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Should I mention I'm mentally ill on a graduate school statement of intent

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:35:36 -0800

Should I mention my mental illness on my graduate school statement of intent? Brief background - I have social anxiety, depression, and Asperger's syndrome and a year ago, I graduated with a B.S. in Economics from a fairly prestigious technical school. I really want to go on to get a Master's in Economics, followed by a PhD.

However, mostly due to depression and anxiety, my grades were not that fantastic, 2.6 or so overall and my grades in some of my econ courses were not that great (for instance, I got a C in my Math Methods of Econ mostly because I had to miss a week of class since I was in the mental ward at a hospital because I was ready to kill myself). I do have support from one professor who I actually talked to when I was in school who would be glad to write letters of recommendation to some schools I'm looking at he thinks are realistic options given my background, not to mention I did pretty alright on the GREs (though only a 670 on the Math and 580 on the writing).

However, it was suggested to me by someone that I mention the fact I have mental illness, especially Asperger's, on my statement of intent, that is my essay on why I want to attend graduate school. I've been told that schools like to let in disabled applicants because it makes their departments look good, and that having Asperger's would be an asset as people would think I'm some kind of genius (to be honest, I really wish I had that super-Aspie power of concentration on academic subjects, as I tend to obsess over the Internet and more useless topics). Likewise, someone else suggested I use it as saying that I've "overcame adversity."

But I'm concerned about the fact that there's a stigma associated with mental illness and that an economics department might be reluctant to accept me into their program because they think I'm sort of skizo who hears voices or has multiple personalities or more or less just flake out. I'll also be honest - I really don't think I've "overcome" my mental illness. I wish I could give an inspiring personal account how I overcame it but it's something I struggle with everyday but if I mention it, it would explain why my grades were less than stellar. I think that they might view the fact I'm mentally ill as more of a liability than an asset to their department.

As a tangential issue, I'd like to have the aforementioned professor look over my statement of intent since I can't think of anyone else to do it, but I'm afraid if I do mention it, he'll find out I'm mentally ill and that would ruin our relationship and he'd stop wanting to help me.

So should I bother mentioning I'm mentally ill in my statement of intent? If so, how should I go about it?

I'm not so much ashamed that I'm mentally ill, only that I don't want to be rejected on the account of the stigma associated with mental illness.

As a final clarifying note, yes, I do realize that graduate school will be harder than my undergraduate program. However, I do want to get a PhD eventually because I love doing research and that's something I'd like to do for the rest of my life because it actually makes me happy.

How useful is a Chinese studies M.A.?

Mummy of a Lady Named Jemutesonekh — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 06:40:57 -0800

I'm thinking about getting an M.A. in Chinese studies. How useful a job qualification would it be if I didn't go on to get a Ph.D.? I majored in a subject unrelated to Chinese studies in undergrad, but have subsequently become very interested in China, particularly Chinese cultural history. I want to further my interest in an academic program, but don't want to do so if it won't lead to interesting China-related career opportunities. At this point, I'm not sure whether I'd want to get a Ph.D., so I want to confine this question to opportunities an M.A. can help provide. Here are some of the possibilities I can think of. How much would an M.A. help to get these sorts of jobs? What others are there?

- Government (e.g., State Department)
- Nonprofit with a focus on or including China
- Entry-level researcher at a think tank or some other sort of research institution
- Teaching at a high school
- Teaching at a community college
- Teaching at an English-speaking university in a developing country
- Journalism (would a Chinese studies M.A. matter at all as a qualification in this field relative to previous experience or publication record?)
- Business (increased opportunities in the business world are frequently cited on Chinese studies M.A. program websites, but it's difficult for me to imagine how the degree would lead to a job at, e.g., a company with operations in China; if it could, how?)

Thanks in advance for your help!

