Holden_Caulfield Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 Hi folks, I've decided to ask your opinion on the very diligent question. I need to move to some other school due to some personal matters (my girlfriend is moving to the other place for PhD after her undegrade and I have no intentions to stay in my current school without her). This is the main reason for me to apply somewhere else to PhD. The question is: how to tell to the admission committee about this? Do they take this reason as the serious one? We are not married yet, but we plan to do so in the future. Of course, we think it is silly to arrange the marriage right now in order to convince them that I have serious family related issues to change my PhD program. It has some relation to this topic: http://www.www.urch.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32731 since many schools ask in their application form about the other schools that I'm applying to. We are applying to bunch of schools because we need to maximize the probability to get in the same place. This point is crucial - prestige of the school staying on the second place. If anybody went through something like this - please, share you experience. Thank you in advance. Best luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheekymonkey Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 Hi, I basically have the same problem. After I was denied admission into Columbia, I visited there in May and talked with the chair of the department. His suggestion was tell them truth in the SOP. Just try to be honest. I dont think it would hurt. I will probably do that in my new SOP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holden_Caulfield Posted August 28, 2005 Author Share Posted August 28, 2005 Hi, I basically have the same problem. After I was denied admission into Columbia, I visited there in May and talked with the chair of the department. His suggestion was tell them truth in the SOP. Just try to be honest. I dont think it would hurt. I will probably do that in my new SOP. Hi, Thanks for the response. I just a little bit confused about mixing personal staff with career, but to be honest - this transfer will be also beneficial for my career also. I have pretty focused and well established research interests, so it would be kind of eclectic to stress on the personal issues in SOP. Maybe, it is better to talk about it in some separate cover letter? :hmm: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plazzain Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 I unfortunately have no advice, but I do wish you luck :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holden_Caulfield Posted August 29, 2005 Author Share Posted August 29, 2005 I unfortunately have no advice, but I do wish you luck :) Well, Plazzain, thank you for this! It should help! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivo Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 Holden, i guess it depends on the people and their values who will take a stand on your own case. I can imagine both scenarios: someone could read it and think: wow, this guy has got the right values in life, he's trustworthy and most likely very suitable for our program - he is honest and has got the right attitude. i bet his fair and straight standing will show in his research too. let's take him on board. on the other hand, the risk is that someone might think: one, this guy is not mature enough, putting some girlfriend in the place of his future career. honestly, if i was in the committee, i would appreciate if you mentioned it truthfully. Hope there are many like-minded people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holden_Caulfield Posted August 30, 2005 Author Share Posted August 30, 2005 Holden, i guess it depends on the people and their values who will take a stand on your own case. I can imagine both scenarios: someone could read it and think: wow, this guy has got the right values in life, he's trustworthy and most likely very suitable for our program - he is honest and has got the right attitude. i bet his fair and straight standing will show in his research too. let's take him on board. on the other hand, the risk is that someone might think: one, this guy is not mature enough, putting some girlfriend in the place of his future career. honestly, if i was in the committee, i would appreciate if you mentioned it truthfully. Hope there are many like-minded people. Thanks a lot for this, Ivo. I don't think that the last scenario is possible: due to my interest in research I was studying in various science-oriented educational institutions since I'm 14. I left my family at this edge and I'm on my own since than. I just want to make a new family to hide from this cruel world! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blase Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Since coming onboard TM, I have always viewed it from the GRE window. Well, Holden, you seem so much more than just a GRE_Math contributor. This is my first contribution to UA-Graduate, am glad I found this thread. Great that despite it all, you are still down to earth. If I were you, I would decide on these basic values. Kudos mate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holden_Caulfield Posted August 31, 2005 Author Share Posted August 31, 2005 Since coming onboard TM, I have always viewed it from the GRE window. Well, Holden, you seem so much more than just a GRE_Math contributor. This is my first contribution to UA-Graduate, am glad I found this thread. Great that despite it all, you are still down to earth. If I were you, I would decide on these basic values. Kudos mate! Thanks, Blase. I defenetly stick to the "basic values". I'm just wondering how is better to tell this to admission committee. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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