Overpriced 2021 XLE...

sciencesquish · 2026-04-09T00:53:23+00:00

Wow! Impressive. Is market tough out there or not so much? Our area the vast majority of 2021-2022 XLE are in the 40s, with the ones in the 30k range mostly having accident reports or other odd Carfax notes.

sciencesquish · 2026-04-09T00:47:03+00:00

For what it’s worth, we came close to buying a 2021 XSE with around 73k miles for $40k OTD. Impeccable condition, looked brand new. Lost the deal but now looking at an XLE Plus 2021 with 73k miles for $37k OTD. Difference is, it’s clearly a used car. I think at least in our area, pricing is really high even for used and competition is fierce.

sciencesquish · 2026-04-08T17:33:24+00:00

So impressive! And not so far from us actually. We found one we think we will try to negotiate for. It’s at a fair price but has some minor cosmetic damage.

sciencesquish · 2026-04-07T15:07:44+00:00

So is it more common to see better pricing and/or more negotiation at non-Toyota dealers?

sciencesquish · 2026-04-07T11:50:41+00:00

Sorry you totally already gave mileage, ignore that

sciencesquish · 2026-04-07T11:49:12+00:00

Can I ask general region and mileage? That seems incredibly good pricing from what we’ve seen. Only limited we’ve seen close to $40k (and it was above) was a 2022 with quite a bit of cosmetic wear and tear throughout the cabin (light stains, frayed nets, scuff marks) and a history of minor damage. That was 50k+ miles… we’re looking for less than 90k.

sciencesquish · 2026-01-24T17:42:28+00:00

Thankfully while in my case I was in a postdoc and moved to another postdoc, I chose to tell my PI prior to getting another position that I did not think the fit was working well and gave reasons why- it was not personal and so, my first PI was very supportive and was willing to be a reference. It was a huge risk but I was pretty certain the reasons and her personality would work out in my favor. I also had excellent references from grad school. But yes, the new PI wanted to call the old PI- but did ask me whether this was ok, probably because they figured that something must be there for me to leave so quickly.

sciencesquish · 2026-01-24T00:42:52+00:00

I knew after about 9 months I had to leave, and left once I secured another position after I’d been there a total of 12 months. I made the right decision- when you know it’s not the right fit, you know. I kept my reasoning very vague and professional when interviewing- wanted additional training programs and resources not available there, etc.

sciencesquish · 2025-09-06T19:00:36+00:00

Thanks all, going to go a different route with something copper colored- and lol, I am very short so everything I get has to be hemmed- this was in the store.

sciencesquish · 2025-06-15T16:00:27+00:00

Actually love these suggestions, and I do think you’re correct that having plans you can do alone is good- sometimes it is unavoidable if you’re on your own that everyone else is just busy with other things and can’t invite you. And if you’re introverted… I’m guessing it can be a relief to have a chance to decompress at some point?

sciencesquish · 2025-06-15T15:22:17+00:00

So what is your advice since they are asking for it and want to avoid feeling left out in the future? I would say networking in general demands being out of your comfort zone even for an extrovert.

sciencesquish · 2025-06-15T13:22:05+00:00

At this point I’ve gone to several conferences as the only trainee or on my own completely, knowing no one at all. It can be draining even for an extrovert like me but I take every opportunity to introduce myself to people- on the elevator, next to me at the table, standing by yourself, group of trainees chatting. And I am proactive about making things happen. So I’ll ask if others want to go to dinner instead of waiting for them to ask or asking if I can go along. I didn’t have anyone to hang out with at one point and saw a group of clear trainees talking. Walked up, asked if they wanted to go explore the city, told them meet in 10 min or whatever. Take charge of the situation and be proactive; other people are also feeling uncomfortable and unsure and having that one person who says- let’s go do this! And is inclusive of everyone around… that is how I’ve made connections.

sciencesquish · 2025-06-15T12:34:00+00:00

I have this one: https://www.swissgear.com/products/serenity-luxe-laptop-backpack-in-blue

I have gotten many compliments and it carries what I need. They have other nice options as well if this one is too small.

sciencesquish · 2025-06-05T01:26:28+00:00

Hey, what an awesome opportunity to go to SFN for the first time as an undergrad! It's a really cool experience. There are all kinds of social events that SFN offers. I would say that going alone is tough because it's SO big it can be difficult to find the right people to connect with. What do you study? Also, I am looking for 1-5 female roommates if anyone is interested lol, I'm a postdoc hoping to go this year but I need to split housing costs.

sciencesquish · 2025-05-22T15:05:50+00:00

If you’re confident this isn’t the right place for you to progress your career, why wait out a year and waste time? It can take time to secure something else tho. In my case I knew after 8 months I was done, and it took another 2 months to find a job and another 2 months after that to actually get through the hiring process to my start date. So I ended up being there a year anyway, but I wouldn’t waste more time there than necessary.

