New England Nat Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Also, remember that you'll be answering the tell me about your work question a lot, for years. And that grad students become incapable of not telling you about their work.
theregalrenegade Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 With regards to 'tell me about yourself'.... That is a nightmare question for a Brit. It's culturally impossible for us to answer that. We'd get as far as name (knowing full well they already have that!) and place of birth and then shut down, because anything after that would be considered vulgar self-centred prattle. There's possibly only one scenario worse than this for the British. It fills us with dread, and is known as "Let's go around the room, .... stand up and tell us something about yourself ". Fuuuuuuuuuuuuu.... So you're saying that most of the universities I applied to in the UK won't ask me that!? YAY! Andean Pat 1
Sio68 Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 (edited) Lol! Nope! I bet they won't! They'll ask you focused questions about your research and stay away from anything remotely personal, other than birthplace/previous University. ETA: I'm not suggesting this is better, or else I would be weird to apply to the US! Edited January 17, 2013 by Sio68
LadyRara Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 To be honest, i would think those personal questions would be totally irrelevant and you would want to funnel it back into your research interests anyway. Not that I support the "go around the room introductions' at all! Eww--quite the opposite!
New England Nat Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 If you think the "tell me about yourself" isn't about your academic qualifications you have missed the point. No one wants your personal life narrative. They want the history of your work. Professor Plum 1
Andean Pat Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 Hello everyone, I'm a newbie, and I just wanted to say how much better I feel having discovered this thread. I've been lurking around thegradcafe for a week or two, especially since I found about the existence of the admission results search function. It's nice to know I'm not the only one losing my sanity by checking when LAST year's decisions came in. Good lord--my life! Haha. Anyway, I mainly just wanted to express my appreciation to you all for sharing Wishing us all the best of luck! Me too, really newbie! I think we are all here because we need some action that is not given in the websites of our apps. See you around1 Andean Pat 1
coffeeforever Posted January 19, 2013 Posted January 19, 2013 Me too, really newbie! I think we are all here because we need some action that is not given in the websites of our apps. See you around1 Newbie here as well. So glad I discovered this thread for history applicants. Also extremely encouraging to note that everyone is collectively losing their minds.
annieca Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Submitted my last app today. My stomach was literally in knots (still is) as I checked over everything. It didn't help that I had to download a free trial of Acrobat, change a jpeg into a pdf and then reduce the file size, stalk a website for an address that doesn't like to be given... all as the last little steps of my application.The stomach knots comes from the "It's my favorite school I think" and also they have the quickest turnaround in acceptance/rejections - it's around 2 weeks which is freaking amazing - so I know I'll know fairly quickly. If they don't want to tell me in 2 weeks, well, I'm here at the University now and while I don't know where the postgrad office is...I have google powers and I can find it! *evil glare*But now I AM DONE with the application process!!!! *cue happy dance*Welcome newbies! I would like to amend, for the record, that we are not *losing* our minds - we lost them a long, long time ago. runaway 1
runaway Posted January 20, 2013 Author Posted January 20, 2013 @coffeeforever: love your name! How are you liking this snow we're having?? @annieca: congrats!! for some reason I dragged out my last application, waiting until right before the deadline to hit submit (although it was mostly done). It was like the whole process was hard to let go of. Smart, I guess, because I wasn't frantically checking then like I am now...
