Wednesday, February 24, 2010

I CALL ON THE POWER OF THE INTERNETS


Okay, guys. Here's the deal. Those of you who follow me on Twitter may have seen me whinging about geometry and having to relearn how to solve quadratic equations. I've also emailed certain loved ones about the suckage of algebraic word problems and things like having to calculate the volume of a right circular cylinder, the slope of a line on the x-y axis, or the standard deviation for a series of data points. I can do lawyer math, but this is something far more terrifying. This is high school math.

So why on earth am I doing this to myself?

I'm applying to get into an MFA program. Specifically, one MFA program. Just the one. It is my soulmate, I feel certain of this. Look, isn't that a pretty room they have? And the letter from the Program Director to prospective applicants made me laugh out loud. (Whether the love is reciprocal remains to be seen.)

Accordingly, today from 12:30-4:30pm EST, I will be taking the GRE (Graduate Record Exam). Yeah, yeah, they probably don't care what the score is, especially not for the quantitative section, but that's not the point. Even if I'm ultimately just there to prove that I can follow directions (take GRE, gather transcripts, put social security number on the right form...), I'd like to do well. It's a matter of principle for me to not totally screw this up.

INTERNET FRIENDS: Wish me a test filled with vocabulary that I know. Wish me essay questions on subjects I actually have an opinion about. Wish me math questions that happen to coincide with whichever formulas I manage to remember tomorrow, and no stupid arithmetic errors.

See you on the other side.

15 comments:

  1. Hope it all comes together for you. Good luck.
    Lee

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  2. May I recommend not calling on the power of the internets? The main thing the internets appear to have the power to do is distracting you from whatever you're supposed to be doing at the time. That's not the kind of thing you want right now...

    (Oh, and good luck!)

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  3. Oh Carrie, good luck! After I took the (3 hour long) GRE, I walked out of completely drained from the mental effort. The math was NOT easy no matter how hard I studied.(and I really did try. What I learned is that despite what people say, math does NOT make sense.)

    The good thing is that if the MFA program is related to English or liberal arts or has any kind of non-math emphasis, then there is a possibility of them not counting the math score. My program (an MS in English) did not count the math score and combined the vocab and writing. THANK GOD.

    You will need a very large glass of wine after the test and some time to stare at a wall for a while.

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  4. Ignoring the arguments over the value of an MFA, my math abilities are probably the main reason I will never get one.

    Good luck!

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  5. Good luck. I'm with Simon - the internet is way too distracting! Do well, and give yourself a break afterwords :D

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  6. Good luck, Carrie! An MFA in writing? I'm anxiously awaiting a letter from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications graduate program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The only thing I did well on with the GRE is write my name Gre-g. But they didn't give me anything for that. You'll do great. After all, you got into Vassar for undergrad! You've got the skills to pay the bills.

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  7. You are brave to take the GRE after having left school and I have no doubt you will do very, very well. High school math may seem to disappear but it lurks, waiting to be coaxed.

    Tell us the good news.

    (I got a soulmate for grad school too. It's the best feeling. )

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  8. Oh God. When I took the GREs for my MFA program, I was horrified to see that my verbal score went DOWN, as compared with my old SAT score. My math score went UP more than 100 points. WTH? I know I didn't git no smarter in math between the ages of 17 and 24.

    Start up that no. 2 pencil, man. May you be borne on the wings of Isaac Newton himself!

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  9. Carrie, above all the equations and split infinitives, please remember that you are a FANTASTIC writer. Any MFA Program should count themselves lucky to have you.

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  10. I don't know where you're looking, but Bennington College, in Bennington, Vt. supposedly has a good MFA program in writing (of many forms, I believe). I went to college in North Adams, MA. Good luck!

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  11. Which MFA program is it? I'd be delighted to know.

    Here's wishing you great answers, comprehension, and that you might even have fun taking the test. (I found it somewhat fun.)

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  12. Just remember to cross your I's and dot your T's and at the very least you'll get them to laugh, which is often times helpful :P

    Good luck though. Seriously, I'm sure you can handle it. You are very intelligent!

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  13. Best of luck on your exam. :) Fingers crossed.

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  14. Late to this post. Hope all went well!

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