OT: Grad School

Response

Just because I'm curious, where do you go to school, where are you planning on applying, and what area are you planning on specializing in?

Fellow history student here, about 1.5 months out from graduation.

by mrkupe on Nov 1, 2007 12:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

from Johns Hopkins, and I'm still making the list of where I'm going to apply. I always liked the feeling of getting rejected so, the only schools I'm certain about so far are Yale, Penn and Columbia.

As to my specialty, that's kind of a difficult question to answer. The short version is modern American political history. The long answer is that I've spent a few years now studying a group called the anti-Communist liberals in the years immediately following World War Two, and trying to see if there's a connection with a series of artists, philosophers and writers at that same time, which might explain why though my real interest is political history, I spend lots of time staring at paintings.

Are you also applying now? What area are you interested in? If you want to talk more, my email address is DKushne1@jhu.edu

by OldProspects on Nov 1, 2007 2:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Reply

Sounds interesting. The connection between the arts and Cold War politics is rich.
I'm in Grad school right now. PhD program in Theatre History. It may sound weird, but I actually get to write about "performance" quite a bit, and thus, I get to write about baseball.

by brak60 on Nov 1, 2007 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Theather history?

That sounds awesome - how did you get into that?

by OldProspects on Nov 1, 2007 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well...

It was just a way to merge two areas of my interest. I was originally all set to go to Bowling Green's PhD in Popular Culture, but I ultimately decided that I could do basically the same thing, but actually be marketable through a theatre program.

by brak60 on Nov 1, 2007 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Graduated from BG

I got my undergrad from BG in Middle Ed, currently I'm studying Educational Research at the University of North Carolina,G-Boro.

I get to play with stats and learn why some people horribly botch the stat work they do on an every day basis.

by cubsfan2883 on Nov 1, 2007 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

re:

i've noticed people involved with theater spell it "theatre" and people who are not, spell it "theater"

...good stuff.

by nyybaseball99 on Nov 1, 2007 7:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

From what I've seen,

there isn't even a consensus among people in theatre about how to spell it. The general rule of thumb I've been given, and I use most often, is if you are referring to a building or structure, use "theater", but if you are referring to the concept or performance or whatever, use "theatre".
Of course that isn't always the case. I know a lot of American Theatre scholars that won't use the "theatre" spelling because it is the British form. But it apparently doesn't matter much at all.
My department here at University of Illinois calls themselves the "Theatre" Department, so I've been going with that one lately.

I won't even get into "the-A-ter" :)

by brak60 on Nov 5, 2007 10:40 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Response

You're in much better shape than I would be, were I inclined to apply to grad school. I'm about to graduate from University of Illinois-Chicago and while my major GPA is sterling, anything that doesn't involve me getting to write a lot doesn't hold my interest beyond a couple of weeks, so the sciences drag me down a bit. The big guys at UIC seem to think I could make a substantial jump in terms of school prestige if I applied, and I'd probably be looking at Urbana-Champaign or some other place on that level. Interesting that you went to Johns Hopkins, as I used to go to school out that way (GWU) before I realized that everybody there was like my total opposite as far as priorities go. :)

There's three problems for me when it comes to grad school. The first is the obvious one, that of finding a job after I'm out - even a degree from a good school brings much more uncertainty than it does job prospects these days. The second is that I'm just not really sure what I'd study - I never got into history because of one targeted interest. My "specialties" include the Classical era and the civilizations arising out of that period, along with Victorian England.

The third problem is the biggest issue for me. Quite frankly, I know how much work grad school is, and I know how much work and dedication are needed to succeed in academia. And while I don't worry about excelling in the field, I personally don't think I'd love my job as much as somebody else might, and for me that's a big warning sign when assessing future careers.

For the moment I'm debating between looking into teacher certification and teaching Euro history and Latin (my minor) at the high school level or looking into law, which has at least a couple of fields that have me intrigued. The money thing is a bit of an issue, though . . .I wasn't rich to start with and six years of intermittent schooling have not been especially kind to me. It may very well end up that my decision will be made for me and that I'll end up doing the teaching thing for a while in an effort to save my pennies and go for more degrees in my late 20s/early 30s.

by mrkupe on Nov 1, 2007 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My GPA isn't too hot

even though I managed to avoid taking almost any science classes.

I spent the summer hanging out with my siblings in Evanston, actually, and met some people from UIC - it seemed like a pretty interesting school.

