parable151

The next teaching day, just say something to them like: Last class was rough. I needed feedback from you guys and not getting any threw me off, which just made everything awkward. So, I'm sorry for a bad lecture day. We all have off days, so I'm going to assume you had one too. In the future, I expect you to be prepared to answer questions and if nobody answers I'm going to call on you directly. Something like that. That's what I would do. I always own up to my mistake/issue because that lets them know I am human and that I care which makes me holding them accountable more palatable.

Berkeley reject here too. Eh, whatev

hmmm...have they even done interviews?

Thank you so much, that helps a lot. I accepted their offer. I think it's the best fit in the long run seeing as I have been out of college for 10 years.

I got word of funding for San Jose State. $5000 TA for one year and I have to teach one 3 credit lab each semester of Earth Science for non-science majors. Also, 6 credits of tuition waiver for each term. It's not very much stipend but for a MS program at a State school I feel okay about it. The dilemma is that I'm still waiting on Berkeley. I think it's really unlikely since I didn't get into Stanford that I would get into Berkeley but it seems like such a crap shoot sometimes that it's hard to give up hope. I emailed the department grad admissions contact and asked if they could maybe at least let me know if I was denied or still in consideration. No answer yet.

I think the poster would have difficulty getting into a geology graduate program without any geology classes whatsoever. If you look at the original post, the OP interested in Geology but his/her school doesn't offer any Geology classes. Won't the OP need at least the basics? I would suggest that you go and take the introductory geology course at one of the two schools you mentioned. They are big enough that they *might offer it in the summer. This way, you can see what the course of study is really like and you can meet a professor or two and get all your questions answered. If you find out that it's not really for you, then you will have credit for an elective.

I already kind of hate Berkeley for taking so long to make decisions...I wonder if this is part of their weeding out method? Grrr.

If you plan on going on towards a PhD, do you have a program in mind? If so, are they looking for teaching experience and a project? That is really the only thing that sets the two things apart so I would try to ask some PhD programs or grad students in those programs what they had. Is not having TA experience and a project going to hurt your acceptance potential?

I feel the same way, barring a miracle. I would just like to get the results and be done with it either way.

Those are very good points...but oh, the waiting. But thanks for the encouragement!

Just got an email from Stanford, denied. Doesn't look good for Berkeley then. It's ok though because I think doing a Master's first really is the most appropriate thing for me. The only dread is doing this process all over again in two years.

That kind of ambiguity might be really hard to deal with in a person you are working for. So maybe you dodged a bullet.

I re-read my application confirmation email and they said by the END of March. Oh yay.

Oh bummer, yes, I did apply there but I haven't heard a thing. Well, maybe I will get a second look If their first choices say no. I was hoping for the structural geo dept. ah well, maybe after the Master's.

Turtle26mr, do you mind sharing, when did you get invited to interview for Stanford?