LTE 2.0

[ArkieDukie]

There's another showing of my condo scheduled for tomorrow.

[ArkieDukie]

I took the ferry over to Bolivar Peninsula today in order to drive around a bit. Found a cool looking bird sanctuary and was all set to walk around - until I discovered that there's a $7.00 admission fee. I did walk on the beach, though. Would I be called for a foul if I said it's almost too cool today to walk on the beach?

[Lavabe]

Proud aunt moment of the day: my oldest niece received the Outstanding Student in Psychology award at her college. She won first place at the Missouri Academy of Science last weekend for a presentation of her research, which she also presented at a national meeting in Atlanta. She's going to have a publication on this work as well. She's been on the Dean's List every semester of college, I believe.

Now, riddle me this: how competitive is admission to grad school for her desired field if she was not accepted anywhere that she applied?

Congratulations to ArkieNiecie!

I do not understand college or grad school admissions. She needs to keep trying!

She wants to go into a field that's really competitive. I've heard that most programs accept fewer than 5 students per year. She probably needs more work experience in her field.

Grad school admissions in the social sciences are VERY competitive. Can you name me a field where it is NOT? ;)

Anthro is very similar. Fewer than 5 is pretty normal. Several notes:
1) Be sure that your niece is not applying to schools whose faculty do not want grad students THIS year. Sometimes, professors have too many grad students, too few of them, perhaps are just really wanting a break from them, and many more reasons...
2) NSF, NIH, NIMH are all being hit by the sequester. Add in state-supported school funding issues, and you get the feeling that things are a little harder this year, especially in the social sciences. If I was a grad student advisor, I would have to wonder whether I really want to take in a student if there is no way to support the student throughout the student's career.
3) I just returned from our national conference; everyone is feeling the effects of the economy and the sequester.
4) In some fields (anthro included), only rarely can you get into PhD straight out of undergrad. My students who are thinking of grad school get the riot act from me... prepare for at least one year of treading water (this was the same at Emory). During that year, get some practical experience, field school training, be a research assistant,do Peace Corps a few years, etc... I know that in my field, the amount of time you take to complete a PhD is lower if you come into grad school having taken at least one year off.

She'll probably get in sometime in the next two years. The stats will be in her favor.

[ArkieDukie]

Grad school admissions in the social sciences are VERY competitive. Can you name me a field where it is NOT? ;)

Anthro is very similar. Fewer than 5 is pretty normal. Several notes:
1) Be sure that your niece is not applying to schools whose faculty do not want grad students THIS year. Sometimes, professors have too many grad students, too few of them, perhaps are just really wanting a break from them, and many more reasons...
2) NSF, NIH, NIMH are all being hit by the sequester. Add in state-supported school funding issues, and you get the feeling that things are a little harder this year, especially in the social sciences. If I was a grad student advisor, I would have to wonder whether I really want to take in a student if there is no way to support the student throughout the student's career.
3) I just returned from our national conference; everyone is feeling the effects of the economy and the sequester.
4) In some fields (anthro included), only rarely can you get into PhD straight out of undergrad. My students who are thinking of grad school get the riot act from me... prepare for at least one year of treading water (this was the same at Emory). During that year, get some practical experience, field school training, be a research assistant,do Peace Corps a few years, etc... I know that in my field, the amount of time you take to complete a PhD is lower if you come into grad school having taken at least one year off.

She'll probably get in sometime in the next two years. The stats will be in her favor.

Thanks for the perspective from the social sciences, Lavabe. You confirmed what I suspected. Heck, we're only taking 3 students in our department. Three! The number is down for all the reasons you mentioned. I told my niece this and also that she needed to get a job in her field for a year or two. I will definitely be reiterating all of this.

Part of the problem, IMHO, is that she applied to only 2 Ph.D. programs. (I'll spare the rant on why she chose the programs she did. Nothing to do with quality of her desired area of expertise and everything to do with where her boyfriend would be willing to live.)

[Lavabe]

Part of the problem, IMHO, is that she applied to only 2 Ph.D. programs. (I'll spare the rant on why she chose the programs she did. Nothing to do with quality of her desired area of expertise and everything to do with where her boyfriend would be willing to live.)

ONLY TWO?!?!?! Yes, THAT would be a big problem. Ugh!

[ArkieDukie]

Part of the problem, IMHO, is that she applied to only 2 Ph.D. programs. (I'll spare the rant on why she chose the programs she did. Nothing to do with quality of her desired area of expertise and everything to do with where her boyfriend would be willing to live.)

ONLY TWO?!?!?! Yes, THAT would be a big problem. Ugh!

And, as an added bonus, she did not apply to the two programs suggested by her advisor (where she has connections). I need to have a proverbial "come to Jesus" chat with my otherwise intelligent niece.

[bjornolf]

There's another showing of my condo scheduled for tomorrow.

[DukieInKansas]

I took the ferry over to Bolivar Peninsula today in order to drive around a bit. Found a cool looking bird sanctuary and was all set to walk around - until I discovered that there's a $7.00 admission fee. I did walk on the beach, though. Would I be called for a fowl if I said it's almost too cool today to walk on the beach?

I fixed it for you.

