By last tax year do you mean 2009 or 2010? If it is work done in 2010 then you are not too late at all and if it is 2009 I think you still have time as well. Also, did you pay both state and federal taxes during your research because if you did then the total amount of money you might be able to get back will depend on the state where you worked and I would need to know this to be able to help more effectively.michael wrote:Ok, just abusing the fact that there are probably lots of americans here - I have a W2 tax form from some research I did in the US in the last tax year. I am pretty sure I can claim some tax back. Can anyone point me towards any websites (which won't try to take some of my money) which tell me how to go about claiming it back? Is it already too late as the last tax year has passed? Sorry, I am massively confused by the form and advice would be highly appreciated.
Statement about poor PGRE score
Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
Thank you so much! I will pm you a little more detail.
Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
Is being informed late a good excuse for a bad PGRE score? I was talking to a prof. from USA somwhere in late September when he told me to apply to US schools so I really didn't have time to properly prepare for the test and had to take them all inside a month (PGRE, GRE, TOEFL) - which can clearly be seen by the test dates on my application. Now, should I send them an email explaining that is the reason i got 650?
sorry to repost but I didn't want it to get lost in the load of bull poasted before it
sorry to repost but I didn't want it to get lost in the load of bull poasted before it

Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
I think I made it plenty obvious that I took offense to what you were saying. I'm not even sure I remember why, now, and I'm certainly not going to read it all again. I'm a crabby old fart sometimes, and I apologize for that. However, once it was obviously offensive to me, continuing with a disrespectful tone was a bad idea.HappyQuark wrote: I've looked through our dialogue a few times now and I promise you I'm not seeing any instances in which I manipulated what you said.
I couldn't agree more.HappyQuark wrote:Regardless, I don't think it's a good economy of your time or mine to be so concerned over this discussion any more,
This is the correct answer to Sunday morning's exam.HappyQuark wrote: so I'd like to formally apologize for any instance in which I misrepresented what you were saying and I'd like to assure you it wasn't my intention.
I was trying to make a point about using caution in your actions/words and not to assume screwing with anyone, at any time, may not have consequences. People should be treated respectfully by default, regardless of the circumstances. Hopefully you keep that in mind and spare yourself a similar mistake in the future.
Thank you. Hope yours comes soon.HappyQuark wrote:Have a nice day and, again, congrats on your first acceptance.
Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
I was trying to make a point about using caution in your actions/words and not to assume screwing with anyone, at any time, may not have consequences. People should be treated respectfully by default, regardless of the circumstances. Hopefully something was learned from all this stupid bullshit.grae313 wrote: Learn to forgive as well as to fight, soldier, and take the high road when someone's simple words in an online forum are not to your liking.
Yeah, I'll give you that I was oversensitive to HQ's attitude. It is extremely rare for people to interact with me in a disrespectful way. I'm just a crabby old fart that was ridiculously stressed out. I saw that and offered the front of my hand instead of giving him the back, so I did choose the high road, but it was up to him to choose which way it would end up.
I really don't want anybody to have anything to do with my ass! LOL It has too many footprints on it already. Mostly my own.
- HappyQuark
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Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
Just for future reference, when a person concedes a point or apologizes for a response and it's done strictly to settle a quarrel, it's customary for the other person to not declare a victory or advance their points further.t2kburl wrote:I think I made it plenty obvious that I took offense to what you were saying. I'm not even sure I remember why, now, and I'm certainly not going to read it all again. I'm a crabby old fart sometimes, and I apologize for that. However, once it was obviously offensive to me, continuing with a disrespectful tone was a bad idea.HappyQuark wrote: I've looked through our dialogue a few times now and I promise you I'm not seeing any instances in which I manipulated what you said.
I couldn't agree more.HappyQuark wrote:Regardless, I don't think it's a good economy of your time or mine to be so concerned over this discussion any more,This is the correct answer to Sunday morning's exam.HappyQuark wrote: so I'd like to formally apologize for any instance in which I misrepresented what you were saying and I'd like to assure you it wasn't my intention.
I was trying to make a point about using caution in your actions/words and not to assume screwing with anyone, at any time, may not have consequences. People should be treated respectfully by default, regardless of the circumstances. Hopefully you keep that in mind and spare yourself a similar mistake in the future.Thank you. Hope yours comes soon.HappyQuark wrote:Have a nice day and, again, congrats on your first acceptance.
Have a nice day!
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Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
Goran15 wrote:Is being informed late a good excuse for a bad PGRE score? I was talking to a prof. from USA somwhere in late September when he told me to apply to US schools so I really didn't have time to properly prepare for the test and had to take them all inside a month (PGRE, GRE, TOEFL) - which can clearly be seen by the test dates on my application. Now, should I send them an email explaining that is the reason i got 650?
sorry to repost but I didn't want it to get lost in the load of bull poasted before it
No it isn't. The admissions committee will probably look at that kind of excuse as a black mark on your application, though don't take my word for it. I've been wrong many times before.
Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
why? I mean if they accept i'we been sick they must accept that i was informed late, that is i didn't know that you have to apply a year earlier than you plan to attend.badphysicist wrote:Goran15 wrote:Is being informed late a good excuse for a bad PGRE score? I was talking to a prof. from USA somwhere in late September when he told me to apply to US schools so I really didn't have time to properly prepare for the test and had to take them all inside a month (PGRE, GRE, TOEFL) - which can clearly be seen by the test dates on my application. Now, should I send them an email explaining that is the reason i got 650?
sorry to repost but I didn't want it to get lost in the load of bull poasted before it
No it isn't. The admissions committee will probably look at that kind of excuse as a black mark on your application, though don't take my word for it. I've been wrong many times before.
- WhoaNonstop
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Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