theregalrenegade Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Congrats annieca! It's just another weight lifted, isn't it? Welcome to all the newbies ::group huddle:: !! On a sadder note - I just found a reference to *University A* in a research proposal I submitted for *University B.* It was only one mention in a 2000 word proposal, but it still turns my stomach. I've read on here that it happens quite often. I hope the university overlooks it
PhDreams Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) Welcome to all the newbies ::group huddle:: !! On a sadder note - I just found a reference to *University A* in a research proposal I submitted for *University B.* It was only one mention in a 2000 word proposal, but it still turns my stomach. I've read on here that it happens quite often. I hope the university overlooks it Welcome to alll!!!!!!!!!!!! Awwwwwwww.... it's ok. Don't fret. I've heard these stories over and over again and it always works out. Edited January 20, 2013 by PhDreams
viggosloof28 Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Welcome, new folks! I hope you enjoy this lovely community of shared anxiety, insanity, woe, and celebration! The stomach knots comes from the "It's my favorite school I think" and also they have the quickest turnaround in acceptance/rejections - it's around 2 weeks which is freaking amazing - so I know I'll know fairly quickly. If they don't want to tell me in 2 weeks, well, I'm here at the University now and while I don't know where the postgrad office is...I have google powers and I can find it! *evil glare* But now I AM DONE with the application process!!!! *cue happy dance* Congrats! I know what you mean about "favorite school" applications giving you that much more nervousness...especially when technical difficulties occur. I felt the same about my Berkeley app! Two weeks is an incredible turn-around time - lucky duck! Enjoy the feeling of being done and - as always - best of luck! Awwwwwwww.... it's ok. Don't fret. I've ehard these stories over and over again and it always works out. I hope you're right! I haven't had the courage to go back through my SOPs and check for references to incorrect schools...hopefully, there aren't any! But in case there are, I'd like to think that the adcomms would be understanding!
runaway Posted January 20, 2013 Author Posted January 20, 2013 On a sadder note - I just found a reference to *University A* in a research proposal I submitted for *University B.* It was only one mention in a 2000 word proposal, but it still turns my stomach. I've read on here that it happens quite often. I hope the university overlooks it I think I've shared this story on GC before, but I once (as an Undergrad) told BU why I wanted to attend a SLAC. I later sent them the right essay and was admitted anyway I think they know we're all applying lots of places, and mistakes happen. theregalrenegade 1
New England Nat Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 I wouldn't worry about it too much. It's not like leaving off the "The" in The Ohio State University. I understand that's fatal Bearcat1, runaway, theregalrenegade and 1 other 4
annieca Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Or not adding the extra 'e' in Berkeley. :/ Indiana University is run by Midwesterners so it's all good if you call them "University of Indiana" though they'd prefer you didn't. Thanks everyone! Two weeks...I have a feeling I will get out of a lecture or a seminar, check my email and go beserk. Of course, I can't get my phone to send notifications for my Aber email so that's a blessing in disguise because I won't see the green flashing light and freak out. Random question for all to lighten our mood: favorite sock color?
stillalivetui Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) Indiana University is run by Midwesterners so it's all good if you call them "University of Indiana" though they'd prefer you didn't. You mean to say its not the "University of Indiana?" Ooooopsies I love black socks, with Disney characters all over them. Edited January 20, 2013 by stillalivetui
runaway Posted January 20, 2013 Author Posted January 20, 2013 I prefer cashmere argyle socks. Does that count as a color?
theregalrenegade Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Normally I stick with black socks - but lately I've been wearing wild colored ones in order to fit in with the Brits.
viggosloof28 Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 Or not adding the extra 'e' in Berkeley. :/ Random question for all to lighten our mood: favorite sock color? Re: Berkeley - oh gosh, I was SOOOOO careful about that! I knew kids at my high school that spelled it "Berkley" and didn't get in...so I've been a bit traumatized by their stories. Re: sock color - any color with an argyle pattern! (Especially blue or black tones.)
LadyRara Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 Wild bright colors and patterns.... mixed of course.
New England Nat Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 There is a job ad currently hanging in the hall of my department where some Ohio State alum has clearly written "the" in front of the title. Safferz and TMP 2
annieca Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 I used to have a ton of fun socks but they've got weaned out. My favorite of all time though (isn't exactly a color but...) has to be either my Easter socks with a penguin with bunny ears or my Valentine's Day ones with a ladybug that say "Love bug" on them. Had my first application nightmare last night. I dreamed that there was an email from Aber saying "Our current response time is 135.7 days." Needless to say when I woke up I checked my email! Least favorite ice cream flavor? (Good stress relief methinks!)
theregalrenegade Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 Least favorite ice cream flavor? (Good stress relief methinks!) Mint chocolate chip or pistachio... Got an email this morning from one of my schools...but they were just tracking down my references (though they already confirmed they had received them!!! grrrrr) to be resent. Thus, I have to bug my referees once again. Anyone else have any news?
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