The closer I get, the less I know...

[TheMercySeat]

Does anybody feel as lost about the decision-making process?

It's incredible how informative site visits and interviews are, and how little I knew on what to look for during the application process (beyond research content, of course).

[mb712]

Absolutely.

I've recruited some friends to a beer and pro/con list making session on Saturday. I'm too overwhelmed, I need some help.

[TenaciousBushLeaper]

Absolutely.

I've recruited some friends to a beer and pro/con list making session on Saturday. I'm too overwhelmed, I need some help.

I need this, both the friends and the alcohol. 

[BuzzinAround]

I totally agree. It was upsetting to get all this information and realize that you totally missed all these signs that would have saved you the time from applying to a given program.

[TheMercySeat]

I'd NEVER admit this on interview out of fear of discrimination, but I'm a first generation social science applicant and the first person in my family to have more than a BA.

I know what I'm doing insomuch as I'm a paid research professional who presents and publishes independent work. Beyond that, I have NO idea wtf I'm doing.

[Mastershaakti]

I feel you. I was the first in my immediate and extended family to even attend college, much less earn a degree higher than secondary school. As a result, I did horrible my first semester of college and average for the next three. It wasn't until my junior year that I began to excel with 4.0 terms; however, it was too late for my cumulative GPA. Due to my low GPA and research interests in prejudice, I made it a point to express my various disadvantaged identifies. I receive nothing but warmth and admiration, at least explicitly, from my POIs. Some even shared their similar backgrounds with me as a result. And yes, I concur: It seems as if there is a wealth of nuanced information that can only be retrieved via in-person contact, especially with current graduate students of each respective program exposing all the interesting and useful info (both good and bad). I also learned for many (BUT not all) programs, baseline GPA/GRE are required to get our apps reviewed. The "cut-offs" grades/scores varied heavily on the level of competition (namely frequency of apps submitted per subprogram and professor, thus it is really difficult to know what are good GPAs/GREs [if one could get a 4.0 and 99th percentile then you should be good anywhere]). Then, if your app is reviewed and you have some relevant (even impressive) research experience, strongly written PS (showcasing your writing style), and lovely letters of recommendation (but not inflated letters [praise without behavioral merits]), typically there is some type of pre-interview (via phone/Skype/morse code). I think this is is just to make sure you are real and not a bot--but also to check for any "red flags." Typically, if you make it to the on-site interviews, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN--well, almost anything. Some of mine were uber pleasant (and completely free) while others were anxiety provoking and fake as hell. One interview included the grad students taking us to this exotic restaurant for the first night as a "social" in which we had to pay for our own meals. The cheapest item on the menu (of food I've never heard of and couldn't prouncounce) was $26! I almost shit myself (during and after, which is horrible for interviews). Besides the initial greetings, the grad students huddled together and convo'ed amongst themselves while the applicants just sat there like dumbasses. The rest of the interview followed a similar pattern of disdain. I realized soon the meaning of "fit" and for that particular program, I would only attend if desperate. Others were great and I even were able to drink with our POIs with liquor they paid for--how freaking awesome is that? Seeing the social professors to near drunkeness was absolutely hilarious. Needless to say this is the program offer I chose to accept (but not for that alone, of course). Even the notification process is strange and at times baffling (to be waitlisted via snail mail---whaaaaaaat? Or accepted at 6AM their time while they are at a well-known conference). I think it only gets better from here...

Edited March 12, 2015 by Mastershaakti

[Coach04]

YES TO ALL OF THIS! I thought I was 100% certain but now I am completely unsure of which of my top two programs to choose. Having the schools ask where else you have been accepted makes it harder too - as soon as I told each school where else I was accepted I received many long emails and requests for phone calls from differnt faculty where they told me why their school was better. ITS SO HARD TO DECIDE! and I am scared that I will make the wrong choice.

 

I definitely recommend contacting current students though - all the students I have talked to have been really honest and have given me great inside information that will help me in which ever school I choose. I even used info from one student about the TA assignment process to ask about how likely it was that I would get the assignment I wanted (with a popular Prof) and that assignment has been promised to me along with an office in the lab that I want.

 

Are any of you finding that other peoples opinions and advice are making your decision harder and not easier? 

 

Finally, I guess we should be lucky that we are in this position to be choosing between programs - I hope that everyone who dreams of attending grad school will get to live that dream

[TenaciousBushLeaper]

YES TO ALL OF THIS! I thought I was 100% certain but now I am completely unsure of which of my top two programs to choose. Having the schools ask where else you have been accepted makes it harder too - as soon as I told each school where else I was accepted I received many long emails and requests for phone calls from differnt faculty where they told me why their school was better. ITS SO HARD TO DECIDE! and I am scared that I will make the wrong choice.

 

I definitely recommend contacting current students though - all the students I have talked to have been really honest and have given me great inside information that will help me in which ever school I choose. I even used info from one student about the TA assignment process to ask about how likely it was that I would get the assignment I wanted (with a popular Prof) and that assignment has been promised to me along with an office in the lab that I want.

 

Are any of you finding that other peoples opinions and advice are making your decision harder and not easier? 

 

Finally, I guess we should be lucky that we are in this position to be choosing between programs - I hope that everyone who dreams of attending grad school will get to live that dream

I call for a name change, from Coach04 to FirstClass04

[EastCoasting]

NA

Edited March 12, 2015 by EastCoasting

[SeanDDavies]

YES to all! I love this thread! I agree to everything Mastershaakti said

[TheMercySeat]

 

Are any of you finding that other peoples opinions and advice are making your decision harder and not easier? 

 

Yes and no!

 

The opinions and dynamics of other students make it glaringly obvious which program are cliquey, how happy the students are, and so on. 

 

My colleagues stress reputation, networking, etc., which makes things extremely hard for me because the institution that has the most to offer in that regard is in an undesirable location. There are no guarantees that I will get a rock star job* even with the benefits of good networking anyway, and so I am apprehensive to move to an extremely undesirable location to go to a particular institution with the belief that it will make me more employable. 

 

*I work with PhD-level ivy leaguers who have seen a lot of unemployment and underemployment in their graduating classes. 

Edited March 13, 2015 by TheMercySeat

[mb712]

 

 

Are any of you finding that other peoples opinions and advice are making your decision harder and not easier? 

 

 

Up until yesterday I felt like this. A couple times I wanted to tell people to stop giving opinions because it was just making me stressed. Then I went into the office of a mentor and basically word vomited for an hour, we talked about how I felt about the two programs I'm deciding between and he offered great advice after we did some additional research on various aspects of each school.

 

 

 

Finally, I guess we should be lucky that we are in this position to be choosing between programs - I hope that everyone who dreams of attending grad school will get to live that dream

 

Based on what I said above, in addition to this quote I also feel unbelievably lucky I have people I can talk to about this decision. Basically, I am spoiled rotten haha.