mrtoad

You're absolutely right. Heck, I'd be angry if I was a professor at thsoe places. She's a very nice gal, but her parents seem to be giving her a lot of grief about it. She says it might be worth wasting a year to get them off her back. Imagine that, parents who are badge snobs... It's sad, but they do exist. Definitely not a badge snob herself though. Most people who skip class to fill their walls with independent research that doesn't count toward anything are usually not snobs; they're insane. The fact that she can still manage to pass these classes without doing much homework is a testament to how smart she is. I am guessing that she'll be so engrossed in her work at whatever grad school she ends up attending that she'll forget about the parents very quickly.

Marco30, I know a kid who is thinking about doing the same thing. Her only admissions were to Rochester and Brown, but two of her professors are convinced that she'll be the best researcher to come out of her undergrad institution this year (top 5 US). She's worried that people at the new PhD program won't be open to writing good letters for her. I do think that it's a pity that she got rejected from so many places because she is the smartest person I've ever known. Then again, let's just say she dug this hole for herself. I bet she ends up at or near the top of all her first-year classes though. I told her to just choose a place and stick with it. Being as smart as she is, I don't think losing a year will be worth the extra bump in name value. The same might be true for your friend. If not, she probably won't do well enough to merit a transfer.

A better question: Would A. Tucker get into Princeton today? http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~osborne/MathTutorial/TUCKER.HTM

Thank you, Guitarist. You're the man.

Any update on the website?

Thanks for the compliment. Things are dark in my mansion, so I've been trying to keep upbeat. The closest thing I can think of to your situation is: "I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket," which has been covered by many artists (I'm not sure who was the original performer).

Bonus Edition: Types of Applicants Applying to be with idol (Arrow, Becker, Krishna, Rubinstein, etc.): I Will Follow Him Following significant other to his/her school: Ain't No Mountain High Enough Financial Aid + Stipend is the biggest factor: Money, Money, Money A bit whore-y/desperate: Take a Chance on Me Low GRE-Verbal/AWA: Words "Words...don't come easy...to me" Constantly seeking reassurance from others: Stand By Me Trying to avoid getting a "real world" job" Nowhere to Run Rejected by [insert school] undergrad, now applying to the grad version: When Will I Be Loved "I've been cheated...and mistreated. When will I be loved?" A similar pool of candidates who each think they're better than the rest: Before You Accuse Me "...take a look at yourself" The kind who writes about how it is his/her "dream" to attend [insert school here]: Power of Love Screwed up in years 1,2 and got back on track in junior/senior years: Hip To Be Square "I used to be a renegade, I used to fool around But I couldn’t take the punishment, and had to settle down Now I’m playing it real straight, and yes I cut my hair" Pretends he/she doesn't care about where he/she gets in but cares more than anyone else: A Swingin' Affair "We will enjoy the magic but we won't fall in love" Wants to stay at alma mater he/she complains about all the time: I Can't Quit You Superstar, gets into every school: A Girl in Every Port Please feel free to add more.

Pre-application optimism: This Will Be My Year Application eagerness: I'm Gonna Make You Love Me Waiting for any news: Please Mr. Postman "Deliver the letter, sooner the better..." The first rejection (anger): Don't Rain On My Parade The second rejection (denial): I Will Survive The third rejection (acceptance): Better Not Look Down The uneasiness in between: Don't Go Breaking My Heart Test-magic forum chatter: I Heard It Through the Grapevine The following tracks depending on ending: Offer from #1 choice (sports movie): Let the Good Times Roll Offer from the only school remaining (thriller): Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours I Can't Say No No offer (tear-jerker): I Think I'm Going to Kill Myself Rescue Me No offer plus living with parents +rebuild life with the help of 61-year-old neighbor who is secretly the head of Chicago Econ (Disney Channel Original Movie): Lean On Me No offer plus living with parents (comedy): Think (Freedom) "It don't take too much IQ to see what you're doin' to me" Offer from "lesser" school +intent to teach at better schools after PhD (stalker movie or romantic drama: really two sides of the same coin): Someday We'll Be Together

Microeconomic theory / decision theory / bounded rationality topics

You are seriously mistaken about this particular point. You cannot expect to become a respected member of the academia without honesty. I suppose you have heard about what happened with the Korean stem cell researcher. He lied about something that he thought was harmless (i.e., he claimed to have produced things that he was "planning on" producing later). He was discredited, disgraced, and will never again find meaningful employment as a researcher of importance to the international community. Incidents involving moral turpitude on the part of researchers does significant damage to the reputation of their host institutions and alma maters, which is why grad schools will be very careful about people with evidence of dishonesty. I understand that your school's policies are unfair, but trying to circumvent something you agreed upon being admitted is not going to win you any points. Contrary to popular belief, successful academics are not self-sequestered geniuses working away at difficult problems in isolation. If you get into grad school, you will realize that collaboration and discussion are indeed equally important as your own genius to advancing new viable theories in your field. These interactions require credibility, and the admissions committee, which is usually composed of professors, will see whatever "justifiable fraud" you attempt as an indicator of possible future academic dishonesty. So either convince someone in the administration or pay the tuition. It might seem unfair, but remember that most universities are for businesses. They've entered into a transaction with you and you cannot renege on that without their agreement and expect to avoid the consequences.

I am in a similar situation as DismalMe...3.0 ugrad GPA at a top 5 US institution and some redeeming qualities (I hope). I wonder how people with our profile usually do. My undergrad advisor told me that I might have a decent chance at a "quirky" place like Chicago based on how Gregg Lewis used to run admissions there (GPA didn't matter, number and difficulty of math courses taken did). On the other hand, he said that it might lead to quick rejections from institutions that get too many applications. In essence, up is down and down is up: a crapshoot...and hence the nervousness.

I just registered as well. I am a lurker not a talker, but in this case, the long wait is getting to me. I haven't heard from any of the schools to which I've applied. So based on what I see online, it seems that some people have heard from Caltech, Duke, Minnesota, UCSB...where else? [Edit: +Ohio State] Dang-o, I'm nervous.