This morning, as I was reading through the various blogs I subscribe to, I came across Duane’s recent post regarding Brandeis. After glancing at the Boston Globe article, I reported the information to Mandy. Her reply? “Well, that’s not encouraging.”

No, no it’s not. As two students who will be applying to PhD programs this fall, such news is not comforting to us. I know that we are not the only ones, and perhaps by the time schools are making their selections for fall 2010 things will be slightly better. Even so, its rather disconcerting when schools are laying off researchers, or asking the government for money, or selling art collections. The situation is further complicated for Mandy and I since we would very much like to both be accepted into the same program. In fact, aside from some schools that are near enough for one of us to go to one, and the other to the other, it’s pretty much a requirement for us to get into the same program. Not a good time at all to be a student applying to PhD programs.

After delivering the off the cuff comment above, Mandy came up with this: “Hey Calvin, it could be worse.” I looked at her quizzically, “Yeah–we could be looking for jobs right now.” She is, of course, absolutely right.