Gvh

I was 23 when I started my MA, I'll be 26 when I start my PhD assuming this cycle goes well.

1. Research scientist (probably in the private sector - I don't want to be poor forever) 2. Scientific consultant (possibly working for a thinktank?) 3. Ranch owner training dressage horses 4. Photographer 1 & 2 - working on it. 3 - Had horses and trained all throughout my youth - just a matter of "getting back on the horse", also, money. 4 - Have freelanced in the past, need to develop my skills more. .......and 5. Retire and travel the world by 50

Wow - that is one thorough DGS. I would not know what to think if some director/POI messaged on here knowing exactly who I am... ..I guess I'd be impressed!

Anyone applying to Boston University's Graduate Program for Neuroscience (GPN)? I can't seem to find any other fellow applicants

Yeah making your own tomato sauce is ridiculously easy (and cheap!) - all you need is tinned or fresh tomatoes, chicken stock, garlic and olive oil (plus salt and pepper obvs). You can add fresh basil and/or parsley if you have it too. I've been making my tomato sauce from scratch since undergrad. Prego and all the rest of the jarred sauces are nasty as all hell, I don't how how anybody finds them remotely edible.

Online shopping. For myself.

Reality TV and any "celebrities" involved in such debauchery (seriously...why?), TV sports (if it's live, I get it..but on TV?), the show "Friends", sweet jam/jelly on savory food.

Wow, that was fast! Congrats!

I have a semi-similar situation - I had been in communication with a POI, discussing my ideas and so on and he was very enthusiastic, saying I'd be a great fit for the lab, etc etc. When he discovered my GRE scores, he suddenly stopped being so enthusiastic...:/ I don't think there is much to be done - no point harassing the him/her. I'm trying not to worry too much about it.

Yes.

My feelings exactly Amrdoyle. Fingers crossed!

Why don't you just email the POI and check?

The way I'm choosing to look at it, if a future PI holds the GRE in high regard as a measurement of my "ability" then I don't think I would want them as a PI...

I also fall into this category, particularly in regards to my q score (152) :/ Lab ratta, thanks for posting that Nature paper...I wish more programs took that data into consideration!

Happy91, do not fret - when I applied to HGSE for my masters a couple years ago, I was sporting an impressive 160V 147Q (!!) 4.0 AWA and I got in. Never lose hope

I used this website when writing my LORs; I found it super helpful! http://theprofessorisin.com/2012/09/07/how-to-write-a-recommendation-letter/

Phew! Good to know - I would have been crushed if I'd had to cut up my SoP! Thanks for sharing.

I'm applying to Brown and making mine 2 pages - which seems to be the limit for most programs. They didn't even give a length for the WS, but when I asked they just said "just as long as it's not 100 pages", ha!

Seriously. TA woes are ridiculous. I'll spare you the details, but sometimes I really wonder how some of my students are able to sit up right and breath at the same time.

I'd have to slightly disagree with condivi - I think it really depends on the program. While I don't think a lack of pubs would hurt you per se, having high-quality publications (i.e. demonstrating your ability to do research) can boost an application. One program I know of in particular noted that publications made a "night or day difference" (words from the program director). Just my $0.02. In other words, if you get pubs great, if you do not, don't worry.

Eh, I get why you (and others) might be upset - but I don't see it as a huge deal. After all, they are living through it, and might understand some aspects of grad school that are different from when their supervisors were grad students. In the end, they aren't the ones making the final decisions....they most likely do the initial screening to bag the really terrible apps that come through. I wouldn't lose sleep over it.