Haha, no, I understand it. I think I phrased the question wrong. I guess what I was trying to ask is if henna fades enough so that it won't look so different from my natural hair (or at least if it won't look so horrible if I don't retouch it). However, now I know that henna is as permanent as it gets, and it probably would be noticeable

I'm sorry if I came across that way! I have to admit that I'm still very ignorant about what a good income is in the US. All I know about this is through social media, and after reading more about the typical salary, I understand why my statement was out of touch.

It's good to know that if I land a job here, my future salary would be good!

Sadly, I will not be able to get additional money as my visa status limits where and how many hours I can work :(

My visa limits my working hours, and I can only work for my university (I'll be a teaching assistant for the first year, then a lab will finance my studies and stipend). I really like the idea of trying for a year, and if it sucks, looking for a roommate. Thank you!

Thankfully, I can count on my family's support if something goes wrong. I also have secured a job back in my country if I return.

I will be doing a PhD in Biological Sciences focused on Infectious Diseases. According to some webpages, the median salary is around $120k (I know it kind of sucks, but I am really passionate about this; I'm aware I won't be rich, but I don't want to mess up my finances)

I can easily find another room in a shared house for around $550-$600. However, I was excited about the opportunity to live alone as I have never had roommates, and I really value my alone time.

As the PhD lasts around six years, and I will be 30 when I finish it, I really wanted to live alone, but I understand if this is not attainable or recommended.

Thank you so much for your advice. Those extra $6000 sound really helpful if an emergency happens! I'm still learning about financial concepts regarding US taxes, and they are quite confusing sometimes haha

Thank you, I'll consider it!

Thank you! I'll do that

That's amazing!

Hey! I will be joining Purdue this fall too, please let me know if you know anything

That's so cool! Is rotational, so I still haven't chosen a PI. When I had my visit, everyone was super kind and friendly, so excited to become a boilermaker!

Purdue University for Biological Sciences!

What do you mean your agency?

Don't go somewhere you are not excited/happy to go. Graduate school can be tough, its better going somewhere you feel satisfied. I don't think you made a bad decision if you can't project yourself in that specific university. However, can I ask why did you apply if you don't like the uni/program? Maybe its just the imposter syndrome talking?

Thats amazing! 🎊🥳

How it went? (Hopefully good news!)

I would've started my SOP sooner, I was so stressed a month before because I hated it. I ended up getting accepted into 1 of my top choices but rejected everywhere, so maybe I also would've looked for more programs/universities

I feel the same way! I've been accepted into a PhD program that will last 5-6 years. I'm certain this is what I want to do. While I'm really excited, I'm also terrified of moving to another country and worried about not being smart/good enough. I believe it's a life-changing decision, so feeling scared is normal. Just remember, time will pass regardless of whether you start the program or not.

As a phrase I love in spanish: "You look so brave trembling with fear but daring to live it."

I think that the most important aspect for going to grad school is having a clear goal. Do you want to do research? Do you want to learn about specific techniques in your field? And then consider if going to grad school is worth it. Doing a master's can be really expensive, especially in prestigious universities. I don't think that paying thousands of dollars is a great financial decision if you are not 100% sure of why you are doing it (but, it's just me, if you have the money and want to do it anyway then go for it).

PhD tend to be harder to get accepted to because most programs invest thousands of dollars in YOU. I think that it is even more important to have a clear idea of why you are doing a PhD, not just because it is a long and stressful process, but also because you can feel isolated, burnt-out, and overworked. So, I would recommend only going for a PhD if you are confident and passionate about really specialized research.

Now, if you are really confident that going to grad school is a good life decision, I recommend you gaining more experience in the field you are interested in. If you want to have a shot at PhD programs you have to gain significan and relevant research experience, ot depends on the field but for bio I would recommend you wet lab experience. If I'm totally honest with you, I think that getting into Stanford is really hard, even when you have "perfect" credentials. Im not sure if Stanford has a strict standard regarding GPA, they might even toss your application before even reading it, so do your research on the minimum requirements. Grad admissions sometimes rely on luck, but if you are focused and lucky I don't see why you wouldn't be able to get admittance in other Unis.

Best of luck!

Congrats!!!