FALL 2008 rejections
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Translation:"You have a fine record, and I'm sure you'll be able to pursue successful graduate studies elsewhere."
You're record is not good enough for this school but probably is good enough for some lesser school.
That's the most condescending rejection I've ever heard of. I'd send them an email letting know what you think of them. They don't have to accept you but they don't have to be rude about it.
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- butsurigakusha
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I was always annoyed that my school has a policy that undergrads cannot be TA's or do anything that involves grading another undergrad's work. This kept me away from a number of instructional jobs that would've been somewhat fun and looked good on my resume...
Though I'd imagine grading papers for certain classes could be dreadful... for instance, I always respected our TA for modern algebra. She had to pore through 25 people's proofs of like 8 problems every week, most of them full of incorrect answers and bad mathematical arguments. She had to try to figure out why each little thing was wrong so she could explain why she took off points, fairly assign partial credit and so the students couldnt' accuse her of improper grading... sheesh.
Though I'd imagine grading papers for certain classes could be dreadful... for instance, I always respected our TA for modern algebra. She had to pore through 25 people's proofs of like 8 problems every week, most of them full of incorrect answers and bad mathematical arguments. She had to try to figure out why each little thing was wrong so she could explain why she took off points, fairly assign partial credit and so the students couldnt' accuse her of improper grading... sheesh.
Last edited by quizivex on Fri Feb 15, 2008 7:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: FALL 2008 rejections
guess I should be worried now about the rest of my schools . Too bad staring intently at my phone does not make it ring!
Re: FALL 2008 rejections
30 people in an upper division math course! Crazy...I have 5 people in my topology course right now. Speaking of which, I now remember why I hated introductory proofs so much....arrrrgh. Apparently I am not a very logical person.
@Grae
I know it is partly a budget consideration but I would love to sit one of those people down at a desk and have them grade even one lower-division homework set. 2 hours a week my ass. Although I do have strange pleasure at giving out zeros....that's a perk, isn't it? Haha, I love dots...weeeeeeee
@Grae
I know it is partly a budget consideration but I would love to sit one of those people down at a desk and have them grade even one lower-division homework set. 2 hours a week my ass. Although I do have strange pleasure at giving out zeros....that's a perk, isn't it? Haha, I love dots...weeeeeeee
Last edited by jdhooghe on Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: FALL 2008 rejections
oh, good! I'm glad it's not just me. I get a little irked sometimes when someone gets a perfect score, like, "damn! foiled!" Some of it is just so gawdawfully bad though... the worst is when it's an odd problem so the answer is in the back of the book, and they do some work which is wrong, get the wrong answer, check it in the back of the book, erase their wrong answer, and write in the correct one. I get so mad when they try to BS me like that, I give them zero credit, and then scrutinize their paper for any possible reason to deduct as many points as I can.
Or how about when someone copies someone else's homework, and then they turn them in right ontop of each other so that you can tell right away that they are identical when you deduct points from two papers right in a row with the exact same mistakes. Like, "If you are going to cheat, at least have the brains to not put your papers right next to each other so it is obvious..."
Or how about the ones that didn't do the homework, then five minutes before class they try to copy their friends paper so you get *** like this:
Problem 3.46 a) x = [Vt/a]*sin^(-1)[sqrt(xta-3.467*e^(-4))] = 9.7m
with no work to show how the equation was derived...
Or how about when someone copies someone else's homework, and then they turn them in right ontop of each other so that you can tell right away that they are identical when you deduct points from two papers right in a row with the exact same mistakes. Like, "If you are going to cheat, at least have the brains to not put your papers right next to each other so it is obvious..."
Or how about the ones that didn't do the homework, then five minutes before class they try to copy their friends paper so you get *** like this:
Problem 3.46 a) x = [Vt/a]*sin^(-1)[sqrt(xta-3.467*e^(-4))] = 9.7m
with no work to show how the equation was derived...
Re: FALL 2008 rejections
At my school the policy is the same. TA positions are reserved for graduate students because of funding issues. Recently I have begun to have some interest in private tutoring.quizivex wrote:I was always annoyed that my school has a policy that undergrads cannot be TA's or do anything that involves grading another undergrad's work. This kept me away from a number of instructional jobs that would've been somewhat fun and looked good on my resume...
Ha! I took a very abstract math class last semester where all the homeworks were proofs. I only got less than 100 on the first assignment. This seemed very strange to me so I did an experiment. I submitted an assignment where I knew at least one of the proofs wouldn't stand up to scrutiny; I skipped an important step and then claimed to derive the desired result. Since I got a 100 on this assignment I can only conclude that the grader wasn't even reading my proofs. I had mixed feelings about this because I had done some pretty elegant proofs (IMO) and I would've liked at least some feedback from someone as to their correctness. But I was also happy knowing that no matter what I did I was going to get an A.quizivex wrote:Though I'd imagine grading papers for certain classes could be dreadful... for instance, I always respected our TA for modern algebra. She had to pore through 25 people's proofs of like 8 problems every week, most of them full of incorrect answers and bad mathematical arguments. She had to try to figure out why each little thing was wrong so she could explain why she took off points, fairly assign partial credit and so the students couldnt' accuse her of improper grading... sheesh.