How to ask for this letter of recommendation?

notswedish — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:12:56 -0800

Help me ask a former professor for a letter of recommendation. Complicating details after the jump. Asking for a friend:

I am a senior in college, currently beginning the process of applying to grad school. Last year, I took a couple of interdisciplinary classes related to my field from the same professor, and got to know her pretty well: I would often go to office hours and discuss the class as well as life in general. I did well in the classes, and I'm pretty sure she has a positive opinion of me, and I think she would be a strong recommendation for my grad school applications.

Last week, I emailed her asking if she had office hours this term, and, as I put it, whether I could "stop by and ask a few questions about grad school." In her reply, she informed me that she is doing research abroad this term, but that I could ask my questions over email.

The thing is, I don't really have any questions for her: all I wanted was the letter of recommendation. I only mentioned having questions about grad school because asking point-blank for a letter of recommendation seemed too blunt, or rude, to me. The obvious thing to do, of course, would be to ask questions to which I already know the answer, but complicating the matter is the fact that she went to grad school in field X, and I am applying for the unrelated field Y (it was only later that she got into interdisciplinary studies bringing her closer to my field). So I'm not sure what I could ask her that wouldn't sound stupid.

So I guess my question is this:

What's the best way to actually get this letter? Do I just say, "actually, I don't have any questions for you, except would you write me a letter of recommendation?" Do I try to come up with 'fake' questions for her? If so, what should I ask? Any other suggestions? I know she's a very busy woman and I don't want to bother her too much, but I really want this recommendation.

Thanks in advance!

Should I retake the GREs?

Anonymous — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:23:26 -0800

I'm applying to grad school for a Masters in Library Science, and I'm unsure if I should re-take the GREs. I did very well on the Verbal and Quantitative sections - both scores were above the averages of accepted students for the MLS programs I'm looking at. But I only got a 4 on the writing section (putting me in the 41st percentile). The average for admitted students is around a 5. Will my admittedly poor showing on the writing section hurt me enough that I should take the GREs again? Other info that may affect this: I'm applying to some of the top ranked MLS programs (at least according to US News & World Report). I graduated from undergrad in '08 with a 3.7 GPA and a BA in History and English from a generally well-regarded liberal arts college, so I'm a capable writer - just not so much on the GREs. This should be more important than my GRE writing score, right?

Sorry for being a flipped out grad school applicant - I've over-thought the whole thing and need some outside input. Email at icanhazmls@yahoo.com

How can I become less absent minded?

emilyd22222 — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:34:07 -0800

How can I become less absent minded? I am in the first two months of a competitive doctoral program in which success is determined by subjective evaluations by faculty, which are based on all interactions they have with us. There have been a couple of instances lately that have demonstrated my tendency to be a bit spacey, and I'm concerned that these things keep happening despite my best efforts. I think part of this is that the constant evaluation makes me very self-conscious and anxious. I tend to be a perfectionistic and fairly anxious person anyway, so I'm probably blowing these things out of proportion, but it has been made clear to me that if these things keep happening, I'm in trouble in the program. Otherwise, I'm doing well and making good impressions. How can I make sure that, in my effort to keep track of all the assignments and responsibilities I have, that the obvious, day-to day stuff (like what time my classes start) doesn't get forgotten? Also, how do I calm down about being constantly judged?

Examples:

-I got distracted by another responsibility and completely forgot to turn in a finished assignment when it was due, and ended up turning it in a day late.

-Today, even though I had been to this 9:30 am student-faculty meeting for the past six weeks, I somehow got it into my head that it started at 10 (that's when I have to be on campus most days). I made an ass of myself by opening the door to the meeting- early, I thought- and closing it right away because I thought I was interrupting an earlier meeting, after the faculty had seen me. I was too embarrassed and worried about being a further disruption to go back in.

-I was late to this same meeting last week because the bus apparently came early, so I missed it and took the next bus.

Any ideas are welcome.

