So...I was informed of this totally cool thing that NOAA does. It's their Graduate Sciences Program. A classmate told the class about it when we had a speaker come in.
The GSP is for graduate students (MS or PhD) and NOAA pays your tuition, fees, health insurance, and gives you a housing allowance to get your MS/PhD as long as your MS/PhD fits into NOAA's "mission-related occupational fields." The way you get this is you actually become a full-time employee of NOAA and you have to work 16-weeks in a year. You get a salary, benefits, travel expenses paid, etc. The 16-weeks of work is basically as a trainee in a particular area. So that's the cool part - degree paid for and full-time NOAA employee. The catch is for every year of university level training you receive, you have to give 3 years of federal service. So if I got my MS in 2 years, I'd have to work for the federal government for 6 years.
Luckily for me, I've always wanted to work for NOAA anyway (in some capacity) since I've decided to go the Federal route than NGO. I don't want to do state because it's unstable in my field. But...6 years?! That's a LONG time. 3 years I'd have no problems doing, but 6 years is a bit long. I wonder if I could get my PhD paid for during those 6 years...
Anyway, I'm thinking of going ahead and applying for it. They get about 40 applicants a year and, on average, have accepted 5 students a year (most is 7, least is 2). I'll probably try applying before I accept at a college and if I don't get in, I'll try again for my last year (if I end up doing a 2-year MS). Applications for the GSP open in October (when you know what departments want/need a GSP). I'm going to try to do early application deadlines for grad school, so I'll know by Dec-Jan what colleges have accepted me. That'll give me some breathing room on the GSP since they'd like you to already be accepted to the college and the deadline for applications for the GSP is Jan 31st. If all else fails, I can just send with my GSP application where I've applied. I need to take the GRE again, which means I should take it sometime this summer if I'm going to try for early applications to grad school (need to pad myself about 1 month for official scores).
So...yeah, that means my summer is going to be packed with grad school stuff. I also need to make a timeline...so, anyway, that's my current ambitious goal in regards to grad school! I'm also going to look at other grants/scholarships, but some of them I won't be able to do until I get accepted to a college since lots of those send the money TO the school. NOAA does some other scholarships/grants, but if I end up getting the GSP, I can't accept those since I'll be an employee of NOAA. So, we'll see!!
My current post-graduate plans (assuming I didn't get a job at the college I graduated from or somewhere else) was to come back to Monterey and try to get an in with the Sanctuary since that's run by NOAA. So, who knows, maybe if I get the GSP I can figure out a way to come back to this Sanctuary anyway! Or, I could end up anywhere else in the country. LoL
Off of that....I turned my capstone in for the first assessment on Wednesday. I expect it to get torn apart again. I didn't manage my time well enough and ran out of time, once again. It went to my 2nd reader, so that's why I think it'll get torn apart again.
Anyway, with that. I should be off. 29 days till graduation!!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
Capstone Draft
This blog really should be titled "Bethany's School Life." LoL Obviously school tends to run my life.
Anyway...I got my draft of my capstone back last night from Judy. I made myself open it today and read over her comments. Good thing my Word is default to GREEN font for reviewing, else there'd be a LOT of red everywhere. All good points, lots of word changes, etc. She basically said it's a good start. A draft is a draft so it's nothing to get worked up over, but my results were torn up and down. Though, honestly, everything she pointed out (the large problems with my results) I already knew about (though forgot about). So it wasn't that big of a shock. It's just daunting and a bit of a downer looking at how much I have to fix on my capstone. This is the reviewing process, but...eh. At least I know it'll be good by the end of it. I'm also glad I learned not to become attached to anything I write with her. Things get changed and, most times, I'd say for the better. So I try not to take it peresonally (since it's not) and say it's good criticism and it'll be okay in the end. I just can't sit here feeling down and overwhelmed. If I did, I'd NEVER get this capstone finished and I do want a) it off my plate and b) to graduate. Anyway, enough of my pep talk to myself. LoL Her overall things were my grammar, precision (or tightening) and clarity. I also made some assumptions I shouldn't have and I had this one paragraph where I just used all the wrong words (e.g. "undereducated" instead of "not well informed" or "questionable" instead of "uncertain"). Small changes with large impacts in the paragraph and lots of PC terms. Oh well. Learning I am, learning!
