StudentStrut (Semester Strutter Related)
Gnat
1,183 Posts
Where my students @? Where do you go, what do you do? How're midterms?Me: Currently taking pre-reqs for a Master's Program in Nursing at UCSF...the B.A. is already on board, but I'm changing careers from teaching special education so I gotta backtrack a little and catch up on some sciences I missed @ Contra Costa College in San Pablo, CA. At any rate, my brain reached maximum saturation today as I attempted to memorize every joint in the body, its articulation, type, make-up, as well as all the muscles and bones of the upper-body, orgin, insertion, action, landmarks, and innervations. All this the night after a midterm in physiology. I'm stupid dumb retarded right now. seeing double.how are y'all doing?
Comments
I AM DOING A MASTERS IN PURE MATH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA. THIS SHIT IS CRAZY INTENSE. EVEN THOUGH I GOT MY OWN OFFICE WITH A WINDOW, I STILL HAVE TO DO INSANE MEASURE THEORY PROBLEMZ FOR WHICH I DO NOT HAVE THE PRE-REQUISIT.
I SPEND EVERY NIGHT IN MY OFFICE UNTIL 9PM.
I AM THE HARDEST OF THE CORE. I ONLY DIG ON EBAY NOW BECAUSE I"M A GRAD BALLER.
I'M ALSO GOING CRAZY HENCE THE ALL CAPS. MID-TERMS NEXT WEEK. OH SNAP. BETTER GET BACK TO WORK.
i dont have no mo- tests....i grade the shits tho, and if you think its painful to take em, try gradin 200 of em every week.
I just finished spending the day grading 1/3rd of around 100 student papers and jesusfuckingchrist, I'm burnt the hell out already. All I can say is that the state of undergraduate writing in California is troubling, to say the least.
I HAND IN MY 18,000 WORD THESIS IS TOMMOROW MORNING AND I AM COMPLETELY RELAXED ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Actually, I'm on the professor side of the teacher/student dyad. That said, I'm pleased that students in both my courses are doing well. It beats having to scream on them about how ill-prepared they were and how they won't be competitive in the job market if they don't know anything. I hope their efforts continue.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
enjoy your time.
This is not just in CA. My fiance worked at the writing center while she was an undergrad at Temple and she had some stories. People that wrote papers like the L13 zig zag dude on here makes posts. Crazy shit. How the fuck do some people get into collage?
Uh...
Yeah, I can't spell either.
Have a very nice thesis subject working out with two profs that will hopefully carry through to my graduate studies...i plan on being a prof myself so Im in it for the long haul
I have a super hard and interesting class with masters students in it which is adding stress to this life. Stress eleviated by my mind being at ease (new girl related)
I will be working on field study and more research in brazil next year before i apply for grad-school so I am feeling good
now i have to finish a paper due in an hour instead of ss procrastination
I'm almost done with my MA in mass communication. I'm defending my thesis in about 3 weeks. Simultaneous to finishing it I'm seeing how many papers I can squeeze out of the data, and getting those proposals/versions out the door.
Oh and I'm teaching a class, working a 20 hours a week job, being a research assistant, going through a rather intense teacher training course, and prepping for a conference this weekend. I think I forgot something but you get the picture. I have no life.
Applying to doctoral programs is seriously vexing me too. I have two semesters teaching experience, good recommendations, and will have some papers in peer review/submission, but my GPA and GREs are a little below average for the programs I'm applying to. We are talking top programs that take maybe 18-24 Ph.D students per year.
Yo Asch,
Good luck with your applications to Ph.D. programs. Perhaps, you should take the GREs again. They tend to go up some upon second administration. I would also suggest getting some strongly relevant research and writing experience, which it sounds like you're in the process of doing. Showing competence at research and writing are big components of a doctoral program and subsequently becoming an Asst. Professor. Hit me on the PMs if you need some advice. Best wishes. Now, I'm off to do some hierarchical linear modeling analyses for a paper I'm working on. Yippeeeeee!!!!!
Big Stacks from Kakalak
What will make a greater difference is:
1) The strength of your personal statement. It has to be both interesting but also demonstrates your competency for scholarship.
2) The strength of your recommendations. Great ones will go a long way but even a single middling one can be a deal-breaker. Make sure your rec writers have your back.
3) The writing sample you submit. It should be competent and demonstrate your potential for future work.
I won't say it's a walk in the park but the scores are really secondary to how well you (and your rec writers) can sell you.
What kind of PhD programs are you applying for? Mass comm as well?
Good for you! I really admire all of the students and teachers on the board. Props and good luck with all of your work, homework, and studies this school year!
PS: looking to join all of you in the struggle next fall...
No doubt. The craft of writing, the five-paragraph argumentative essay, written analysis, all of that shit has been more or less abandoned in high school in favor of teaching rote memorization to deal with NCLB standards, it seems. For a word nerd such as myself, it's distressing.
haha - yeah, I finished my MS in applied math last year, and I still shudder thinking about the days locked up in my (shared) office. I liked how it became reasonable to just stay in the office overnight, sleep on the couch, and shower at the gym instead of actually going home to sleep because it would waste too much time.
Thanks for the advice Oliver! I heard that scores don't matter as much, but had a moment of hyperventilation when I wrote that. My scores aren't terrible, just not straight 4.0. Let's say closer to 4.0 than 3.0.
I'll be applying at 2-3 schools with communication doctoral programs in the LA area. I'm a bit odd because I'm a mass comm person, but also have an interest in online communities and qualitative research.
There is one LA university in particular that is top-notch and likely needs no introduction. They do a lot of work in communities and the Internet, and I think it would be a good fit, but it is very competitive.
Actually you know what is funny, I don't think I mentioned it to you, but my wife will be teaching at the same school as you in the fall, at cal state long beach
Had one midterm already and did fairly well. I have another one this week in Africa American Literature, which I'm a little worried about.
I'm getting my radio show together here on campus and I was just hired to be the Music Coordinator for the station.
Yea, I'm feeling the stress. haha
Good luck to everyone.
Thanks 'stacks! I didn't know I could take the GRE twice... hmm...
The academic lifestyle is a hella lot of work, but sweet in its own way. Research and writing I can get with. Research is fun actually, it's like a puzzle you get to assemble. Teaching is hard work but very rewarding. I can't imagine teaching a 3/3 load with 30 students a class tho, it's enough work teaching one class of 20!!
True, but some people are reluctant to take the GRE again thinking (a) taking it twice will reflect poorly on them, (b) they don't want to deal with the exam again, and/or (c) they don't want to shoulder the additional cost. In spite of these issues, re-taking can sometimes result in a meaningful score gain.
Teaching is more work to me than research, because the research is fun and doesn't whine and complain about rigorous standards, grades, etc. The key is to work at a research institution where the teaching loads are more manageable. I teach a 2/2 load (no summers) and will maintain this load as long as I remain research active (which I will). I love teaching as well and it can be VERY rewarding. The thing to remember is, like the evangelist, you can't convert everybody. Some folks want to remain in the dark, which is their choice, but as long as you touch some students' lives in a positive, meaningful way, then you've done your job. Realizing this fact makes coping with teaching much easier. As my wife said, "Not all of your students aspire to the level that you aspire for them." Wise words from THE BOSS.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
This is such real talk, tears are forming in my eyes.
You guys are teaching college. Do not even fuckin whine to me about dealing with "students." Take on a class of 9th graders and then get back to me!