Can I get into grad school in math?

tamaraster — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:31:11 -0800

Can I get into a funded Math Master's or PhD program? I'm graduating from a 4-year college with my B.S. this Spring, and I'm in my mid-30's. I have good GPA at this school (about a 3.6, up to about a 3.8 in math courses specifically) and good GRE scores (720 V / 780 Q), but I have dropped a lot of courses (I've worked full time over the years while getting my degree), and back in the mid-90's I flunked out of the first university I went to. Are there graduate math programs that would accept me and give me a TAship or RAship with stipend and free tuition? I have one publication (a not very good one in Computer Science from a regional conference) and will have decently good recommendations, but I haven't done anything brilliant.

I'd like to get a PhD but I'm certainly open to getting a Master's first. Is there an obvious way I should proceed here?

Who gets to be the lucky person to write me a letter of recommendation?

carpyful — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:02:10 -0800

I'm applying to graduate school and need 3 letters of recommendations. However, I am having trouble deciding the right people to ask. HALP. I'm applying to MPA/MPP programs for the Fall of 2010. My work and academic careers have not been ideal and now I'm not sure what to do. Here's my situation:

I got my BA in May 2007 with pretty good grades (I got nearly all A's in my political science courses, which I majored in). Even though I did well, I was the type to do my work and leave class -- I never spent time talking to professors at all. It's now been 2.5 years since graduation and I feel uncomfortable asking any of my old professors for letters of recommendations. Also, I no longer live near my school so I'd have to do this all through phone or email. If I go this route, I'll be contacting my polisci seminar professor. I got an A in the class and an A on my thesis paper.

As an undergrad, I spent a summer interning at my local Congressman's office and my local state Senator's office (both in the same summer, part time with each). This was in the summer of 2006 which means that it has been a while. The only saving grace is that I used one of my internship supervisors as a reference to get my current AmeriCorps gig last year so I've had some communication there.

After graduating, I didn't really know what I wanted to do so I spent a little over a year working in unrelated fields. I did some private tutoring and freelance design to keep busy. Even though I did good work and have maintained some connections with my clients, I feel that the work is so unrelated and short-lived (most of my freelance work was 3-6 month gigs and my tutoring jobs lasted about 9 months) that they might not be great to use for applications.

The only place I am confident in getting letters of recommendations from is the place that I am working at now: I am an AmeriCorps VISTA at a nonprofit doing work I enjoy. I know a few higher-ups in my workplace that would probably write me letters. I am tempted to get more than one person from my organization to write me a recommendation but I would imagine that isn't the best idea ever.

Finally, I am in a cohort with other VISTAs (we are all in different workplaces and meet twice a month for trainings) and the supervisor of that program would write me a letter, as well. I worry that getting a letter from my work supervisor and my VISTA supervisor would be confusing and detrimental.

So to summarize my questions:
Which 3 people do I ask for letters of recommendations?
Is it worth asking professors from undergrad who I never really spoke to (but got A's in the class)?
Is it worth asking people I interned for in 2006?
Is it worth asking clients that I did work for in unrelated fields?
Is getting a letter from more than one person in a workplace weird?
If I get a letter from my work supervisor and a letter from my VISTA supervisor, will that be seen as negative (since most people won't know the difference)?

As you can see, I am in need of guidance.

Should I stay near my parents or move away?

mrgreyisyelling — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:31:32 -0800

Go to graduate school with Favorite teacher and move away, or go to graduate school with less than favorite teacher and stay close to family? I grew up with alot of tension and conflict in my family, went to school, and really didn't come home. With time, all those family problems died quiet deaths and its been really good. So good, that I recently moved back into the area to be closer to them and my friends. Considering how alienating and painful the years before were, I'm really happy here. I feel at peace.

But, of course, I'm applying to grad school, and all this emotional balance is at risk because teacher #1 is at a school several states away. We have spoken directly, and it seems like a real possibility I could end up getting accepted there. Which both excites me and bums me out.