I set-up an appointment with her for Monday to go over my capstone with her. I'm looking over what she wants me to change and making a list of things to talk to her with about. I won't actually start revising (the large stuff) till Monday after I've spoken with her. I just don't see the point. First assessment is due April 16th at 8pm, so that's a bit scary, but it is first assessment. Second assessment is the final version and no more re-do's. Least, this is what I'm trying to tell myself. First assessment we get graded on and it goes to our 2nd reader along with our 1st reader. AHHHH
So...I'll try and kick out the homework due next week this weekend. Should be doable. That'll make me less stressed come Wednesday night after I've turned my capstone in and I have two homework assignments due Thursday!
Okay, with that. I should finish eating and get back to work.
Anyway...I got my draft of my capstone back last night from Judy. I made myself open it today and read over her comments. Good thing my Word is default to GREEN font for reviewing, else there'd be a LOT of red everywhere. All good points, lots of word changes, etc. She basically said it's a good start. A draft is a draft so it's nothing to get worked up over, but my results were torn up and down. Though, honestly, everything she pointed out (the large problems with my results) I already knew about (though forgot about). So it wasn't that big of a shock. It's just daunting and a bit of a downer looking at how much I have to fix on my capstone. This is the reviewing process, but...eh. At least I know it'll be good by the end of it. I'm also glad I learned not to become attached to anything I write with her. Things get changed and, most times, I'd say for the better. So I try not to take it peresonally (since it's not) and say it's good criticism and it'll be okay in the end. I just can't sit here feeling down and overwhelmed. If I did, I'd NEVER get this capstone finished and I do want a) it off my plate and b) to graduate. Anyway, enough of my pep talk to myself. LoL Her overall things were my grammar, precision (or tightening) and clarity. I also made some assumptions I shouldn't have and I had this one paragraph where I just used all the wrong words (e.g. "undereducated" instead of "not well informed" or "questionable" instead of "uncertain"). Small changes with large impacts in the paragraph and lots of PC terms. Oh well. Learning I am, learning!
I set-up an appointment with her for Monday to go over my capstone with her. I'm looking over what she wants me to change and making a list of things to talk to her with about. I won't actually start revising (the large stuff) till Monday after I've spoken with her. I just don't see the point. First assessment is due April 16th at 8pm, so that's a bit scary, but it is first assessment. Second assessment is the final version and no more re-do's. Least, this is what I'm trying to tell myself. First assessment we get graded on and it goes to our 2nd reader along with our 1st reader. AHHHH
So...I'll try and kick out the homework due next week this weekend. Should be doable. That'll make me less stressed come Wednesday night after I've turned my capstone in and I have two homework assignments due Thursday!
Okay, with that. I should finish eating and get back to work.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Last weekend
Wow...has it almost been a week since I turned my capstone in? Bummer...that means I've got my draft coming back to me tomorrow. Assessment one is due a week from tomorrow. AHHHHHHHHH Means another stress overload for Sun-Wed. LoL
Last week really was a stressful week on many levels...In the end, though, it turned out okay and Tori and Andy came up on Friday!! When they got here, Tori, Andy, Chris, and I went to dinner with two old co-workers. Jen cooked for us and it was GOOD. We had a good time and many laughs. After dinner we went to Borders to say bye to Anthony because it was his last day. It was fun surprising him because Chris and I walked in first and then Tyler, Jen, Tori, and Andy walked in. He was surprised so that was nice. Then we went back to Jen's to have our finishing milkshake (alcoholic and non-alcoholic).
Saturday was the Aquarium's Volunteer Gala. That was a lot of fun! Tori and Andy came up for the gala (i got them in) so it was fun getting ready with Tori. Tori, Shae, and I went to the beauty college and got our hair done. Then Chris came over and we all 4 took pictures and took off in Tori's car. The food was fantastic at the aquarium (as usual). They had two salads (one was a "Farmer's Market" one that was butter lettuce, some other greens, strawberries, feta or bleu cheese, and some vinagerette dressing - excellent!), steamed vegetables, sourdough rolls, braised chicken with pickled red onions, carved beef tri-tip with some mushroom thing, pacific sable with something, avocado salsa (for either the tri-tip or fish, can't remember), and mac and cheese. I miss the multi-buffet tables they've done in past years (except last year) because you had SO many food options and the themes were always great, but the food quality hasn't gone down or anything so I'm okay in the long run. LoL Chris and I ended up not getting any of the dessert (long lines FOREVER and other stuff). It was tiramusu, some shortcake/raspberry thing, cookies, and the fresh fruit with option of chocolate sauce. I don't think I've ever seen so many people at the Gala too. I think this year made my 6th one and it was just PACKED. It was fun seeing everyone all dressed up and stuff. We sat in front of the Outer Bay Window, which I think are the best seats in the entire aquarium.
