Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with graduate

Any opinions on graduate schools of banking?

glenngulia — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:50:56 -0800

Is attending a graduate school of banking worthwhile? I am referring to programs such as Stonier, LSU, Wisconsin, Colorado, etc. These are programs where you attend classes for a week or two each summer for three summers plus monthly projects done on your own time during the two years between the three summer sesssions.

The target students are VP-level and up employees in the finacial services industry. They are not prohibitively expensive, as I assume the total cost would easily be covered by most employers' tuition reimburesment programs.

I am just curious as to how these are viewed in the industry, especially when someone has this degree without any other graduate degrees (e.g. MBA) or designations (e.g. CFA).

Returning to grad school after 2 year hiatus

molamola — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:22:58 -0800

So I'm beginning a statistics PhD program this fall and I'm concerned that my math skills have gotten rusty since I haven't done anything related for the past two years. I've been working as an actuary since I graduated college but I don't do that much math--mostly a lot of programming. Has anybody been in a similar situation to me? How was the adjustment for you? I'm considering retaking advanced calculus and linear algebra during my first year (probably next summer before I take 2nd year advanced courses) just to refresh myself again. I'm aware some people may think this is kind of pathetic but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Besides, it's only my first year. Is this frowned upon? P.S. I'm doing stats grad school because
1) I want to become a stats professor or get more interesting roles in industry,
2) it's the best chance I have to explore interdisciplinary problems involving biology and finance, and
3) I don't enjoy being an actuary...

Saving money for a PhD program

molamola — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 15:10:32 -0800

Hi everyone, I'm entering a PhD program in statistics starting this August. I just finished off paying CC debt a month ago so I'm now starting to save up some money before I head out to California to start the program. I'm fully funded, but I was thinking about saving $9000-11000 before my program starts (I currently work at a 65k/yr job). Has anybody else done something similar, and if so, could he/she tell me about how having some money buffer changed the grad student experience? My other option would be, since I'm fully funded, enjoying my time traveling and doing fun stuff for a bit. Then I'd probably have a good 5000 to 7000 saved up instead of around 10000. Just wanted to see your thoughts. What would YOU do?

How to stay motivated as a 20-something facing years of MORE school?

sunnychef88 — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 13:43:46 -0800

Problem is that I'm losing steam at this point, facing many more years of school ahead of me if I'm accepted into professional school. How I can shake the feelings of uncertaintly as I keep plugging away? I'm surrounded by college-aged students, and constantly getting updates from my peers via social media with whom I graduated who are living out their mid 20s in style, galavanting around NYC, traveling the world doing stuff like Peace Corps, dating people... doing all of these things I feel like I'm missing out on, and will miss out on for the next 5 years should I get into medical school. Won't I be in my early 30s by the time I finish school and get married? Isn't it time to start a family then, with no opportunity to live abroad or go out and have those great experiences you can only have when you're young and in your prime? As a woman, I'm anxious about the decison I'm making, and how being a physician will play out with finding a husband and starting a family.

I'm in my mid 20s, pursuing a second Bachelor's in order to complete required coursework for applying to med school. I have a first Bachelor's degree from a prestigious school that ended up being useless, although the intangibles, connections I made, and personal growth I took away from the experience that that academic were invaluable, and will help me to achieve my goal of being a physician. After shadowing a doctor, I realized I can't see myself doing anything else. Every day there will be novel cases to deal with, new people to talk to, new problems requiring innovative solutions... it's all a recipe for not being bored, and helping people out in a huge way, incorporating science and a love of your fellow man.

Not that I'm much of a partier at all. I would rather invent recipes or refashion t-shirts, or get lost in a book than have a night out at a bar or club. I have deep, meaningful friendships with many women, and find them immensely fulfilling. I would really like to date a guy, and I do get hit on quite a bit, but I've never been a fan of the casual hook up culture. Dating seriously doesn't seem to be feasible right now being in this town for only another year or so, with most college-aged guys not looking for what I'm looking for. It would be a huge emotional distraction, too. I get can overthink things easily when it comes to relationships. Perhaps it comes with the sensitive introspective artist territory.

Maybe this feeling wouldn't be so tough to deal with if I weren't pulled in so many directions by my talents and exploratory, inquisitive nature. If I were inept with language and visual-spatial perception, and instead, brilliant with sequential, logical thought.... if I weren't a "people" person... if were a more efficient worker, not having to explore all the nuances of whatever particularly interesting assignment I'm given... I might not feel so restless.