(On an entirely side note, thanks for reminding me about UIUC - I've been fairly lax on making my list of schools to check out (basically stole it from a more industrious friend of mine), but they have an interesting department. In fact, I suspect a number of people here might be interested in this guy http://www.history.uiuc.edu/people/burgosjr/)

Out of curiosity, what differences did you see btwn GW and UIC? Do you mean regional (i.e. east vs. midwest?) or something about the specific schools?

by OldProspects on Nov 1, 2007 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have a bachlors degree in science

I don't quite have the grades to get into a science grad school. Very tough to get into.

by Bravesin07 on Nov 1, 2007 12:51 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Tell me about it

I went to an engineering school so half of my friends faced similar problems. Which science were you studying?

by OldProspects on Nov 1, 2007 2:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Biology with a minor in Geoscience

If it wasn't for one professor who killed everyone's GPA in the biology department with killer tests and practicals I possibly could have been able to get into grad school. It's killing me on the job front IMO, though I have an interview at a big lab corporation tommorow. I still have to take online classes(despite my bio degree) if I get this job in order to be heavily involved in the lab. I'm also on a science recruiter list for all of NY and Mass.

by Bravesin07 on Nov 1, 2007 9:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

shocking

Who could believe Bravesin07 did not earn good grades in college? I'm shocked.

by im not new on Nov 1, 2007 9:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you must think i'm an idiot

Where I live there is like 4 people that actually got science degrees, everyone else is business or criminal justice. Of course everyone thought I should have done broadcasting, but one of my good friends got out of it because it doesn't pay worth a crap. He had to go out to Nebraska due to no offers here. He talked to Joba Chamberlain a ton due to him covering the huskers. Said Chamberlain was a cool kid. I'd like to see some of you take animal physiology or Genetics, two tough classes.

by Bravesin07 on Nov 1, 2007 9:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't exactly try to be an english major here

I got an A- in English 101 in college. I only usually have trouble with commas and stuff like that. I worked hard in college working on that. At least I got north of a 2.5 average in college, I know a kid who barely graduated with a 2.05. A lot of people don't do that good in science.

by Bravesin07 on Nov 1, 2007 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also I usually don't reread my stuff here

before posting, hense the mistakes. I rush too much into saying or writing something, which my science professors at my college told me when writing proposal papers(They aren't easy). I know how hard graduate level classes are since I took one during my last semester at college. It was a 500+ level course. Anyways, we shouldn't be bashing someone who only has a bachlors degree. I'm impressed by the degress some people have on here. The PH.Ds sound really difficult to complete.

by Bravesin07 on Nov 1, 2007 9:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i'm impressed

I thought you were in high school.

by jahs34 on Nov 1, 2007 8:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

English Lit...

...PhD here, now an Assistant Prof, so it worked out (after, er, a decade).

The job market is, A, intense, and B, mysterious. But I have no idea what else I'd do with myself. I tell students that it will never make rational sense to go to grad school (in the humanities, at least). It's more akin to faith than to reason.

The key is to have an exit strategy, because it's rough to get in, but it's even rougher to get out.

by FlipYrWhig on Nov 1, 2007 1:06 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Exit Strategy:

Law school.

by Scott Proctor Fan Club on Nov 1, 2007 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah one of my best friends is going to be a

lawyer

by Bravesin07 on Nov 1, 2007 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

humanities Ph.D's

like FlipYrWhig says, humanities Ph.D's aren't an economic choice.

do it only if you absolutely love what you're doing. becoming a professor is a long-shot, and, otherwise, you'll never recoup the value with the degree/time-spent.

i could have gone to bio grad school or psych grad school to do neuroscience (or med school, but decided against that for different reasons). in terms of bio, the decision's a little different, because the Ph.D pays off in some ways in terms of later job opportunities.

but, either way, as i saw it, people get buried in grad school for far too long, doing free labor for their P.I.'s, and the small percentage who TRULY succeed in what they do is too small to make it all worth it.

that's why i decided to piss off all my professors and go to law school. because i'm a materialistic bastard who wants/needs money, and lots of it. but, if i cared more to feed my academic interests, going to grad school can be a great decision. that's where you have to know yourself.

one last note that may already be obvious, but, for me, wasn't -- DON'T go to grad school because you think the working world sucks and want to have the college experience all over again. if anything, grad school is more work than all but the most intense jobs. and, instead of paying you, they put you deeply into debt. so take that for whatever it's worth.

by bleedjaxblue on Nov 1, 2007 1:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

economic = economical

by bleedjaxblue on Nov 1, 2007 1:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What sort of law are you interested in? N/T

by OldProspects on Nov 1, 2007 8:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

almost certainly going to do....

....intellectual property in biotech.

did biotech patents most of last year, and most likely going to continuing working there afterwards.

it was a really good compromise for me, because, though i loved learning science: 1) the money/job insecurity scared me, and 2) bench science itself kind of knocked my faith in the results, given how little i trusted my own measurements (it's a long story).

doing biotech law, you get to keep up with the research and explain it to others, but you don't have to see the practical (and, therefore, "ugly") side of the data. plus the money thing.

by bleedjaxblue on Nov 1, 2007 8:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Incorrect

"instead of paying you, they put you deeply into debt"

Depends on your field, of course. In the sciences, you are typically paid a stipend, and tuition is waived. I actually SAVED money in grad school - not much, granted, but I definitely was paid, and definitely did not go into debt.

by siddfynch on Nov 2, 2007 8:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't go for a Ph.D w/o a stipend

Especially in the humanities or social sciences, it makes no sense to go heavily into debt for a degree that is not guaranteed to generate a high income. Further, a department is offering a commitment to you if it gives you a stipend, and is likely to encourage you to complete your degree. Otherwise, you risk being victimized by a department who only wants to take your tuition money and has little invested in watching you succeed. I've known too many people who went into debt in grad school and dropped out after a few years with little to no support from their adviser or department. If they want you, they will pay you.

