Nerd_For_Life

Pick the core themes of what you intend to research/your research interests. For example I would put: sex work; gender; sexuality; culture; policy. And my research focuses on just that. I am a socio-cultural anthropology student and my research is looking at the impact of foreign 'aid' on sex work in the Philippines. I could also use words like "development" or "foreign aid." It's like putting keywords that allow you to be searchable. Like when you search for a journal article or read a profs bio, you want to be able to get a broad sense of the persons focus.

Three more shifts!!!! Hiphip, Huray!!! For one job anyways. My ft job that pays the bills is in retail, customer service, and I have three shifts left (but will get paid for four shifts since next week includes the Canada Day stat!). Fingers crossed that I never have to work in customer service again. My other job I will do to the end of July (research assistant at the uni I did my undergrad at), which is fine since I like the work One more time for good measure: HURRAY!

Another thing to keep in mind is that most ultrabooks don't have an optical drive (no dvd/cd capabilities). I am also looking for a new lightweight and ultra-portable laptop for grad school in sept and keep wavering between buying now and waiting to see what happens with Windows 8 (which is designed primarily for touch screen pcs/laptops/etc.) and the Microsoft Surface that is being launched this fall (Microsoft's computer to compete with ultrabooks, tablets, and Mac). My current favourite in terms of price, weight, and function is the Samsung ultrabook b/c it has good storage and an optical drive. It's also priced around $800. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+14%22+Series+5+Ultrabook+Laptop+-+4GB+Memory+-+500GB+Hard+Drive+and+16GB+Express+Cache+-+Silver/4700116.p?id=1218509235873&skuId=4700116

Last day of work is July 7th! But oh how I wish it was today. I am thankful for my job and really need the money but I am so ready to go back to school!

One thing they will likely note is that even though you have saved money you are still in financial need because you don't have the funds to cover all of your expenses. I know the frustration but think of it as: If you have $30,000 and they give you $40,000 and another person has $0 and they get $70,000 you are both in the exact same place. The reason another person who is trying to pay for an MA of PhD has fewer funds is likely not because they are frivolous but because they face barriers (as many of us do to some degree or another). If you both end up being able to go to school and not take on debt, that's a good thing. Also, sometimes schools tie TA or RA positions to their funding so it's possible that another person gets more funding than you (their cheque is bigger than yours) there's a good chance that they are having to work for that money by doing TA and RA hours so it's not simply a hand out.

The merit-based scholarships won't look at how much money you have going in. The needs based ones will look at both and they are mindful of how much tuition and living expenses cost. Basically needs based ones work like this: All else being equal, if you have $30,000 in the bank and another person has -$20,000 (student loans for those of us who have had to borrow to pay for school and would dream of being able to have $30,000 in the bank), then the person who is more in need of the funding would receive the award. Again, all else being equal the person with more need would receive the needs based scholarship over you, but you're on the same playing field if it's merit only.

Results have made it to Victoria, BC and I got it! Super hurray-ness and relief all over My stats: Graduating GPA of 8.44/9 (~94%) Awesome letters of reference No publications RA work experience (ongoing) Relevant volunteer experience Several awards from my undergrad university (Undergraduate Research Scholar, Top of Department awards, etc.) Graduated Honours with Distinction Strong and very detailed research plan Undergrad in Pacific and Asian Studies, heading into MA Anthropology at UofT Applied through my undergrad university the fall after I graduated from my undergrad (took a gap year to get everything in order for MA and PhD to follow) XD Congrats to all and Cheers!

I am in the exact same situation (almost, I'm 24). I'm just finishing a gap year between finishing my undergrad and starting my MA, it's a one-year program at UofT based on a major research paper. I will be applying to PhD programs in the fall with the thought in mind that if I don't get in where I want or the funding is not sufficient that I will reapply the following year (though having already done one gap year I'm not stoked on doing another, though I'm sure the extra research/work time would be great if I can get a relevant job.) In regards to reference letters, I spoke to my supervisor at UofT and she said that it is common for people to apply who are in this situation and they generally get two of their strong referees from their undergrad and then their current supervisor to write for them. I've contacted my two from undergrad and they are more than happy to write for me. I've also been advised to get as much stuff together for the applications as possible before classes start in the fall. This means a rough draft of my app to SSHRC for PhD funding and any other funding apps so that they just need to be polished come the fall.

