Astro admission news 2009
Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 3:55 pm
Please inform others about the admission/rejection news you will/have receive/d from different Astronomy graduate programs in 2009.
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by the way, congrats! and please consider posting your profile in the profile thread.Alistar wrote:I (and some others in this forum) received an admission from UT Austin two days ago.
less applicants, therefore, less work, therefore, quicker answers, simple as thatemperial wrote:I dunno why universities announce the astronomy results earlier than physics. even in schools that programs are joint and with the same deadline.
I am sure Garching is a great place for research. But I am not sure about their PhD program(in comparison to top US schools). Their program is only for 3 years and if you look at former students, they remain there for their post doc in the best cases. In addition the salary is not that much(given the fact Munich is an expensive city)Helio wrote:congrats Ren... btw if you get into IMPRES Garching go there.... the research institute has so much more money then most US schools
that depends where in Munich you live (I have worked at the MPI for Physics)... I know people who got housing with sub-300 euro rent. I dunno i find the environment a bit more relaxed and conducive to research because you might not have to teach.Alistar wrote:I am sure Garching is a great place for research. But I am not sure about their PhD program(in comparison to top US schools). Their program is only for 3 years and if you look at former students, they remain there for their post doc in the best cases. In addition the salary is not that much(given the fact Munich is an expensive city)Helio wrote:congrats Ren... btw if you get into IMPRES Garching go there.... the research institute has so much more money then most US schools
Thankfully, Gerard Kuiper is much more forgiving.Fritz.Zwicky wrote:Hey dude,
you are just confusing everybody by starting a new thread about astronomy admissions. Cease and desist, otherwise even Jan Oort will not help you.
Fritz "Now You Are Just Pissing Me Off" Zwicky
I also applied for IMPRS but for the Garching one and I think they were accepting applications even by the end of last year!astrophysicist2b wrote:I applied to IMPRS Heidelberg, but it's not very high on my list at this point (I would've applied to Garching too, but was thinking the deadline was Dec. 15th and not the 1st). Heidelberg is a very nice city, and the grad students seemed happy, but my thoughts on the IMPRS program after I visited there this summer were that 1. a degree in 3 years seems really short, 2. the stipend isn't much, 3. I wouldn't want to have my research advisor set in stone from the moment I started, and 4. I think it's harder to get a US postdoc after finishing (although I guess everything depends on who you work with). I've heard Garching is pretty boring from people who have been there though; not close enough to Munich to go there regularly.
I worked that MPI in Munich itself and they never complained about the pay, where Munich is way more expensive than Heidelberg. People always seem to forget with these programs that people are supposed to have a Masters when they enter, not a Bachelor as in the US. This means the two years in the US you typically spend for taking classes and getting your masters have to be deducted from the time. It also says that if you enter with a Bachelor you will need to get a Masters first, so your funding might be a bit stretched.Alistar wrote:I also applied for IMPRS but for the Garching one and I think they were accepting applications even by the end of last year!astrophysicist2b wrote:I applied to IMPRS Heidelberg, but it's not very high on my list at this point (I would've applied to Garching too, but was thinking the deadline was Dec. 15th and not the 1st). Heidelberg is a very nice city, and the grad students seemed happy, but my thoughts on the IMPRS program after I visited there this summer were that 1. a degree in 3 years seems really short, 2. the stipend isn't much, 3. I wouldn't want to have my research advisor set in stone from the moment I started, and 4. I think it's harder to get a US postdoc after finishing (although I guess everything depends on who you work with). I've heard Garching is pretty boring from people who have been there though; not close enough to Munich to go there regularly.
Anyway I have the same concerns that you mentioned about IMPRS except I dont have any problem to work with someone I like, form the first day.
As you said their program is only for 3 years and you can imagine how big is the difference between a 4 or 5 years program and this 3 years one; most of PhD students who finished their PhD work with 4-5 first author papers in normal 4-5 years programs, publish 3-4 of them in the last one or two years of their work which makes the 4th and 5th years very important, if you are going to get a good post doc.
I followed the passed IMPRS students and found out they usually were able to stay in Garching in the best cases(probably to finish their works!)
I have also a few friends there, whom are not satisfied with the payment!
Good point about the master degree.Helio wrote: I worked that MPI in Munich itself and they never complained about the pay, where Munich is way more expensive than Heidelberg. People always seem to forget with these programs that people are supposed to have a Masters when they enter, not a Bachelor as in the US. This means the two years in the US you typically spend for taking classes and getting your masters have to be deducted from the time. It also says that if you enter with a Bachelor you will need to get a Masters first, so your funding might be a bit stretched.
I am not sure why people say Garching is so far out. All natural sciences and engineer for the TUM, the IPP, MPI Astrophysics, and MPI Quantum Optics are in Garching and the U6 takes you straight into the city, like literally into the city center. I knew people that commuted from the other end of city every day to work. This is not the US. The train ride takes maybe 30 minutes tops (into the city) and maybe 20 to the part of town where the bars are. There is nothing really to complain about, when it comes to location.