This all sounds totally self-involved and whiny, I know. Woe is me, right?! Man, I sure wish things were harder for me to grasp and I was socially awkward, jeez. It would be so awesome having to work multiple jobs, live on my own, and deal with all this stress! Yes, I have it really good, relatively speaking. We each have our own cross to bear, though.

Hoping that someone else who has faced a similar situation in their 20s can give me some advice on how to deal with these feelings of uncertainty. I work hard and am humble, realizing how good I have it, and how everything could take a turn for the worst tomorrow. However, no amount of rational thought seems to be helping.

Health insurance subsidy?

Aanidaani — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 09:56:58 -0800

My wife and I are both graduate students living on about $30k a year in southeastern Pennsylvania. We're about to turn 26 and will be losing our health insurance coverage through our parents. Does the state of Pennsylvania or the government offer any sort of subsidies or vouchers to help us purchase our own insurance? My wife and I are turning 26 and so will have to buy our own health insurance soon. Fortunately I'm covered through my Ph.D. program, but my wife in the humanities isn't so lucky. We'd like to keep our costs down as low as possible, so we're looking for any governmental assistance we could get. Does anyone know of a program that could help us pay for our health insurance? Thanks guys!

ADHD & Graduate studies

b33j — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 01:35:26 -0800

I have (late-diagnosed) ADHD & I've just become a graduate student. I'm medicated, and under the care of professionals. This question is about best methodologies in graduate studies, particularly in remembering research I've read. My memory sucks. For example, when I visit my doctor or psychiatrist, who I've seen multiple times before, I need to check their address, and floor, multiple times, on the way. (I know what street they're on, all my health providers are on the same street). I am an excellent problem solver but retaining information is problematic.

I have just started a graduate diploma in research (in the field of Education - not my undergraduate degree area, but I've worked as a research assistant in this area for at least 5 years, because I have so many different skills, and I met a bunch of up and coming academics in this field 10 years ago and they recognised my diverse skills and smarts).

I have to learn qualitative & quantitative methodologies, do a lit review, a different annotated bibliography, and then in second semester, a dissertation.

My current systems for conquering work include using Google calendar to remind me to come back to things (once they're off my desk, they're gone for ever, unless something reminds me) as well as a physical diary system (personally designed daily pages to remind me to do things, times of the day to do things and task list on each page). If this seems like overkill to you, I have to tell you, it works for me and is necessary. My personal diary system is in a little hole punched folder (A5) where I keep passwords, phone numbers, prescriptions, books to read, ideas, and so on. As well as that, I use my iPhone heaps, I make notes in meetings and email them to myself. (Notes in notebooks tend to get lost, as do notebooks).

So, I'm going to read up on what a lit review is, what an annotated bibliography is, and what a dissertation is. What I want to know is, as a grad students, what methods did you utilise to draw together complex ideas AND maintain referencing (as an undergrad, when writing a paper, I would say something I thought was right and then look for an article that supported me - I'm doing it in the opposite direction now).

I don't need suggestions on how to find articles (I'm very good at that). It's collating the data in a way that
a. will make sense,
b. will be easy & hopefully fun to use,
c. will mean I don't accidentally plagiarise someone by having read them and then forgotten that I've read that idea and think of it as my own.
d. will collect the data, ideas etc, in a way that I can use easily to pull together reports etc.

Feel free to be innovative - for example, I know about mind maps but I don't know if they can hold all the information I'm going to need to pull together. The learning curve on any (free) software can be steep but short. I have collected a zillion PDFs already and have PDF annotator software on my ipad, and Adobe Acrobat on my PC. I use Endnote.

I have plenty of wall space for post it notes.

Making the Most of a Full-time MPP Program

pinterecki — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 13:04:09 -0800

I recently accepted an offer for a spot in a full time MPP program from a very decent, non-Ivy school. My funding (per an assistantship or researcher position) reduces the total tuition to approximately $3000, and the program provides an allowance for an unpaid or poorly paid summer internship. I have enough money saved to avoid going into debt if I work part time. I want to offset the opportunity costs of two years outside of work by making myself as employable as possible. I do not have a stipend to cover costs of living, but I have sufficient savings to graduate without going into debt and a good chance of getting a relevant part time job as a project coordinator with a nearby nonprofit due to past professional experiences and networking. I'm currently looking for additional scholarships and finding very few geared towards MPPs (any advice would be appreciated).

