Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with graduate

How do I prepare for graduate technical interviews in software?

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:50:38 -0800

In about six weeks I expect to have a technical interview for a graduate position with MS. What can I do between now and then to be as well prepared as possible? This is my first 'real' interview - I'm just finishing my degree. I have interviewed for jobs like McDonalds and waiting tables, but that seems qualitatively different. The only other application I have made so far was to Google, and I didn't get past their technical phone screen (I did ask for feedback on how I went, but haven't heard anything from them yet). I do have some pretty good work experience, but the interview process for that was all over the phone and seemed ridiculously easy, I don't think there was much competition.

My biggest issue is that I don't really know if I'm good enough - what are they looking for? What do they expect from me? I have honours grades and a bunch of scholarships, but no open-source involvement and I feel like the really impressive guys at uni just know and understand way more than me, at a completely different level. How do I know what kind of position I should be applying for, or if Microsoft/Google/etc are just out of my league? (This is anon because in real life I never admit to that I might be less than capable of anything. I don't mind if I'm recognizable, I just don't want the angst easily linked to my name.)

Current plans:
-I'm going to do some coding (in C++) to make sure I have all the syntax at my fingertips - it's been a while since I've worked in it.
-I just reread my Data Structures and Algorithms textbook, and I'm taking another course in them now
-I'm working on the Google CodeJam problems
-I've been googling 'Microsoft interview' and variations to find all the available info on the type of questions they'll ask, logic puzzles etc.
-I'm also starting my final semester, and have a lot of work to do, so I don't have unlimited time to work with.

I'm looking for MS-specific tips, but also advice for software interviews in general, as I'm sure I'll be interviewing at other places as well.

Go back for more school or take a meh first job?

sleazy_e — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:07:09 -0800

Recent Graduate: Work towards 2nd Bachelors, Masters, or take a lower paying position I hope will lead to the job I want? I'm from Texas and and a May grad with a BS in Econ (minors in math and writing) from a known State U. Currently I've been searching for job opportunities in fields Junior Financial Analysis or Market Research Analysis, Data Analytics (or really any kind of analysis that requires lots of math, data mining, and forecasting), but these jobs are very hard to find for my (entry? - I've worked every year since high school, but maybe not in relevant jobs) level in Texas (right now, everyone wants senior/experienced applicants) and I am frustrated by the impossibility to get an interview with my ~2.75 GPA (or for reasons companies refuse to inform me of). I am aware that grades are vital to get into the door of these positions.

I believe I am 2 semesters (30 hours) shy of a BS in Applied Mathematics (Finance track) and I can try to raise my grades above a 3.0, but I have already spent 5 years in school and racked up some debt. Now, I was once an Applied Math major before becoming Econ, but I switched due to pressure from paying for school on my own, dealing with an abusive relationship (that ended after the degree change), and constant insane familial problems/drama (think Arrested Development). I want to say that now those distractions could dissipate (except for paying for school on my own), but any future incidents are probable. Let's just say, I'm eager to pursue/finish the degree, but I'm afraid that I fall back into the depression/fear of not successfully getting the high marks needed to make this elusive degree worth while.

Another option is to start an online MS Finance or MS Math/Stat degree from an accredited (not UPhoenix), but not well known University that would take about 2 years to finish while working/searching for employment. I've been told that Bachelors are more available today, so getting a Masters is becoming more necessary to differentiate yourself from the competition.

I've read on MeFi that people recommend taking the CFA Level 1 to differentiate themselves, but I doubt it would help for the jobs outside of Financial Analysis (Data Analytics and Market Research).

Another factor in my decision: I've been offered a position as a cost analyst at a small firm. It sounds okay, but my responsibilities aren't more than data entry (at least at first) and product updating, the salary isn't as reasonable to live on, and it requires 100 miles of round trip commuting from living with my family (moving out makes the job even less economical). The job is well, a job, I suppose and it offers me the ability to pocket a little bit of money after paying all my debts.

My question is given the current state of our US economy, call it a recession or a fearful voting year with tons of graduates and less amount of entry jobs, would it be best to A) try and finish my math degree, B) enter an MS Finance degree, or C) take a left-field-ish job and try to work my way into my desired job?

What are the best grad schools that mix community development and environmental studies?

