The Summer Before Grad School

[alphazeta]

For those here who are currently in grad school, what did you do with the summer before you started? For those planning to start in the fall, what are your plans? Earn money to live off of? Take a math class? Relax at home?

[Bukharan]

I am doing a one-year Masters, and I have to write a dissertation over the summer. No money-making and very little fun.

[GopherGrad]

I plan to do a little preparation, since I have very little polisci background. Mostly, though, I'll probably work and drink my way through The Bartender's Bible.

[wtncffts]

I plan to do a little preparation, since I have very little polisci background. Mostly, though, I'll probably work and drink my way through The Bartender's Bible.

Hey GopherGrad, did you get in somewhere? I didn't see that in the 'cycle' thread. Congrats! I know in you had a few disappointments earlier, glad to see you'll be somewhere in the fall.

[IRdreams]

So when I got admitted, I took the relax advice. Which I think is good advice. However, I also had a deficient math background so in subsquent summers I've had to take math. Therefore, if I were to do it over again I would probably have started taking math earlier. Though...the relax advice is still good. You are getting yourself into a long haul in which many people burn out. Recharging your batteries as it were is probably a good idea. This is especially true if you are a direct from UG who wrote a thesis. I remember that Senior year sucking and the break probably helped ease that.

[catchermiscount]

Have some fun. Do some recreational reading. If so inclined, dabble with an introductory econometrics book (super basic stuff, like Wooldridge or Gujarati). Save some money. Establish friendships with cohortmates and advanced colleagues. Don't get too excited about your training before it starts---you can shore up weaknesses as they become apparent.

[YAGSA]

I plan to do absolutely nothing productive during my last semester of freedom.

[StudentForever]

I definitely did nothing productive the summer before grad school. For the most part, I'd say it wasn't wasted time because you'll never have a vacation like that again. However, I was (and probably still am) relatively behind in terms of the stats knowledge necessary, so I would definitely spend a couple hours a day reading up on some of that math.

[GopherGrad]

Hey GopherGrad, did you get in somewhere? I didn't see that in the 'cycle' thread. Congrats! I know in you had a few disappointments earlier, glad to see you'll be somewhere in the fall.

Thanks!

I was admitted to Marquette's MA program with a full tuition waiver, a very small living stipend and an RA position. I'm going to visit this weekend, but I am pretty sure that I'll accept.

[Count de Monet]

going to my cousin's wedding in Italy and will probably spend a month with my family who are over there at the end of June/July

[wtncffts]

Thanks!

I was admitted to Marquette's MA program with a full tuition waiver, a very small living stipend and an RA position. I'm going to visit this weekend, but I am pretty sure that I'll accept.

That's great. Hopefully, that'll give you a leg up in a year or two if you still plan on a PhD.

On the topic, I feel like I need to do the opposite of 'relax'; since I finished my MA thesis in August, I've pretty much been 'relaxing', except for, of course, working on and then worrying about applications. I'm going to try to work up two or three possibly publishable papers, brush up on a few basic statistics and math. Really, I just need to get into the 'groove' of being productive again.

[Zahar Berkut]

I'm actually probably going to practice for/retake the GREs (doing a terminal MA program next year, my top choice). I took them at the last minute without much studying, and I ran out of time on math with a lot of questions unanswered. Will need to get that score up if I do apply for PhD programs in the future, and I might as well get it out of the way.

That, and the beach.

[sunnynero]

I have a similar question. What do I do the summer before I apply to grad school? I'm in my last semester of undergrad. I'm just taking 1 theory class and a science lab. I found a full time job in January as an executive assistant, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to just save money for a year and a half before starting school again. Yet, I've just been going nuts not doing anything useful and feeling like I'm, wasting my time, so I started applying to internships and jobs that are related to my field.

I'm in NYC, and my job pays pretty well. I also have a lot of free time on my hands because the office is not very busy, so I've been taking that time to prepare for the GREs (taking them in June) and to read some work from professors at the schools I'm applying to.

I'm applying to SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Binghamton, U of Colorado Boulder, Washington State U, George Washington U, and some others... I'm applying for a terminal masters in the fall, with the hopes of a PhD in political psychology after.

I have an interview with the Roosevelt House Public Policy Center on Thursday for a part-time program assistant. It's part-time, and pays 1/2 of what I get paid now. I'll have to live at home indefinitely if I take this job, but that's really not my concern. I'm just wondering whether this job would offer an opportunity to learn, whether it would help me get in to grad school, or whether it's just a a lesser paying office job. Has anybody had any experience in this kind of position? I was really hoping to find a way to get research experience, but with no luck so far. Since it's part-time though, I would be able to take an opportunity if I get one, which I cannot do while working at my current position.

Here is the job description, any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Individual will provide administrative and clerical assistance to the Public Policy and Human

Rights Program directors including, but not limited to: maintaining and developing extensive

files and contact lists; processing incoming mail; responding to requests for information;

preparing, copy editing, formatting and distributing documents such as memoranda, letters,

and web content; managing registration, enrollment, and scheduling for Public Policy and

Human Rights courses; liaising with undergraduates completing requirements for minors and

certificates in Public Policy and Human Rights; recruiting and coordinating interns; answering

phones; assisting with research; preparing for and taking minutes at meetings; assisting with

special events such as conferences, speaking engagements, and student events; making travel

arrangements; preparing expense reports and recording program finances; word processing;

photocopying, and other assigned tasks.

[Tufnel]

I'm going to travel a bit and work on languages. I speak a couple, though neither fluently. Since I'd like to get both up to a relatively advanced level of fluency by the time I finish my PhD, I ought to use my time now to review/study. I'm not going to kill myself over it, just hang out with people and talk.

[hupr]

I think that if one is going to do anything, working on language skills and/or brushing up on some calculus would be the best options.

[The Lorax]

the summer before my masters I worked and travelled. This summer I plan to work and read. When I start that PhD program I'm gonna hit the ground running and I'm not gonna stop until I'm tenured.

Look out world, I'm focused, I have no hobbies, and I'm extremely caffeinated.

[catchermiscount]

Develop hobbies! DEVELOP THEM SO HARD DO IT NOW! You're gonna need them come optimization-homework time.