I'm 27. My undergraduate major was English and my GPA was 3.2, which explains why I did not get a full ride and (I think) why it would not be a good idea to hold off in the hopes of a better offer. I spent a year teaching English in Korea and decided that it provided little in the way of stimulation or career prospects, so I left it with the knowledge that I could always come back to it.

I started working as an entry level payment analyst for a decent company. The pay (28K per year, not including overtime) urged me to apply for other jobs within the company and outside of it, but the results were negligible (a few interviews and a lot of no-responses). I started to take community college classes in statistics and economics using our company's tuition reimbursement plan, and also began volunteering with several community ESL groups as a process coordinator and program manager.

I did this to improve myself first, to further my career prospects second, and to help the community third. I wanted to emphasize that order because, although I'm very interested in programs and institutions slated to advance the standards of living for a wide demographic, I think it's also important to portray myself as a person interested in personal and professional advancement if I'm going to get useful answers.

I've researched the positions which interest me, but I'm not limiting myself to them because of what I assume will be intense competition for employment and the likelihood that I will encounter additional organizations fulfilling similar purposes. The MPP program is three hours outside of D.C., which is probably where I would like to end up, and makes trips to the city on Fridays for lectures, policy seminars and networking. With that said, the following employers appeal to me; with the exceptions of SIGTARP, specific NGOs and specific non-profits, my program has placed its graduates into jobs within these organizations:

U.S. Department of State: Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement or FSO (Economics Cone)
GAO
SIGTARP
The World Bank
Think Tanks focusing on anti-corruption measures (please suggest some)
Watchdog Groups focusing on anti-corruption measures (please suggest some)
The Open Society Institute or one of its associated programs (please suggest more)
Transparency International Secretariat or one of its associated programs (please suggest more)
The Mines Advisory Group or one of its associated programs (please suggest more)
Danish Church Aid, Amnesty International, and organizations like them (please suggest more)
D.C. Based Consulting Firms

As you can see, I'm shooting for the moon. Wait until you see my personal and academic goals below. At present, my primary goal is to narrow my focus and minimize my risk through advice from the community. With that said, please help me plan my academic and professional schedules so that

I will be able to:

1.Graduate near the top of my class with publications in hand
2.Network effectively to ensure interviews, internships, and job prospects
3.Select relevant courses emphasizing hard skills (statistics and statistics software, econometrics, modeling)
4.Continue to develop soft skills (leadership, program management, process coordination)

and I'd also like to:

1.Begin a mutual fund, money-market, or otherwise useful investment to complement my IRA
2.Learn to code in a useful language
3.Take a 3 sequence Calculus series, Linear Algebra, and Real Analysis classes (or something similar to improve the chances of a.) acceptance to MSc programs for Statistics or b.) passing actuarial exams.)
4.Earn a PMI or Six Sigma certification

and it would be nice to:

1.Improve my Flamenco
2.Advance from intermediate Spanish to working fluency and pick up another language
3.Continue to train for triathlons and MMA
4.Eat a lot of Indian and Thai food.

Still reading? Here are the minimum elective courses I would like to take aside from the required core module (please offer advice to round out potential gaps in skills):

1.Cross Section Econometrics.
2.Time Series Econometrics.
3.International Trade: Theory and Policy.
4.Forecasting Methods and Applications
5.International Trade Law
6.Operations Research: Deterministic Models
7.Operations Research: Stochastic Models

Final word: I've been thinking about this program for a long time, and I'm trying to do my best to prepare myself for a quantitative focus by re-learning calculus before matriculating. If you have any advice as to which additional community college courses I should take in the summer interim between now and starting the program (and the summer interim during my internship), I'm all ears. Please keep in mind that I'll be working full time.

It's difficult not to see this program as a second chance for a shot at a stable, stimulating career that pays more than $50k per year. Because of this, I worry that I may be avoiding acknowledgement of the opportunity costs incurred by enrolling- I'd like to hear that side of the argument as well.

Thanks in advance,

pintereski

Economics Grad school?

Geppp — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:03:27 -0800

What are my chances of getting into a decent economics grad program with a math degree with a "meh" GPA (3.2ish), a law degree with a pretty good GPA (3.7+), and a high GRE quantitative score (790)? Also, how much does the prestige (rank) of grad program matter in the economics field? I've decided that I want to get a PhD in economics after I complete law school (I don't want to be a lawyer, just an economist and an academic). Here are my credentials:

1. If all goes well, I should graduate law school next spring with a pretty decent GPA of at least 3.7. The school itself is not the best, though (ranked in the 50s).