I've been doing a really good cleaning on my room the last two days. Basically because I'm procrastinating. LoL Cleaning lends itself to a great excuse because it's something that needs to be done eventually and if you're in the mood, you're in the mood! I've cleaned my sheets, towels, clothes, vacuumed, uncluttered, and even did a little dusting and cleaning out of old clothes. I also cleaned my bathroom before Tori and Andy arrived. So my room is CLEAN! It's a nice feeling and it's nice to be in now. LoL I suspect with only 6 weeks left of school, I will be doing a lot of sitting/thinking/writing in my room.
With that...enough procrastination. I need to rewrite my abstract, intro, and discussion of my physics lab.
Laters!
Last week really was a stressful week on many levels...In the end, though, it turned out okay and Tori and Andy came up on Friday!! When they got here, Tori, Andy, Chris, and I went to dinner with two old co-workers. Jen cooked for us and it was GOOD. We had a good time and many laughs. After dinner we went to Borders to say bye to Anthony because it was his last day. It was fun surprising him because Chris and I walked in first and then Tyler, Jen, Tori, and Andy walked in. He was surprised so that was nice. Then we went back to Jen's to have our finishing milkshake (alcoholic and non-alcoholic).
Saturday was the Aquarium's Volunteer Gala. That was a lot of fun! Tori and Andy came up for the gala (i got them in) so it was fun getting ready with Tori. Tori, Shae, and I went to the beauty college and got our hair done. Then Chris came over and we all 4 took pictures and took off in Tori's car. The food was fantastic at the aquarium (as usual). They had two salads (one was a "Farmer's Market" one that was butter lettuce, some other greens, strawberries, feta or bleu cheese, and some vinagerette dressing - excellent!), steamed vegetables, sourdough rolls, braised chicken with pickled red onions, carved beef tri-tip with some mushroom thing, pacific sable with something, avocado salsa (for either the tri-tip or fish, can't remember), and mac and cheese. I miss the multi-buffet tables they've done in past years (except last year) because you had SO many food options and the themes were always great, but the food quality hasn't gone down or anything so I'm okay in the long run. LoL Chris and I ended up not getting any of the dessert (long lines FOREVER and other stuff). It was tiramusu, some shortcake/raspberry thing, cookies, and the fresh fruit with option of chocolate sauce. I don't think I've ever seen so many people at the Gala too. I think this year made my 6th one and it was just PACKED. It was fun seeing everyone all dressed up and stuff. We sat in front of the Outer Bay Window, which I think are the best seats in the entire aquarium.
I've been doing a really good cleaning on my room the last two days. Basically because I'm procrastinating. LoL Cleaning lends itself to a great excuse because it's something that needs to be done eventually and if you're in the mood, you're in the mood! I've cleaned my sheets, towels, clothes, vacuumed, uncluttered, and even did a little dusting and cleaning out of old clothes. I also cleaned my bathroom before Tori and Andy arrived. So my room is CLEAN! It's a nice feeling and it's nice to be in now. LoL I suspect with only 6 weeks left of school, I will be doing a lot of sitting/thinking/writing in my room.
With that...enough procrastination. I need to rewrite my abstract, intro, and discussion of my physics lab.
Laters!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
It's TURNED IN!!!
Ladies and Gents, it is my pleasure to inform you that my capstone draft has been turned in!!! I turned it in promptly at 8pm. 11 minutes later, Judy sent me a question back about my data. Lovely. I can see this next week isn't going to be THAT much of a break from my capstone. I will probably be fencing questions/comments/suggestions from her for the next week (maybe this weekend?). Which, when it comes down to it, is a good thing. But, well, you know...LoL
She has a week to get it back to me and then April 16th is the first assessment. First assessment means...First grade through by my advisor (Judy) and the 2nd reader (James, my marine cons professor). April 30th is when the FINAL report is due. The 2nd assessment is the real cruncher because you're either accepted or not accepted. If you don't pass on the 2nd assessment, you get a PR (or RP?) and that means I don't get my diploma until the report is turned in and accepted. :P So...we're not going for that. We're going for a full acceptance on my capstone. LoL
Okay...time to go do all my homework reading for tomorrow. I think I'm just going to do my lit review tomorrow after Physics...I'm tired...
