I treat this blog like I'm playing it safe at a dinner party; I stay away from conversations about politics, money and religion. However, it's difficult not to have fun with some of the more light hearted political news that has been floating around lately. Newt Gingrich has gone on record saying that Brad Pitt should portray him if there were to be a movie about his life -- clearly Newt hasn't seen this photo! As for Brad Pitt, this isn't the first time he's been mentioned in a political conversation (as folks in New Orleans already know). I think that all of this is hilarious, but it may end up confusing younger generations. For example, I'm convinced half of the kids growing up during the Bush administration still think Will Ferrell is George W. Bush. And just for the record kids, Darrell Hammond and Bill Clinton are not the same person...I think. Let's Check out some grad school news:

• Cash Rules Everything Around Me -- I'm not talking about the Wu-Tang song, but I am talking about being a grad student. Here is some advice on how you can save money while you do your Ph.D.
• If you manage to save a little extra money, how will you use it? You could spend it on a date...unless you don't have a date. The good people at GradHacker have some tips on the dating scene in grad school. And if it's just money you lack, Dave Chappelle can show you how to budget on that date.
• Here is a great article/video from Justin Detwiler at Auburn University. He talks about his graduate school experience, and new/prospective grad students will find his insight very valuable. Thanks Justin and Auburn Family!
• The Chronicle just ran an article about hundreds of people from the University of Michigan uniting to oppose unionization of graduate researchers. So much for me not getting political, right? But this is important news!

Check back soon for more grad school news, and don't forget to follow GradShare on Facebook & Twitter!

How would you feel if you had an advisor that gave you a huge endorsement, speaking very highly about the quality of your work. However, then you read a recent publication by that advisor and realize it's utterly awful; "If this is the quality of his/her work, what does that say about their comments on my work?!" That is exactly how most American Idol winning contestants felt after watching Steven Tyler shriek the National Anthem this past weekend. Let's check out some grad school news:

• Engineer Blogs brings us an interesting perspective on (Foreign) Grad School Admissions. Be sure to check out the comments.
• Beyond fulfilling a requirement, their are certain advantages to volunteering in grad school; you might be the one that benefits the most.
• Some business schools have started incorporating a focus on politics within coursework; however, some MBA grads call it a waste of time. What do you think?
• Lawrence H. Summers from The New York Times reminds us that the format of higher education is rapidly changing, and that goes for much more than just business school.

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Tonight (or last night if you're reading this on Tuesday) LSU plays against Alabama in the BCS National Championship. The rival schools are set to square off in New Orleans at the Mercedes Benz Superdome in what is sure to be a game for the ages. The action won't stop until the final whistle blows, not even at halftime -- that's when Jonathan Pahlas, a UGA grad student, will attempt a 40 yard field-goal for a chance to win thousands of dollars worth of prizes. Be sure to tune in, and root on Jonathan as he represents grad students everywhere! Let's check out some grad school news:

• Check out this recent article from the Chronicle that suggests a different approach may need to be taken when teaching grad students.
• Have you ever thought about why college is still relevant in the age of free information?
• The University of Texas at Austin shared a great article about gaining the edge in graduate school.
• PhD Comics helped ring in the New Year by providing a new comic. Start the first month of 2012 with a good 'ole grad school laugh.

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You grad students are smart -- so maybe you can explain why South Park hasn't done a Tim Tebow episode yet. "I mean, come on." I suppose it's only a matter of time. Just like it's only a matter of time until most of you finish up the semester and get to exhale during the holiday break. It may be short-lived, but enjoy the time with your friends and family, get re-charged, oh and keep your eyes peeled for Tim Tebow on South Park in the near future. Let's check out some grad school news:

• Some grad students from Kansas State recently helped design a Wounded War Clinic. Great work!
• Speaking of great work, check out these UW-Oshkosh grad students that are using literacy intervention techniques to tutor first graders; everyone involved is benefiting from the effort.
• For all the students getting ready to embark on a postgraduate education, here are some tips for applying to grad school.
• Grad students are human, so not everything they do is positive. These grad students got caught stealing...coupons?
• Do you have the skills to pay the bills? Here are the top skills that MBA grads need for success.

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Here is an excerpt from the closing of an article entitled, I can't spell, and I still got into graduate school: "from my perspective, if you can spell at a fourth-grade level, you should be able to get through life with little issue given today's technology and the formats in which we now produce writings." I disagree, but this is the author's opinion -- so fair enough. What is your opinion? I would love to hear from other graduate students, as well as professors. In the meantime, let's check out some grad school news:

• Perhaps there are several foreign students that can spell better than domestic students in the United States, but aside from that, how well do they acculturate?
• Some academics will gasp if people compare academia to the holy land; others might wholeheartedly agree. Is a acquiring a Ph.D. similar to a pilgrimage? An interesting perspective.
• Graduate student or not, what makes you think you can make bail on terrorism charge? He could have been a law student, but I still doubt he'd have made bail.