2. I graduated college with a degree math in 2010, but my overall GPA was not terribly great, hovering a little over 3.2. My math grades varied depending on what classes I took, with A's linear algebra, all the calcs, and real analysis, but with B's/C's in the more theoretical classes, like combinatorics and set theory (I was a little out of my league there).

3. Prior to graduating college, I took the GRE and got a 790/560 quantitative/verbal. I sort of want to retake the GRE to get that perfect quantitative score, and probably significantly up my verbal as well.

4. While I technically don't have any formal economics background, I figure my understanding of economics is at least as good as your average college economics graduate (I spend 90% of my free time studying economics at this point).

With the above (especially my middling GPA), I feel that I'm probably out of the running for the top of the top of grad schools (your Chicagos, Harvards, and Yales). But what are my chances of getting into a less awesome, but still probably pretty good program (top 25, the Johns Hopkins and Dukes maybe?). Also, if my ultimate goal is to be an academic, how important is school prestige? Is it worth it to get a PhD from a 2nd-tier, or even lower ranked, school? Any other insights and personal experiences are also greatly appreciated

Tips for staying motivated in Grad School

Archibald Edmund Binns — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:42:22 -0800

Two years into a Ph.D. program in the biological science (in the US) and I am in a lab doing research. The lab I'm in takes a hand-off approach to our research, so much of the motivation to do projects must come from me. Unfortunately I'm the kind of person who needs deadlines and strong guidance, and without these two things I've begun to drift a little. Any tips for keeping my eyes on the prize and staying immersed in my field? I've tried instituting 'do nothing but read literature Friday' and 'new experiment Monday' but I quickly revert to doing the bare minimum. I care about what I'm doing, but if I'm not working hard on something I start to care less about it. I don't want to be here for seven years! My PI is supportive and relatively easy to get a hold of, but he's also very busy with other things.

How often is too often to bug a company MD about a job?

fearnothing — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 12:53:17 -0800

MD said he would talk to me about a graduate position opening up this year. Haven't heard anything yet and I do not want to let this one slip through my fingers. How communicative should I be, and by what means? Before Christmas I heard about a graduate job coming up in my field, in the town I'm doing my degree in. Not only is it exactly the work I want to do, it's also in a town I've come to like a lot, staying here would be awesome. So I contacted them, the MD called me back (it's a small outfit) and asked me to send him my CV and that we could talk about it sometime over a coffee.

So I sent it, then things got busy and Christmas came and went. I left a message with the secretary a couple of weeks ago saying I was back in town and would the MD like to meet up for that coffee. Obviously since I'm asking this I haven't heard anything back.

Should I:
a) Call again
b) Email
c) Shut up and wait patiently
d) insert your alternative here, with kittens

Master's in Developmental Psychology at full price

Rock 'em Sock 'em — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 07:59:26 -0800

Convince me not to get a Master's degree. I'm looking into a program at Columbia which would be at full price, which is not cheap. I'd like you to convince me not to attend, or tell me why it's a good idea after all. 1. I love psychology and have for years. My dream has been a PhD in Clinical Psychology, doing research. I have no research experience or upper-level psychology, though, so applying to PhD programs isn't possible.

2. Even if I stop at the Master's, I think it would be helpful in marketing myself in other contexts. I live in NYC and have long been planning a consulting business for parents, the details are a trade secret, but a master's from a prestigious school would boost my credibility enormously.

3. My job now is fine, but I'm dying of boredom and it has no long-term viability as a career.

4. I have no idea what the job market is like for this degree, and Master's degrees in general don't add to earning power.

5. I could cobble together classes at a CUNY for cheaper and boost my PhD chances that way, but the bureaucracy and scheduling challenges have stymied my attempts at it for years at this point. I think I need a more structured program. On the other hand, it's almost 5 times cheaper.

6. Childcare is a fixed cost for 4 more years or so, but his father can now budget so that he is covering it all himself and is willing to do so. His employment is stable.

Thoughts?

