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?

And the new GRE, yeah, we'll go with that. Stanford promised notification by March 1st when I submitted the application but we're past that now. Oh well, there is not choice but to wait. I'm just not doing it with very much grace!

Ugh, it's such an insane process. I know that they have to teach, and do research, but I have 110 students and I assign homework almost daily for all of them, so I don't have much sympathy for their workload right now. I love the general laid back atmosphere of the geosciences, except for right now. Right now I want to tell them to get their butts in gear. I promise that if I am ever in their position in the future it's not going to take 3 to 4 months to make decisions! So I say now anyway.

I would really like to hear from Stanford and Berkeley and get it over with. Hopefully, this is the week.

I looked at a lot of CV's of different profs when I was looking at where to apply and even at Stanford and Berkeley there are profs there that did the MS first and then the PhD. I really think it is what you make of it. In the end, I believe you will be judged on the merits of your research.

They do and I have applied there too but it's only a Master's degree and I am hoping to get right into a PhD. If not, I think my interests are more toward the San Jose program.

I would treat it like a job interview and wear the slacks.

This is what I tell myself every day!

I'm 38. So far just one acceptance to a Master's only program. At least I have that but it will just make this whole process longer. I'm also a military wife (coast guard) and we move every 2 to 4 years so since my degree 10 years ago I've done a lot of different jobs, none Geology related. Just waiting and seeing. My husband is getting stationed in Alameda, CA so I am limited to Stanford and Berkeley for PhD, rotten odds for me there. But I do have San Jose State, so I have something at least which is more than I've had in the last 10 years.

Okay, I applied to GES, so hopefully it being a different area means I can still hope!

Yikes, that's not promising. Oh well, I will just have to wait and see. Thanks for sharing.