The school isn't very highly ranked, but the teacher and program itself are quickly getting deserved reputations for the work they are doing. ( ie, shits happening there and people know it )

On the flip side, there is a local school that wouldn't require me to move, that is more highly ranked and has also sent me signs that I have a good chance of getting accepted there. Problem: there isn't a teacher that is really doing research into what I want to study. They seem ok with what I want to do, but no one there is doing it.

I don't really want to choose between my career/passionate personal interest and finally having a real relationship with my family, but it feels like I'm going to be put in that position. Its going to be 5 or 6 years of study, and then I'll be forced to move to a random place to get a job - I'll never have this chance to be with my parents like I do now. But its hard for me to guess how important having this teacher (or climate) will be for my work and how I might mature in the field.

If it matters, its a phd program in sociology.

How do I deal with the fact that I hate teaching, or, how long do I hate teaching until I give up on grad school?

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:39:27 -0800

How do I deal with the fact that I hate teaching, or, how long do I hate teaching until I give up on grad school? I'm a PhD student with a fellowship that pays my tuition and gives me a modest living stipend in exchange for, as with any fellowship, service to the school. In my case, this service is defined as teaching two classes entirely on my own each semester for three years. I had very little desire to teach going into grad school (I'm in a field where there are other careers that require a PhD and those are what I do, in fact, desire) and teaching so far (it's been about six weeks) has really solidified that decision. I hate it. Every week for about 48 hours before I have to teach, I feel absolutely paralyzed by the most intense nervousness I've ever experienced. I take antacids regularly because I feel terrible. I grind my teeth in my sleep and wake up with headaches. I absolutely love school and what I'm doing, but teaching is making me miserable. There is no other option as far as my fellowship goes - I have to teach for three years, or no funding.

My question is whether anyone has any strategies or advice as how to make this more tolerable and/or make me feel like the next three years of my life will be something other than absolutely terrible. Will this get easier? Will the nervousness subside? I know that a lot of this is entirely subjective, but I am having a difficult time determining whether it is worthwhile to stay in graduate school if this is the only way to do it. I am told things tend to get easier but am uncertain how to deal until they do. I'm torn between thinking that A) I should just suck it up because I am lucky to even have funding (most in my department don't) or B) these are three years of my life that I'll never get back.

Any suggestions and/or strategies would be sincerely appreciated!

What is the best method of putting academic papers on the internet?

huskerdont — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:29:51 -0800

What is the best method of putting academic papers on the internet? I am a graduate student who is thinking of placing academic work (thesis, unpublished papers, etc.) on the internet. Is there a standard method or protocol for placing them online? Should I really convert all of them into PDF format?

Any recommendations from those who have been there before would be appreciated.

Help me realize my counseling career dreams!

GarotaDaCidade — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 06:53:23 -0800

I want to be a counselor in clinics and/or hospitals. What degree do I need to get? I have a B.S. in psychology. My main interests lie in "behavioral medicine"- the clinical side, not the research side. I want to be a counselor for people with chronic illnesses like HIV, but I also want to live comfortably (and by that I mean never worrying about being able to cover basic needs- I don't need to drive an aston martin).

Originally I thought PhD, but I'm not sure whether hospitals or clinics even hire PhDs to do counseling outside of psych wards, and I'm not so excited about research OR 6 years of school. Then I thought social work, but I feel like I would be locked into a job with a very low salary cap for the rest of my life. I have also thought about a PsyD, or a masters in counseling, etc. etc., but I don't know very much about what kinds of opportunities those degrees will afford.

I have extensive internship and work experience in this area (mostly with MDs who unfortunately can't really answer my questions about psychology careers), and I have taken the GREs (regular and psych), so I feel like getting into a school won't be that terrible for me- it's just a question of picking what school to go to.

Any kind of advice would be greatly appreciated- after going back and forth over so many options, I am at a real loss here.