I knew that I was just pointing out my experience that is all.Alistar wrote:Good point about the master degree.Helio wrote: I worked that MPI in Munich itself and they never complained about the pay, where Munich is way more expensive than Heidelberg. People always seem to forget with these programs that people are supposed to have a Masters when they enter, not a Bachelor as in the US. This means the two years in the US you typically spend for taking classes and getting your masters have to be deducted from the time. It also says that if you enter with a Bachelor you will need to get a Masters first, so your funding might be a bit stretched.
I am not sure why people say Garching is so far out. All natural sciences and engineer for the TUM, the IPP, MPI Astrophysics, and MPI Quantum Optics are in Garching and the U6 takes you straight into the city, like literally into the city center. I knew people that commuted from the other end of city every day to work. This is not the US. The train ride takes maybe 30 minutes tops (into the city) and maybe 20 to the part of town where the bars are. There is nothing really to complain about, when it comes to location.
But still I think there is a big difference between 3 years program and 4-5 years program. Assuming the years you are working on your thesis research is 3 years in both cases, and you begin a totally different thing from you master work with someone else, there is still a big difference between beginning your work in the same environment as you did your master or going to a place which is totally new!
But in reality, in US graduate programs, lots of people simply continue their master work with the same adviser which is even better!
I dont have anything to say about the living costs and other things related to Munich as a city because I have not lived there! I just talked to some of my friends in the program and they told me the usual salary is less than for example what is usual in the Netherlands(by around 30%) and the costs are almost the same.
Congratz Nathan and best wishes for you in the interview. I received the same email 3 hours ago...nathan12343 wrote:I just received an e-mail from UC Santa Cruz astronomy, I'm apparently on their 'short list' and they will be conducting an interview with me on skype sometime in the next week.
Alistar wrote:Congratz Nathan and best wishes for you in the interview. I received the same email 3 hours ago...nathan12343 wrote:I just received an e-mail from UC Santa Cruz astronomy, I'm apparently on their 'short list' and they will be conducting an interview with me on skype sometime in the next week.
Hey nathan12343 and Alistar,nathan12343 wrote:Alistar wrote:Congratz Nathan and best wishes for you in the interview. I received the same email 3 hours ago...nathan12343 wrote:I just received an e-mail from UC Santa Cruz astronomy, I'm apparently on their 'short list' and they will be conducting an interview with me on skype sometime in the next week.
You too, kind of nervous about this, though it's certainly nice to hear back from at least one school.
bosem wrote: Hey nathan12343 and Alistar,
Congrats! Did you guys apply for the TASC graduate student program? Did you apply to the astronomy or the physics department?
This is a short list for admission, not a wait list.Ren wrote:congrats guys!
what do you mean by short list? short list for admission?? It's not a wait list is it?
astrophysicist2b wrote:I just got the Santa Cruz email too... I think I'm more nervous about a Skype interview than I would be for one in person.
I dont think they are going to ask you the answer of some detailed scientific problems. I think the best thing to do is to be yourself and present your background and interests good enough to make your case bold.nathan12343 wrote:Does anyone have any advice for these interviews? Is it more of a formality than anything?
Whatever do you mean socially? Do I detect a hint of snobbery or prejudice in the application process?astrophysicist2b wrote:I've heard the Santa Cruz interview is to make sure you're competent before they make the final decisions (both scientifically and socially).
No, they want to make sure you're affable and not withdrawn and/or a stereotypical socially inept physicist. They want to be sure they can work with you over the next several years.quantumstringfield wrote:Whatever do you mean socially? Do I detect a hint of snobbery or prejudice in the application process?astrophysicist2b wrote:I've heard the Santa Cruz interview is to make sure you're competent before they make the final decisions (both scientifically and socially).
haha...bosem wrote:Fingers crossed. I am looking forward to the details. Post up a transcript of your interview, please.
You can't use the same lines, that would be plagiarism. Unless the Princeton dude allows you to do that, it is all a game after all, just make sure you don't get caught.bosem wrote:Fingers crossed. I am looking forward to the details. Post up a transcript of your interview, please.
No, even if I had a transcript I'd still say no.bosem wrote:Fingers crossed. I am looking forward to the details. Post up a transcript of your interview, please.
Oh you broke my heart!nathan12343 wrote:No, even if I had a transcript I'd still say no.bosem wrote:Fingers crossed. I am looking forward to the details. Post up a transcript of your interview, please.
bosem wrote:Oh you broke my heart!nathan12343 wrote:No, even if I had a transcript I'd still say no.bosem wrote:Fingers crossed. I am looking forward to the details. Post up a transcript of your interview, please.
In Europe its a part of usual procedure to accept PhD students. They also ask for a short presentation in addition to a general interview. But as far as I know it is not common in US, though some schools are doing that. Especially for international students to make sure they have the minimum of communication abilities.evilclaw2321 wrote:Do most schools do interviews? I was under the impression that that didn't happen much anymore.