I would not have pursued my doctorate in history without the initial stipend offered by my department. I didn't make money off that stipend (though I did from a subsequent multi-year fellowship from an outside agency), but I did avoid sinking into debt because of it.

by asinwreck on Nov 5, 2007 10:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ahem

Flunked out 3 times. :) And even though I only work 80 days out of the year, I have no desire to go back and flunk out a fourth time. ;) Mahalo

Matt

I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.

by WayneCampbell05 on Nov 1, 2007 2:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

what'd you study?

by bleedjaxblue on Nov 1, 2007 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Me = John Blutarski

My first major was Comp Sci back in '86 at the U of I Champaign/Urbana. It was part of the Engineering College too. I switched to Comp E when I returned. Then after a brief stint in the Army Reserves, my last major was Aviation. Now that was alot of fun. :) Mahalo

Matt

I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.

by WayneCampbell05 on Nov 2, 2007 12:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

CHEM

about halfway through a chemistry ph.d program. I do know at our school (i think its this way at most) science graduate students get paid more because they do research that brings in money to the universities, so i dont quite know about the poverty issue but i enjoy everyday (except for advancement test times).

by taggartd on Nov 1, 2007 2:38 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Engineering

Well I went to grad school for engineering...I'm now in law school. Yay for tons of education!

by rsvandy on Nov 1, 2007 2:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Are you...

trying to do patent law?

by templeUsox on Nov 1, 2007 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i am also

in law school. 3L.

by phantom on Nov 1, 2007 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

where are both of you....

....going to school? and, for phantom, what type of law are you going into?

by bleedjaxblue on Nov 1, 2007 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i go to northeastern

i am going into criminal law

by phantom on Nov 2, 2007 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

re:

what type of engineering?

by nyybaseball99 on Nov 1, 2007 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Education

Smack in the middle of student teaching in an SF high school, finishing my teaching credential and getting my Master's in teaching reading. I have more grey hair today than I did in August. A lot more.

But I wouldn't be happier doing anything else.

by ToddyBaseball on Nov 1, 2007 3:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'd be interested in ...

Chatting with you further. I'm a reading teacher at a high school in South Florida, about to pursue a master's. Please email me at psugator02@yahoo.com

mark

If you know of a minor league sleeper, please let me know

by psugator01 on Nov 1, 2007 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Education too

I am currently in Grad. School for School Administration. A lot of work and have a one year old at home, so time is precious. Thank god for baseball!!!

by jrbro on Nov 1, 2007 6:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Education here also

Received my Masters in Mathematics Education August 2005

by kienast on Nov 1, 2007 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Still a Junior at Brandeis University

But probably going to Grad school, maybe the Heller School of Social Policy, as soon as I graduate. I'm double majoring in Health Science Society and Policy (HSSP) and Psychology, and going into Health Administration maybe?

Hey fish, leave those kids alone!

by The Congo Hammer on Nov 1, 2007 8:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

SENIOR AT BRANDEIS

DUDE! I'm at Brandeis too! I'm a senior, and I've been reading this blog for ages (but I rarely post...shame...).

I'm going into sportscasting, and I'm applying to graduate programs in Journalism right now so I can practice being on television.

by BenjGC on Nov 1, 2007 9:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wings Express

Lemon & Cracked Pepper!

by Galt on Nov 1, 2007 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Haha

This is awesome! I thought I was the only Brandeisian on this site!

Hey fish, leave those kids alone!

by The Congo Hammer on Nov 1, 2007 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

re

There are quite a few around here.

by mckeeno on Nov 1, 2007 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

brandeis

Judges represent! Class of '07 and will be going for an MFA in a few years.

by mckeeno on Nov 1, 2007 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

lots of science/education folks

Am I the only one who got a MBA?

by Galt on Nov 1, 2007 8:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Kind of

I'm in the process of studying for GMATs and getting my application ready for business school. Where did you get your MBA? I'm applying to London Business School, Columbia, Stanford, NYU (Stern), and possibly Duke. I'm probably setting myself up for failure, but I want to go to LBS so bad...

Anyways, what was the process like for you?

by Jgaztambide on Nov 1, 2007 10:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Another MBA here

I'm a first year at Vanderbilt's program.

by Bowser on Nov 1, 2007 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

MBA hopeful...

