stereopticons

I agree that the double-standard is ridiculous. All I can think of is if a person is gender non-conforming, for example a woman who prefers to dress in a man's suit for interviews. They will be limited in what schools/departments would be accepting of their gender identity, plus the added scrutiny for not wearing the traditional makeup and attire. 

Have a great holiday weekend everyone! Hope we can all stop stressing for a few days and enjoy the break

Hey, that's a GRE word 

I'm a grad student right now, I'm a 29 year old female, and I'm Italian/Portuguese catholic (family wise). Translation; I was supposed to just find a man, pop out some cute babies, run the house, and keep said man happy. They indulged my undergrad (times are changing, good place to meet someone), hesitantly accepted the master's program, and are now passive aggressively dangling heteronormative societal explanations at me like sweetie you don't wanna make more than your husband, you're starting to get too old for kids and who knows how long I'll be alive...,do you really want this? Are you suuuure??? Or this is the best me: hey guess what I was awarded a fellowship and scholarship! Family: how nice! Cousin SO and so is getting married and I think other cousin is having another baby!!!!!
??
This IS  my career path and I'm going to kill it, but it will for sure be satisfying to make my family address me as doctor or introduce me as such mwahahahahaha.
The 29 yr old abomination wants an education and career and feels "meh" about marriage! It makes family soooo uncomfortable at holiday gatherings and I kinda love it. That's what's motivating me through the anxiety, and knowing NOTHING is going to happen with apps until after the new year.

Yup, I'm with you on that one too. "Don't worry you'll be fine!!" is probably all they have to say because they don't know what else to say to make me feel better--but it's super frustrating. It diminishes what you're going through, and entertains dumb positivity  I think I just want people to ask me about alternative options, and it actually really helps when I am reminded that not getting in won't mean that I'm stupid or worthless. 
Honestly, I'm very worried about the effect it would have on me if I were to be rejected from everywhere. It's dumb to say, but I feel like I'm "running out of time" (I'm 26 and finishing my B.A.), and for that reason as well as for a few others, it would be a huge disappointment not to get into a program. I feel like I don't want to keep waiting for the next step anymore...

Yeah. I was offering the information I have. I know the programs are different. There's really no need to get snippy. 

That is for the Mental Health PhD program. Which is different.
 
The Health Policy & Management PhD response is within 4 weeks of December 1.

Turns out someone WAS reading my application when I replied to this. I left for lunch and came back and had a email asking for a phone interview! Now I have something concrete to focus on. 
Also, word games may be the only way I'm maintaining sanity. 

I count myself lucky that the only time I won't be wearing jeans and a t-shirt in 2017 is when I should be wearing a stupid pantsuit! Basically going to grad school to put off dressing professionally for another 5-6 years, nbd

@stereopticons - pantsuit or skirtsuit will be the same color and material, and will be designed to "mesh" (so any little details will match, cut will be similar, same weight fabric, etc.). Slacks with a blazer can match and look nice, but unless they were designed as a set they aren't a pantsuit. I don't care much for fashion myself, I chose pantsuits just so I wouldn't have to worry about matching two articles of clothing together. 

Ok, potentially going to look like a fashion-clueless idiot here, but what is the difference between a pantsuit and wearing dress pants and a blazer?

Double double
 
(In n out burger)

I finally have something to post!! I have a phone interview with my POI at Miami University next week!

@stereopticons I'm so doing a happy dance for my word game buddy! Best of luck, break a leg and all that good stuff! 
Now you've given me something new to worry about: what if I get an interview and I completely bomb it
 

Turns out someone WAS reading my application when I replied to this. I left for lunch and came back and had a email asking for a phone interview! Now I have something concrete to focus on. 
Also, word games may be the only way I'm maintaining sanity. 

I finally have something to post!! I have a phone interview with my POI at Miami University next week!

I unfortunately have nothing to offer other than I am in the same boat. I feel so much more anxious now that I feel like I have no control over the outcome and will happily take suggestions on how to deal with the "waiting time". This isn't my first round, but it doesn't seem to get any easier...

@stereopticons, anything to dull the anxiety!
Beer pong

I agree with stereopticons, I wore a suit for the actual interview on my first round of apps and I'd say like 80% of the other male applicants did too. It's better to err on the side of overly-formal with this opportunity, rather than risk dressing too casually. 
For the dinners/socials it kinda depends on the context. The one I went to was super casual at a grad-student's house (no PoIs there) and everyone was dressed in typical "going to a friend's dinner party" semi-formal stuff. I'd definitely email the grad students or coordinators as the interview date approaches to check about typical expectations for those events, because some may be in more formal contexts than others -- but you also might feel uncomfortable arriving in a suit&tie when everyone else is in jeans and polos. 

I so want to go with dismember but that's only one word....
Water board

I would talk to the other grad students in the program to get a social climate of the city and what the pros/cons of the area are. Be careful, though. Grad students do often have a say in who is accepted. 

Too real, @DBear, too real. 
Mess hall

Hot mess

Tequila shot

Wear pants.
In all seriousness, do dress professionally as you would for an in-person interview. If you have an office where you can do the interview, I would do that rather than at home. I did a Skype interview for a job at home and my cat wandered on screen. A great thing about Skype interviews, though, is you can have your cv, answers to sample questions, SOP, or whatever document you think will help open on your computer at the same time for easy reference. Otherwise, they are mostly the same as in person interviews.