spctle342

I'm not sure I agree with this argument. I get that a low quant score might prevent admission based on whatever criteria is in place, but I don't know that a low quant score reflects an inability to be successful in statistics. I've taken two stats classes as an undergrad and easily aced both of them--it all came very naturally to me. At the same time, I find myself in the same situation as the OP here, in that I'm not "getting" a lot of the quantitative material. In my practice book, I've managed to answer about 50% of the questions correctly, and I'm thinking about 1/3 of the correct answers were total guesses. Stats is easy. Algebra, not so much. That said, I do agree that it may be necessary to raise your quant score if you hope to gain admission into a program, but given the early deadline, it sounds like there's nothing more that can be done, other than to wait it out and hope for the best, and make another attempt next year if needed.

I'm no expert, but I think it would be helpful for people to know the breakdown of your verbal/quantitative scores.

Thanks. I'm trying not to worry too much about it, but I do feel like they might wonder why someone who can't accurately select his or her own date of birth from a drop-down menu is trying to apply to graduate school. Clearly, I'm off to a great start!

So I registered for the GRE last night. Created an account with ETS, then registered for an exam through my testing site. After all of this, I realized that the account I had created with ETS shows the WRONG date of birth (I selected "Mar" instead of "May")!! When I registered with the actual testing site, I entered my correct date of birth (which contradicts the DOB on my ETS account, which I can't alter). I've sent an email to ETS to ask what I can do to correct this, because I assume it's going to pose major problems for me when I try to take my exam, especially when I try to request/send my scores. Has anyone ever made a mistake in something as important as this (name, DOB, SS#) and how did you go about correcting it? I'm panicked about the consequences that one wrong click of the mouse could bring to bear.

I take this to mean you are taking the revised version? I've read that the new GRE still places some emphasis on vocabulary, but has contextual cues to help you select the right word. Regardless, if you don't know what the word means, all the context in the world isn't going to save you. I have flash cards that I take with me everywhere, in the event that I have a few minutes to review. I've also taken to sticking post-it notes with difficult terms and definitions all over my apartment, so I have no choice but to see them constantly and memorize the information.

So, I've identified a few programs I'd like to attend in fall 2012, but haven't completely finalized my choices. I have a few people in mind when asking for LoRs, including my thesis advisor (who has already assured me she plans to provide a stellar letter) and my internship supervisor (who has the degree I want in the specific area I want and attended one of my top-choice institutions with an amazing academic record). Because I come from a small school with an even smaller department in my major, I haven't taken more than one class with any instructors that I believe are capable of writing a letter (literally, as in being able to communicate effectively in writing, not being able to attest to my qualifications). So my third choice is probably my research methods instructor from a related department, though I've only taken one class with him. I'd like to approach him to gauge whether or not he's willing to provide a letter, as well as whether or not he feels he could provide a strong letter on some of the criteria the admissions committees are looking for. I'm not ready to officially ask anyone to write a reference, since I obviously need to be further along in my preparation. What I'm wondering is... when would be a good time to contact this professor to discuss the possibility of a LoR, not the actual letter? I imagine it's good to feel these things out so I'm not counting on having LoRs from people who aren't able to give them. The semester ends tomorrow, and I won't be taking classes on campus this summer--I have no idea what his schedule is like this summer, but I know the other faculty member in his department has resigned, so he'll be pulling double-duty; therefore, it seems prudent to provide as much advance notice as possible. Help?

Let me first qualify this by saying I have not yet taken the GRE. To a degree, I understand the point the author of this article is trying to make, but I don’t share the sentiments. Scholarly literature isn’t intended to be palatable for general audiences. While some would argue that it should be simplified to promote some sort of free access to all, I think that just invites even more bastardization of science, and I can’t really get behind that. If I’m reading a psychological journal, I don’t expect to see the same crap I’d come across in Psychology Today, complete with bulleted lists, colorful graphics, a million headlines, and some tangentially relevant photograph of a nearly nude woman wearing oven mitts. I expect to have to put forth the effort to interpret the research. Quite honestly, I find it condescending that an author should feel compelled to do this work for me. Reading comprehension is just that—readers must employ their own techniques to sort through the information and determine what’s being said. Admittedly, I’ve ceremoniously burned a textbook or two that I felt was needlessly verbose, complicated, or otherwise stylistically worthless. As an undergraduate student, I expect to encounter textbooks that are more user-friendly than those I would come across during graduate study. At the same time, I feel embarrassed for myself and the authors when I open up a new textbook to find comics, jokes, and the definitions to every basic term hanging around the margins of every page. It’s insulting to my intelligence as a college student. Ultimately, I’m not convinced that this article was so much an informative criticism of the GRE as it was a “how-to” in writing for audiences with clinically-deficient attention spans. Though I must note I couldn’t get past the first three pages…because I got bored.