Disclose sibling graduate school attendance?

c'mon sea legs — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 21:07:58 -0800

My sibling is at the same graduate school to which I'm applying (she PhD, me Master's for now). The application asks how I learned about the program. Mention the family connection? We are in the same field: think postmodern literature and medieval literature, so not a lot of coursework overlap but the same overall interest. My sister has stated that the departments are pretty separate. This is a very good school I'd apply to anyway, and one of the top in my field of study. My sister and I are not daily-contact close, but love one another and I'm prioritizing this school not only for academics but because she is pregnant and I would like to be around to help when the baby comes. Obviously I wouldn't go into that level of detail in a brief application, but is it likely to help or hurt my application to mention that my sister is at the school? Possibly relevant: I live across the country right now, so she would be my only connection in the area. If this were a job I'd be moving cross-country for, I'd mention it for sure, but my instinct is that it might give the wrong impression about why I'm applying.

PSR worker looking for career change

neanderloid — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 19:04:39 -0800

Hi There. I am currently working in Idaho state as a PSR Worker. I do skills training in the public school system and with kids in the community. I enjoy working with children tremendously. I would do PSR forever, but it pays very little and there are no benefits (I work for a private agency) and I would like to find a career path that offers better pay, health insurance and a retirement plan. It would be a plus for a broad field. I am not disagreeable to the idea of pursuing additional education. Any suggestions for occupations with similar skills and duties that pay decently? (30K/year starting is totally acceptable) Thanks for reading this post and have a great day. Other info:
1. I have considered getting an MSW, but I am concerned that low pay would not justify the student loans I would accrue in the process if obtaining the degree/credentials.

2. I have considered pursuing a career in teaching, but I am uncertain whether large class sizes would be something I could handle effectively. (If there are jobs in teaching with small groups of elementary aged kids, let me know and I will research this some more.)

3. I have considered nursing as well, but it seems like the field is becoming flooded with new candidates, making the jobs difficult to find.

Yet another financial advice question

table — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 15:56:22 -0800

I need some advice about career plans, graduate studies and whether to rent or to own. Mostly in the financial context but also, of the bigger picture view -- am I being overly optimistic, am I too focused on career? I graduated in 2005 with a bachelors in science and started working as a programmer in the financial industry. Along the way, I grew to dislike the technical work and especially the culture, and decided I'll be much happier working closer to the business side. I now work in an analytical role that's between the technical and business sides (read: middle office) and enjoy the work and the fit.

I like where I am for the time being but I know that in one or two more years, I'll grow restless and want a more challenging job to learn more. Compared to the people I meet and work with (and where I have some ideas about working next), I have the soft-skills and technical skills but lack the strong financial background.

I started pursuing the CFA designation last year to fill in that gap but I find the syllabus and its study mechanical, lacking in substance and frankly, lonely. I'll write the second exam this coming June but I think graduate studies will fill my needs better.

Between an MBA and an MFin (master of finance), I've landed on the MFin and on a very specific program in my city. I've met the program director, the recruitment team, audited a full class, interviewed the current cohort, met with a program graduate, and the impression all around has been solid. Plus, the average student is 30 and established compared to the typical MBA student. I am ready to submit my application and am reasonably sure of gaining admission. The downside is that it's a two year part-time program and will cost me $45K each year.

In between all this, I am the only one amongst all my friends, younger and older, that is renting in this era of low interest rates. Some of my older friends have even confided to me that they have bought investment condos. (And they have young kids too.) I have no great desire to own my home but I do have great desire to not be financially stupid. Continuing to rent will not leave me in ruins but I think I might be foolish to continue when interest rates will remain low until the US economy recovers (read: reach full employment in the Federal Reserve's view).

Lastly, relevant facts:

I am 30, single, male and a visible minority

I have no debt other than the credit cards that I pay in full monthly

I have cash savings of $15K, an investment portfolio of $95K and an incentive of $30K should I stay with my employer for another two years

I also have tax sheltered investments of $80K that I cannot draw until I retire (or with extreme penalty)

of my after-tax net income: a third goes to rent, a third goes to savings & investments and the rest is spent

my parents are in their late sixties and in good health and I do not need to support them financially for the time being

minor note: my monthly contributions to savings and investments have a tax reducing effect so if I instead use this cashflow to pay off tuition, my taxes payable actually increases

My concerns:

I don't expect a huge salary increase for completing a masters degree. I am doing it for my own fulfillment and to access more opportunities than I would otherwise have. The ROI in cash terms is actually quite low. And I've met a lot of people who are doing or have done the tech to financial career path change so my skills are by no means unique. Am I pursuing graduate studies for the right reason, especially in these economic times?
Since the 2008/2009 crisis, I've focused a lot on the career side of things to make unemployment less likely and have built up considerable savings in case I do get laid off. Friends around my age have instead focused on building home equity and starting families. Part-time graduate studies on top of full time work will only make my dating life, nevermind a steady relationship, harder. Am I focusing too much on the wrong things?