Help me decide whether to go to business school

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:15:50 -0800

I'm trying to decide whether to go to business school (I was admitted to a top 5 school in the US), or earn an academic masters program on a full fellowship in Europe. I have to decide right away, as school is about to start and I just can't resolve my concerns. I'm not sure how much of a business person I am (although I've done some entrepreneurial things in the past). I just graduated from college (although I'm a bit over the traditional age), and I'm not really sure what I want to do with my life. Business school costs about $100k. The free masters program is much more academic -- and I'm eager to live abroad. How do I approach this decision? I've made pro and con lists, meditated, "listened to my heart" and so many things. My mind changes every five minutes as I think about different aspects of the decision. Help! I'm not sure what I "want to be when I grow up". When I was a kid, I wanted to be a lawyer and a writer -- and if I go to business school, I close the door on being a lawyer. I still want to explore a lot of things, and I'm afraid of being so much in debt when I go off to do that. On the other hand, I want to be economically secure and do have interests in entrepreneurship and other business careers.

Oh, for the love(hate?) of academia.

Anonymous — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:35:43 -0800

I’m getting an MFA in creative writing in a fairly decent program. I’m starting my third and final year and faced with some choices as to whether or not mental sanity or career options are more important. I could use some feedback from people outside of the program. Really long story short: last year was a much worse year than I could have ever imagined having in grad school. In the Fall I had work stolen from me. I went to the appropriate people and the entire situation was just brushed under the rug. (Sadly, it’s really a dead issue so please don’t suggest I attempt to get someone to finally do something about it.) Unfortunately, this seems to be what happens at this school when the person who took my work also serves as poster child of the program. This, understandably, made me uncomfortable in workshop situations. In the Spring semester, I had workshop with the same person. Add a few more incredibly egotistical writers to the crowd and it turned into an incredibly toxic environment where if anyone other than this small group spoke up there would be eye rolling, exasperated sighs, and almost immediate “no, you’re wrong” statements. This made it uncomfortable for me to participate. I talk to the professor about the toxic environment and my discomfort participating (when I am usually very vocal), am told to essentially get over it, and don’t get anything out of the class.

The summer goes well, but as school approaches my anxiety level builds until I almost can’t handle it because the thought of being in classes with the same people I had such issues with last year is nauseating. (For the record, I’m prone to depression and anxiety attacks and am therapy for both.) I can’t take an independent study for program-related reasons, so decide to actually drop down to take the undergraduate workshop in my genre (which grad students are permitted to take but usually take in a genre other than their primary) in order to avoid program drama and help my mental health. Was told today that dropping down to the undergraduate level would look absolutely terrible on my transcript if I want to pursue further education when I’m done here, which I do.

So. The question. Is it better to potentially sacrifice my mental state and take the workshop this semester with the people who caused me loads of anxiety, discomfort, and unnecessary drama in the past, or do I go ahead with taking the undergraduate workshop even though it might negatively affect my ability to further my education and my perception at this university?

Yes, I’ve been through difficult situations before. I know that there is a value to working through it. But what about picking and choosing battles? And is this one that I really need to fight? (Unfortunately, while “just get over it” and “writers can be egotistical assholes” are perfectly valid responses, due to my own mental issues and how affected I am by environments and situations, I also know that they’re not realistic for me.)

throwaway email: askme.mfa@gmail.com

Why, yes, I'd love a free meal!

venividivici — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:08:55 -0800

When someone invites you to dinner or a party at their house, is there a tactful way to indicate that you can't bring anything, or to prevent them from asking? I've recently moved to a new town (in northern England) for about 9 months in order to finish up the field work for my dissertation. The people here have been incredibly kind and really "taken me in," particularly since I didn't know a soul when I moved here. They're constantly inviting me over for tea, dinners, parties on the weekends, etc., and all my fears about having no social life pretty much vanished by the end of the second week.

