haltheincandescent Posted January 21, 2016 Posted January 21, 2016 (edited) First, congrats @johnnycomelately!! Second, I second what's already been said about "tell me a bit about yourself," but to add: you definitely don't want to entirely re-hash your application materials/SoP, but as with the SoP, you'll want to think out a similar--yet shortened and simplified, obviously--narrative of yourself and your research interests. As with the SoP, you don't want to get too personal, go into the "as a child" sort of thing, but here I think you can be a bit more informal, and talk about yourself as a human being--after all, interviews are about getting to see more about you than just your academic accomplishments--which you've already given them--so, you want to be you, for sure (but also always connecting it back to your reason for applying to that particular school). Edited January 21, 2016 by haltheincandescent
Neist Posted January 21, 2016 Posted January 21, 2016 17 minutes ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said: Also, real talk... what do you say in an interview when asked "Tell me about yourself?" I tell them about myself? This question never really stirred up fear in me, but I've been managing people for the last decade, so I've asked and sat through that question hundreds of times. I'm probably not the best person to answer this. Sorry. 17 minutes ago, haltheincandescent said: From what I can tell from these boards, I think most humanities/social sciences programs notify a little later than the hard/life sciences, etc.--& especially those that don't do interviews. My one solid acceptance is surprisingly early--for mine that don't interview, late Feb/early March is about when they say they'll send out decisions. Same here. My one acceptance was very, very early. A week after the deadline, in fact, but that application had been submitted for probably a month before then. The program I was accepted into is a good program (Drexel STS), but the funding is on the weak aside, and Drexel certainly isn't a cheap school. Hope I get some funded offers, otherwise I might be stuck between taking out a lot of loans or not going to grad school. Or waiting until next cycle, I guess. 5 minutes ago, johnnycomelately said: I have been silently waiting and agonizing along with you all. So first congrats to all with good news-be it interviews or acceptances. I thought I would go mad from anxiety, and that I would be resoundingly rejected from all 5 programs--I spent the last few weeks/months agonizing over my low quant score, an irritating typo in one SOP, leaving a sentence in my writing sample that read "black-and-shite" instead of black-and-white--and yet, as I checked my email this morning I was struck dumb to find out that I have been "recommended for admission with full funding" to an amazing program with amazing an equally amazing advisor. Congrats! I imagine a lot of these programs read through so many applications that even they miss some of the typos. Once, when I was hiring a new batch of employees at my job, someone had left in several paragraphs of 'greeked' text in their cover letter. Whoops!
hippyscientist Posted January 21, 2016 Posted January 21, 2016 2 minutes ago, Neist said: Once, when I was hiring a new batch of employees at my job, someone had left in several paragraphs of 'greeked' text in their cover letter. Whoops! What do you mean by greeked text? I'm imagining they just switched to ancient greek halfway through....
Neist Posted January 21, 2016 Posted January 21, 2016 (edited) 5 minutes ago, piglet33 said: What do you mean by greeked text? I'm imagining they just switched to ancient greek halfway through.... It's placeholder text used in graphic design (I'm sure in other things as well) that helps with page layout if you do not have a body of composed text yet available. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greeking That's esoteric thing I know #82. I know a lot of esoteric things. Edited January 21, 2016 by Neist Typos... hippyscientist 1
Pink Fuzzy Bunny Posted January 21, 2016 Posted January 21, 2016 (edited) I wish I would've asked that question to you guys months ago before any interviews. I've always bombed that question Thanks! I'm not sure why this is such a slow week for acceptances/rejections for physics. Gah! Edited January 21, 2016 by Pink Fuzzy Bunny
nevermind Posted January 21, 2016 Posted January 21, 2016 52 minutes ago, Neist said: It's placeholder text used in graphic design (I'm sure in other things as well) that helps with page layout if you do not have a body of composed text yet available. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greeking That's esoteric thing I know #82. I know a lot of esoteric things. Not sure how "esoteric" it is (although I suppose if you don't work in advertising or the like, it could be). I work with graphic designers every day and we use "lorem ipsum" for placeholder copy while we work on content strategy (and while I generate a list of copy assets), especially for digital.
123hardasABC Posted January 21, 2016 Posted January 21, 2016 3 hours ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said: I wish I would've asked that question to you guys months ago before any interviews. I've always bombed that question Thanks! I'm not sure why this is such a slow week for acceptances/rejections for physics. Gah! I wish you did too. My interview is tomorrow and I don't know if I have a good answer to that.... WHO AM I?!?!
katpillow Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 @7-11 Coffee I just want to say that I appreciate how many schools you applied to. That's a lot of work to put in!
123hardasABC Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 2 minutes ago, katpillow said: @7-11 Coffee I just want to say that I appreciate how many schools you applied to. That's a lot of work to put in! You're one to talk.... O_O
katpillow Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 Just now, 123hardasABC said: You're one to talk.... O_O That was my facial expression by the time I hit 'submit' for the last time. Lately it's become more and more of a ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ as I wait for responses.