Finally, am I stupid for renting and maintaining an investment portfolio?

Are international MBAs or other MA's taken seriously in the US

Wazooga — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 11:36:57 -0800

How accredited are international MBAs or other graduate degrees in the US? I am naturalized US citizen who also has an EU citizenship on account of my birth, this allows me to attend schools in certain countries at free tuition. I am interested in attending a graduate school in the kingdom of Denmark in particular (because I always wanted to live there). Is this a worthy investment ifI live in NYC, have access to decent schools here, and plan on returning here?

afterwards or somewhere else in the US? Bear in mind I have always wanted to live in Denmark and feel this will be an excellent opportunity to do so while receiving a free education, not to mention establish an international business presence. 1. Will this screw my employability back home in America or add value? 2. Can you think of any other countries well seen in the US except for England?

I appreciate any feedback. Thank you and happy new year's!

A pair of grad school admission questions. Recomendation request, now? How are my psyc GRE scores?

Che boludo! — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 17:28:32 -0800

Two parter to grad school admission. 1. With the semester ending last week, yet Xmas upon us, is it the best possible time or worst possible time to ask a professor for a recommendation? I have a deadline of Feb. 15th to join her program and until March for another couple programs I will apply to.

2. Help me interpret my GRE psychology subject score. I had posted this back in November regarding scores. and I was shooting for a bare minimum 700 (approx 80 percentile) (I had a terrible allergy attack the morning of the test which I'm sure hurt my score.) 670 (66th percentile) was my score. Fairly mediocre, here is the scoring guide. However I scored in the 96th percentile on the social psyc subscore and 59th in the experimental subscore. I know the subject exam is considered one of the best predictors of graduate school performance and according to this I seem to show promise on the social side. Will admissions take into account my extremely high subscore or just the less than stellar total?

Thanks all!

I want it all, I want it all, I want it all and I want it now.

fearnothing — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 15:10:56 -0800

Help me talk about salaries to a potential employer! Snowflakes inside! So, I'm in the final year of my Forensic Computing degree and I've been throwing out a few feelers for jobs already. One came up on my radar for a company literally around the corner from my University - fantastic! I'd love to stay in the area. The company's a very small (half a dozen employees), highly versatile business involved in technology investigation and consulting (digital forensics, incident response, intellectual property rights and a few other things).

Today I had a phone call with the MD who outlined the kind of work they do on a day-to-day basis; it's extremely varied and calls for a lot of lateral and analytical thinking. There's no real routine because it's highly dependent on the contract they're working on at the time. He told me that up until now he'd recruited from industry, and that the current position was the first graduate he was looking for, so he still hadn't pinned down the position's salary.

He asked me to contact him with my CV (resumé) and a covering letter and said if I had a good idea of what ballpark figure a graduate like myself might expect, that I should include that too. I have a reasonable idea, but I want to make sure I'm not shooting myself in the foot by aiming for the moon (please excuse the mixing metaphors!).

Pertinent details:

I have much more experience than most graduates, including 3 1/2 years in two different technical support roles and 1 year undergraduate placement as a forensic analyst

I have expert witness training and have appeared in court as an expert witness

I am getting excellent grades and if I miss a 1st class degree, it won't be by much

The job is located in the North West of England.

Both of us had just attended a talk by a manager at PriceWaterhouseCoopers who described a similar role at PWC with a graduate salary of £32,000

A similar company in the south of England, CCL Forensics, recruited a friend of mine with a 1st class Honours degree on a salary of £33,000

The company in the North I did my placement at employs computer forensic examiners on a salary of approx £20,000 - but the position I am applying for requires a lot more flexibility and adaptability from the sound of it

How do I gently ask my professors to send in the letters of rec they agreed to write? T

TRUELOTUS — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 09:17:21 -0800

How do I gently ask my professors to send in the letters of rec they agreed to write? They are past the deadline I gave them . And, I am freaking out bc my applications cannot be reviewed by grad schools until the letters are sent in. What makes things more complicated for me is the fact that I just asked my profs in Jan for these letters, and I did ask them to save the letters. Well, I did not receive generous aid packages, so I am reapplying to another school which could fully fund me. so this is a huge deal! So I asked them again in October to resubmit the letters, and it makes me feel bad like I am burdening and bothering them, but now i am anxious that i don't have the letters. This is very worrisome to me because I do not want my application to not be submitted in time, and there are early application deadlines that I need to meet in order to be considered for merit awards

Advice on Thank-you for meeting a Prof

TRUELOTUS — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 11:43:19 -0800

I just met with a grad prof and want to send her a note to thank her. I am not sure how long it should be or how much detail to go into. I really want to impress her so that I can get an assistantship with her.