The problem, however, is that I'm absolutely, utterly broke -- fellowships and grants pay my rent and bills and leave me with only $60 a month for food (yes, that's dollars, not pounds, alas) if I'm lucky. I feel very uneasy, not to mention rude, that I can't reciprocate for these people. It's also extremely embarrassing to go to a party and watch everyone file in, dutifully handing over their flowers and bottles of wine, while knowing that I'm the only person in the room who hasn't done the same. So far, I've settled the issue by writing thank-you notes/cards afterwards, and this has worked well. Many have said what a joy it is to get a real, handwritten thank-you note in this day and age.

The problem now, however, is that when people invite me over, sometimes they will casually ask me to bring drinks or dessert or an appetizer. I'm sure it's never occurred to them (most are quite well off) that doing so would force me to blow 20% of my food budget on one evening, and that I'd have to skip meals at the end of the month to make up for it. I don't want to be vulgar by discussing money with people who are, in effect, no more than acquaintances -- and unfortunately I don't have a close friend here that I could use to spread the word on my behalf. But the situation now isn't working, and I get the strong feeling from several people that my constantly showing up empty-handed is coming off a bit rude. Which, really, it is.

A friend this weekend planned a big, lavish dinner for Saturday night and off-handedly said over the phone, "Can you bring over some Ben & Jerry's?" and after a pause I simply said, "No, I'm sorry. I can't." Extremely awkward silence ensued, of course. But isn't that far less awkward than telling these people (who, after all, barely know me) that I really am this broke? I don't know a tactful way to say, "I really appreciate everything you're doing for me, but if you're going to give a starving student a free meal, it really has to be completely and totally free, because otherwise I'm going to have to start lying and saying I'm busy."

I've mentioned to most of them, in other contexts, that I'm living on a very tight budget, and I'm sure this is why so many people are inviting me over. They're very kind people and I'm grateful. But they clearly don't understand the intensity of graduate student poverty, and it's getting awkward.

How do I get into a top environmental policy/planning graduate program?

nowoutside — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:36:41 -0800

What is the best course of action to get into a top environmental planning or environmental policy program? A year into the consulting world I'm seeing that to advance faster, I need a graduate degree. I've decided that I want to focus on environmental planning and policy. However, I can't figure out at what stage in my career I would be the best applicant I can be. A bit of background- I have a BS in Environmental Science from Ohio State, and have worked in Environmental Consulting (mostly NEPA processing for hydroelectric dams) for a year. I manged to get my undergrad thesis, which was on remote sensing hydrology, published as part of a paper with myself as second author. I have an ok but not stellar academic record (GPA 3.3, soil science/hydrology concentration).

So, how do I qualify for a top MPA, MCP, or MS program? I feel like I'm too average to get into a good program at this point. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions and can be more specific if needed.

Fellowship Finance

Aanidaani — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:52:04 -0800

I recently started graduate school supported by a National Science Foundation IGERT Fellowship and I just received my first paycheck--without any taxes taken out of it. Am I exempt from paying tax (state and federal) on my fellowship stipend because it's from the government? I claimed two allowances on my W-4 and I don't think I would be subject to witholding because my income is so low. Another fellow's tax accountant said the fellowship was exempt, but I'd like another opinion. I want to be sure that I'm not going to get stuck with a large bill next April that I'm unprepared for. Thanks!

Should I apply for a PhD?

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:34:49 -0800

In grad school; older student. Should I apply to a PhD program? Currently weighing a major life decision and could use some advice from others with academia experience.

I am a 28 year old who has embarked on the process of writing a thesis for an international relations MA. Before returning to school at 26, I had been in the workplace for four years. During this time, I worked primarily in journalism and consulting. I enjoyed my work and opted for graduate school primarily to increase my choice of employment options.

However, I am being encouraged by several faculty members I work with to pursue a PhD in the field or in a closely related one. While I am honored and flattered they think I'm doctor material... I am not sure it's right for me.

The idea of being away from the workplace for three or more years is a serious one. Moreso, I worry that opting for a doctorate (even if it is in a field dealing with geopolitics) will lock me into working in academia - something I'm not sure I want to do.