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We've all heard of the "freshman 15" -- but is that just a myth? According to researchers Jay Zagorsky and Patricia Smith, "the average college student, both male and female, only gains about three pounds the first year." This comes from a report that they recently published in Social Science Quarterly. Jean Fain from the Huffington Post interviewed the researchers to learn more about their study. So why should you care if you are already in graduate school? Well, you may be interested to read about the "grad school 20." Is it another myth, or a scary reality? Find out by reading the full interview. Let's check out some other grad school news:

• At the University of Texas a professor joined forces with graduate students, as well as undergrads, and developed a soccer playing robot. Forget soccer, those grad students should create a dissertation writing robot.
• Whoosah. Tips for beating stress in graduate school.
• Arizona State University graduate student Stephanie Lee created a "green, luxury e-boutique" for babies, and it earned her a spot as a finalist in the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards.
• Did you know that RefWorks has a new YouTube channel featuring various tutorials? Well, now you know, so check it out!

Check back for more grad school news, and don't forget to follow GradShare on Facebook & Twitter!

A trend isn't always important to someone writing their dissertation; they most likely have limited time to monitor the ebb and flow of pop culture. Google Trends will let you know the "haps" on the most popular searches (slang was much cooler b4 texting came about). To be honest, not much that is specifically about grad school shows up on Google Trends, and somehow I doubt that you are surprised by that fact. Nevertheless, some of the graduate school community has been paying attention to Google Trends; check out this great article about Google from the UC Davis Graduate School of Management. Now on to some grad school news:

• Graduating magna cum laude, pursuing an MBA, and playing collegiate soccer in the Big East. Each is a challenge in it's own right; however, Michael Alfano from Marquette shows us that these challenges aren't always mutually exclusive.
• So, you think you know the grad student stereotype? And you could pick that typical grad student out of a crowd on any campus? Think again, because the Cal Poly Engineering program exemplifies how diverse the postgraduate population can be today.
• Omar Haroun is a graduate student at Columbia University that created the app Sportaneous -- it allows groups to spontaneously organize athletic events, such as pick-up basketball games. Very cool, great work Omar!
• Lastly, a quick announcement for all RefWorks users -- there is a new and improved Quick Start Guide now available for download!

Be sure to check back for more grad school news, and don't forget to follow GradShare on Facebook & Twitter!

No, I'm not talking about the new song by Hank Williams Jr. With Halloween a couple of weeks away, cable television is inundated with horror movie marathons, haunted houses are popping up all around town, and those temporary costume stores are open in all the malls (I think it's scarier when those locations become Christmas stores Nov. 1, but maybe that's just me). So when you think scary movies, and Halloween terror, you automatically think of...Bernard Herrmann? Bernard attended the Juilliard Graduate School of Music and went on to compose music for several Alfred Hitchcock films. Still not ringing a bell? Well next time you're taking a shower, think about the famous scene in the movie Psycho, and recall the shrieking violin composition that accompanies the silhouette of a rising kitchen knife behind the shower curtain -- you can thank Bernard Herrmann for that horror to your ears. Let's check out some other grad school news:

• It's been said that there are limited opportunities for those with an English Ph.D., but here is an article from The Chronicle that says otherwise, and here is part 2 of the article.
• There is still so much work to do, and it never feels like there is enough time! Perhaps you are familiar with a feeling known as Thesis Panic.
• Money is often another cause of panic, especially if budget cuts threaten to reduce graduate school funding.
• Here is great advice on how to craft your CV from UPenn Career Services , and here are hilarious infographics on resumes and jobs from The Onion.

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I recently had all four of my wisdom teeth removed; luckily for me it wasn't as excruciating of an experience as others had described. It got me thinking about why these third molars are called "wisdom teeth." Once I found the reason for that name, it made me feel more unimaginative than wise, which serves as a reminder that a little bit of logic and thought can often yield an obvious answer. Seeing as how the teeth appear between age 15-25, they gained the name "teeth of wisdom" because this is when a an adolescent mentally matures. The name dates back to the seventeenth century, and recent studies have shown accurate correlations between when these teeth appear and the time period when the brain fully develops. Let's check out some grad school news:

• It can be said that wisdom comes with experience, but what is more valuable: education or experience? The answer could factor into your decision to attend grad school or forgo academia for richer endeavors.
• Potential grad students need not always choose between an education or a career; The Council of Graduate Schools is helping to form a new group that will help ease the transition for grad students entering the workforce.
• For those of you that have decided to embark on your graduate school journey, take a look at these tips about the interview process and some advice for the new graduate student.
• One benefit of graduate school is the opportunity to meet new people and network, and with the increase of Chinese students attending American grad schools, you may just pick up a little Mandarin in the process.

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In honor of the yet another school year beginning, I have a link to share with all the current and former students out there -- it's a top 25 list of the best movies about school from Rotten Tomatoes. You may see some familiar films on the list, while other movies that made the list will come as a surprise. One thing that holds true about the list is that there aren't any movies about grad school. I guess we'll have to wait for Jorge Cham's movie in order to see the first school movie that revolves around post-graduate education. Let's check out some grad school news:

• Since we've touched on a back to school theme already, let's take a look at the top ten back-to-school beatitudes for graduate students.
• If you want to be a good student, you'll need to be a good researcher, and if you want to be a good researcher...you should try teaching.
• If the aforementioned is indeed true, then these women must have been excellent researchers; here is an interesting list of the first female professors in history.
• Male or female, finance professors in general suggest it's a good idea to attend grad school, especially for tomorrow's entrepreneurs.

Be sure to check back for more, and don't forget to follow GradShare on Twitter & Facebook!