Delfena — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:19:00 -0800

What are the best graduate schools for environmental planning, with a focus on community involvement? I am specifically interested in community involvement in watershed health, and sustainable stormwater issues. I will be going into my senior year at Portland State University in the fall, and I'm starting my graduate school search. I am a Community Development major, and a Sustainable Urban Development minor. PSU has a strong Urban Planning graduate program, and they do offer an environmental emphasis, but I would like to consider other options as well. As stated before, my main interest is community involvement in watershed health and planning. I became interested in watershed health and sustainable stormwater through my own research, and would like to mix this area with my community development work. Does anyone know a school that would be a good candidate for this? So far I have found the "Environment and Community" program at Humboldt State (Which is a Master of Arts in Social Science), and the Environmental Science program at SUNY-ESF (which has an emphasis titled "Environmental Communication and Participatory Processes"). Are these the two best options? Do you know of any others that would be a good fit? Thanks!

Would you like some more tax sir?

Smegoid — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:24:03 -0800

Any Canadian graduate students at an American university to help clear this mess up? According to other CDN graduate students and a previous MeFi post we're not to be taxed on our stipends by Canada. However, despite much letter writing and form filling (i.e. form NR73) the Canadian Revenue Agency insists that I file my taxes. So what exactly did you do to get free of them? I previously appealed to MeFi about being a Canadian Grad student in the USA (Would you like to tax that tax sir?). According to the excellent advice I received, Canadian grad students should not have to file Canadian income tax, or at least need not declare their stipend as income. Speaking a to a fellow gaduate students here, I heard same. I was recommended to fill in form NR73 and send it to the CRA which, in theory, should have written me back to say I was deemed non-resident for tax purposes. Well they did just the opposite! According to them since I am not US citizen, I am still a resident of Canada.

Apparently this whole thing boils down to me declaring on form NR73 that I am not considered a resident of the USA. My understand of US law is that CDN graduate students are not considered residents (hence why we file Non Resident Alien tax forms in the USA). However, this ruling seems patently wrong based on what I was told in the above post.

Do any other Canadian graduate students in the US have experience with this? Did your NR73 go through? Thanks for the help!

New England & American Studies Programs - Help Make Me Smart About Them

Miko — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 06:40:58 -0800

American Studies scholars, please help me compare 2 programs in New England and American Studies and get some general advice. I'm at the very beginning of the exploratory phase of choosing a graduate program in American studies. There are two programs in New England & American Studies that I'm seriously considering, and I'm interested in the reactions or comparisons that people familiar with the field, or the schools in question, can give.

They are:
American and New England Studies at Boston University
American and New England Studies at the University of Southern Maine

I don't have a background in American studies, specifically (I have a BA in English, and a lot of coursework and professional training in literature, public history, Museum Studies, history, and folklore, but need to complete a degree-granting program, preferably MA but with the possibility of a PhD). How do these programs compare? Are you aware of their reputations in the field? What sort of person is suited to which program? From my early perusals, it's clear the BU program is much older and has produced more heavy-hitting graduates and more career academics. I'm likely to have a mixed career that includes teaching college and adminstering public history or cultural heritage nonprofits. I'm looking for anything to help me think more clearly about each of these programs. I'm a bit biased toward the USM one, simply because it would be easy for me to live in Portland, not so easy to live in Boston. USM also seems to have a stronger relationship with the field of folklore, which is important to me. But BU seems to have the more established program.

Also, I'd love any general knowledge, links, or resources about American Studies, as a field. Since it's new to me, I don't know the foundations. Please recommend books, associations, etc. And feel free to let me know of the pros and cons of taking a degree in American Studies.

Thanks in advance!

Graduate school help

Aanidaani — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 07:31:55 -0800

I'm currently looking at materials science PhD programs and I'm having some difficulty locating magnetic materials groups. My interests lie in volatile and non-volatile storage, which is a pretty broad area. Can anyone suggest schools to look at? I've spoken to some of my professors who study magnetics and the schools they've recommended (Stanford, UCSD) seem promising. I want to find some other options, but it seems like most schools don't do much magnetic storage work. Does anyone know of any places (other than the above and Carnegie Mellon University -- my undergrad) that study magnetic data storage?

Another area I find interesting is phase-change storage memory, but research on this is done mostly outside the United States. Are there any groups (other than businesses) that study this in the U.S.?