Hrmm I am hoping to switch over to a MBA. I was accepted to a grad program(telecommunications systems management at Murray State)...and about 2 days before it started I changed my mind(simply didn't enroll in any classes). I am now awaiting a decision on getting into the MBA program instead. My undergrad was in accounting.

by osoZ on Nov 1, 2007 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

haven't done my MBA

but i have my bachelor's and am a qualified accountant......haven't needed the MBA yet, but may get it just to "pad the stats" down the road.........

people can knock the profession for it's apparent dullness , but accounting offers tons of opportunity, guaranteed high salary income, and easy transition into management which translates into challenging roles.......it goes beyond numbers and into people once you advance yourself.....sky is truly the limit and it is what you make of it

by Wheelhouse on Nov 1, 2007 10:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

BA in English Lit & Philosophy

Currently applying to a post-graduate program for Teacher certification in the UK.

Slowey is a control freak, and I like it!!

by melonhead202 on Nov 1, 2007 9:54 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Undergrad in Economics

Currently attending grad school for Statistics. It's a PhD program, but I think I might jump ship after the Masters if I can get a good enough job; my true love is Econ. :-)

As for the "poverty", well, I'm doing okay. I got funding through a TA ship; it's really quite easy and I get enough to rent a room in a 3-bed duplex and live comfortably provided I don't eat out, etc. I'd probably be tougher if I was married or something (wifey would definitely have to work or supplement the income); not sure I could recommend grad school after starting a family, at least not if you're the soul source of income.

All that said, I imagine it'll actually be tougher for you, since you'd be in a liberal arts program rather than a science/math one. Getting funding for something that doesn't directly bring in income to the university can be difficult. :-)

by mraver on Nov 1, 2007 10:04 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

My experience

I pursued a PhD in philosophy for six years and watched the job market dry up while the department went to heck in a hand basket. So I cashed out my MA and pursued a professional MS in tech comm. Just finishing that up now.

I can see getting a professional masters or perhaps a PhD in something like EE/CSCI. But liberal arts academia is a rats' nest. Only the top 5% get good jobs, and it's a tremendous expense (money+time+emotional/psychological) to go through for the hope of being that top performer.

The risk/reward is too great for me to recommend it to anyone less than a MENSA nerd. I'm still straddled with school debt and I lost six years of career development for very little gain.

cmathewson

by cmathewson on Nov 1, 2007 10:43 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

subject

How many grad students does it take to change a light bulb?

One, but it will take him 8 years and he will wonder why he did it in the first place.

by Josh on Nov 1, 2007 11:35 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Says

the pot smoking high school dropout.

Lex clavatoris designati rescindenda est.

by HuskerBob on Nov 6, 2007 2:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

MBA

I got my MBA 3 years ago and while the two years I was in school were tough financially, I am very happy I went based upon my new salary. In fact I was able to pay off all of my loans with my added income in less time than it took to graduate.

by goose102977 on Nov 1, 2007 12:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Chiropractic

Bachelor's in BioChem, Doctor of Chiropractic after that (7 y total). Still young, poor, and in 6 figure debt, but I wouldn't trade it. Get to work with some athletes, a good deal of back and neck pain (the obvious, and usually the easiest), but what makes it worthwhile is the stuff people don't realize about DC's....people telling that their 3 year old stopped vomiting/GERD, digestion troubles improved, pain free/best sleep in years, other powerful things that the nervous system can do when interference is removed from it & the body.

Curtis Granderson fan

by jrose643 on Nov 1, 2007 12:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

cool

sounds like a fun job.

by Bravesin07 on Nov 1, 2007 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

History Ph.D

It is great if you have a passion for it and are prepared to travel to unlikely places for work.

by asinwreck on Nov 1, 2007 1:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

MS in biology

Very valuable to have gone.

Best thing about grad school in sciences is that the tuition is generally paid as part of your research assistantship - so the cost/benefit doesn't really involve debt, just foregone income. Which is quickly atoned for after graduation.

Grad degrees in sciences typically involve a lot of stats classes, which is nice for baseball. The science training part of it, though, makes one shudder at some of the logic/reasoning that goes into decisions. Dr. Spock would run a great baseball team.

by siddfynch on Nov 1, 2007 1:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

cool

I wish I had the grades to get into grade school. You probably got a 3.9 or so.

by Bravesin07 on Nov 1, 2007 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nope

3.0, but at a good school...then worked for 5 years getting experience, and found several professors who were pysched to take on a student with real world experience - also at good schools.

by siddfynch on Nov 1, 2007 6:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I only got a shade over a 2.5

Though this is largely due to the college screwing me out of changing my major. I pretty much had my major changed from Biology to Environmental Science so I was taking Environmental classes for one semester in which I got a 3.1. I went to Utica, which is associated with SU, but SU rejected the Environmental Science major for Utica and I had to stay with a biology major. I got begged to stay at my school, which looking back should have rejected. This forced me to take 3 lab courses a semester pretty much the last two years and I got stuck with a professor for 5 courses who considered anyone who got a B was great and he never gave A's. I think the GPA for the classes that I had this professor for was a 2.0. I haven't talked to hardly any of the professors since I graduated. Maybe if I get this job i'm interviewing for tommorow I may change my tune.

by Bravesin07 on Nov 1, 2007 6:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

GPA

is pretty irrelevant in entry-level jobs in Environmental Science, especially if you are interested in field work. If you string together a few good jobs in environmental sciences, you'll be bound to make a good impression on people connected to university systems, and end up making progress towards the goal of grad school (if that remains your goal).