Really GRE Psychology Subject Exam scores? Really?

Che boludo! — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 15:06:25 -0800

Are these really the average scores for the Psych GRE? 577 at Master's level and 633 at the doctoral level. I'm taking the psych subject exam on Saturday and I came across this statement, "The average score on Psychology subject test is 577 at Master's level and 633 at Doctoral level." These seem soooo low. I pulled this from Wikipedia which pulled this from the Psi Chi website. Everywhere I've read is that 650 is the minimum score that might get you into a decent program, however 700 is really what you should be shooting for.

I'm going for a masters. I scored 610 on my first practice exam without any real psychology experience or test preparation. I'm assuming I should do pretty well after putting in some study time.

These stats are making me fell pretty good but I just am having trouble believing them. I suppose there are a ton of shoddy and easy to enter programs and their grads out there pulling down the scores. Am I misunderstanding something?

What do you guys think or have found from experience?

Unsure graduate seeking advice on how to improve interview outcomes

mataboy — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 01:57:33 -0800

I'm in my final year of study an have been unsuccessful at interviewing for all the graduate jobs I've applied for. I would appreciate advice from fellow New Zealanders regarding what the correct etiquette is in these situations and how I can best represent myself in interviews. Firstly, I'm not sure how much of the interviewing advice that I see online is applicable to NZ. For example my personality is probably overly reserved and I'm starting to wonder if I'm not doing enough to highlight my achievements. Interviewers usually ask what my biggest achievement is but I can never think of anything outside just being a good person and doing decently at school/uni. What would be a good answer to these types of questions?

My other question is: are employers are supposed to follow up with you even if you were unsuccessful? I had an interview with a pretty big, well known company and they never got back to me even after I emailed them.

The roles I'm applying for are Analytical/programming related. My degree is in Operations Research. I very much appreciate all advice.

Continuing forward from a disappointing, chaotic college experience

Seeking Direction — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 10:08:33 -0800

These were four miserable years, and they were supposed to be the best? I guess the best years still lie ahead of me? Rant warning.

Let's face it, back in high school, they kept promising college would be the best four years of our lives. The awkward cliques and draconian environment of high school would be replaced with freedom and goofy but lovable intellectual professors! You would become the best person you could be and have lots of fun at it! You would get that coveted piece of paper and become a unique candidate for the greatest jobs ever!

Fast forward to my senior year of college. Oh, I should be so excited, shouldn't I? Oh, shouldn't I be enjoying the end of this paradise before I go out into the harsh real world, shouldn't I?

Not exactly. These four years have been (nearly) the worst.

I was a decent student in high school, good enough to attract the attention of many "high-ranked" schools. I picked the best out of those, lusting after the research opportunities, famous graduates, creative philosophical approach to learning, and a support system that would help me "find what I love" (and perhaps I would find WHO I loved?).

And what did I get?

Depression.
Anxiety.
Isolation.
Stress.
Other health problems.
"Advising system" that wouldn't give me the time of day.
Difficult major with limited job opportunities.
A few losses along the way.

You might say, "Well, why didn't you take advantage of everything?" Well, I TRIED AND TRIED AND TRIED. All these stupid health problems got in the way. Yes, I am seeing therapists and doctors.

All those cliques that were supposed to disintegrate after high school? They're still here, even worse than ever - and some are disproportionately large.

It seems like people are here for the wrong reasons - how could this have been the BEST place I got into, and yet these clowns are all here?

I could never find a girlfriend, and people are too focused on intoxicatedly "hooking up", which I don't care for.

I guess I made a few friends here and there, but still found it hard.

GPA is pretty much trashed due to the health problems.

And yet I still have faith. :)

So, my question is, how can I make the most of my life from HERE ON? How do I "look on the bright side of life"? I'll probably be doing some volunteer teaching over the next few years. My goal has been (and sort of still is) medical/dental/law school. I honestly don't care if it takes me ten or even fifteen years - as long as I get there.

