tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-307739852011-12-23T20:35:16.731-08:00Our experiences as IR/PS students - from Summer prep through classes and internships to graduation...IR/PS-ersnoreply@blogger.comBlogger161100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30773985.post-75243591228107413882007-06-12T11:28:00.000-07:002007-06-12T22:25:20.682-07:00

I have a confession to make. As an undergrad, I failed statistics. So I guess I had something to prove by taking the entire course of quantitative methods at IR/PS. By the end of the third quarter, in the middle of QM3, deep in panel data and time series analysis, I came to the realization that we were at the edge of the epistemic enterprise. The view was expansive--and completely

Joshua Wickerhamnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30773985.post-84999713541807970362007-05-10T17:56:00.001-07:002007-05-10T17:56:51.117-07:00

Of course, I have most likely been forgotten since I have not posted since the start of the school year. So I will have to sum everything up. What a busy year! I would recommend not working at all during the first quarter or so. No joke. This program is intense and time management is probably one of the most critical elements for survival. I have learned so much about such a wide variety of

IR/PS-ersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30773985.post-45920911605637406542007-02-18T00:01:00.000-08:002007-02-18T01:47:33.485-08:00

Like most of my classmates, I took five classes (18 credits) last quarter. I said to myself, never again. Then I signed up for five classes (now 20 credits) this quarter. Forgive me for not giving a running commentary. IR/PS has been harder on my blogging than I thought.Tonight I went out to see my first movie since I started here. With the three-day weekend and some inspiration, I decided I can

Joshua Wickerhamnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30773985.post-1170135262028407532007-01-29T21:28:00.000-08:002007-02-12T20:26:29.603-08:00

I'll let you guys in on a little secret, maybe something that isn't obvious from what you might read on this blog or any other blog by IR/PS students. I know what I'm about to tell you is something many IR/PSers are trying to keep quiet ~ maybe because of personal pride or maybe they're inclined to think otherwise but here's the secret anyways:IR/PS is hard.I don't think there is any one variable

--Fred--http://www.blogger.com/profile/11839989205903971366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30773985.post-1160752437076208382006-10-13T07:32:00.000-07:002006-10-13T08:13:57.096-07:00

It's been forever since I posted. Oh, wait, only a few weeks. My how we've crammed a lot of activities into just a short time.Last time your eyes met my words, I had just finished uploading grainy videos from prep. Now classes have been underway for three weeks. Everybody's talking about time management and midterms. There's a sense of healthy competition, as if everyone is in the first leg of a

Joshua Wickerhamnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30773985.post-1160078201095773762006-10-05T12:55:00.000-07:002006-10-10T16:12:19.913-07:00

It's been a while since anyone has posted. First weeks of class... yep. We're in deep. This past week (or has it been two weeks now?) has been a total blur. Class after class, social after social, almost every waking hour has been filled with academics, meet-and-greets, or preparation thereof.I'm not sure how accurate my list will be but from what I recall so far of the past couple days of actual

--Fred--http://www.blogger.com/profile/11839989205903971366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30773985.post-1158739529306963252006-09-19T23:39:00.000-07:002006-09-22T21:40:00.086-07:00

So this past week and a half was orientation; a several day long process by which we get acclimated and familiar with the IR/PS program. Specifically we had a brief introductions with a) some of the faculty, b) the courses proper that make up IR/PS, and c) our fellow students, both first years and second years.Let's start with the faculty. With half a hope that fluffing over the professors will

--Fred--http://www.blogger.com/profile/11839989205903971366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30773985.post-1158120238238496782006-09-12T20:09:00.000-07:002006-09-12T21:04:04.753-07:00

I don't have anything much to add to what my classmates have already written about econ prep. Like them, I'm glad I attended. Like them, I'm glad it's over. After getting by for almost a decade without any math class to speak of, 67+ class hours in three weeks was a kick in the pants I wouldn't have given myself, but I'm glad somebody else did.So what am I bringing to the IR/PS blog with this