The decision to pursue a doctorate in the liberal arts is a quite serious one. However, I come from a family with a modest educational & socio-economic background and the people I have to discuss this subject with... well, they are fellow graduate students and professors - a biased group sample if there is one.

So, MeFi users, I ask you - is there any sense in entering into a PhD program in the liberal arts?

What are good urban planning programs for people with bachelor's degrees in visual arts?

Kattullus — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:02:43 -0800

My sister is entering last year of art school this fall but she wants to seek an urban planning graduate degree afterwards. What are good urban planning programs for people with bachelor's degrees in visual arts? This previous question is very similar but is focused on where someone with a computer science BS should go. She's already looking at Rutgers, Pratt and UC Berkeley.

Best way to go back to school in an unrelated field?

Anonymous — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:39:39 -0800

Possibly going back to school in an unrelated field (engineering); what's the best way to approach this? note: (anonymous due to my boss being a regular reading of metafilter and knows my screen name).

My eventual goal would be a dual masters degree in engineering (civil / environmental) and international affairs (IA/IR). I know this is relatively uncommon and as a result I've had a hard time getting advice (even from professors). I'm hoping someone out there will give me some insight. Although they sound like an unusual combination to almost everyone, it would seem like expertise in something like water resource engineering and policy planning/analysis would be quite useful (in fact I did find that Tufts has a dual degree for that very combination).

Background Information: I'm 23 and graduated last year with a degree in economics and am currently working in banking. With my economics background (with a decent amount of political science and language) I think I have an okay chance of getting into an MA program for IA; the problem is engineering. I have no engineering background and in college took relatively few math and science classes. I know as it is right now my chances of getting into any MS engineering program is nearly impossible.

I was reading a similar thread on metafilter (http://ask.metafilter.com/69429/Should-I-go-back-to-school-for-a-second-degree) and I guess my main question would be the differences between getting a second bachelor's degree (in engineering) or rather taking the required background classes and applying directly to a M.Engineering program? I've read in multiple places that a second bachelor's might just end up being a waste of time, but I'm unsure as to which one would give me a better chance of getting into an engineering program.

Need some help with Canadian study permits!

setanor — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:40:22 -0800

My wife just got a frustratingly belated acceptance to a two-year graduate program in Toronto. We're coming from the US, and badly need some guidance with study permits and the proof of "financial support" required Anyone with experience? A few questions here. The school messed up a little bit during the application process, so we're really running tight on time, especially considering the length of time study permits are taking to process right now.

1) This reference explains that a single student needs "Tuition plus $10,000 for a 12-month period" while adding a family member changes that amount to "$4,000 for a 12-month period" - is it an error that "Tuition plus" is not included?

2) We will be taking out loans to pay for part of tuition and expenses. Does this mean we will need these to be approved before applying for the study permit? What would we then provide to the immigration office - proof that the bank has paid out the loan, or actual money in the account?

3) Should we take loans from a Canadian bank in advance of our moving there, or take them out from a US bank?

4) How likely is it to get one of these rejected? The copy concering Dual intent is frustratingly obtuse and unclear.

Beyond that, does anyone have any experiences with this process to share? I've been told that it ends up being less of a hassle than it seems, but I'm suspicious now after looking through everything.

Kindle or Tablet PC for taking notes on PDFs?

tonci — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:05:45 -0800

Tablet PC or Kindle DX for graduate school? I'm starting a PhD program in the fall and the reading will be mostly articles, so I was intrigued by the prospect of doing my PDF reading on the new Kindle DX and taking notes there. I've also been thinking about a tablet PC like the Thinkpad x200. Would you recommend either of these for the purpose I have in mind? What are the relative advantages and disadvantages? I need to get a new computer anyway. Thanks!

How do graduate schools admission departments view online classes?

