I think I know the answer and the pros and cons. You can decline an offer you have accepted after the 15th. However, you need to have written release from the school you are unaccepting before accepting the other. The schools almost definitely will do this because there is no reason to MAKE you attend their school. However, downsides: you need to be VERY tactful if you need to do this to keep good relations with people you may see later at conferences. You need to decline the 1st offer ASAP so that they can try to let another student off their waitlist (either for admittance or funding). You may not get as good of funding from the school that accepts you late. It is not ideal, but if your dream school accepts you late, you may have to do it despite ethical concerns. You will not go to jail... It is nearly uncertain that they will not let you out... However, you are breaking a commitment to a school and a professor you have already told you will work with. It depends on how much the commitment and the better choice school mean to you. Either way, good luck!

was the comment I was referring to. As for professionalism, students are not professionals. They probably did not mean it to be disrespectful but as a misguided compliment. To draw attention to comments written in an evaluation first of all would be unethical since they are unanimous. If comments are made to a fellow student, they are not means to evaluate or condemn a student since they are personal opinions. If they are made directly to the professor, yes they should be addressed. It does not undermine authority if you do not let it. Also, I find that despite the "desperate need for attention comment" I think that the comment and not the person should be attacked as an idiot. Besides, it was really meant to be an idle threat to get people to pay attention to their words and would only be used in EXTREME cases in case of escalation.

If people continue to be disrespectful to other members of the forum, their comments will be deleted. You have the right to express your opinion, but not to direct rude comments toward a specific person. This will be especially true of posts that are not signed. If you want to insult someone, at least give them a way to respond.

I will personally file sexual harassment charges on any student that even says that I am not horrendously ugly. That'll learn 'em to respect me. I really feel you can do little to control the comments people make and should be comfortable with yourself to realize that people will have opinions of you beyond your control. Plus, 18 year olds in intro level classes can be pretty immature sometimes and you need to be the mature one and ignore it. That doesn't mean you can't laugh about it with friends/fellow TAs. As long as you don't wink back, encourage comments, or purposely tantilize the oversexed freshman, I think you are being professional.

I had a 3.8 undergrad, 4.0 in psych, 660 V and 710 Q, 5.5 W, great recommendations, lots of research and extracurriculars and was accepted one place. Yes, it was a top program, but alot of less prestigious programs passed on me. Many people get in NOWHERE! Yeah, I'd like to have a choice... But, I'm happy I got in anywhere and figure that so much has to do with "fit," number and area of applicants they are accepting, and funding issues that you really have so little to do with what programs accept you. May as well play the lottery with what the odds are (yes, a little bit of an exaggeration).

Thanks Daphna... I've heard that it is pretty common and I'm sure I'll be ok, but it's still a little at the back of my head. As a psych major, however, I must point out the Freudian slip. I think maybe we all have a little of it... Some people just hide or express it in different ways. Some of the most overconfident people have really helped me. Because a few people I've talked to have seemed to think they were the best researchers ever. When you ask what they do, you can see that really haven't done anything unique or interesting or well thought out. Then I feel, if this person is confident they'll succeed, why am I worried.

I feel like a fraud Hope it goes away. I was one of two of the flown out lucky in my program to still be in undergrad. However, it seems like they are really impressed with me and I got the "best the university has to offer" scholarship-wise, so it's a lot of pressure to live out to their standards.

seems like a tricky one. I would go for 2.... but that's just me because I would go for the place that seems the best academic match. Seems like plusses and minuses for both however and comfort in a place can be important. It seems like you like the people more at place 1.

Also, I never said that this research should be funded by the government. I was the one who said majority opinion should rule. However, that does not mean that I cannot oppose it withj my votes or not allow people to get gut reaction votes for the other side by not saying the other side. Why does letting the research not be funded by the government mean I personally should oppose it. TYhat's just nonsense. If I think public money should be determined by the majority, that does not mean my viewpoint should be passively determined to be that of the majority (voters and/or congress members). I was just stating the point that the direction leads scientists interested in doing the work to go to other countries.

I said first of all that you were labeling me an extremist. Second, I said your examples were extreme... which they are with the context you used. Watching porn and measuring arousal with no context, and giving out condoms to 11 year olds like candy. I didn't flinch at 11... I was admitting that some people think it unecessary at 11 to give out condoms. However, that again was an extreme example that is not the same as educating at 11 about birth control at a level they may understand. Also, the abstinence only thing has been the experiment. Up until recently public schools often taught other options and policy has made it abstinence only despite research. I could care less about your stance. i like to play devil's advocate as well ( and don't even try to make that that I am calling conservatives the devil... it's a common phrase), but you have to have support for your views, not outrageous claims that make many people recoil at the suggestion to get them to agree to your other stances by reflex.

Never thought of that. Not even sure if it's a postmark or delivery date. I'd go with postmark and send it by Sat latest.

More extremism... ok... all sex research is watching porn and handing out condoms to little kids. Also, sex education which does do things like give advice on birth control/ condom use (maybe not at 11, but some places... yeah, it's needed that young to make sure that they are told to use protection before having sex) doesn't reduce the amount of sexual activity but does reduce pregancy and stds somewhat. Abstinence only does neither. Sorry, this is off-topic, but I am not going to allow false information stated as fact when it is opinion. Mine is opinion supported by studies.. You can be against my opinions, but you better have evidence before you make everything so extreme. I am against kicking puppies for fun... does that mean that all animal research is bad and immoral, because thats the types of comparisons you're making here.

Research on social issues such as sex education research IS being withheld. Studies that seek to discover the effects of different types of sex education can not be done because only the programs that are abstinence only are funded. Also research that studies biological differences versus social origins of homosexuality is often not funded if it might suggest a biological difference. Other instances of a trend toward less government funding can be found at the following sites: http://www.apa.org/monitor/apr03/obstacles.html http://www.aegis.com/news/ap/2004/AP040144.html http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/vnews/ ... cfb88ad9b7 http://www.hivdent.org/researcht/resnNDDG022004.htm http://www.aegis.com/news/bayw/2003/BY031001.html http://www.taconic.net/re-search/kinsey ... search.htm http://research.unc.edu/rs/archive/betw ... _sexuality http://www.uwire.com/content/topnews112304002.html Mind you, I do not agree with everything that is said on all of these websites, but they show a trend in funding away from and attempts to defeat funding for sexuality research even where public health is affected. If you read a few of these, I think it will demonstrate that policy is affecting these decisions. Also, I personally never said that polcies were un-scientific, I said some areas of science are being affected. I also made no reference to homophobia or a dark force, only in this post (and not before) did I mention a publishing bias in studies of nature v. nurture in homosexuality because of funding. Your extrapolation is what is causing this extremist view, so that I look like I am some extreme left wing nut. You put words into my mouth so that you can justify thinking I have some kind of conspiracy theory and completely ignoring that there is a trend in decreasing funsing because you have not ever seen evidence of this (and I'm assuming never attempted to, because this would affect the way you want to think). If you want evidence against my claim, I will concede head of the NIH is currently supporting research in these areas and fighting congressional attempts to decrease funding. However, it is ultimately in the hands of congress in many instances. There are people on both sides of the aisle and throughout the country who believe this type of research is frivolous. I don't agree. I also believe that the democratic system insists that the majority rule, and feel that if the country agrees in not funding these issues they shouldn't be funded. Back to the original question, before I was questioned on the veracity of my claims and then told I was basically demonizing the conservatives, does this affect where some scientists in this field choose to go. For me, the answer is no because I feel I can still do some research and don't want to leave my country, but international students may be more affected in a decision to move here if they are in these fields.