schlesinger1

Yeah... It would be, but Indiana just sent me an offer. Wow. As excited as I by this (and I am) it makes what was going to be a relaxing weekend into crunch time.

I'm headed to Stony Brook. I'm quite happy about it - their program is really, really funky in the good sense of the word.
I'm just worried about jobs. But that's not my problem until friggin 6 years from now. I'm going to learn the two languages that I like to pretend I know - French and Portuguese - and write the killer dissertation that has been fermenting in my mind for the last year, and it will have 5, yes 5, funded years to beautifully age. What am I talking about? Agh, whatever. Back to my monstrous reading list.

I just got an e-mail from the chair of the AdComm. I've been accepted. :-D

I wonder why someone would ding a comment offered in this thread without taking the time to say why.

In an earlier post, TMP suggested that those who are sure of their decision should make it as soon as possible so that others could get off of wait lists. In this post, TMP is disclosing that her decision making process took a turn for the complicated. Why is this disclosure at all controversial?

What is the member of this BB who dinged attempting to say? That a graduate student in history should not do one's due diligence? Or maybe that one should not recognize complexity? If either is the case, then what is the point of being a historian in the first place?

ETA: Another member of this BB has since balanced out the down vote for post #153.

Hey guys! Just decided 100% on NYU. It's been a nice time hanging out with ya'll on the internets. I'll see you in other threads!

Ganymede18--

Please elaborate on what you mean by "a more holistic approach" to reading.

kindly provide some details of australian universities for MS in CS.as compared to US universities.

i also need to know abt the financial cuts given by the univ...i mean scholarships..
wht is the situation of scholarships being provided by the univ.

I just accepted my offer to Binghamton this morning! My happy mood was dampened by bitches at work though.

Still excited!

Well, I am officially done. I emailed the wonderful people at Hopkins and told them I was going to UPenn (I have to admit I was dreading this moment, but they have all been supportive and kind). Took myself off the wait list at Chicago as well.

Good luck to everyone still waiting for decisions! I hope everyone gets to go where they want to!

I have a rule as well ... except it's never trust anyone who roots for the diabolical Pink Sox ... and why do I call them Pink? That became the ubiquitous color of their fans' hats across this nation as "fans" of the "long suffering" Sox suddenly came out the woodworks in aught-four ... as a TRUE Yankee fan (Steinbrenner Field baby!), I must despise these infernal ne'er do-wells who dare to tug on our awesome caps ... tis the price we pay for being so great I guess? Long Live the Yankees and a pox on the Sox of Boston

Talk about being too focused!

I'd also encourage you to cast a wide net in terms of contacts. I've found at least two faculty members in potential programs for me that have interests coinciding with mine that appear nowhere on their websites. I spent about a whole summer obsessing over faculty website profiles (which, when you come down to it, are really like a one-sided, very pathetic version of a dating website) and you can only benefit so much from that.

I remember the frustration of narrowing down the list of schools. I hated that - especially when I crossed one off in a location I would have enjoyed. My method was to do one school per day, skimming through journal articles, dissertation abstracts, books/book reviews and of course faculty profiles. All of the information available. And taking detailed notes for when I begin to doubt myself later about whether x University might make a good fit after all...

It's tedious, but if you really want to have an advisor who will be able to support your specific interests, then it can't hurt.

Good luck.

Lurker who was waitlisted for UMass Amherst's Ph.D. program today That smiley is a bit happier than I actually feel, but a waitlist is a good thing. It's my first choice, so hopefully things will line up and I'll get an offer...eventually

I would chime in here to say that I would never start up a conversation about how faculty can "improve their own program" — and I say this with lots of respect, Sigaba. I just don't think that I'm in any place, as a fledging grad student, to offer advice to established faculty on how they can create a "more dynamic" program. I'd be happy to tactfully answer questions about why I chose the program I chose... but I'd never offer suggestions about how to improve another one. Just my $.02.

C&C: I was pretty open all along with my POIs about my other offers. They expect you to be considering other offers. They go through this every year. When it came time for me to start declining, I tried to do the following: 1. Express sincere gratitude for the POI's time 2. Express how flattered I was to receive an offer 3. Note that I've decided to attend another program that I feel will best serve my research interests 4. Mention that I hope we can cross paths in the future 5. Do all of this concisely, and as soon as I'd decided -- so as not to waste anyone's time or resources, being mindful of those waitlisted.

Best of luck!

How is it "confrontational" when you're asked simple questions regarding the basis for your guidance?
Does your reply represent the approach you intend to take with you to graduate school and you're asked similar questions face-to-face? Snark will only get you so far before someone takes an active interest in your sources and in your expertise.

Wow, I wasn't aware I was only allowed to respond to Psychology threads. Has anyone else noticed that GradCafe has gotten really confrontational lately?

Just taken off waitlist at UNC-Chapel Hill to be accepted!!!

I'm not sure...I mean, if every student who exchanged emails with POIs sent them thank you cards, they would be totally swamped. I only said "thank you for the consideration" if I interviewed with the POI. In fact, I feel like I had good email exchanges with some POIs and then got rejected without even an interview. I definitely wouldn't send those profs thank you cards (they probably don't even remember who I am). I think networking at conferences would be a better way to keep in touch with these profs. Just my opinion, though.

@psychgurl What experience do you have either in the field of history or as a graduate student when it comes to communicating with established professionals? Are you aware of the role private written correspondence has played in the growth of the profession?

If you do good work you could be taken. I have a community college degree among my credentials. And a princeton student ID.

I'm going to put out my offer again for those of you who are going to Princeton visits next week that if you show up early I'm happy to give unofficial tours of campus with geeky historical facts before they try to get you drunk on Sunday night.

I JUST GOT INTO NYU!!! FULLY FUNDED!!!

For those of you still waiting from them, I should tell you that I applied to the dual program with History/Hebrew Judaic Studies, so we wouldn't be hearing the same day necessarily.

this just made my weekend

You're taking your talents to South Beach!? You should have held a one hour documentary on the History Channel about your entire academic career. Then in the last 30 seconds of the documentary, say something about how great you are and say you're taking your talents and methodologies to South Beach.

Okay, I kid. Can't pass up an opportunity to mock "The Decision." But seriously, congratulations. That's awesome. If you ever get time out of the library catch some rays for me. It's looking like I'll be in the Midwest.

I don't think you'd be a contender at schools in the Top 15/20, to be honest. It's great that you have such a high GPA given your classes, but none of them really speak to the quantitative rigor of, say, MCWG Microeconomics, which will be of the 'easier' textbooks/material you'll find at top programs (Micro theory-heavy schools like MIT will start off with MCWG, Varian, and Kreps), which demand high familiarity with analysis/proof-based math backgrounds.

But that's just speculation. You're a potential Fulbright scholar, which may change up the expectations, but the typical admit at Econ PhD programs at the Ivys (only looking at the Ivys that are actually known for Economics) and other top schools, your current course load really wouldn't impress any adcomm.

I love when ppl ask me "have you read..." and then it's some random pop history book they found or historical fiction.