Help me become Ob-Wan Gynobi.

damsorrow — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 16:30:28 -0800

I don’t know whether to be an doctor or go into an allied health field, like physician’s assistant or nurse-practitioner. I want to be in-between Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman and the guy who gets his door knocked on by the gangster late at night and then takes the bullets out on his kitchen table: a healthcare provider who serves a community and is able to really make connections with people. More inside... You guys have provided such incredible advice in the past for people in similar positions and I humbly request a bit of it for myself. I don’t know whether to be an doctor or go into an allied health field, like physician’s assistant or nurse-practitioner.

My cred: I have a pretty diverse professional background: classic protocol research over a summer in the Bronx, working in a women’s health center doing counseling on sexual/reproductive health, and training as an EMT and a doula, being a personal healthcare assistant for a woman with severe chronic fatigue syndrome. I just graduated from Wesleyan a couple weeks ago with a GPA of 3.53, with that classic American “upward trend” leading to all As my senior year. I truly feel like whatever I want to do, I have at least a workable shot.

From here, I have the option of enrolling in a post-baccalaureate program for MD or a second-degree nursing program. What I really love is working with people; I know that no matter what I’d do, I’d want to have a lot of direct patient contact. My interests are in women’s health; ideally, I’d be working in family care or as an ob/gyn catchin' babies.

What draws me to MD is the scope of care and the privilege that seems like it would allow me to get access to places that nurses can’t; if I’m doing a lot of activism or working in non-profit, which I plan to be, I know that MD after my name will help out with the squares. This is especially pertinent with regards to obstretrics: I know that midwife model of care vs. doctor model of care is in a deathlock right now, and I am nervous that I wouldn't be able to make MD into "Midwife in Disguise" (c Ina May Gaskin) the way I want to. What draws me to nursing is the more clinical/holistic style of training and the ability to “hang out” with people more. Salary requirements are very low on my list.

I don’t know whether to be an MD or a nurse-practitioner, and I don’t know a lot of either and they inevitably argue for their own professional choices. So here’s my question: what do you think?

And (shot in the dark) is there a profession of people who would help guide and package me for a health career like they have for HS students going into undergraduate?

Thanks for reading. I hope the above was thorough nuff and I'm happy to answer any other questions.

How do I get an MFA without a BFA?

RobertFrost — Fri, 30 May 2008 00:33:47 -0800

I would like to end up teaching fine arts (specifically printmaking) at a university level but have a Bachelor's Degree in a completely different field and only a small amount of experience. Where do I start? I have always been a relatively artistic person - having spent the majority of high school drawing when I should have been paying attention. Despite the fact that I was often told I had artistic talent, I never considered art to be a possible life direction for me because I was too convinced I was headed towards post-production for film and television. I even went so far as to intern with a small studio in DC that worked in post-production (specifically sound engineering and design). Short of it: I didn't apply to art school.

Instead, I attended a fairly reputable but small liberal arts college and majored in East Asian Studies with a concentration in Japan (did you see that coming?). Around junior year, my interest in printmaking was peaked by a friend. I enrolled in an intermediate drawing class and a printmaking class. That marked the beginning of two years of inky hands and the constant smell of solvent. I graduated with a BA in East Asian Studies and moved to Japan.

Now, 2 years later, I am starting to think about my return to the states. I would like to end up teaching at a university level. I love the passion and drive that university students have (especially in art colleges) and find the teaching process to be incredibly rewarding. Oh, and printmaking makes me happy in a way that few other things do (music is on that list but I don't have the math or skill in me to teach music).

I would like to enter a graduate program but am worried that few art graduate programs would even consider a candidate who 1) has little experience and a tiny portfolio and 2) doesn't have an undergraduate degree in the fine arts. While in Japan, I have been working with a woodcutting master (of sorts) who has been, kinda, teaching me his partially non-traditional method of Japanese printmaking but the progress has been quite slow due to his age and my having a full time job.

What are my options? Do I apply to graduate programs and see what happens? Do I apply to internships so that I can work on my portfolio? Do I need to acquire an undergraduate degree in fine arts before I can move on? <----worst case scenario.

My only issue aside from the whole not-having-a-fine-arts-degree-and-wanting-to-work-in-the-fine-arts-field is that, and this might be a bigger problem than I realize, I don't ever want to be a "starving artist". That sort of uncertainty doesn't sit well with me. I can't work at Starbucks and do my printmaking on the side - waiting to be noticed. That's why music was never an option.

I appreciate any and all advice, anecdotes, etc. I feel very lost and am worried that I made a grave, unfixable mistake that will result in me working in a field that I don't want to be in or in me unnecessarily repeating 4 years of college. Thanks for your help.

