dimanche0829

Okay, so they just called to check in. I'm #1 on the 20th century subfield list and also high overall. She made it sound like a have a really good shot at this. They also made me feel really good about my application, which is nice. I love compliments.

dude, i did not even make a percentile for math. I DID NOT MAKE A PERCENTILE!

My final decision is to just show up at Yale and be like, "What." And they'll be like, "Huh?" And I'll go "Shiiiit, boy." And they'll go... "This kid is on point. Aiight -- $50,000 fellowship."

Or maybe you're just pathetic.

Hmmm. I'm really not trying to be antagonistic here, but something doesn't make sense to me about your situation. You seem to think that everyone is "out to get you": partner sabotaged you, advisor is sabotaging you, and now you think your advisor is trying to get other people to sabotage you. Notice a pattern, here? That's a lot of people, especially given the amount of time and effort it takes to make another person's life (in this case, you) a living hell.

Anything is possible nowadays, so maybe this really is happening - in which case, what a nightmare. But perhaps you're reading into this a bit much? Grad school naturally involves heavy criticism because you need to be able to produce work at a certain level, and it comes from every angle: advisors, professors, and fellow colleagues. Without a doubt criticism can weigh heavily on people - some more than others - and it can often feel like you just aren't doing anything right and that everyone else hates you because of it. Not to mention, if you didn't pass a few classes - regardless of the reason - you are likely missing crucial bits of foundational knowledge that is needed to succeed in your field. Your work is probably suffering, as a result, though you may not see it that way.



Things to consider: First, have you really tried to converse with her, or have you been accusatory? People generally don't respond well to the latter. Second, is she really listing out your personal failures (did you mean professional failures, or does she really know you so well that she attacks your personal choices, too?) or is she telling you what you need to improve upon. Everyone needs to improve upon something; no one produces perfect work. And, again, the fact that you had troubles the first couple of years points to the possibility that you have more catching up to do than your peers. I'm sorry, but people just don't go from failing classes to producing top work at the flip of a switch.

Obviously, I don't know your situation first-hand so I can only speculate, but I am inclined to believe that you're not taking enough responsibility for the work you are producing and that you're having a tough time dealing with the criticism. Sorry to be so harsh, but that's just my own take based on what you've presented to me.

I strongly recommend that you talk to someone outside of your department about the stress you're under. School therapist, personal therapist, friends, family. Just talk to someone. If you really feel that you are being unfairly attacked, then take your problem above your advisor. Address your concerns, provide documented proof of any wrongdoing, and suggest the resolution that you'd like to see implemented. Will your advisor be mad that you went above her? Probably. But you already think she hates you, so that's moot. If you ultimately cannot find the resolution you seek, you might consider leaving the school. Good luck, it's a tough world out there.

Um.

If you are talking about killing yourself as in you're waxing hyperbole and are not REALLY thinking of killing yourself: this is normal, but you should talk to someone (perhaps a trusted professor or friend) and find ways to alleviate some of the stress.

If you are talking about REALLY killing yourself: this is not normal and you need to seek help immediately.

Um.

If you are talking about killing yourself as in you're waxing hyperbole and are not REALLY thinking of killing yourself: this is normal, but you should talk to someone (perhaps a trusted professor or friend) and find ways to alleviate some of the stress.

If you are talking about REALLY killing yourself: this is not normal and you need to seek help immediately.

Or maybe you're just pathetic.

I am graduating from Rutgers after this semester and will be living on the Newark campus again. I recommend living on campus whenever possible because you'd be neighbors with other universities (UMDNJ, NJIT, etc) and you'd have the added comfort of campus police - who are always happy to escort you where you need to go. Oh, and the shuttles are right there, which will take you to the other Rutgers' campuses and to Penn Station. At to no point in time have I ever felt that I was in any kind of dangerous or threatning situation.

The Ironbound is a fun place to be and is a big hit with students and corporate employees. You'd be close to a lot of shops and great restaurants/bars. End of July would be a good time to move, but housing demands tend to pick up around that time. Unfortunately, Rutgers-Newark is experiencing a student-housing shortage again. They are planning to build more residence halls, but that will take years. In the meantime, students enter a point-based lottery for a room and those who luck out have to find their own housing around town. This shouldn't affect you too much if you're looking at the Ironbound, but it is something to consider when picking a time to move. You don't want to be stuck with the worst that Newark apartments have to offer.

Hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions about the area, etc.

Or maybe you're just pathetic.

While changing fields will always pose somewhat of a challenge, it is not impossible. I studied classical flute for nearly 18 years myself (as a component of my education, though, not the focus) and remember learning a LOT about the political and social histories of various composers to help understand their compositions better. Since music was your focus, I can only imagine that you studied these histories at a significantly deeper level. So, use that knowledge to your advantage.

How has learning about the worlds of various composers shaped your music focus and decision to transition into academia? How can your knowledge of music and those who composed support your PhD research? How has music helped shape the works of certain authors you like, etc.? See where I'm going with this?