She has a week to get it back to me and then April 16th is the first assessment. First assessment means...First grade through by my advisor (Judy) and the 2nd reader (James, my marine cons professor). April 30th is when the FINAL report is due. The 2nd assessment is the real cruncher because you're either accepted or not accepted. If you don't pass on the 2nd assessment, you get a PR (or RP?) and that means I don't get my diploma until the report is turned in and accepted. :P So...we're not going for that. We're going for a full acceptance on my capstone. LoL
Okay...time to go do all my homework reading for tomorrow. I think I'm just going to do my lit review tomorrow after Physics...I'm tired...
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Magna Cum Laude
I got the letter today! It is official! I am going to graduate Magna Cum Laude from CSU-Monterey Bay. :D I'm a wee bit miffed I'm so close to Summa (0.06 points), but whatever. LoL
Cum Laude = 3.5-3.74
Magna Cum Laude = 3.75-3.89
Summa Cum Laude = 3.9-4.0
They're doing an Honors Convocation on Saturday, April 26th. So that's when I'll get my honors cord I get to wear at graduation. :) Yay!
Capstone draft is due on April 2nd. April 2nd is quickly becoming too full of a day...I have ASAP from 11-12 and Academic Planning Committee meeting from 12-2pm. It's also the Grad Fair (caps/gowns/rings/pictures/info/etc) for most of the day. My capstone draft is due by 8pm. My Physics hw is due by 11:59pm. See? Full day.
Aquarium gala is next Sat, though! I'm SO excited for that. I'm seriously going to need the break after turning in the capstone draft. LoL Tori and her boyfriend Andy are coming up on Friday and I'm also taking them to the gala (got someone else's tickets). A few of us are getting together on Friday night. Tori and I are getting our hair done on Saturday and the dinner starts at 7:30 (we'll probably aim for like 7, need to be there early to nab good tables). Award ceremony (volunteer awards, one of the two people is my co-shift captain!!) starts at 7, but we'll probably skip that. I'm still slightly on the fence. I may have the others reserve spots and I'll go. I feel like I should since I feel like I should honor Sally since I've known her the entire time I've been at the aquarium and she's great.
Anyway, time for me to pass out asleep. I'm dead tired. Laters!
Cum Laude = 3.5-3.74
Magna Cum Laude = 3.75-3.89
Summa Cum Laude = 3.9-4.0
They're doing an Honors Convocation on Saturday, April 26th. So that's when I'll get my honors cord I get to wear at graduation. :) Yay!
Capstone draft is due on April 2nd. April 2nd is quickly becoming too full of a day...I have ASAP from 11-12 and Academic Planning Committee meeting from 12-2pm. It's also the Grad Fair (caps/gowns/rings/pictures/info/etc) for most of the day. My capstone draft is due by 8pm. My Physics hw is due by 11:59pm. See? Full day.
Aquarium gala is next Sat, though! I'm SO excited for that. I'm seriously going to need the break after turning in the capstone draft. LoL Tori and her boyfriend Andy are coming up on Friday and I'm also taking them to the gala (got someone else's tickets). A few of us are getting together on Friday night. Tori and I are getting our hair done on Saturday and the dinner starts at 7:30 (we'll probably aim for like 7, need to be there early to nab good tables). Award ceremony (volunteer awards, one of the two people is my co-shift captain!!) starts at 7, but we'll probably skip that. I'm still slightly on the fence. I may have the others reserve spots and I'll go. I feel like I should since I feel like I should honor Sally since I've known her the entire time I've been at the aquarium and she's great.
Anyway, time for me to pass out asleep. I'm dead tired. Laters!
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Happy Easter!
It's a beautiful day; I feel like I'm FINALLY getting better; I shall be eating excellent food soon; and it's Easter!! Life's pretty good right now. :)
My Physics teacher extended the last homework for ALL students. Wasn't that nice of him? So I immediately did all the problems and turned them in. LoL
Yesterday a bus's brakes failed and smashed into the aquarium. The aquarium is at the bottom of a hill and the bus smashed into the back wall of the main gift store and into the aquarium's logo they have on the wall on the outside. No one was hurt.
Today I booked our hotel at the Chicago Hilton for 6 nights with our arrival date August 5th! The lady who helped me book the room was really nice too. We were joking a lot and it was a pleasant experience.