I need to grow up

peacheater — Sat, 17 May 2008 15:43:10 -0800

Help me get over being homesick. I moved to the US in July of last year for graduate school (to get my PhD). I'm 22 and did my schooling and undergrad in my hometown in India. I lived at home with my parents through college. I'm suddenly feeling almost unbearably homesick. I think that until now I've been too busy with classes and social activities to feel too homesick but now everything's just hitting me all at once. Also my parents visited me in the fall of last year and I went home in December for 3 weeks, so that helped me.
I guess five months really isn't all that long a time but it feels like forever and I really really miss my parents and extended family. More than anything else I miss that sense that nothing bad can happen to you and that I could just call my mom and dad for help and they'd be there in fifteen minutes. I totally didn't expect to feel this way because when I was at home I couldn't wait to leave -- I'm an only child and I felt like they exercised far too much control over me. Yet when I look back all I can remember is a life of comfort and ease and a readymade social network. It doesn't help that every time my mother talks to me she tells me about the three times they went out for dinner last week and the sailing classes she's taking and the holiday they're going on next week. Makes me wonder why I ever wanted to give all that up to go to graduate school.
Other than this sudden homesickness I feel like I'm doing fine here. I have a boyfriend who I'm very serious about and we have a great relationship. I've made some friends and am doing well in school. I've set up my apartment to be comfortable and cook regularly.
And I understand that all this is a pretty natural part of growing up and becoming independent, but it's much harder than I ever expected it to be. So any strategies and advice you have to give me about overcoming this feeling that I should just give it all up and go home would be wonderful.

What are the most interesting issues in your field?

btkuhn — Sun, 11 May 2008 11:14:20 -0800

What are the most interesting emerging topics in your field of study? I am about a year out of undergrad, and considering returning to school at some point to pursue a Phd for a career in academia or research. I've always thought that I would go for a Phd in one of the biological sciences or chemistry since it's the area I did research in during my undergrad, but I've been exposed to so much that I'm interested in since then that I'm considering choosing something totally new. In thinking about this, I realize that there are so many subjects I haven't been exposed to despite my fairly broad liberal arts background. For instance, I have always been aware of the broad field of "Finance", but it wasn't until a few weeks ago that I discovered how fascinating the emerging research in behavioral finance is, and it's a subject that I'd consider for a PhD. Or alternatively, take a field like American History - I admit that I have no idea what the "new" research being done in American History would be - I'd imagine that historians aren't just rehashing arguments about why the civil war was fought.

So I ask you, mefites, what are the most interesting areas of inquiry or recent publications in your field of study? What is "the future" of your field, at least for the next 10-20 years? What would you study today (within your field) if you were entering as a new researcher?

Best free budgeting software when being paid twice a year

peacheater — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:40:36 -0800

I need to find a simple, preferably free budgeting program that will allow me to enter income twice a year rather than on a monthly basis. I'm a graduate student who gets paid my stipend twice a year rather than on a monthly basis. This means that I often find myself short of money at the end of the six month period and am in dire need of good budgeting software. So far all the options I've tried haven't worked out well for me. I gave Mint a shot, but it doesn't seem to actually allow one to budget amounts of money. It automatically records bank transactions but usually with a delay of a week or so. This makes it pretty much useless for my purposes. I tried Cha-Ching but found that it didn't seem to have an option for yearly payments. Similar problem with PearBudget. This is my first year living on my own and I'm always doing stupid things like overdrawing my account because I forgot about a rent check and my taxes check and both got cleared at the same time. If you feel that a budgeting software wouldn't be the best option for me I'd love to hear your strategies for effective budgeting too.

It's not me, it's you...

Anonymous — Tue, 06 May 2008 13:19:35 -0800

I'm currently finishing my MS & am in interested in going for a PhD, just not with my current advisor. Without getting into drama & gossip, I will not be able to maintain my sanity doing a PhD under him. How to ask someone else? Another professor in the department is in need of a PhD student, and I've been eyeing him, mustering up enough courage to ask him for a position. How do I go about this tactfully? What are the graduate-school politics that I'll have to deal with? Am I committing academic suicide by thinking to ask another advisor?
A research buddy told me to simply ask the professor that I'm interested in and my current advisor not needing to know anything until the last minute.
You can reach me at grad.anon@gmail.com

How can I view my graduate applications' recommendation letters?

