For your amusement...

So I've been having these email conversations daily (like 20/day) with my future mother-in-law, who is in Maine where the wedding will be. Here's is a real quote from a recent email: "Hi, Beth...I wish I was organized like you..." Not kidding, she actually typed this. I said that if she said that to my students they would immediately collapse on the floor laughing. I think that is a fair statement.
That said, we did make an invitation list today. Dan said, based on the amount of time I spend staring at live Panda video from the National and SD Zoos, "we should invite the panda." My guess is we will have a couple extra invites, so I might actually invite "The Little Man" (as another panda fanatic and I call him) and his mama. I bet it would be the little guy's first wedding invite.

Wedding Planning: Psychosis or Full-time job?

Ok guys, I need your help. Any and all advice on weddings is welcome. I'm going semi-nuts cause we are aiming for New Year's Eve in a city where we aren't. Thank goodness Dan's mom has no daughters, is well-connected there, and has good organizational skills. I think when this thing happens, it will be 90% due to her. Seriously. AND THIS IS A GOOD THING! I put down money on the fairy-princess dress today. You guys will laugh. Very not my typical style. The picture on the web doesn't show the front, so it doesn't really do it justice: I'll put a picture up when I get the thing home and you can all get a good chuckle.

You asked for it....

GRE Questions

OK, more questions!

I am looking at the GRE test dates . . .

How much time should I allow for preparing for this (oh ye of the Kaplan experience!)?

If I am quick enough, I can get registered to take one in Oct for results mailed early December. Is that too quick?

Is that the subject test? I think you can take the General anytime, since it's one of those computer administerd things now. If you are disciplined, you could do it by October. The subject test should be pretty straightforwad. A good intro book would be a good way to review. For the General, you just want to identify the areas you need to review (people often haven't looked at geometry in years...) and get practice with the question types. Our classes used to typically run about 8 weeks, I think, but we also had cram versions that were shorter. Use prep materials either from ETS or from Kaplan or Princeton Review. Some of the other companies don't stay on top of the test form and content well, and you could be wasting energy in the wrong directions with them.

Some Stuff I'm Doing

Ok, so here is what an ex-prof (who hasn't got too many patients yet) does with her free time in the Philly burbs:

• Watches the US OPEN. Why does James Blake have to take out/get taken out by Andre? I want them both to win. This is the current frustration as I fail to go to bed at a reasonable hour.
• Packs stuff for Katrina survivors. The local reform synagogue (Keneseth Israel) asked for donations and in one day had so much they are completely overwhelmed. They are begging people to come sort and pack the huge mountains of stuff people brought. I was there for 3 hours today and am going back tomorrow and Friday to do more. I'm also registered with the volunteer for Project Brotherly Love, a resettlement project for 1000 families the mayor has promised to bring to Philly.
• Goes to the occasional Phillies game, but it is NOT the same. Turner Field turns out to be a bargain, and the baseball is better, too....
• Reads novels (what a concept!): I just finished: Manner of Death, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Everything is Illuminated, and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
• Watches the baby pandas at the National Zoo and the San Diego Zoo. These guys are so cool to watch grow up. I actually think it's pretty therapeutic!
• Reads cool blogs: one from an actress who I babysat for a zillion years ago and, of course, the panda keeper blog.
• Tries to learn enough about the Eagles to make small talk with the future step-son.
• Takes the 10 year old girl who cat-sits for us to her first day of school for the year.
  
• Plans a wedding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry, it's only been a couple days since he proposed.... : )

What are people up to in the Old World?

Some answers to grad school questions

Ok, so here are the questions that inspired the blog:

1. When do I look for scholarships? Before I get accepted into a program or after?
2. How involved in terms of course work is a PhD program? Should I, can I, do something to earn an income while working on my class work?
3. What about T/A's or internships? How do those work in this field? Brad had a T/A in grad school but that was in C.S.

And here was my answer, edited to remove info that isn't generally relevant:

About scholarships, you can look for stuff through foundations (check the Foundation Center website) and such, but the money for doctoral students also tends to get awarded from the school (often from the grants faculty have) once you are accepted. Often use it as a bargaining chip to make sure you come to their program. You typically get some research or teaching gig that covers tuition and also pays a stipend that you can use for some living expenses.

Coursework will be easier for you than it was for me, since you will have had the undergrad courses that relate to what you are studying. I hadn't had that. For example, one alum is currently basically taking the sequence again for her PhD program. Since she was a lab assistant, you can imagine that she is pretty much bored silly. Most KSU psych majors find that we prepared them very well for what's ahead compared to the others in their programs. Most programs have about 3 years of actual classes, but that will vary a bit depending on what area of psych you go on in--programs leading to licensure have lots of very specific requirements that have to be met for accreditation. Whether or not you can/need to work will depend on how flexible scheduling is with the specific program and also what responsibilities you have for your fellowships. Hope that helps.

Oh, and try to take the GRE sooner rather than later. You will need it to have a complete application, and for doctoral programs they are usually due in January.

And try not to stress--less-freaked-out students tend to get better references!

So those are the answers to the first set of questions I would have answered if I'd been around with the door open.

Feel free to post/email topics.

What are the Philly Chronicles?

This blog will be my Atlanta home in exile. We can have psych question posts, grad school question posts, rants about the world posts, old world (Atlanta) and new world (Philly) posts, my favorite things posts.

If you want to check out my official website for the practice, it is at http://www.elizabethparks.net .

Meanwhile, stop in, say hi, suggest blog topics.