I also bought my ticket to one of the keynote speakers (one of my favorite authors Tamora Pierce). So I'm all pre-planned or set-up for Terminus!!! I'm excited to be going to Chicago!
I also RSVP'd for the gala! Since I haven't been in a month, I haven't been able to RSVP at the aquarium so I called today to RSVP. I nabbed Jack's tickets so I'm bringing a friend and her boyfriend too. Should be lots of fun. :)
Well, today concludes my spring break. I go back to school tomorrow and have about 8 weeks left of school until I graduate May 17th!! Let's hope I did well on midterms. *cringes* After completing all of them, I didn't feel too good about any of them.
With that...I must be off, but I leave with this link of photos from Chris and I going out tidepooling.
My Physics teacher extended the last homework for ALL students. Wasn't that nice of him? So I immediately did all the problems and turned them in. LoL
Yesterday a bus's brakes failed and smashed into the aquarium. The aquarium is at the bottom of a hill and the bus smashed into the back wall of the main gift store and into the aquarium's logo they have on the wall on the outside. No one was hurt.
Today I booked our hotel at the Chicago Hilton for 6 nights with our arrival date August 5th! The lady who helped me book the room was really nice too. We were joking a lot and it was a pleasant experience.
I also bought my ticket to one of the keynote speakers (one of my favorite authors Tamora Pierce). So I'm all pre-planned or set-up for Terminus!!! I'm excited to be going to Chicago!
I also RSVP'd for the gala! Since I haven't been in a month, I haven't been able to RSVP at the aquarium so I called today to RSVP. I nabbed Jack's tickets so I'm bringing a friend and her boyfriend too. Should be lots of fun. :)
Well, today concludes my spring break. I go back to school tomorrow and have about 8 weeks left of school until I graduate May 17th!! Let's hope I did well on midterms. *cringes* After completing all of them, I didn't feel too good about any of them.
With that...I must be off, but I leave with this link of photos from Chris and I going out tidepooling.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Being ill does things to your brain...
So I forgot to turn in my Physics hw last Saturday. I blame it on being ill and our homework isn't due on Saturdays normally. We do our homework all on-line too. Anyway, I totally forgot with having ASAP on Wed (when Shae and I do our hw), having midterms on Thursday, and promptly getting ill. So I freaked out that I forgot to turn it in (I did it at ASAP!) and decided to e-mail my professor to see if I could turn it in anyway to check my answers and all that. I told Shae I forgot and she forgot too! So she also e-mailed our professor asking if she could turn hers in.
I get this e-mail this morning saying, "Bethany - did you mean to e-mail Dan Fernandez instead?" I had accidentally e-mailed my OTHER professor Dan Shapiro! I couldn't believe I did that! So I e-mailed him back apologizing and all that. Then I checked Shae's e-mail and she had ALSO e-mailed Dan S instead of Dan F! Seriously, what are the odds? LoL I blame it on the fact that I'm on POP and so I just typed in "Dan" and the first Dan to come up I hit okay for. :P *shakes head*
Chris and I went tidepooling today and I wore the wrong shoes for that too. Seriously, where's my brain? I know I'm on Spring Break, but even then...LoL I can't smell anything too. It's quite sad. :( Chris and I went to the Farmer's Market today and this lady goes, "smell these flowers!" I looked at her and said, "I can't smell anything. I have a cold." I tried anyway and went, "yup, can't smell anything." And she said, "Bummer. These smell of Spring." LoL
Gotta love being sick...
I get this e-mail this morning saying, "Bethany - did you mean to e-mail Dan Fernandez instead?" I had accidentally e-mailed my OTHER professor Dan Shapiro! I couldn't believe I did that! So I e-mailed him back apologizing and all that. Then I checked Shae's e-mail and she had ALSO e-mailed Dan S instead of Dan F! Seriously, what are the odds? LoL I blame it on the fact that I'm on POP and so I just typed in "Dan" and the first Dan to come up I hit okay for. :P *shakes head*
Chris and I went tidepooling today and I wore the wrong shoes for that too. Seriously, where's my brain? I know I'm on Spring Break, but even then...LoL I can't smell anything too. It's quite sad. :( Chris and I went to the Farmer's Market today and this lady goes, "smell these flowers!" I looked at her and said, "I can't smell anything. I have a cold." I tried anyway and went, "yup, can't smell anything." And she said, "Bummer. These smell of Spring." LoL
Gotta love being sick...
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