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:51:30 -0800

Is the university wrong about my right to view graduate application recommendation letters? I applied to graduate school at a well-known university in December and did not waive my right to view my recommendation letters. I was rejected and I want to see the letters to decide if I should ask these professors again in my next year applications. There are many websites that say if you don't waive your right to view the letters, you can request them from the school. They mention the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) but I don't see the clause in there regarding your right to view recommendation letters.

I contacted the school and they said the FERPA guidelines say the recommendations are university property and can only be viewed by matriculated students. I don't understand what's the point of having the right to view the recommendation letters if this is true. Also, there is no other mention of this anywhere else.

The web seems to only give me articles about why you should waive your right to view your letters, but nothing about actually viewing them if you don't sign the waiver.

Posting anonymously because I don't want admissions to trace my email/application to my metafilter account, in case I follow someone's specific advice.

Financial books for a college graduate

aggienfo — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:10:09 -0800

My bro is graduating from college this month and is asking a lot of financial questions regarding investment/savings/etc. As the first college graduate in the "real world" he's asking me for some advice. I am looking to get him some books that I liked ( by Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman ) that have helped me out. I was seeing if there are other tomes of financial wisdom that I should get him for graduation (there are other gifts.. don't worry I'm not that lame;)

How to be a good graduate student

peacheater — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:43:01 -0800

Help me be a better graduate student. I'm a first year computational biology PhD student at Cornell. I came here directly after my undergrad and I'm having a hard time transitioning between my undergrad and graduate school. I think I'm a good undergrad student. I go to classes and participate enthusiatically, I do homework regularly, take exams seriously etc. I have a 4.0 GPA here. I find, however, that there's a whole other skill set that graduate school demands -- steady, persistent work with no immediate payoff. I'm easily distracted and am always leaping from one shiny idea to another. It also doesn't help that my undergraduate school was in India and allowed me far less freedom in terms of what courses I could take and choices I could make. While I have spent my first year taking courses that have direct application to my research I can't help but be tempted by courses on, for example, Women and Science or Science Writing for the Mass Media, especially since I really didn't have an opportunity to take courses unrelated to my major in undergraduate school. Would it be completely irresponsible to take a "fun" course once in a while? Cornell seems to encourage students taking courses unrelated to their work. So far I've been lucky in that all the professors I've done a lab rotation with have expressed interest in my joining their lab (it helps that I come with a generous fellowship). But I find myself awkward and unsure of myself around them. Everyone else seems to slip into this casually deferential relationship with their advisor so easily. Finally, I find it amazing how graduate students here seem to maintain this mental directory of the people involved in their area of expertise: who knows whom, who worked with whom on what, who is whose student. It's all so confusing and impenetrable to me. How does one begin to do that? So, in sum, give me your advice for being a better graduate student -- especially regarding work habits, classes, making connections with faculty and figuring out who's connected to whom.

Introduce an NYC artist to corporate America.

glibhamdreck — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:47:11 -0800

I'd like to send my favorite cousin to an NYC-area conference for a college graduation present. He's studied poetry, film, philosophy, economics, and media studies. He's also a musician/filmmaker/designer/artist of sorts, and his tastes are pop, political, and antagonizing--talented but occasionally perceived as hostile. He's admitted he's worried about finding gainful employment once he graduates this spring.

I'd like to get him a ticket to some sort of conference, seminar, or workshop for some Networking 101. Can you recommend any NYC-area event where he'll fit in that takes place during the next two or three months and won't cost me more than $200 or $300?

Making a snazzy first impression with stationery!

sararah — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:10:44 -0800

I'm going to be graduating with my PhD in chemistry within the next year or so. Should I get business cards? Should I order them with the university logo or just get something with my basic contact info? Recently I was at a conference where I gave a research presentation. Afterwards I was approached by a few folks for a business/contact card and felt unprepared when I didn't have any. Now I'm considering ordering some before I go to another conference, start going to job fairs, and to just have around so I can feel superior with my snazzy business cards. If it matters, I'm a young woman looking for jobs in the scientific R&D industry.

Here are my questions for recent grads (undergrad or grad school) and current professionals who are more worldly in the ways of networking:

1) Is it silly or pretentious for (under)grad students to have business cards?