My degree was at Cornell, just down the road from you - they pretty much recruited me from a position out west after one professor had some exposure to the program I was working it. Keep your head up, make judicious choices, and always leave a job with at least one good reference from it.

If you are in Enviro Sciences, I would recommend targeting Humboldt State for a MS. They have a strong program, and (I think) have a minimum GPA of 2.5 so that professors can dig up diamonds in the rough. Good luck.

by siddfynch on Nov 1, 2007 7:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

thanks for the advice

I may look into that.

by Bravesin07 on Nov 1, 2007 9:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It is still a 2.5

i'm going to do some research this weekend to see if there are any places in new york state that have that. Hopefully I can get this job tommorow i'm interviewing for. I won't be bugging you guys here much anymore if I get it.

by Bravesin07 on Nov 1, 2007 9:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

physics grad school at stanford

i loved (and still love) physics, and i loved stanford. my advisor was great, a brilliant scientist and a genuinely nice guy. the courses weren't bad. so how come grad school as a whole sucked so hard?

i quit after 3 years. (i got a MS as a parting gift.) i'm happy i left, even though it means i didn't get my PhD and probably won't be able to get the job i want (which is teaching undergrad physics).

i won't pretend my experience is universal, but i'd strongly encourage anybody who is considering entering grad school to make sure it's really what they want to do. i know for me, and lots of my classmates, it's just sort of what we ended up doing by default. "gee, i'm about to get my bachelor's and i don't know what to do next. what about being a student? i know how to do that." grad school is grueling, both mentally and emotionally. it messed up a lot of people i know, incredibly bright people who came in with a lot of motivation and energy.

by jpahk on Nov 1, 2007 1:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Physics is not easy

the first time I ever took Physics was my senior year in college, never had it in high school. Took a lot of hard work just to be decent in it.

by Bravesin07 on Nov 1, 2007 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i will say this

i think PhD programs are much, much more stressful than master's programs. with a master's program, there's a much lower chance of being totally hosed by an evil advisor or a dead-end project. you just go in, do your work, and get out in a couple years with a degree.

by jpahk on Nov 1, 2007 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah I got hosed by an advisor

I should have transferred but I never did. I regret not leaving my school after my 2nd year.

by Bravesin07 on Nov 1, 2007 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

I was in a ms/phd program, and observationally, it seemed a much more intense environment that programs designed to culminate in an MS.

by siddfynch on Nov 1, 2007 6:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

out of curiosity...

....what years were you at Stanford?

by bleedjaxblue on Nov 1, 2007 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

stanford

i was there from sept 02 to jul 05.

by jpahk on Nov 1, 2007 5:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

college

thats cool. i'm at stanford right now as an undergrad..

LiNcEcuM and cAiN R STUDS

by z4 landshark on Nov 1, 2007 7:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

crazy

so odd to talk to people online who are close by.

you in a frat?

by bleedjaxblue on Nov 1, 2007 7:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

nice

i was an undergrad '02-'06. now back there for law school.

did you live on campus while you were there?

by bleedjaxblue on Nov 1, 2007 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah

i lived in rains all 3 years. same apt, too, never had to move. it was nice.

how often did/do you take in a game at the sunken diamond? i went a few times but i'm now annoyed that i didn't take more advantage of it while i was out there. great facility, great team (especially in those years), great players. i saw at least 8 or 10 guys who have made/will make a big league roster.

by jpahk on Nov 1, 2007 11:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

crazy

in Rains right now as i type this. sweet deal never having to move.

as for the Sunken Diamond, i went a fair amount as a little kid (grew up in Palo Alto also), either with my baseball team to watch games or for the Stanford baseball summer camp, which was sweet, but i never went much once i was at school. truthfully, i think most of the baseball players are pricks -- one of the very few teams i felt that way about -- and i could never watch them knowing the guys personally. but, yeah, now i do regret not going more often -- there's been a lot of talent churning through their in the past 5 years (not so much right now). i guess, if they get good in the next few years, i'll have another chance -- and this time, i won't have to know the guys, which will make it infinitely better.

by bleedjaxblue on Nov 2, 2007 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

if you grew up in PA

how'd you get to be a dodger fan? just curious.

i guess sometimes these things just happen, given that i'm an A's fan who grew up in virginia and started following baseball while in college... in boston.

i think the best game i saw at sunken diamond was the '04 regional, when long beach held back jered weaver for the second game so they could throw him against stanford. in that game, i saw weaver pitch 8 innings of 5-hit ball, and troy tulowitzki hit 2 home runs to beat stanford, who spent most of the year ranked #1. that was the year after quentin and garko were drafted but they still had lowrie, mayberry, putnam, and carter.