Humanities adcoms love little more than a solid writing sample and SOP. Show them how your concentration in music sets you apart from the rest of the app. pool and how it has shaped your interests today. My suggestion would be to apply to a range of programs, both MA (with funding where possible) and PhD. You might also consider applying to schools who value the study of music. Even though you want to transition into the humanities, schools with solid music programs are more likely to understand the high value of your knowledge base.

Good luck, and I hope this helps!

Well, if your primary concern is job prospects post-grad (which is how it reads to me) then I can tell you that the legal field is also going through some bleak times of its own. Every year, the world is flooded with new grads and the number of people left without a job prospect is growing at an alarming rate. There are a number of attorneys nowadays competing just for $15-20 an hour legal assistant positions because they have nothing else lined up. There's always the route of private practice, but most lawyers do not have the necessary training to be successful business owners. What law school you attend also makes a difference. Do you have the credentials to make it into a solid program?

I wouldn't drop a program just because of potential jobs (obvious, given that I'm an English major). Sure, it'd be nice to know that you've got something lined up at the end of the game, but you never really know what's going to happen until you actually try. Every field will have its ups and downs. Focus on doing what you LOVE and the job situation will work itself out eventually.

You say you have an interest in law, but having an interest in something and having a passion for something are vastly different. Is a career in law something that you would LOVE? You're the only one who can answer that.

Or maybe you're just pathetic.

Not all students try their best at writing, though. I think there is a glaringly obvious difference between the writing produced by a student who tries hard and makes unintended errors, versus a student who just writes to reach the required page length, failing to proofread and give any real consideration to the words written.

I personally view the site I linked to as relatively benign because 1) it's anonymous and 2) outside of a silly title, there are no further musings about the writing - no name calling, no derogatory statements, etc; it's just the students' own words. The reader is left to make their own criticisms and, for me, that largely translates to a simple feeling of "wow, I can't believe someone actually wrote/shared that."

Not all students try their best at writing, though. I think there is a glaringly obvious difference between the writing produced by a student who tries hard and makes unintended errors, versus a student who just writes to reach the required page length, failing to proofread and give any real consideration to the words written.

I personally view the site I linked to as relatively benign because 1) it's anonymous and 2) outside of a silly title, there are no further musings about the writing - no name calling, no derogatory statements, etc; it's just the students' own words. The reader is left to make their own criticisms and, for me, that largely translates to a simple feeling of "wow, I can't believe someone actually wrote/shared that."

Explosions in the Sky is good for pretty much everything. Reading, writing, driving, sexual activity, meditation with and without the aid of chemicals. etc.

I've mostly been listening to dubstep and future garage lately. (Or the tinny Christmas carols being piped through my neighborhood over loudspeakers.)

Might I suggest you do the same for my response?

IDK, there's just something about:


that doesn't really hit my sarcasm radar. Then again, this is the internetz.

Congratulations, you're happy. You tested well. Your methods and background worked for you. Consider yourself lucky.

You'll have a long and difficult road ahead if you think you can successfully slack your way through grad school, too- assuming you're even accepted into a program. You're not nearly as clever as you think you are; slacking on any part of the application is just a BAD idea. If you're not even willing to put forth an honest effort to study for an entrance exam, you really just don't belong in the applicant pool.

My 0.02.

You and your crazy logic.
I did check out the OP's others posts but all that answers for me is that the OP might be willing to relocate.

crunchy--

I disagree with your self assessment in regards to the draft being 'too straight forward.' As it stands, your draft winds and weaves around its points. Additionally, you could do more to let readers know what you learned. (Right now, the draft spends more time describing how you learned.)

IMO, you should:
Consider tightening up your use of verbs. Be more active and be more direct when you can.
Reexamine your cause-effect relationships, they are not as clear cut as you think--especially in the first paragraph.
Tighten and reorganize your discussion of key events and moments.
Did you present to the APA once or twice?
What was the topic?
What were the key findings?
Do a better job at discussing your work as a coordinator at CABS.

Clarify how you made contributions to the center's work from the perspective of its central mission and most important projects.
[*]Think twice before using the tired phrase "real world"--it suggests that those working in the Ivory Tower are detached from reality.


HTH.

Does poaching BB's like the gradcafe count as a "creative idea"?

Congratulations, you're happy. You tested well. Your methods and background worked for you. Consider yourself lucky.

You'll have a long and difficult road ahead if you think you can successfully slack your way through grad school, too- assuming you're even accepted into a program. You're not nearly as clever as you think you are; slacking on any part of the application is just a BAD idea. If you're not even willing to put forth an honest effort to study for an entrance exam, you really just don't belong in the applicant pool.

My 0.02.

Not sure how this relates to graduate school.

Looking for defiant students in Los Angeles who are articulate, eager to express their thoughts to media, and believe their school is run like a prison. We are a publicity firm attempting to undermine schools by drawing attention to its primary focus of discipline over education. Participating students could get local, regional, and possibly even national attention. If you are interested, please email us at darren@popculturepr.com along with a sentence or two about what message you would most like to get across.