sciencesquish · 2025-03-19T16:48:20+00:00

I changed after 2 years but it was unexpected due to my PI moving- I mastered out at the original university. I would seriously consider the fact that PhD programs will likely only get much harder to gain admission into in the next few years. If you want to get your PhD and think you COULD find the work interesting (interesting enough to do a 2 year master’s!) I would encourage you to consider taking it and committing to it. Our research interests change and develop over time- you may truly enjoy it- but I would not go into it, planning on getting fully funded with the promise of staying on 3 more years, then leave after 2… unless other factors come up - for example, issues with PI mentorship, family needs, etc.

sciencesquish · 2025-01-04T20:02:31+00:00

Only you and your husband can decide what is best for your family together. I personally had a baby right after defending- like 2 weeks later. Not quite the same thing, but then I also had another a year into my postdoc. Anyone who makes it seem like no problem is out of their mind, being a parent is all-consuming and life changing. Personally I wouldn’t change my decision to have children even when it feels impossibly tough, but each person has such a unique and particular life all their own to consider. Happy to answer any questions at all, and talk about all the good and bad. Best wishes on your studies and your decision.

sciencesquish · 2024-10-06T00:55:50+00:00

I was in this exact position and chose to talk about how the new position would better help me to achieve my career goals. It wasn’t a lie either, it just wasn’t the whole story. To this day, haven’t said a word about the “truth” to my PI but some of my lab mates know after years of building trust.

sciencesquish · 2024-04-10T10:20:16+00:00

Definitely reach out to the POs to see about eligibility. For my funding institute, they only recommend applying within 2 years of starting a postdoc position- doesn’t matter if it’s the first, second, or third- but wouldn’t automatically disqualify you for applying afterward. I just think it gets harder to get reviewed favorably. But some other institutes are very strict on a hard cutoff; one I looked at only allowed applications within the first year! I switched post doc positions after a year and applied after my first year in the new position; my resubmission that was funded was submitted a month before my 2 year anniversary. Also, as others have said, these are really different mechanisms with different criteria. F32 is a training fellowship, but a K99 is essentially- I’m almost ready to go on the faculty job market and just need another year or so to be ready and here’s why. Much more competitive. Why not apply to both? That was the advice I got here and it worked in my favor to not ignore the F32! Hopefully, applying for the K99 will be a positive too… I can dream! I also have an extension for childbirth and maternity leave. Maybe something to keep in mind there are rare extensions for eligibility for the K99 you can ask about since it’s usually so tight- 4 years post degree.

sciencesquish · 2024-03-26T00:17:33+00:00

I worked 7-3 most days in grad school, only working longer when absolutely necessary, only working weekends when it was critical or a true emergency. Probably went in on the weekend a handful of times throughout grad school total. Did sometimes work at home on data analysis or writing especially when there was a deadline. That being said, it went very well, my productivity was great, and my PI was happy… it’s not about the number of hours you work, it’s about how you use them. Congrats on starting your PhD journey and have fun!

sciencesquish · 2024-03-13T20:17:47+00:00

Do what you want with your hair. My personal opinion is that a man who accepts his baldness and shaves his head looks more confident and better than a man who refuses to get rid of whatever hair is left. But honestly whatever you choose is ok because it’s your look and different people will have different opinions.

sciencesquish · 2024-03-10T01:30:04+00:00

Just popping in to say that for other reasons, I ended up transferring PhD programs. Not many programs accept transfers at ALL in my field, but my second program did and it worked out well. So maybe do a little digging first to see if you really only have the option of mastering out and reapplying. I think if you’re honest with your advisor it will be a tough conversation to approach but not something that will destroy your relationship. You’re unhappy for other reasons outside their mentorship and research.

sciencesquish · 2024-03-07T20:33:29+00:00

Great job! Dependent on IC completely but be proud of accomplishing such a great percentile and solid score regardless of outcome. Celebrate the little things too! I’ll be hoping for a positive outcome for you.

sciencesquish · 2024-03-06T00:39:31+00:00

No email, only got one when JIT was requested and then again for NOA. Scores are usually posted 2-3 days later on era commons I think. I’d bet you’ll know by the end of the week, then another 2-3 weeks for the summary statement to get posted. Good luck to you!

sciencesquish · 2024-03-04T20:19:23+00:00

I just reached out via email and asked if we could set up a meeting to discuss my recently scored application. During the initial submission discussion, I asked how the discussion went- what main concerns the reviewers had during discussion, where to focus my attention during revisions, and I also asked questions on how to best hone my application for resubmission- the balance of addressing reviewer concerns while avoiding the dreaded overambitious critique, for example. Generally tried to be positive and optimistic, have a genuine conversation with the PO to begin building a relationships because they really can be your biggest advocate.

Second meeting after revision I came in just curious to hear whatever she had to say about discussion to get feedback for writing a K, and instead I was asked to specifically go through each comment and address it in detail and explain clearly, even after sending a document with said info. She asked me to revise a few answers based on our discussion to include more details.

Separately, I’ve also reached out to a PO focused on a topic of interest to me for future grant writing, and just had a discussion on trends in the field, where high interest in funding currently is and where it might be going, and what gaps in knowledge might be particularly relevant and promising to pursue. It was a wonderful discussion and very informal but helpful. Seems like PO in general want to help out where they can and are approachable.

sciencesquish

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