by jpahk on Nov 2, 2007 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

being a Dodger fan

so the simple (but untrue) story is that my dad is from Great Neck, NY, and grew up a Dodger fan, and so i inherited it from him.

the REAL story is that i already naturally disliked the Giants when i was in third grade (don't ask me why -- i think i either was perverse, or else disliked their uniforms, or something similarly superficial). i was watching a game in September of '92 between the Dodgers and Giants when a guy came to the plate who I'd never heard of. he fouled a pitch off, and i turned to my babysitter (it was a Saturday night) and gave my 9-year-old scouting report that "this guy has a great swing!" on the next pitch, Mike Piazza hit his first major league homerun, which i believe was the first time i'd ever seen a player's first homer.

anyway, i started being a huge fan of Piazza's, but following him obviously transferred to the Dodgers at large. it's been, to say the least, difficult being a Dodger fan in the Bay Area. but i have to say, in the four sports i follow -- MLB, NFL, college football, college basketball -- the two teams i care about the most are the two "random" ones that i have stories about why i like them (the Dodgers and Florida State football), whereas i care way less about the two teams i "inherited" by default (the 49ers and Stanford basketball).

so how did you become an A's fan? there's got to be some story there.

oh -- one random thing about Tulowitzki. i just found out a few weeks ago from some ex-high-school teammates that i had played against him back in the day. of course, i don't remember this at all, but, apparently, he homered against us, too.

i definitely remember their run in '04. but i was rooting against them, because, like i said.....not a fan of the guys on the team.

by bleedjaxblue on Nov 2, 2007 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

my story (long, boring)

i paid almost no attention to baseball growing up outside of DC. i liked football (redskins) and basketball (georgetown, which is where my mom went, and to a lesser extent the bullets/wizards). i was occasionally dimly aware of the orioles, like when they went 0-21 to start the season back in whatever year that was. ('87? and was it 0-22?) i'd heard of cal ripken.

i went to college and my two best friends were baseball geeks, so i started following baseball a little bit. i was always a numbers guy, so i got into rob neyer and OBP and all that stuff. but as far as following/supporting a team, i guess there was the red sox and that was it. the first game i ever attended was at fenway park (unless you count going to my best friend's little league game when i was a kid), boston vs cleveland. i think pat rapp and bartolo colon were the starters, and there may have been a bench-clearing brawl when rapp came in high & tight to jim thome.

anyway, the sox back then were certainly interesting. pedro & nomar, of course, were huuuge stars. i liked pedro a lot, and i thought what he was doing was incredible. wakefield is always entertaining--god bless knuckleballers. but it still never really felt like "my" team, though of course i rooted for them against the yankees.

it must have been 1999 that i started noticing what the A's were doing. that was giambi's breakout year, and plus they had all these great young guys that were breaking in. chavez and tejada, of course, but that was also hudson's rookie year. he came to fenway some time in august and out-pitched pedro, also garnering (if my memory is good) some unwanted attention for staring down red sox hitters as they trudged back to the dugout after striking out. i think i was hooked then. after that when they made the playoffs the next year, and brought up mulder and (especially) zito, and t-long (i know, a sick joke now, but he was young and good and exciting back then)... i guess i started thinking about them as "my" team.

i moved out of boston in the summer of '01, and didn't really have anywhere to go so i followed my brother, my two best friends, and my baseball team to the east bay and settled in berkeley for a year before going to stanford. that year i went to a ton of A's games (mmm, dollar wednesdays!), including the two most heartbreaking playoff losses ever--the 1-0 zito-mussina duel where mini-G didn't slide (i still haven't forgiven art howe for not putting byrnes in to run for him), and the next day when dye broke his leg on a foul ball. my friend and i walked out of the coliseum that day practically sick to our stomachs, and it's still the only time i've ever left a game early. i probably felt worse after that game than i did after sept 11, which was only a month before.

but i still remember what billy said that year. "you better beat us now, because this is the worst team we're going to field in the next five years." it wasn't quite true, but here we are in 2007 and it's the first bad year the A's have had since i started following them. can't complain about that.

by jpahk on Nov 2, 2007 6:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

stanford undergrad

bleedjaxblue we should talk sometime. i am interested in law school and that is awesome that you went here undergrad and now are back for grad school. whatd you major in? i am interested in history....

LiNcEcuM and cAiN R STUDS

by z4 landshark on Nov 2, 2007 1:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

for sure

would be happy to talk any time, either on here, by IM or, if you want, i could meet you at Tressider or something.

having said that, my advice about law school may be unusual in a lot of ways. first, i was more of a science kid than most law students (majored in neuroscience, was pre-med, did a lot of psych and bio, etc). second, compared to my classmates, i'm much more money-oriented than the rest (i could talk for HOURS about the difference between Stanford undergrad and Stanford Law). third, i've been in and around legal academia my whole life.

but let me know if you want to talk. i'd be more than happy to help in any way i can.

by bleedjaxblue on Nov 2, 2007 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Physics grad school

I completely agree with you about the fact that you have to really want to do it and have to be motivated. I graduated undergrad in 2005 from the University of Michigan in Physics. I had worked all 4 years in a high energy density physics lab and had been able to interact closely with the grad students over the years. Its clear that the ones that do well are definitely doing it because they love the work, not that they are motivated by the future money.