Joshua Wickerhamnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30773985.post-1157956322865111582006-09-10T23:32:00.000-07:002006-09-10T23:32:02.923-07:00

I survived both of the summer prep courses unscathed, and I feel much more prepared for fall quarter classes. So I'd say that the program was effective. I'll even admit that I thought QM was slightly easier than econ, mostly because I couldn't keep up with all the econ readings and homework sets. I really tried to read all of the assignments from both textbooks to become familiar with the

IR/PS-ersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30773985.post-1157879690156720232006-09-10T02:14:00.000-07:002007-01-22T14:41:46.786-08:00

Well, our prep classes are over, and the countdown to the first official day of class has begun.For me, the prep classes did not go well, quantitatively. They went pretty bad, to be honest, results wise. But, from a qualitative perspective, what I actually learned in relation to where I was when I started three weeks ago, and how what I learned has put the upcoming first quarter and the rest

IR/PS-ersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30773985.post-1157007826158177502006-08-30T22:48:00.000-07:002006-08-31T00:15:38.363-07:00

Hey there! I'm Joshua Wickerham, an incoming MPIA candidate. I grew in rural Michigan, a mile from a village so small it hardly even appears as a distinguishable pixel on Google Earth. I'll be in the 2008 class of Master of Pacific and International Affairs students, studying international development and non-profit management in China.After graduating from the University of Michigan in 2002 with

Joshua Wickerhamnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30773985.post-1156900257609382042006-08-29T18:10:00.000-07:002006-08-29T18:10:59.480-07:00

Hello, my name is Jason Packman, and welcome to my firstentry in the IR/PS student blog. I was born and raised inthe San Francisco Bay Area. I went to UCLA, where Imajored in East Asian Studies with a concentration inJapan. While there, I spent a summer abroad in Kyoto anda year abroad in Singapore.From there, I went to live in Japan on (surprise!) the JETprogram. However, I never left. I

IR/PS-ersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30773985.post-1156783107647694052006-08-28T09:38:00.000-07:002006-08-29T14:23:06.850-07:00

Hi ~ I’m Frederick Plan but I go by Fred, Erick, or any other less-formalvariation of the name =) I’m new to UCSD but not San Diego, talkativeonline but not so much in-person, and according to the GRE I’m decent atmath but I’m a great hater of numbers. This last part is probably whatfigures into my attending the QM Prep session =)First though ~ a quick about-me: I’m a military brat so I grew

IR/PS-ersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30773985.post-1156644166221675182006-08-26T19:02:00.000-07:002006-08-29T14:37:23.100-07:00

Howdy! I'm Beckie Padgett, and I hail from the great state of Texas. Let me introduce myself as well. I was born on a U.S. military base in Okinawa, Japan, and I'm half-Japanese. It's been about eight years since I graduated from Northwestern University where I majored in psychology and international studies with a concentration in Asia. Through t he JET Programme, I taught English for a year in

IR/PS-ersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30773985.post-1156378622119074782006-08-23T17:17:00.000-07:002006-08-23T17:17:02.190-07:00

I’m Ari Schwartz, and I’ll be one of your student bloggers.  I am, at the moment, taking the quantitative methods class.  But allow me a few lines—or paragraphs, depending on how things go-- to introduce myself, and I’ll get right back to that… I’m a San Fernando Valley native who has attempted to disavow his “Valley boy” birthright and instead take on “Angelino” status.  That worked well for me

IR/PS-ersnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30773985.post-1152258139753201162006-07-07T00:42:00.000-07:002006-08-31T10:31:28.070-07:00

This is a place where IR/PS students share their experiences while going through the program. Here the world can know what's going through during the summer program, orientation, and the regular academic year. Eventually internship experiences will be blogged here also.Enjoy getting to know these students!

IR/PS-ersnoreply@blogger.com0