In conclusion, how can I ensure that the best years lie AHEAD of me?

How to convey enthusiasm on the job hunt?

bluelights — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 11:47:47 -0800

I just moved to a big city after graduating college in August. I'm not sure exactly what I want to do, and I'm not the most ambitious or confident person, to say the least. I have a somewhat untreated case of ADD, but I don't take my meds anymore; I'm finding coffee and exercise are much better. Anyways, I have gotten two different pieces of negative feedback on my phone behavior with people who had the potential to give me a job; they both basically said I sounded unenthusiastic. What is a good way to remedy this? There's a larger problem here, my lack of confidence and ambition, but I know I can do this... fake it til you make it.

I guess I had thought the phone conversation was more casual, an exchange of information, but I do understand they are screening for whether I'd be a good candidate. The lady I last talked to said more than once "Now, you went to college, right? So (insert something impressive you did/learned)" which really put me on the defensive.

Also, how do I handle the networking from here on out? If people get this kind of feedback, are they still going to want to help me? Or should I just stop expecting it after something like that. I cannot let this job hunt demoralize me or crack my already-fragile self esteem; I need to make this work. I AM intelligent, attractive, engaged, and capable, and in-person I tend to make a good impression.

I have a B.S. in Engineering. How can I get into a great Computer Science PhD program?

EthanAI — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 17:59:40 -0800

I have a B.S. in a mostly unrelated field. How can I work towards getting into the best Computer Science graduate program possible? (My first question here. Sorry for errors.)
I'm a fairly non-traditional student, and I need advice on the best way for me to get into a quality Phd program in computer science.

I'm in my 30's and have a degree in civil engineering. A couple of years ago I graduated top of my class, but from a mediocre school. I have not taken the GRE. Honestly it was my 'safe' and 'easy' choice. What I really want to be doing is research, specifically machine learning/artificial intelligence. Due to some recent life and (positive) health changes, I now feel both capable and obligated to do this. I should spend my life working hard to make humanity better.

My thought is, in order to do the most I can, I should become the best I can. That makes sense right? Therefore my mid-term goal is to work hard and get a doctorate in computer science at the best school I can possibly get into.

My two questions are:
1. Should I try to apply to a quality grad school now (and do the prereqs as a grad student) or get a BS in computer science first from the local medocre school.

and

2. Should I try to get into the best masters program I can, and then try to get into a PhD program at a better school, or should I directly apply for a PhD program (I understand it's common to skip a masters)

Or actually am I worrying to much about getting into a 'great' program and not worrying enough about doing this ASAP and getting into the industry?

I don't mind investing the time. I just want to know I'm doing everything I can.

Applying to a permanent job when the longest jobs you've had were at uni

glache — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 16:47:56 -0800

I have 14 months' of post-grad experience across 6 temp jobs (all related to each other). I'm applying for the permanent job I'm currently temping in. The longest positions (employment and extracurricular) I've held have been at uni. What do I do with my resume? I'm a pharmacist. In order to become a registered pharmacist, you need to have 12 months' practical training post-uni. The 14 months I'm talking about is after those 12 months. Therefore, I've technically been out of uni for more than 2 years.

Currently my resume looks like this:

EMPLOYMENT
- Locum (freelance) pharmacist, 14 months. Full description
- Graduate practical training, 12 months. Minimal description--only 2 things which I haven't done since becoming registered.
- Pharmacy assistant (while at uni), 2 years 2 months. Is listed only as has been entirely superseded by my work as a pharmacist

EDUCATION
- Degree. Is listed only.

EXTRACURRICULAR
- All the stuff I did at uni. Haven't done anything since. For duration of degree (4 years) with some interesting positions e.g. on pharmacy society committee, university ambassador, and mentoring positions (this last one is specifically what they're looking for, and I don't have anything more recent than that). Currently being described in full.

Do I:

- Leave off entirely any or all of the extracurricular stuff, graduate training and pharmacy assistant jobs?
- Cull full descriptions of extracurricular and simply list under the degree in the education section?
- Keep going with full descriptions of extracurricular stuff?
- Any other suggestions?

Thanks! Also, this is not me being a downer, but just being realistic. I expect this position to be very competitive so there is a very good chance I may not get it. If this is the case, I will continue temping as I *love* the lifestyle (this is the only permanent job I would consider applying for because I know exactly what I'm getting myself into). Do I then leave my resume as is, since evidence of tenacity is not such a big thing, or still make changes?

Thanks!