nari27

I ordered an extra copy for my advisor and wrote her a nice note on the inside cover. I am very appreciative of all the help that she's given me over the years. I ordered a few for my parents, grandparents etc, so it wasn't that expensive (the more you order, the cheaper it is). But you can get a copy printed out and bound at officemax for like $10. It's a nice parting gift when you move on to your next program or step in life and I think an advisor will appreciate it.

So I've been really wanted to get accepted to my #1 choice school. I waited patiently for their decision, but then got an aceptance from a state school. I needed to respond to my second offer by a certain date and let my #1 choice program know that. They put me on an "unofficial" waitlist and the April 15th deadlines passed. I accepted school #2 because I figured that if I didnt get accepted anywhere else, I would lost my only shot at grad school this fall. Today I get an email asking me if I was still interested and if I had accepted any other offers. I asked if they were still interested in having me as a student, but they said only if I hadn't accepted any other offers. Kind of pissed me off a little bit. They only contacted me after the April 15th deadline, what did they expect!? They're only gonna take students who didn't have any other offers or who held out for them? Had to vent, at least now I can focus on my new school and not stress over the other one!

Sounds promising to me!! Good luck, hope it's good news!!!

I hope we hear something!! I've also already accepted an offer also, but I would love to see if my dream school comes back with a yes.....or a no. I just want to stop checking my email every hour waiting for the news!!!!!!! Any news is good news at this point!

I also used this website www.padmapper.com that allows you to look at craigslist posts on a map of the city/town. Really helped me get my bearings!!!!

I can totally empathize with you. I'm getting some weirdness from my family also. Things were fine when I applied, but as soon as I got my first acceptance they got weird. Maybe they thought I wasn't going to get in or something. I've noticed that they have stopped including me in decisions about plans for this Fall because I "won't be here anyways" and they keep telling me how expensive things will be in my new town. It took me some time to realize that they were behaving this way because they will miss me. I didn't see it right away, but they were worried that I would start my new life in a new town for 5+ years and the trips home would be less frequent than my BA and MS. But, you should see them light up like a Christmas tree when they tell their friends that their child is doing a PhD at so and so college! I have a lot of support from my friends and MS advisor. They "get" the kind of research that I will be doing and know how important it is to be at a university that provides resources for me to do my research. Ignore your aunt!! There's one in every family (two in mine in fact) that will try to tear you down. I'm glad that your grandfather can see how important this is to you. You should be able to feel pride that you were accepted, it's a big accomplishment! Good luck to you!! :-)

Haha!! I made it through my undergrad fine, but when I started my MS I needed glasses that first year!! I think it's reading all those journal papers and spending long hours in front of a computer screen!! Mine are only reading glasses, but I think they harness my inner nerd and actually help me focus! I'm at peace with my nerd specs!

With either program you can't go wrong. Both are great for engineering and are top ranked. The cost of living is a lot cheaper in Lafayette (Purdue) and your money will go further, so if nothing else I hope that helps!!! Congrats on your acceptances! :-)

What are you studying?

Aloha! Is anyone out there looking for a roomate for this Fall? Female Preferred. I am noticing some really gorgeous 2bd/2ba apartments, but I can't afford them. I can definitely afford half though! I am starting a PhD program this Fall but all my classes are at the med school in Kaka'ako and not up at Manoa. I was thinking that area, or possibly towards Waikiki.

I say if you feel that program B is the best fit for you, hold out for that program. Wait as long as you can before accepting the other offer just in case your name moves up on the list and you are granted admission.

I mean what can they really do to you?! I'm sure if youre polite about it they won't have a problem releasing you. It gives them the opportunity to move someone off the waitlist also. I've heard of people losing a deposit after the 15th deadline, but not much else.

Is there any way that you can take a credit of directed studies this summer with a professor at your current university? Perhaps something related to the internship you will be doing overseas?

go with B. It's not worth the 5+ year commitment if you're already getting weirdness with an advisor.

Rockhopper: I applied to the biological sciences program. From what I've heard, Purdue in general is a bit slow getting notices out this year. They are working on "funding" apparently. Pretty much any time in the next two weeks we should hear something. I emailed their office about a week and a half ago. Annoying isn't it!!? Good luck to you!! I hear your program is a good one! :-)

I'm in this same position. I would ask the school if they could extend the deadline for you first. When I asked my school, they said no. I had been told that I needed to accept by today or risk losing my funding, so I accepted yesterday. I plan to withdrawl my acceptance if my first choice school comes through with an offer, but I don't want to risk losing my only acceptance in case my first choice rejects me.

After searching online for an apartment I looked up reviews on apartmentsratings. It really helped me to weed out the places that seemed really great from a few states away. http://www.apartmentratings.com/

You really can't lose either way. Both programs are amazing and incredibly hard to get in to. Both are in pretty expensive towns on opposite ends of the country. I guess since you want to study cancer though, Sloan-Kettering would probably be best bet. Congrats on getting in. I applied for UCSF's BMS program, I know how competitive it is!

Email them! It's worth a try. If they really want you they might be able to find $ in the budget for you. Good Luck!

Council of Grad Schools: Resolution regarding gradaute scholars, fellows, trainees and assistants. Acceptance of an offer of financial support *(such as a graduate scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or assistantship) for the next academic year by a prospective or enrolled graduate student completes an agreement that both student and graduate school expect to honor. In that context, the conditions affecting such offers and their acceptance must be defined carefully and understood by all parties. Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15; earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of this Resolution. In those instances in which a student accepts an offer before April 15, and sub- sequently desires to withdraw that acceptance, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time through April 15. However, an acceptance given or left in force after April 15 commits the student not to accept another offer without first obtaining a written release from the institution to which a commitment has been made. Similarly, an offer by an insti- tution after April 15 is conditional on presentation by the student of the written release from any previously accepted offer. It is further agreed by the institutions and organizations subscribing to the above Resolution that a copy of this Resolution or a link to the URL should accompany every scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, and assistantship offer. Check if your school is on the list: http://www.cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/CGS_Resolution.pdf I would accept and then let them know by the 15th if you change your mind.

Go with Portland State! Portland is an awesome town and there is plenty to do there! I would keep your state residency so that they don't cancel your insurance. BTW UH Manoa might be on spring break, but the faculty should be on campus. They were closed on Monday for a local state holiday. I spoke with someone from a program that I was admitted to on Tuesday. Also try email, they are ususally pretty fast. Manoa doesn't usually give funding. I guess they figure the good weather here makes up for it. Congrats on being admitted to your programs and good luck!

Yes you should apply! You may not be eligible for the need based scholarships, but there are still some merit-based scholarships that you can apply for and they do not matter how much money you're making. You may also be offered loans with low interest, just in case you might need them at some point in the semester.

I would send an email politeley declining, and also send one in the mail. That is my plan anyways!

yep, and then pay a bunch of interns/grad students to run my experiements for me and I would just write it up like a PI!

Resolution regarding graduate scholars, fellows, trainees and assistants. " Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15; earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of this Resolution. In those instances in which a student accepts an offer before April 15, and sub- sequently desires to withdraw that acceptance, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time through April 15. However, an acceptance given or left in force after April 15 commits the student not to accept another offer without first obtaining a written release from the institution to which a commitment has been made. Similarly, an offer by an insti- tution after April 15 is conditional on presentation by the student of the written release from any previously accepted offer. It is further agreed by the institutions and organizations subscribing to the above Resolution that a copy of this Resolution or a link to the URL should accompany every scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, and assistantship offer. "