2) Should I get cards from my university with the logo? Regardless of my future employment prospects, I'll have to get new cards with my snazzy new title after I graduate... (Sararah, PhD, Unemployed and Overeducated, Cardboard Box Under the Bridge, 10108)

3) I take a lot of pictures and they occasionally turn out decent. A while back I ordered some Moo Cards for a craft project. On the off chance that someone would want to hire me to take pictures I think those could serve as contact cards. However, I don't think I would want to use Moo Cards regularly for job hunting purposes since they may appear unprofessional and/or wacky to recruiters in the scientific industry.

4) Good places to order business cards on the web? Seeing as I enjoy a subsistence grad student salary, I'm not looking to order these $200 letterpress beauties. If I decide to go with the university logo, I'll order them from the university printing services.

grad school in germany

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:00:03 -0800

Grad school in Germany? I'm interested in the international programs offered in Germany. The idea of getting my Master's degree in Germany in English is very appealing. I would want to study international relations, public policy, or do a program focused on Eastern Europe.

Does anyone around here have any experience with this? I'm mainly concerned about the logistics of the matter.

Would I actually be able to do this? As a US citizen, I know that I would only be able to work 90 full days a year of 180 half days and that doesn't seem to be enough to get by. How hard is it to get funding/grants/scholarships of any sort?

Also, unlike with US universities, I can't seem to find any concrete information on how competitive the programs are. I will have a Slavic Language/Literature BA with a 3.1 GPA (not awesome), so will Germany even want me?

Any other information is welcome. Thank you.

Decisions Decisions

speef — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 21:43:58 -0800

Should I go to graduate school at UBC or UW-Madison? Help me decide what to do with my life! I'm graduating from an state school in the midwest in May. I hope to continue my education to get a master's and then a PhD and (ideally) become a professor some day.

After applying to only a couple grad schools (I'm quite poor and the applications cost a lot), I ended up getting very positive responses, and am now left with a hard decision between studying at University of Wisconsin-Madison or University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

Both schools are described to me as 'top-notch' in my field. Although, I think Madison is the more prestigious one in my particular area of study. Both would end up covering all my tuition expenses and giving me a good stipend on top of that. My money is coming in the form of a research assistantship at UBC and a prestigious fellowship at Madison. In Vancouver, a more expensive city, I would probably have barely enough money to scrape by, and would have to work as a TA for 3 hours / week or possibly more to earn extra money (I have experience working as a TA, so that is not a big worry). While in Madison I would be receiving a few thousand more, and be able to live comfortably (by my standards, as I'm used to working 2 jobs and barely scraping by) without teaching at all.

I visited both schools and liked the professors I would work under. My professor at UBC does not speak english as a first language, but was easy enough to understand, friendly, and seemed very intelligent. At UBC I was unable to meet more than one grad student to question, while at Madison I met many people and they all were quite friendly and seemed like a tightly knit group. It seems like at Madison I would have contact with and help from a wider variety of professors in different fields working collaboratively, although I might also have less one-on-one attention from my adviser (at UBC I am one of only 2 students under a prof, rather than one of about 15).

The project I would be working on at UBC is more interesting to me, more in line with my previous study, has a field component, and would likely keep my attention longer.
The project at Madison is also quite interesting. It is broader in topic, and more useful in current times, possibly giving me a wider range in the future or a better resume.

As far as location goes. Both are very nice cities. I was more in love with Vancouver due to its beautiful location with beaches, mountains, forests, and everything else. The idea of moving out of the country to somewhere far away by myself is exciting, frightening, and a hassle. The diverse international community in Vancouver was wonderful, as well as the availability of all different cuisines (crepes!), and the novelty of a slightly different culture. Madison seems like it may have more of a 'college' town feel, which I've grown a little sick of over the years (I wouldn't like being older than everyone else in the city). But I do find it appealing that there will probably be many good bands passing through Madison, it might be easier to meet people/make friends there, and I do love cheeses.

So: should I go be poor in beautiful Vancouver, studying a topic that interests me very much, but has less current relevance, with a young, intelligent professor who has me as his only masters student.
Or, go be well-off in cold Madison, studying a topic that interests me less, but has more relevance, with many prestigious professors as a group of many friendly grad students?
Anyone from either school/city have extra tips for me as well?

Tips on going to grad school in Israel?