EvilKenji — Wed, 13 May 2009 23:51:54 -0800

How do graduate schools view "distance learning" (online courses)? I'm not looking to get a HS diploma/bachelors/masters online; I already have my bachelors and I want to take some classes on the side to strengthen a graduate application in the future. Does it generally matter where I take online classes from? I graduated last year from a small liberal arts college and after working some months at my current job I realize what I want more than anything is to go back to school. There are a few different areas I'm looking into for graduate school but I fear the weakness in my application would be the lack of math courses past first year calculus. Initially, I looked at the local community colleges and local university but quite honestly the college/university system is poor in this state and offer few classes online. An added difficulty is that I'm working full time and the local comm. colleges / state university offers few classes during the evening. My goal is to get into a well regarded graduate school in economics or international affairs. So with that background information I would really appreciate any insight into the following:

When taking online courses how important is the institution from which you take it? Obviously I mistrust diploma mills like ITT/University of Phoenix and I suspect that many admissions office don't view them highly. I'm interested in the difference between taking online courses from somewhere like Harvard/Stanford with a potentially less prestigious but still well regarded State University. I notice that some online classes require a proctored final exam and others do not; is there a big difference here from an accreditation/graduate admissions point of view?

Second, do graduate schools tend to value attending physical classes more than online classes? For example, if I were to actually attend classes through the University of California system versus distance learning through UC Berkeley/UCLA.

Specifically I'm looking to take calculus up to multivariate, linear algebra and perhaps up to real analysis. The problem is that there seem to be hundreds of online learning programs of varying standards and reputations (i would prefer a program that was linked to a reputable brick and mortar). I've only found a handful of programs that offer calculus (differential and integral) and in fact have only found one (Stanford) that offers multivariate and linear algebra. Are there any online programs out there that offer math courses past linear algebra?

Finally, I'm hoping some wise metafilter members out there can give me general advice to strengthen any future graduate school applications. Should I take graduate courses? And if so, since my local university system sucks, how are online graduate courses regarded? I'm looking into volunteer programs (teach for america, americorps and peacecorps) and am planning on embarking one at least one of those programs soon. Other than that I appreciate any advice and thank all readers for making through my long and rambling post.

Can I get into a PhD program?

Anonymous — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:24:34 -0800

Will my Chemistry/science grades keep me from getting into a PhD program in a physical science? I love science I plan to pursue a PhD in a physical science. My only concern is my grades. I have a low B science GPA (including some Cs) and around a 3.5 for my overall GPA. Will these prevent me from getting accepted? My strengths are my laboratory courses and I have really strong recommendation letter writers who all can talk about my research ability. Anyone have any experience with cases like this? Any tips?

I will be assimilated.

Netzapper — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:09:48 -0800

CyborgFilter: Do you know of a graduate program, or academic research lab, that offers a PhD related to cybernetics research? I have a BS in compsci, and I've worked for several years now as a software engineer. For years I've been interested in ubiquitous computing, wearable computing, and man-machine interface. I've read a lot of neat research about using microelectrodes to control wheelchairs (and robot arms), about giving sight to the blind by tapping into the optic nerve, and about arrays of electrodes on the tongue providing sixth senses.

I'm looking for a PhD program that will prepare me to study the signals emitted from and received by nerves. I'm not especially interested in neurochemistry; it's the wrong scale. I'm definitely not interested in medicine or surgery. I'm hoping other people will produce the proper electrodes and sensors, and perform any necessary surgeries, for me. I basically want the knowledge of neurophysics necessary to apply my software engineering chops to interfacing machinery and human nerves.

I'd prefer a program with an engineering bent. I want to actually build (or have built) useful equipment at some point. So, I'd find it beneficial to have some training in the mechanics of the sensors. But, ultimately, it's the signals analysis that I want training in.

Applying to Clinical Psych program before undergrad

Genco_Olive_Oil — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:16:03 -0800

Does anyone know if you can apply to a clinical psychology Phd program before finishing your undergrad, or do you need to have experience before applying? Also what can you do to best guarantee your chances of acceptance?