After I finished my undergrad I seriously considered grad school as well, but knew that I wasnt motivated enough to be successful at it at the time.

Luckily I have been able to still work with the same HED physics group as a lab scientist and have been able to do a lot of meaningful work and make good contacts which really could help me if I do make the decision to go for grad school in the future

Incidentally, for anyone that has read all the way through this:

How many of you who have gone to grad school took time off between undergrad and grad work? The older I get (Im only 24 but still) the harder it seems for me to feel like it would make sense. I kinda feel like if I havent gone to grad school in the next 2 or 3 years then it probably will be something I never do.

Does anyone have any advice about that however?

Thanks for reading through and responding, anyone who does.

by grozzy on Nov 2, 2007 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

time off

i took 2 years between college and grad school, during which i made:

some money
no progress in deciding on a career.

so i went to grad school.

by jpahk on Nov 2, 2007 6:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

sounds like me

by Bravesin07 on Nov 2, 2007 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just finishing...

My Ph.D. in Chemical and Biological Engineering at Montana State University. Any more engineers out there?

by coochorama on Nov 1, 2007 2:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

I'm thinking there might be a few engineers interested in a numbers sport. :)

Civil Engineering for me, or another way to put it, the Engineers that make Architects look like they have a clue what they are talking about.

I spent my 5 years and 100K, school's out for me.

Lex clavatoris designati rescindenda est.

by HuskerBob on Nov 6, 2007 2:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

grad

first year(semester) grad school at miami for accounting... it blows

Future Fish

by Maverick on Nov 1, 2007 2:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Grad

Final year at the University of Cincinnati for my Masters in Architecture.
I'm eager for it to be over but I believe the cost and time are worth it.

God rested one day out of 7, Felix rests 4 out of 5.

by CrimsonLiederhosen on Nov 1, 2007 3:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Draw

any pretty pictures lately?

You keep drawing them and we'll keep figuring out how to make them work.

Masters of Architecture = Fantasy Land Train Conductor.....toot toot!

Lex clavatoris designati rescindenda est.

by HuskerBob on Nov 6, 2007 2:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

High School

Anyone else still in High School?

Jay Bruce can DISAPPEAR

by ufoboy90 on Nov 1, 2007 5:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

No?

Ahh, well. Blown my cover, lost my credibility, and nothing to show for it.

Nice.

Jay Bruce can DISAPPEAR

by ufoboy90 on Nov 1, 2007 11:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Working on a JD/MBA

I'm going to school in San Diego. My law school is Thomas Jefferson and my business school is San Diego State. I'm so glad that I am getting advanced degrees. As my wife and I like to say, "We're rich on loans." We live pretty well in my mind, although it will be nice to start making money in a year and a half. Good luck on your applications.

by RJB7 on Nov 1, 2007 8:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

general comment

I live in D.C., where I've met a LOT of idiots with masters degrees. So my perspective is, shall we say, skewed.

That said, I'm considering going for an MBA so I can switch careers easier over the next few years.

by whichthat on Nov 1, 2007 9:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

wow

We have a lot of well educated people here.

I'm going to UW-River Falls for a B.S. in print journalism. I'm about 1 year from graduation.

I enjoy college but there's no way I'd want to go to grad school.

by BenB on Nov 1, 2007 9:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

what are you doing after your done

with print journalism?

by Bravesin07 on Nov 1, 2007 9:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

get a job

I've accepted the fact that I'll have to start out at some small weekly paper making 25k a year.

I was a little hesitant to do print journalism with the newspaper industry the way it is, but I figure newspapers will eventually turn into news Web sites that will need writers as well.

by BenB on Nov 1, 2007 9:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

you going to do sports journalism?

or is your degree based on something else?

by Bravesin07 on Nov 1, 2007 9:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yes

I'm in the middle of my second year covering the sports teams for the student newspaper.

by BenB on Nov 1, 2007 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

journalism

I minored in journalism, my mom is a journalist and i have a few friends doing journalism. Its a tough tough industry.

That being said, one of my good buddies landed a job covering the Angels single-a team (RC Quakes) out of school at some real small time paper. He's now covering the angels for a small circulation paper out in socal. He's not in the press box all the time, but he's getting plenty of experience and close contact with the players.

The problem is, you have to consider him one of the lucky ones who is probably making $27,000 and writes for a circulation of 30,000. Tough business.

Jack Cust is this year's Marcus Thames

by Team Moneyball on Nov 1, 2007 10:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Writing good

"Journalists are the last of the talented poor." -- Joseph Kennedy (JFK's dad)

by Flynn Blake on Nov 4, 2007 7:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

community journalism ...

