The thing that worries me most...

...about academia is the obscure wit exhibited by so many truly smart people (like professors).  I stumble around on the web a bit, reading various professors' musings from time to time, and quite often, when you read the stuff academics write in their spare time, it's full of content that you know is supposed to be funny, but you can't quite figure out why.

And I find myself looking around guiltily, ready to break out in phony, raucous laughter if somebody seems to be watching just a little too closely (like they could ever really know that I was just too dumb to get the joke).

And this scares me.  Because these people are going to be my colleagues someday.  I wonder if they offer, in PhD programs, a course called "Snarky Academic Humor"?  If so, I'm going to take it; if not, I'm going to institute it when I'm finally a prof.

At any rate, back to why it scares me: the worst feeling in the world is "not getting it", and when you walk away, knowing beyond all doubt, that "they" are laughing quietly at you.

"Oh my goodness Harold!  I don't think he got it!"  (soft chuckles behind cupped hands).

"I know, Claire.  It's just so sad, isn't it?  How in the world did he get a job here, do you think?"

Whatever.

Final word: some things just shouldn't be allowed to be funny.  Examples?

-"funny" thing with latin phrases in them; out.
-unlikely kingdom-phylum-class-order-family-genus-species pairings; these are really only funny to like 8 REALLY smart people in the world.
-jokes with exponents in them; nope.
-jokes that draw on obscure cultural references (as opposed to popular cultural references); uh-uh.  Think about it, if you tell a joke that draws from some cultural reference that you KNOW only 2.5% of the population is going to understand, then you're just an elitist.

Probably more, but I'm running out of steam.

OK.  Now I'll get back to the real deal: preparing for an eventual PhD.  Did I tell you I started a Calculus class today?  Took one long ago but it was just that; long ago.  Thought it would be a good thing to brush up (and demonstrate how my quantitative prowess makes up for my pathetic sense of intellectual humor).

It's fun!

Next Week: SIOP

A while back a paper I'd worked on with a group of researchers was accepted for presentation at the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) annual conference in Atlanta.  I didn't realize this was a big deal going in, but it seems it is.  Particularly for a guy who is applying to doctoral programs (it indicates to admissions committees that you know what you're getting yourself into).

So off I go next week to present.  It'll be a great opportunity, too, to meet some of the faculty as many of my target schools.  I've built this enormous list of faculty, but it's not a complete as I would like it to be.  I'll have to spend some time first of the week fleshing it out.  I guess the best thing to do might be to go through the conference guide and determine when/if any of those faculty are presenting, then make sure I'm there!

Feels a little disingenuous, doesn't it, to sit in rapture as a guy who you want to want YOU presents his work, then vying for face time after the fact, hoping beyond hope he'll remember you in 10 months?  I don't know; I'm not really that type of person.  I tend to think that people can see through that sort of shallow, self-serving interest.  Maybe not; maybe they expect it.  On the other hand, perhaps it's a tell: if I can't get myself genuinely excited about their research, maybe the program (or at least that researcher) isn't the best fit given my interests?

I think I might've answered my own question!

Official Score In!

Oh!  Almost forgot: got the official GMAT score in today from GMAC.  It's a 750 (but we knew that already, right?).  The new information: a 6.0 AWA! 

Good stuff!

A Conversation With a Recommendation

Had a great conversation with one of my recommendations.  Spent quite a while going through the various elements of my package with him; we talked about the areas that are my biggest weaknesses (my undergrad GPA), and how to deal with them in the application process.  Also talked about my strengths (my GMAT, Grad GPA, work experience and, most importantly, research experience), and how to emphasize that in the application process.

We went through my list of schools; he encouraged me to expand the list on the high side (apply to more top tier schools; my profile is good enough to land a spot and it'd be terrible to end up at a tier 2 school, not because I wasn't qualified, but because the three top tier schools I applied to just didn't have a spot for me).  I felt that was a positive thing!

Finally, I asked him, formally, if he would provide me with a letter of recommendation, and he said he'd be glad to!  I'm very excited; he's a well respected (and VERY well-known researcher) in the field I want to go into, so I know the LOR will carry quite a bit of weight! 

GMAT; Check!

Took the GMAT this morning.  After countless hours of study, I landed a 750 (Q48, V44).  That places me in the 98th percentile.  I'm happy! 

So, with that done, I can get back to focusing on developing the rest of my application.  Here's my checklist:

• Finish draft of CV
• Write first draft of Statement of Purpose
• Meet with each of my potential references, and get their commitment for a strong reference.

I've also got to do a number of housekeeping things.  That GMAT score might open up a few doors that I was unsure about (in terms of the schools I apply to), so I'm going to revist my list of schools and finalize the list I'll actually apply to.  I also have to complete my master schedule (based on each school's application process/schedule).  I've spent quite a bit of time lately studying for the GMAT (on top of coursework in the MBA program) so I've not committed much time to building my application plan; gotta get back to it.

I also haven't told you: a few weeks ago, the family and I took a trip and visited the campus of one of my top schools.  It's beautiful!  And Shawna loved it.  Which makes me feel good! 

Things are coming together!

The List Grows...And Shrinks

So as I make progress, the list expands.  I've spent quite a bit of time this week researching faculty at the various schools on my list.  I've added a few to the list, and taken a few away; I have 10 on the list now.  I created a spreadsheet that has a number of factors (from "fit" of faculty with my research interests, to quality of the university, amount of the stipend, location, and "wife"--a factor she gets to put in based on her relative desire to land in the various cities).  Each factor has a weight.  I've gone through and assigned a value to each, and based on how the ratings stacked up, I've put together three sets of schools: Set A: top schools that score VERY high on my rating sheet; Set B: still top schools with pretty closely aligned research interests, but which score a little lower on my rating sheet; and Set C: very good schools that aren't exactly dead on with respect to my research interests.  I've also included two Set D schools--or second tier schools--as a sort of backup plan.

I've listed the various faculty I'm targeting at each university, and making a plan to scour their work.  Now I'm working on a master schedule (each one of the schools has a different application process and schedule) and a draft Statement of Purpose. 

Still to do: CV, GMAT (I'll take it this month), contact potential references.

Wife Weighed In

My wife and I talked about my list of schools yesterday.  There are a few on there that she's sincerely hoping don't happen (quality of life in those respective cities).  But I've spent some time this evening going through a few other sites, and I'm thinking the list is going to shift a bit.  I'm also going to put some time into classifying the schools (based on the various factors that play into my relative desire to land at each school). 

More to come...