[ArkieDukie]

I took the ferry over to Bolivar Peninsula today in order to drive around a bit. Found a cool looking bird sanctuary and was all set to walk around - until I discovered that there's a $7.00 admission fee. I did walk on the beach, though. Would I be called for a fowl if I said it's almost too cool today to walk on the beach?

I fixed it for you.

LOL! I was browsing through pictures I took over the past month or so and discovered that I've taken lots of cool bird shots. I really need to upload them to Flickr.

[devildeac]

I took the ferry over to Bolivar Peninsula today in order to drive around a bit. Found a cool looking bird sanctuary and was all set to walk around - until I discovered that there's a $7.00 admission fee. I did walk on the beach, though. Would I be called for a fowl if I said it's almost too cool today to walk on the beach?

I fixed it for you.

I'm glad there was no need to egg you on .

[Lavabe]

Part of the problem, IMHO, is that she applied to only 2 Ph.D. programs. (I'll spare the rant on why she chose the programs she did. Nothing to do with quality of her desired area of expertise and everything to do with where her boyfriend would be willing to live.)

ONLY TWO?!?!?! Yes, THAT would be a big problem. Ugh!

And, as an added bonus, she did not apply to the two programs suggested by her advisor (where she has connections). I need to have a proverbial "come to Jesus" chat with my otherwise intelligent niece.

ARRRRRGH!! I can't begin to tell you how frustrated I would be if I were her advisor.

[YmoBeThere]

I took a drive yesterday on State Highway 130 here in Texas. It is a toll road with a speed limit of 85. It was around 11 AM and traffic was relatively light. They will send me the toll bill by mail.

[CathyCA]

I took the ferry over to Bolivar Peninsula today in order to drive around a bit. Found a cool looking bird sanctuary and was all set to walk around - until I discovered that there's a $7.00 admission fee. I did walk on the beach, though. Would I be called for a foul if I said it's almost too cool today to walk on the beach?

Yes. It is never too cold to walk on the beach.

[CameronBornAndBred]

HA!!! TNT just sent me a text that he is in Heathrow heading back home and my dad and stepmom are on the same flight. I had no idea my parents had gone anywhere. I just always assume they are out of the country.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

HA!!! TNT just sent me a text that he is in Heathrow heading back home and my dad and stepmom are on the same flight. I had no idea my parents had gone anywhere. I just always assume they are out of the country.

It's small world, after all. It's a small, small world! How's that for an ear worm!

[CameronBornAndBred]

HA!!! TNT just sent me a text that he is in Heathrow heading back home and my dad and stepmom are on the same flight. I had no idea my parents had gone anywhere. I just always assume they are out of the country.

It's small world, after all. It's a small, small world! How's that for an ear worm!

[YmoBeThere]

I'm more used to scorpions here in Texas.

[captmojo]

Watch for the new non-action hero...'Tickman'. Uggh, that'll be me. After my MD told me to take a series of antibiotics, call him if I wasn't feeling better in a couple of days because I had acute bronchitis, the First Mate found an embedded deer tick on the side of my big ol' belly last night and removed it.
Every symptom I was experiencing was related to anything BUT my bronchial tubes. Headache that will not go away. Like the brow of your head is wrapped in a tourniquet. 102 degree fever. My hands were HOT. I've never had hot hands.
Ticks is BAD shit. Little tiny deer ticks you don't even feel crawling on you, not big assed dog ticks.
Now, I have to go back over to the MD's office and show him my little bronchitis bug that was placed in a little plastic container. And, be certain the antibiotic he prescribed is sufficient. I dare him to charge me another co-pay!

[IowaDevil]

Watch for the new non-action hero...'Tickman'. Uggh, that'll be me. After my MD told me to take a series of antibiotics, call him if I wasn't feeling better in a couple of days because I had acute bronchitis, the First Mate found an embedded deer tick on the side of my big ol' belly last night and removed it.
Every symptom I was experiencing was related to anything BUT my bronchial tubes. Headache that will not go away. Like the brow of your head is wrapped in a tourniquet. 102 degree fever. My hands were HOT. I've never had hot hands.
Ticks is BAD shit. Little tiny deer ticks you don't even feel crawling on you, not big assed dog ticks.
Now, I have to go back over to the MD's office and show him my little bronchitis bug that was placed in a little plastic container. And, be certain the antibiotic he prescribed is sufficient. I dare him to charge me another co-pay!

YIKES! Here's to a quick recovery now that the little bugger has been found and removed!

[CathyCA]

Watch for the new non-action hero...'Tickman'. Uggh, that'll be me. After my MD told me to take a series of antibiotics, call him if I wasn't feeling better in a couple of days because I had acute bronchitis, the First Mate found an embedded deer tick on the side of my big ol' belly last night and removed it.
Every symptom I was experiencing was related to anything BUT my bronchial tubes. Headache that will not go away. Like the brow of your head is wrapped in a tourniquet. 102 degree fever. My hands were HOT. I've never had hot hands.
Ticks is BAD shit. Little tiny deer ticks you don't even feel crawling on you, not big assed dog ticks.
Now, I have to go back over to the MD's office and show him my little bronchitis bug that was placed in a little plastic container. And, be certain the antibiotic he prescribed is sufficient. I dare him to charge me another co-pay!

Oh my gosh! I hope you're going to be feeling better soon.

Meanwhile, I'm scratching everywhere!