You Know...

I've been thinking about why I have been hearing bad news from Grad Schools recently. It is not a surprise I got rejection letters from top economics programs, but even rejection letters from some programs I thought I had a decent shot of getting in to? On top of that, I do not have any definite grad program plans right now and everything is a tightrope act. I am going to a school next week and hopefully I can talk to a few professors and convince them to let me into their school with substantial financial aid.

(Un?) fortunately, I've also been working on job applications. This was not my primary plan and really hope that I do not have to postpone my graduate plans. Even then, can doing research work really help me out again for grad school? I feel like I've basically crossed a river on a one-way boat ride and am unable to earn enough money to take the boat back the other way.

I haven't heard back from all my schools yet, so here's to some hope!

Anxiety and Looking for ... ?

Got into UCDavis, unofficially, of course. They are going to recommend me for admission to the Graduate Admissions Office. So there is a slight chance that I won't actually get in. Naturally I shouldn't hear good news so early. But I am more anxious about my future plans in terms of finding something to do this summer. Anyone looking for a newly graduate who specializes in research methods.

Three exams next week. Econometrics on Tuesday, History of Battle on Wednesday, and Public Health on Friday. History of battle is turning to be a lecture version of a History Channel special, so I have been (unconsciously?) very attentive in class. The only bothersome part is where I have to identify locations on a map. Really? A map? I thought the important parts of history were not memorizing the locations and dates but instead understanding the rationale behind events, (insert critical analysis things), etc. I am not too worried about the exams themselves, just that I have three next week.

Realized last Friday that I have to write my thesis. "Realized" is a soft way of putting it - I was actually startlingly reminded by my Thesis co-Chair that I have to churn out a draft soon. Whoops... currently on page 6. Should finish the theoretical section today and start reporting some numbers and charts by the end of next week. Wait, exams next week. Okay, the week after that then...

Jobs? Jobs.

Yesterday I wrote my first real cover letter. By "real," I mean I actually want someone to read it and think, "Oh, I think I can hire this guy or call him in for an interview." I mostly been faking this whole look-for-a-real-job-after-graduation-thing, but I realized (aka my parents finally convinced me) that I need to set up a back-up in case my grad applications completely fall through.

Which they were in danger of doing so.

They (well, some of us) call this era the Golden Age of Information. Obviously, this means that when a professor submits a recommendation online, the system does not follow through and actually acknowledge and file away that recommendation. What to do? Some Internet stalking (Golden Age of Information ftw!) later, I called his house number because he had been unresponsive to his work email and office number (Golden Age of... Information?). Everything should be solved, but it turns out that until we get cybernetic implants that allows us to remain constantly connected to information networks (Ghost in the Shell, much?) the most important factor is how close to can keep ourselves to that information highway.

I'm not a Fanboy, I'm not a Fanboy

Regardless of my interest in video games and other media forms (Harry Potter and some animes, anyone?) I do not consider myself a fanboy by any means. I can control my passionate interests around other people, and if asked to write an essay on it, I can keep it concise and excitement at a minimum for a typical audience.

First.... omg assassin's creed brotherhood looks amazing. I am slightly disappointed I won't be able to play it until next semester when I bring my PS3 to cornell. The combat system shift towards the offensive along strings of assassination kills, managing your brotherhood of assassins, using them in gameplay, and so much more that hasn't even been revealed yet. I desperately want it.

I've also been trying to find a coop video game to play with my girlfriend - so she isn't bored out of her mind when I am playing - and am rediscovering PS3 splitscreen shooters. I am deciding between CoD: WaW and Resistance 1.

Anyway, I am writing my grad essay for stanford and I am trying to hard not to sound like a fanboy when I am writing about Caroline Hoxby. But she is freaking amazing. She's advised disserations for Kirabo Jackson, Sandra Black, Bridget Long, and Leah Boustan who are awesome in their own right. I would probably give a toe just to work under her... but it's hard trying not to sound like a fanboy in my essay

Really a Zero-Sum Game

$2324.

That's how much my 25 graduate applications will cost me, including sending my GRE scores - this is kind of ridiculous. Undergraduate applications were nothing like this at all. I am applying to so many schools because it is very hard to get into grad schools and random luck plays a large role in applications since the incoming class size is often less than 30 or 40.

While writing this post, I took two schools of my list. I can afford to be more selective about schools since I am interested in labor and education economics. Most schools don't have faculty who seem to be really into it.

Go big, or go home...?

Zero-Sum Game

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood: $59.99
Killzone 3: $59.96
Final Fantasy III: $18.15
Final Fantasy IV: $21.67

Average Grad Application Fee (With GRE Score included): $80

The Scheming and Screaming was Worth It