Odd that they haven't said that results were released on the SSHRC twitter page, yet are tweeting about other random stuff. I'm in Victoria BC and I imagine that my letter won't get here until Friday or early next week (though it would be super great if it got here sooner!) I've applied through a university and my only real concern is that my research topic is sex work and with that being controversial and very much not conservative that if there were cuts to the number of awards that I would be a good candidate for it based on topic alone (grades, references, etc. all very strong).

^^This. If you don't have an official signed letter in your hand then it is not an offer at all and you should not rely on it. It is in a lot of professors best interests to keep viable grad students interested in their program but it is a department decision, not an individual professors, that determines whether or not you are admitted, get funding, etc. In short: No official letter = no deal.

Another Friday with no news. At this rate, even if they mail them on Monday it's definitely not going to reach me in BC until June.

I too like this. I'm just waiting for someone to say "What the F is taking so long! What is the excuse for the ridiculous amount of lag!" It's like on the one hand...if you get a SSHRC you should be grateful for the financial aid and blah bli blah....but on the other hand...this is really getting ridiculous.

Got a call this morning: I GOT IN! Yeyness I'm so very very pleased. Apparently a backlog in paperwork was the reason for the delay. Regardless, happy day!

Do you have a supervisor? I would talk to them about applying for positions. Most won't be posted until July/August when they start finalizing what the fall courses are going to look like. Also if there is a grad supervisor for the department that you are in they would also be a good person to talk to about RA/TA positions. Further, if there are any profs that you know are researching something that you are interested in, you could contact them. As for passing the time...........yup. Slow it does go.

Took your advice and made a phone call inquiring about the status of my application from April 25. Had to leave a voicemail because after repeated call attempts to talk to a person there was still no answer. Hopefully I hear back asap via email or telephone! In the mean time: more waiting o.O Congrats on getting into your collab masters program. What are you doing?

Hey team, So I got into the MA Anthro program at UofT and was contacted on April 20th to see if I was still interested (as I had indicated on my application) in doing the collaborative program in Sexual Diversity Studies. I emailed back saying that I was, completed the required paperwork (letter to the director of the program and a research proposal) and was told on April 25 by my contact that I would hear their decision at most in a couple of weeks, probably less. At the two week mark I had not heard so I emailed my contact at the SDS program to inquire as to whether I would hear the result of the decision by email or by post. It is now at the 3 week mark and I have not heard back either in answer to my last email or the results of the decision. Is it time to send another email? There is no particular rush to hearing back from them other than piece of mind and wanting to plan out my project a little more....I just want to know! and I keep thinking that not hearing anything is a bad sign....or maybe they forgot and my email last week reminded them? Or administrative issues? Or???

MPhil Cambridge: Accepted MA UofT: Waitlisted then accepted the next day Australian National University PhD: Accepted

Do Europe for the full go and then if you still want come back and do Harvard if your able to get it When free quality education and opportunity come knocking your way take them while you can!

I got an email from SSHRC in Feb from Mathieu Laurin acknowledging that my application had been received. ahhh the wait!

Did you apply through UofT for your application to SSHRC? Or through a separate institution or as an independent but stated in your application that you are intending to go to UofT? Thanks for all the info!

Kinda sounds like you've already made up your mind o.O Personally, I am not a fan of residence because I find the atmosphere to be not very conducive to academic productivity :S

What did this email say? What UofT department was it from? I'm heading into an Anthro MA at UofT but haven't heard a peep.

In a similar situation and will be watching this thread to see the replies

Alright: Anyone living in or moving to Toronto for fall 2012? I'll be driving out there from Victoria, BC at the end of July to attend the MA Anthropology program at UofT. Suggestions for areas to live? Finding indoor cat friendly housing from afar? Other tips?

I baked cookies for my referees I still live in the same city as them so I dropped them off, said thank you, and chatted with them a bit about future plans. Also got 2 signed on for writing future references if need be (eg. into a PhD program after my MA is done)