... is better positioned to survive. You can read about what the president said today on any number of websites, but none of them will tell you about your local zoning ordinance or middle school. You will be wise to think of your next employer as a news organization rather than a news PAPER.

by whichthat on Nov 1, 2007 9:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Law School

I'm in my final year.

I'm looking to go into criminal prosecution. I'm loving it.

Jack Cust is this year's Marcus Thames

by Team Moneyball on Nov 1, 2007 10:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

were are you planning on practicing?

i'm going into defense work. 3L also.

by phantom on Nov 2, 2007 12:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

UC hastings

I'm a 3l at UC hastings and I'm planning on practicing in california. I had two call-back interviews last week, one in orange county and the other in ventura county. Hopefully I get a job out of one of those.

Yourself?

Any particular reason you are going into defense work? I've always thought of myself as being a defense oriented prosecutor if that makes sense.

Jack Cust is this year's Marcus Thames

by Team Moneyball on Nov 4, 2007 11:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hey

I got a 2L buddy who goes to northeastern law and he wants to go into prosecution. Know a guy name spencer lord?

Jack Cust is this year's Marcus Thames

by Team Moneyball on Nov 4, 2007 11:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Dang

I too get the impression that there are a lot of pretty smart people on this site (or the others are not posting on this thread:)
serious tho, I do think this is for the most part a pretty intelligent forum, further proof why baseball is the greatest sport.
even modestly impressed by bravesin07; keep working hard bud. thanks for the comment about chiropractic. It can be frustrating at times dealing with insurance companies, business stuff, etc, BUT all that is truly worth it in the end when a patient tells you "Thank You" and you get to see the positive impact the treatment had in their life.

Incidentally, today on mercola.com (largest natural health newsletter), there was an article about chiropractic which just came out in a UK issue of Spine.

not sure if you have to register or not to see the article, but it is a free e-newsletter....

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/11/01/new-evidence-supports-the-safety-of-ch iropractic-care.aspx

Curtis Granderson fan

by jrose643 on Nov 1, 2007 10:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Question for you MBA guys

Would you recommend going straight for your MBA right after your undergrad or do you think going out and getting some work experience would be the better option? Thanks in advance.

by wibadger on Nov 1, 2007 11:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

defantiely work experience

make some cash, pad the resume, and get to know the "real world"......there is always time to get the MBA

by Wheelhouse on Nov 1, 2007 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Get Experience

I would definitely get some experience because you will gain more from you classes if you can relate the experiences to your classes. This will make the degree much more valuable for you. The "learning" you will leave school with will be better with both "book" lessons and "real life" lessons.

by RJB7 on Nov 2, 2007 12:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm with the consensus

definitely get a couple years of work experience under your belt before heading back for an MBA.

by Bowser on Nov 2, 2007 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

MS in Statistics

Finished up this past May and have a job I love doing operational testing on airport security. I noticed one or two other statisticians on the list. I would guess around a blog like this, though, having a degree in stats doesn't necessarily mean you know more about the subject than the average poster, which is what got me into baseball in the first place. (I'm one of those lucky kids who never could figure out how to hit that beach ball, no matter how big my tennis racket was.)

by JeffersJV on Nov 1, 2007 11:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Aiming for medical school

I just graduated last semester with a BS in Biomedical Science which is pretty much a pre-professional degree. While I was a junior I began having some doubts about what I should be. I had always desired to become a medical doctor and enjoyed my time job shadowing, but I began to realize that I really enjoyed tutoring people in class and research sounded interesting too. So thoughts about being a college professor began seeping into my brain. I began worrying that if I never decided to test out a bit of research in college I might seriously regret it later on in life during the harsh stretches of medical school.

So my senior year I did some research to see if I should go and try to get a pHD in Biology instead of going to medical school. Well after one semester of it I realized that research and me doesn't mix. It was probably because the professor and grad student I worked with just bored the hell out of me, but regardless my interest in getting a pHD completely evaporated after that experience.

Unfortunately because of my doubts I didn't apply to medical school my junior year like I was supposed to do. Instead I'm currently still waiting to find out if I am going to get to attend next year, but at least I'm comfortable now that I made the right choice.

by TRanger on Nov 2, 2007 3:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Went to law school

NYU

Vice-Chairman of the Sonnanstine Underground Railroad

by Brickhaus on Nov 2, 2007 8:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

NYU

I graduated this past spring from Gallatin (concentration in political economy, rhetoric), and it's off to law school next year. Any hot tips for getting in for a fellow Violet?

by GuyinNY on Nov 4, 2007 9:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Grad school

Got my Masters in forensic science at GWU, but I'm now in the process of applying to law school. Because being stuck in a lab 50-60 hours a week for little to no pay bites. Hoping to get into Stanford, Berkeley or Georgetown, but methinks the undergrad GPA may be a bit of a drag on my application. Damn you beer!!!

"When you have a fat friend there are no see-saws. Only catapults." -Demetri Martin

by RVachon on Nov 5, 2007 10:31 AM EST reply actions 0 recs