shaydlip

It depends a little bit on the department you end up in. My department is VERY family friendly- no seminars after 3pm, or before 9:15 so faculty can get kids to school, and pick kids up from school. We have two sets of married faculty members, and they just end up switching off days of picking up kids from shcool at 3pm and working from home. But I have to disagree with the above poster- it DOES have a lot to do with not getting much sleep. When my advisor was trying to get tenure, he would go home at 5pm, spend time with the family until 8 or 9pm, work until 2am, and go home after that. As far as I can tell, his life hasn't changed that much since getting tenure (I will get emails at 12:30am or 1am, or 2am). I don't know how he does it!

I would call either Georgia Tech or UW-Madison (whichever of the two you want to go to) to ask for an extension on your decision as you have not heard from UC Berkeley. Do you have to put a deposit down? Are you intending to go on into academia? The risk of accepting before April 15 & changing your mind is either losing your deposit, or burning bridges (if you want to go into academia, but mechanical engineering doesn't strike me as a field where you HAVE to go into academia).

Yeah.... if they were saying no funding for your first year, I wouldn't go. I might consider if they said, well you can have at least the first two years of funding or something, because then you are likely to get college-level teaching experience, and once you get to a place you can start to figure the ins-and-outs, and potentially TA for another department or something for funding. But no funding right off the bat? What is their incentive for EVER giving you funding? A lot of places are hard up for cash right now, but if that's the reason they are accepting you, you don't want to go there. Particularly for a PhD. PhDs can become never-ending.

If you have enough other programs to apply to with as good of research fit as any UC, then don't apply to the UC (if the funding is in dire straits, I don't know enough about it). Particularly because you are from the east coast, and would like to travel home for a holiday or two (I imagine?), don't discount how much being broke sucks. But, like the previous poster said, if it's a better research fit apply to the UCs. There's no replacing a better fit with the department (i.e. how well you would get along with your advisor, the culture with other grad students, etc). That can have a HUUUGE impact on your quality of life.

I don't know man, a wild weekend here and there can definitely relieve some tension! Anyway, back on topic. You can take out $8500 subsidized loans, and I thinhk $5000 unsubsidized loans. After that, I don't know that you can take any money from the government (because now all the loans are direct, which means a MUCH SMALLER loan fee...). You have to decide for yourself what you feel is worth it. Take a look at how much in loans you will have to take out, and what the monthly payments are. Then look at the chronicle of higher education and determine what your salary might be once you finish grad school. Do your monthly payments mean that you will have to get a roommate once you graduate? Then it's NOT worth it!

Honestly, a LOT of it is about timing/luck. I got in my first time around to my top two choices. I didn't get into my third choice, and found out later that the faculty member wasn't inclined to accept students that year (too many older students needed to graduate). The place I'm attending now? Had I applied a year earlier or later, I'm not sure my advisor would have accepted me.

In anthropology, it's not a big deal after 1200. With a decent GPA also (mine was fine at a US 3.55- I don't know how you convert UK scores though?), yes, after that recommendations/connections and fit become everything. I don't really know why anthropologists decided 1200 was a fine, solid score. It's just what I've always been told since I was applying (4 years ago) to shoot for that number. That being said if you have a high GPA and a really high GRE (above 1300, 1350 or so), many universities have competitive, university-wide fellowships that will gain you a few extra grand on your stipend. It's also prestigious for the department, so sometimes it behooves the faculty to admit people with high GPA and high GRE for that. But only when there are good recommendations and fit also.

So, it says you're a structural engineer, but you are in the anthropology forums? This may depend based on what you are switching to and from, but basically say what you told us. "My research in X has lead me to questions in [professor's field, the why and how of it." If there is ANY overlap (methods, etc), try to say something like, "Which gives me a unique background and skillset to bring to answering questions in [professors field]"

Well, like anything with graduate schools, it will depends on the program (i.e. the past experiences of the faculty members). Last year, for admission to the program I am at, I know faculty put applicants to lower down on the waitlist and eventually not admitted because their GRE scores were not high enough. However, my understanding is that it was because there were enough other applicants with the whole package- good grades, SOP, LOR, previous research experience. I am not saying that to scare you. But the GRE can keep you out. As I mentioned in another post a very successful recent graduate of my program (now happily employed) she visited schools beforehand to address her low (below 1000) GRE. She found a faculty member who she clicked with at my program and the faculty member wrote letters on her behalf to allow her admission. One faculty member at a university she visited before the app told her not to apply. So, I am not saying that you must go visit these places, you are above 1000, but not by much. I am saying you should contact faculty beforehand, see if they are taking students, etc, and try to see if you can address your GRE score.

Given your GRE score, you should DEFINITELY contact professors before hand. You should also make it clear (if they respond back, and seem encouraging, etc) what your GRE score is. Faculty may tell you not to apply. Then you don't have to waste your time.

Do you mean visit, or just email the person? Because yes, it sounds like an appropriate context to email the faculty member. You actually have questions, you aren't going to gush, etc. You usually have way better chances if emailing prior. I actually went as far as visiting one place, and was willing to visit the other but the prof told me to just talk on the phone instead, and they will fly me out if I get accepted. It worked well for me.

I would like to clarify something though. Most universities have 1000 on the GRE as an absolute minimum (as in don't even apply), but in anthropology it's generally considered that as long as you are above a 1200 you are fine. That said, I've known people to get in without breaking 1000, because they went to visit the university before applying. She was told not to apply to some institutions, but where she ended up, the faculty wrote letters to the Graduate School to allow her in. She completed her PhD a couple years ago and is now happily employed after an awesome postdoc. But remember- a GRE score does not get you in, it will only keep you out.

Excellent, excellent post. Spot-on. If you can't visit, try to talk to the faculty member you want to work with on the phone.

2 pages, and it can be single-spaced. Double-spaced is really only relevant for when you are editing something. Here's your format: 1st paragraph- who you want to work with, what you want to do, and why you want to work with that person to do what you do. Everything else- flush out what you've written in your first paragraph, including academic history. If you've done a significant amount of research (i.e. you have a masters degree and are going to continue on with that work), focus less on your academic history. This format allows for other faculty on the search committee or in the department to see who you are and what you want without having to read 2 pages. The faculty who you want to work with will be able to have the space to delve more deeply into who you are and what you're about. Caveat: I applied 4 years ago.

I would try going for a master's first, and making sure to have a high GPA in that program. Many top universities have a GPA/GRE cutoff (typically 3.0 GPA and 1000 GRE) where the department can't admit you without other, administrative approval.