Well... I'm talking outdoors in America, so... yes? I guess I wasn't sure if during the ten minute break, test-takers are allowed to step outside the building (as they can with the ACT) or if they must remain inside. The GRE policies are pretty vague and discuss being in the vicinity, which could be a great number of things. Perhaps it depends upon the particular site and test supervisor? I'm not going to die if I can't smoke, but if I can, I certainly will!

Thanks for the advice; that's very encouraging. It sounds like in your situation, you were able to use that experience to boost your application. In my case, I'll probably have submitted most of my applications before I before I would begin assisting with research. Is it still worthwhile? Would it possibly make a difference if I submitted my initial application without research experience, possibly indicating that I have such-and-such lined up for Spring and maybe updated the grad programs of interest before decision time to discuss what I specifically had accomplished? (Or, is that last part not recommended?)

I'm embarking upon GRE preparation and will be registering to take the revised version in August, because I don't feel I have enough time to prepare for the old test. (Technically, plenty of time exists between now and the end of July, but the majority of that time is already heavily accounted for). Now, for the dumb questions 1) Can you step outside and smoke during your break? My guess was no, but I distinctly recall being allowed a smoke break while taking the ACT, so I guess it doesn't hurt to ask. 2) If you request disability accommodations, is that information communicated in any way to the graduate programs when your scores are sent? My guess is no, but I'm reluctant to request accommodations if it could appear as though I were trying to "cheat" my way to a better score.

I don't want to do clinical work, actually. Anything but! I guess I don't feel that a 2-year program of any calibur can really prepare me for in-depth research and policy analysis, which is why I'm looking primarily at joint MSW/Ph.D programs. It seems that social work is more forgiving than other professional programs and social sciences in terms of previous research, placing a greater emphasis on practical experience, but I don't know how much this holds true for MSW/Ph.D candidates.

I'm inclined to agree with those who are in favor of this change, but I have to wonder how successful it will be if not adopted on a large-scale basis. A student with a "contextual" GPA of 3.8 still has to compete against students with the same GPA from other institutions where the performance of other students isn't known. I might worry that my GPA (no context) would be viewed as grade inflation when compared to that of a student whose transcript clearly shows no evidence of grade inflation, even if I were as highly ranked as that student. I think it could be messy if not applied carefully, but I guess the true consequences remain to be seen.

I've considered that. I'm contemplating a research internship in the fall at the same site where I am completing my summer internship, but in a different department (child welfare). Of course, this is more applied research, akin to legal research, not necessarily scientific research. Is that even remotely comparable to hard research? I've also thought about contacting the university nearby (where I'm not a student) to ask if they could allow a non-student to volunteer in one of their labs (the child maltreatment lab is right up my alley). Is that even possible, or would they just laugh at me for thinking I could be involved in their research coming from a different college? Additionally, if I were to get involved in research there, I don't know that it would be possible until after graduation in December, because I will be taking a full-time courseload at my own college in the fall and working 30 hours/week. So, it wouldn't necessarily be something I could include in my application, but potentially something I could reference when it gets closer to decision time. Alternately, I could participate in research efforts on a very limited basis, time-wise (8 hours/week, perhaps?) in the fall, but I don't know if that's substantial enough to even attempt. I don't really know many social workers/social work students/grads, so I'm having trouble making connections to locate organizations that would welcome my interest in research. Not even sure how to get started, or how to word that first contact (such as in the case of the other university mentioned before). Thoughts on that?

All federal loans. I think I happened across a few articles where students were advised to begin making payments while attending graduate school to manage the amount of debt, but I agree that it seems financially impossible. So, if I graduate in December, what happens come June? Assuming I've accepted an offer somewhere, does my admission automatically result in deferment, or is there some sort of process I need to initiate to postpone payment?

Hi everyone, I'm new to these forums and trying to soak up all the advice I can as I prepare to apply for admission to graduate programs for Fall 2012. I posted a question on the social work forum last night, but was hoping to get some advice from a broader audience, as well, since my question isn't necessarily field-specific. About me: Graduating in December; B.S. in psychology 4.0 GPA Interested in social work MSW/Ph.D programs (focus on policy, specifically the intersection of policy & practice in child welfare systems) Haven't taken the GRE yet, but anticipate scoring high in general with a somewhat lower score on the quantitative section (working to improve the latter) Have an equivalent of 6 years full-time experience in social work (3 years exclusively in child welfare) Should have stellar LoRs from thesis advisor, research methods prof, and internship supervisor (MSW) in a social work policy setting Only beginning to craft my SoP/personal statements but not too bad with words--this should be a selling point for me My major disadvantage is that I come from an undergraduate institution where research isn't a huge priority. I've been repeatedly denied the opportunity to participate in any research (despite faculty who were willing to serve as advisors) because the dean feels his faculty are too busy to be bothered with this. As a result, I have nothing to my name except a 25-page literature review. Excellent quality, but still ONLY a literature review. I have no doubt that I'm capable of performing research, and I have no greater passion than research, but I have been pathetically unsuccessful in finding an avenue in which that would be a possibility. Will this hold me back from graduate programs? Is it unheard of for a student to be accepted into a joint masters/Ph.D program with no original/publishable research at the undergraduate level? My college keeps telling me that I'll have plenty of time to do research when I get into graduate school, but I feel like their logic is a bit flawed, considering they're essentially asking me to invite a university to take a risk in funding a student's "practice" at research. What on earth can I do to improve the odds of getting into a good program? I hate to think that a stubborn dean could be the deciding factor in how my future pans out, but I feel as though my lack of research is the only thing really holding me back. Do I just accept that I'm not going to be a suitable Ph.D candidate and shell out the cash for an unfunded MSW with the faint hope that I can get the experience necessary to propel myself into a Ph.D program?