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:36:59 -0800

Considering applying to grad school in Israel. Any tips/advice? I'm planning to start graduate school in the 2009-10 school year for an MA and have been giving real thought to studying in an Engish-language international relations or Middle East studies program in Israel. From what I've seen, graduate school programs are significantly cheaper there, which seems like a big plus to me. Specifically, I'm considering the following four options:

A) The Middle Eastern Studies program at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem

B) The Diplomacy/International Relations program at the IDC Herzliya

C) The Middle Eastern Studies program at Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheva

D) The Middle Eastern History program at Tel Aviv University

Does anyone have any specific advice on these schools or grad school studying in Israel in general?

FWIW, I'm a 26 year old American who has been out of college for five years and who does not speak Hebrew or has even been to Israel before.

(asking anonymously because of coworkers who read AskMeFi)

Grad school backdoor?

sentient — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:28:51 -0800

Say parents regularly donate to a university. Does this have an effect on their kid getting into its Grad School? It seems to be a given that parents donating to a school results in the kid getting in for undergrad. In fact, the person I'm asking for was accepted to the University to which his parents donate $$ (and one parent went to) when he applied for undergrad. (He didn't go, though.) He's now interested in going there for grad school, and is wondering whether the fact that his parents donate will help him get in.

Anecdotal evidence welcome; information, directly or indirectly, from people involved in admissions would be best, though. Thanks, all.

Help me help others!

Anonymous — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 21:13:05 -0800

What tips can you give me when writing my personal statement for a graduate social work program? I'm currently filling out graduate school applications for my MSW to become a therapist. It's taken me most of my 20's, but I've finally realized what I want to do. I've always had a passion for figuring out why people behave the way they do. I was somewhat obsessed with it as a child because I was on the receiving end of a lot of abuse. After time, distance, and a lot of therapy, I've come to accept certain things in my life and realized how fulfilling it would be to help others reach that kind of acceptance in their own lives.

I know that may sound cliche or corny, so how can I show this passion in a unique way? What should I avoid in my essay? I want to be as original with my statement as possible. Any advice would be helpful.

Advice about applying to graduate school while abroad

andoatnp — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:07:22 -0800

I'm looking for information for applying to grad school while abroad. (PhD programs in Political Science/International Relations). I graduated from college in spring 2006, and I'm planning on applying next year (Fall '09) to start in Fall 2010. I'm also considering going to Israel in July and staying for about 10 months, and I want to make sure this won't impact my grad school plans in any way. All I've really done so far is had 3 professors write letters of recommendations that are on file at my undergrad school. In Israel, I would have to take the GRE (which is offered regularly) and do my personal statement and applications for the schools I'm applying to.

Is there anything else about the process that I'm not realizing that would make doing an application while in a foreign country particularly difficult? I tried googling, but all the results I got were about going abroad as an undergrad to prepare for grad school or grad schools that feature an abroad component.

I would almost certainly not be able to visit any of the schools I'm applying to, which I'm ok with in terms of picking a school because getting a real physical feel of the campus isn't important to me, but is that an expected part of the process, and would it weaken my chances if I can't visit anywhere I'm applying to?

Does anyone have any experience applying to a PhD program while abroad, or receiving applications to a program from someone that was abroad? Anything that I should do in advance to make things easier for me when I'm abroad? Thanks!

Living in Berkeley as a Grad Student

barnacles — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 07:59:38 -0800

Tell me what it's like to live in Berkeley, from the point of view of a grad student. I've been there just once for a few days, and mostly saw the campus, so I don't really feel like I have a good grasp of the city (though from what little I saw of it, it seemed pretty cool). What's good? What's bad? Where to live? Where not to live? Where is the good coffee, the best bars, and out-of-the-way places that I'd definitely want to check out? Is there anything you wish you had known prior to living there?

Additionally, are there any websites I should check out to get a handle on the community and what's going on there?

How to pay for Grad school?

limon — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:59:32 -0800

Best book or online resource for funding Grad School? I keep hearing about how you can fund your studies through external sources, but all I see are scholarships that are either impossibly selective (for example, the Rhodes Scholarship) or fairly meager (under $1000). I don't mean to scoff at a thousand dollars, but I'd have to win twenty or thirty of these scholarships to pay for a year of school.

My situation: I got accepted into a doctoral program at a prestigious school. I haven't gotten an official acceptance letter yet, just a quick congratulatory note from the chair of the program. I therefore don't know what funding is going to look like, but said chair has mentioned the program is not in a position to fund their students throughout their students, and that the students are primarily externally supported. I can't afford to pay my own way. Before I give up, I'd like to know where I should look for funds.