Re: FALL 2008 rejections
I don't even understand why professors assist on grading homework. For my first two years of college I had no homework that was graded. Oh, there were assignments, but you did them on your own and checked the back of the book to find out if you were right. If you couldn't do the problems then you couldn't do the test and that was that.Or how about the ones that didn't do the homework, then five minutes before class they try to copy their friends paper so you get *** like this:
Re: FALL 2008 rejections
When I made the comment about grading papers I was thinking about it as a conflict of interest. You would be grading the homework of your peers. Besides funding issues I think that's a reason most schools don't allow undergrads to grade homework assignments.But I needs the $10/hr and two hours a week max to helps pay for the foods
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Re: FALL 2008 rejections
Damn, just got my rejection letter from Cornell. My dad decided to call me up at 9 am and wake me to tell me. That was nice. Well my first rejection. I've gotten in plenty of good places, so I wont feel bad...
Re: FALL 2008 rejections
That whole not being allowed to grade as an undergrad might be a good thing. I started ta'ing as a temporary means of earning money before immersing myself into research. I got really into it and forgot all about doing research! I applied to a bunch of REU's for my last summer and luckily got into 1. I'm jealous of all of you with lots of research experience! It will look way better on the apps!
Last edited by celts on Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- butsurigakusha
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Re: FALL 2008 rejections
I would have been happy to get into only one REU. But I didn't.
Re: FALL 2008 rejections
REU's are weird. They aren't always looking for the best qualified or the ones with the most experience. Sometimes it's just about your connections there.
Last edited by celts on Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: FALL 2008 rejections
I did three REU's (only one in physics). The easy way to get in seems to be to convince a professor at a school with an REU that you would make a contribution to their lab if you worked there. It helps to visit, but email can work, too. Then apply to the REU program with their blessing. They'll support you because it means they get free help and the REU program will let you in immediately because there's someone who's specifically sponsoring you.
This is how I got into two of the programs I did, including the coveted one last summer at UCSD.
I suppose that system might work for grad school, too, but I was too lazy to try it very hard.
This is how I got into two of the programs I did, including the coveted one last summer at UCSD.
I suppose that system might work for grad school, too, but I was too lazy to try it very hard.
Re: FALL 2008 rejections
Penn State astronomy rejected me today. Not as condescending in the letter, but also no stats so I guess Berkeley wins in that regard.
Last edited by astrofan on Thu Feb 21, 2008 11:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: FALL 2008 rejections
@ astrofan
Did you apply physics or astro? (I'm guessing the latter based on your handle.)
Did you apply physics or astro? (I'm guessing the latter based on your handle.)
- butsurigakusha
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Re: FALL 2008 rejections
Well, it looks like I am not going to get into Berkeley, Stanford, or Caltech, and I am predicting rejection by MIT as well. I think I will get over it in a few days, but, for now, I am very bitter and angry about this. These schools haven't sent me rejection letters yet. I kind of want to preemptively send them rejection letters, before they get the chance.
Oh, well, maybe the government will get fed up with the anti-american, quasi-treasonous antics of schools like Berkeley and cut off funding. That would put a smile on my face.
If I am ever in a position of authority, where I have the power to approve or deny funding, I will remember these schools, and they won't be fond memories.
Oh, well, maybe the government will get fed up with the anti-american, quasi-treasonous antics of schools like Berkeley and cut off funding. That would put a smile on my face.
If I am ever in a position of authority, where I have the power to approve or deny funding, I will remember these schools, and they won't be fond memories.
Re: FALL 2008 rejections
Don't worry, you'll be in good company with those rejections . At least we both have some very respectable options at this point.
- butsurigakusha
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Re: FALL 2008 rejections
Right now I've got UIUC and UCSD. If I get into UCSB, that will give me 3 great options, any of which I would be happy to attend. It is really more of a pride thing, I don't know if my ego can handle this rejection.
I have been living for all these years, and getting into grad school is pretty much all I have to show for it. I've been mediocre in every other aspect of my life, and have done nothing noteworthy. Getting rejected by the top schools, it shows that I have fallen short in this part of my life as well.
Man, since I started writing this post, my mood switched from bitter to depressed. Not a sad sort of depressed, more of a not-feeling-anything sort of depressed.
I have been living for all these years, and getting into grad school is pretty much all I have to show for it. I've been mediocre in every other aspect of my life, and have done nothing noteworthy. Getting rejected by the top schools, it shows that I have fallen short in this part of my life as well.
Man, since I started writing this post, my mood switched from bitter to depressed. Not a sad sort of depressed, more of a not-feeling-anything sort of depressed.
Re: FALL 2008 rejections
Same with me But. I spend all this time focusing on my work and I now have shite to show for it. It is rather depressing...
- WontonBurritoMeals
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Re: FALL 2008 rejections
butsurigakusha, your getting rejections is what bothers me the most. Aside from a lack of publications, your profile is great!
If you dont' get into a top school, it really hurts my chances!
May the wind be always at your back,
-Wonton Burrito Meals
If you dont' get into a top school, it really hurts my chances!
May the wind be always at your back,
-Wonton Burrito Meals