Seriously, let's say for example your "excuse" is true or valid, how will the Admissions Committee view it? Even if you only had a month to prepare (which is about how much time I set aside explicitly to study), you should understand the concepts presented in the test fairly well without review. Truthfully, this excuse is something that the admissions committee will pin onto you. It isn't like something happened that was completely out of your control. If you were truly interested in graduate school in Physics in the U.S. you would have done the research in what was required way before you made the decision to apply to schools. I sincerely think sending this excuse to schools will not help anything. Also, I already made a comment about not sending the being sick excuse either, so I don't know where you are automatically assuming sending a letter about that was completely acceptable.Goran15 wrote:why? I mean if they accept i'we been sick they must accept that i was informed late, that is i didn't know that you have to apply a year earlier than you plan to attend.
-Riley
Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
I took it from the positive response that the guy got for the sick excuse. And yes, you did make you opinion clear but until I see you sitting on the board of my admitions comitee I'm not gonna simply accept it as only one that's valid. I'm just trying to get a feel for what people are thinking.WhoaNonstop wrote:Also, I already made a comment about not sending the being sick excuse either, so I don't know where you are automatically assuming sending a letter about that was completely acceptable.Goran15 wrote:why? I mean if they accept i'we been sick they must accept that i was informed late, that is i didn't know that you have to apply a year earlier than you plan to attend.
-Riley
But I do see your point of comming across as not being interested in study in us because of my lack of info.
Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
Having experienced all of this, I would say: number one, check with your advisor, if that is an option for you. Have them read what you intend to say and trust their opinion or advice on the matter. The fact that the scores came too late to say anything about them in the original "statement of purpose" (in my opinion) leaves a window open for this type of statement to be needed.Goran15 wrote:I took it from the positive response that the guy got for the sick excuse. And yes, you did make you opinion clear but until I see you sitting on the board of my admitions comitee I'm not gonna simply accept it as only one that's valid. I'm just trying to get a feel for what people are thinking.WhoaNonstop wrote:Also, I already made a comment about not sending the being sick excuse either, so I don't know where you are automatically assuming sending a letter about that was completely acceptable.Goran15 wrote:why? I mean if they accept i'we been sick they must accept that i was informed late, that is i didn't know that you have to apply a year earlier than you plan to attend.
-Riley
But I do see your point of comming across as not being interested in study in us because of my lack of info.
However, a 650 isn't really that bad, though it looks like it on this site. It may be tough to make the case that it is not an accurate representation of your abilities as a student. The bigger programs would be unlikely to read any such statement, or care what it has to say, because they have plenty of great applicants to choose from. Second-tier (and/or lower) programs are more likely to have to compete for their top choices among their applicants and thus more likely to consider second-tier applications.
Despite the extremely negative responses my original post generated here, my actual statement appears to have been well received and appreciated by most of the schools I sent it to. But these were all smaller programs which typically get fewer than 100 applicants.
Hope that helps you make your decision.
- WhoaNonstop
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Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
For an international student, a low score tends to kill the application more than it does for a domestic student, so I think he has plenty of reason to contact one of his places of application. Whether I agree with his reasons is another thing. And you're right, I'm not on an admissions committee, but I would be surprised if my logic is far from correct.t2kburl wrote:However, a 650 isn't really that bad
-Riley
Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
Oh ... my bad. I didn't catch that he is an international student. In that case, I'd recommend firing off some "safety" school applications in a big hurry!WhoaNonstop wrote:For an international student, a low score tends to kill the application more than it does for a domestic student, so I think he has plenty of reason to contact one of his places of application. Whether I agree with his reasons is another thing. And you're right, I'm not on an admissions committee, but I would be surprised if my logic is far from correct.t2kburl wrote:However, a 650 isn't really that bad
-Riley
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Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
If I sit on the admission committee and I see this excuse, I would think "oh well he/she can apply again next year with much more time to prepare" and move on the the next application.Goran15 wrote: why? I mean if they accept i'we been sick they must accept that i was informed late, that is i didn't know that you have to apply a year earlier than you plan to attend.
Being informed late is a really poor excuse, unless you know something really terrible is going to happen to you if you delay going to grad school for one year. Plenty of people defer their grad school application to the next year when they feel their application is not ready.
My 2 cents anyways.
Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
well the professor that told me to apply knows the people at universities where I'm applying so I though that would give it some weight.
Anyway thanks for the help I guess I won't send anything.
Anyway thanks for the help I guess I won't send anything.
Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
If he knows the right people his letter for you will carry much more weight than your score.Goran15 wrote:well the professor that told me to apply knows the people at universities where I'm applying so I though that would give it some weight.
Anyway thanks for the help I guess I won't send anything.
Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
here's hopingt2kburl wrote:If he knows the right people his letter for you will carry much more weight than your score.Goran15 wrote:well the professor that told me to apply knows the people at universities where I'm applying so I though that would give it some weight.
Anyway thanks for the help I guess I won't send anything.

Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
Good luck! I am international too and I got accepted to all the schools I applied last year with a mere 590 PGRE and no related research. Mind you none of them were ranked above 40. This year is my second tryGoran15 wrote:here's hoping

Re: Statement about poor PGRE score
from what I gather we have a pretty similar situation except for you being female ofcoursekubikat wrote:Good luck! I am international too and I got accepted to all the schools I applied last year with a mere 590 PGRE and no related research. Mind you none of them were ranked above 40. This year is my second tryGoran15 wrote:here's hoping

well let's hope duke accepts two east european, bad GRE (though yours is a lot better), experimental physicist interested in AMO

p.s. sorry If there are typos it's 3 am and I'we been drinking