Pink Fuzzy Bunny Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 (edited) Lately, I've been more of a (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ JUST REMEMBER GUYS. YOU ARE NOT AN APPLICANT. YOU ARE AN APPLICAN! Edited January 22, 2016 by Pink Fuzzy Bunny Lexie16, Neist, 123hardasABC and 4 others 7
sjoh197 Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 12 minutes ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said: Lately, I've been more of a (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ JUST REMEMBER GUYS. YOU ARE NOT AN APPLICANT. YOU ARE AN APPLICAN! Oh god.... It's so bad its good.
7-11 Coffee Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 32 minutes ago, katpillow said: That was my facial expression by the time I hit 'submit' for the last time. Lately it's become more and more of a ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ as I wait for responses. That aptly summarizes my sentiments! As a joke to my friends, I say I had a better chance of winning the $1.6 billion powerball than getting into any of my schools. Punchline is I did not even buy a lottery ticket katpillow 1
123hardasABC Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 17 minutes ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said: JUST REMEMBER GUYS. YOU ARE NOT AN APPLICANT. YOU ARE AN APPLICAN! Oh my god. I love you.
anthrostudentcyn Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 @7-11 Coffee and @katpillow If I may ask, were your recommenders ok with so many schools, or did you break it up by more recommenders? I applied to maybe a third of what you both applied to and I always felt like I was annoying my recommenders by asking them for so many.
Pink Fuzzy Bunny Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 (edited) Well.... tonight was the first time I saw a round of acceptances go out to a school I applied to, and didn't get one. Can I join the pity party? Edit: I just realized how arrogant this sounds. But 95% of physics admissions decisions haven't been sent out yet.... it's just the beginning of the season for us. I'm not some amazeballs applicant (*applican) who got one rejection and was sad... it's the first of many for me Edit #2: I JUST REALIZED THAT THE EAST COAST GETTING BUCKETS OF SNOW MAY AFFECT ADMISSIONS DECISIONS IF IT CLOSES UNIVERSITIES Edited January 22, 2016 by Pink Fuzzy Bunny
7-11 Coffee Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 17 minutes ago, anthrostudentcyn said: @7-11 Coffee and @katpillow them may ask, were your recommenders ok wit h so many schools, or did you break it up by more recommenders? I applied to maybe a third of what you both applied to and I always felt like I was annoying my recommenders by asking them for so many. I had seven. I spread them out except for one person, who agreed to do all. In the end about 5 of my applications did not have complete LORS. One even had a "recommender has begun but not completed" status (after I sent several reminders).
Neist Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 2 hours ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said: Lately, I've been more of a (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ JUST REMEMBER GUYS. YOU ARE NOT AN APPLICANT. YOU ARE AN APPLICAN! You deserve a cookie for this one. And you should become a motivational speaker, too. 28 minutes ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said: Edit: I just realized how arrogant this sounds. But 95% of physics admissions decisions haven't been sent out yet.... it's just the beginning of the season for us. I'm not some amazeballs applicant (*applican) who got one rejection and was sad... it's the first of many for me Edit #2: I JUST REALIZED THAT THE EAST COAST GETTING BUCKETS OF SNOW MAY AFFECT ADMISSIONS DECISIONS IF IT CLOSES UNIVERSITIES My schools are the same. I'm not even stressed about them, but I am rather bored of waiting. It's like getting a haircut. All you can do is sit there until its done. I always hated haircuts.
Pink Fuzzy Bunny Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 10 minutes ago, Neist said: My schools are the same. I'm not even stressed about them, but I am rather bored of waiting. It's like getting a haircut. All you can do is sit there until its done. I always hated haircuts. I agree. I have a great offer from a great school, so now that my life isn't hanging in the balance, I'm just annoyed. And like you said, bored with this very expensive haircut.
nevermind Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 I just got my first interview request for tomorrow. I didn't expect to be this nervous! ahhhh.
acciodoctorate Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 Super fun update: As a native North Carolinian, yes, east coast schools are closing tomorrow. So I can count on continuing to not hear anything from those schools forever. It's cool, I'll self-medicate by rewatching Buffy for the thousandth time.
hippyscientist Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 Just now, underwater said: It's cool, I'll self-medicate by rewatching Buffy for the thousandth time. Buffy is life right now. It is the sustenance that is keeping me going through this waiting. acciodoctorate 1
acciodoctorate Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 1 minute ago, piglet33 said: Buffy is life right now. It is the sustenance that is keeping me going through this waiting. Season six finale right now. It's getting to the point where I can quote every episode, which is probably a bad thing.
hippyscientist Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 Just now, underwater said: Season six finale right now. It's getting to the point where I can quote every episode, which is probably a bad thing. See I've never seen Buffy (I had a repressed childhood - i was banned from any all sci-fi/fantasy/cartoons/animations so I'm spending my adult years catching up) and am 3/4 way through season 2. I do love it though and find myself humming the theme song frequently
acciodoctorate Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 Just now, piglet33 said: See I've never seen Buffy (I had a repressed childhood - i was banned from any all sci-fi/fantasy/cartoons/animations so I'm spending my adult years catching up) and am 3/4 way through season 2. I do love it though and find myself humming the theme song frequently You'll love it! Season 3 is my favorite.
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