I'm obscenely new to the process of applying to grad school and starting to really buckle down in my search for MSW/Ph.D programs for Fall 2012. I'm going to graduate in December, so I'm scheduled to begin paying off my loans in June. By that time, I imagine I should be accepted somewhere. If you're accepted to a graduate program, do you simply defer? Do you pay until you start taking classes? Who initiates this process? Do people really attempt to pay off undergraduate debt while scraping by in grad school? Is this advisable or insane? I think I'd prefer to postpone payment until I have the degree I want, but perhaps that's not financially prudent. I don't really have any other debt, aside from my car, which should be paid off around the time I begin grad school. I have stellar credit, and I'm generally very frugal. Throughout school, I've been working ~30 hours/week, and after I graduate, I'll receive an automatic raise and plan to take on more hours in the seven or so months before I take off for grad school. I currently have a cushion of ~7k that should be more than enough to finance the application process, GRE, campus visits, initial moving expenses. Say I receive a stipend that covers most of my expenses--in that case, I should work to pay down my debt, correct? More realistically, say I receive a measly stipend that covers 50% of my tuition/expenses--defer? Is it that cut and dry? I realize most people say not to bank on IBR and public service loan forgiveness, but I can't say that's not a factor for me, as I'll be working in the nonprofit sector and probably starting out at 35k/year with an MSW (haven't done enough research on the Ph.D to ballpark that). Are there other things I should factoring into the equation? I will have accumulated approximately 25-30k in undergraduate debt by the time this is all said and done.

This is only my second post after discovering these forums a few days ago. I'm loving it here, especially because I don't really know anyone who's ever attended grad school. No one in my family has set foot in a college or university, and I'll be the first of anyone in my family to graduate. Along those lines, I was curious to hear from others how family members reacted, not to your acceptance (saw a great thread on that) but to your decision to apply for and (presumably) attend graduate school. My family and friends have been mostly indifferent. Earlier today, during a phone conversation with my mother, I attempted to explain the process... When I mentioned the admissions results timeframe, she asked me to remind her about this again come January, so she can "get on some medication" while I surely lose my mind for a few months. I'm sure that's just her way of showing support. Anyone else had to contend with criticism, concerns, bizarre questions, strange looks, slaps in the face, slaps on the ass, pats on the back, ill-phrased advice, speculation, indignation, conflagration, reanimation, reaction formation... ? Seriously, I'd love to hear from others hailing from families where support is in short supply.

I just discovered these forums, and I’ve been browsing for hours on end throughout the past several days. For my first post, I’d like to pose a question about research experience/lack thereof on admission decisions in MSW/Ph.D programs. A little background: I’ll be graduating in December with a B.S. in psychology. I’ve maintained a 4.00 GPA, have an extraordinary amount of experience working with low-income families, battered women, foster children, and the list goes on. I landed a coveted social work internship position this summer with a local Appleseed chapter. Ultimately, I want to pursue my MSW/Ph.D with the goal of advancing policy and more specifically, helping bridge the gap between policy and practice. (I assure you I have more specific objectives, but this is probably sufficient for the purpose of my question). At best, my college has been unsupportive of my research interests. Recently, my research proposal was denied (before I submitted it!) due to what the dean described as a lack of faculty availability. Note: I had secured an advisor who was extremely enthusiastic about my research, but because she isn’t tenured, her hands were tied when the dean objected to our arrangement. The dean preemptively stated that I will not be able to pursue research in a related department, because all of the faculty are “too busy” to bother supervising any student-initiated research. My only “research,” (if you can call it that) consists of a 25-page literature review (a one semester project). The work itself is of excellent quality, but obviously can’t hold up to the original research that I’m sure other undergraduates have under their belt. Sadly, I was selected for a research position at my internship site but ultimately awarded a position working in a different program, because one supervisor refused to let the other have me. To add insult to injury, I live less than a mile from a university with an impressive dedication to research, and have many friends who are doing research they despise because it’s available or required, while I can’t seem to make this happen, not for any lack of trying. At this point, is there ANYTHING I can do to increase my chances of being accepted into an MSW/Ph.D program, or should I just accept the reality that I’ll be funneled down to (presumably unfunded) MSW programs and left to try my luck again in another two years? TL;DR I have essentially no research experience; my college is lame; am I doomed?