Graduate Students Thread

File: pepe3.jpg (26KB, 500x585px) Image search: [Google]

26KB, 500x585px

>Any horror stories
>tfw had to grade 450 assignments per week for my first semester of TA duties

>>8552393
I hope they were multiple choice at least
>inb4 only short answers
Also
>per week
Literally how? Unless its hw.

>>8552384
I graduated last year. It was nice to go to school where people were overall smarter and gave more of a shit. Small classes, professors treating you like peers, rewarding work. Stressful, but just don't expect to have a life outside of school and you'll be fine. Overall it just got me a piece of paper (did pure math) but it was free and pretty fun.

Only horror story involved a woman in my dept with (I think?) fetal alcohol syndrome developing a crush on me and it turning into pseudo stalking for over a year. There is a lot of sexual frustration among grad students. Watch out for it and don't try to fuck undergrads either.

Advice? Don't drink alcohol to deal with stress. Don't give a shit about your students unless they prove themselves. Give a shit about lecturing well and remain detached. (This is just to minimize stress relating to teaching). Also if your school is in a small college town with a huge undergrad population, that will get tiresome fast. Also don't undercharge for tutoring. $40/hr minimum.

>>8552393
ask your department to look into using gradescope, it's a time saver

>>8552403
>I hope they were multiple choice at least
not multiple choice, it was multivariable calculus

>Literally how?
by not sleeping

>>8552430
kek I mean how could you have to grade 450 assignments per week? I'm assuming it was hw, because there's no way there was an exam every week

File: 1481806604585.jpg (37KB, 544x486px) Image search: [Google]

37KB, 544x486px

>>8552438
yes it was weekly homework, of course no class has exams every week

>>8552404
>Watch out for it and don't try to fuck undergrads either.
Why? I'm applying to graduate school right now and I can see myself fucking undergraduates.

>>8552447
>Why? I'm applying to graduate school right now and I can see myself fucking undergraduates.

I mean do your thing, there are certainly babes, but they will want more of your time and energy than you have to give. I found setting an age 26+ filter on okcupid was the best.

What are graduate studies how fldo they differ from under graduate I still don't understand what's your lectures are like or is it all work field like experience?

Theoretical Physics (probably gonna do astro or hep)
Most years left; just started a year ago, still in coursework.
I'm actually loving it, and thought I'd ask for advice/thoughts.
So far grad school has been piss-easy and I'm scared it'll stop. My coursework has been about 3 hours per class weekly for 3 classes, reading the book and doing the homework (I don't attend lectures, book's a lot easier to learn from). My TA assignments have been no more than an hour of grading homework weekly, and I have office hours but usually nobody shows up and I work on learning/homework.

So basically I'm making 30k a year for 10hr/wk. Is this normal? Will it become the super-stressful 80+hr/wk shitfest most people seem to experience? I can't imagine research will take much work when I start doing it, since I'm not in experimental (and pretty much every other grad student is, since they hate theory, so can't ask them)

Thoughts?

>>8552542
you got it made homie

also
> I can't imagine research will take much work when I start doing it, since I'm not in experimental (and pretty much every other grad student is, since they hate theory, so can't ask them)
so they're paying you 30k to grade an hour a week and no one is shitting down your throat to publish more papers? what is this madness

>>8552560
Literally this, but he's first year so he might be doing rotations?

>>8552542
>(and pretty much every other grad student is, since they hate theory, so can't ask them)

Really? This actually slightly inspires me.

I didn't go for it and regret it, cos I wasn't 100% committed and sure, and I felt like all the driven inspired people just had these connections and people skills and hardwork I lacked.

But now a year or 2 into a job I notice that the people who went onto grad school actually weren't the smartest guys in class, and are struggling. And they aren't significantly harder working than me they just made connections while I was battling depression instead.

Also I've socialised with grad students since taking my job. They're mostly aspie as fuck, and often not as smart as they think they are.

>>8552560
Pretty much not expected to do research yet (but I do plan on starting soon since I got all this extra time). Also they don't know how long my grading takes, I might've just gotten lucky with the TA class. Plus it seems most other grads take 10+hr/wk per course.

>>8552565
Pretty much. I knew some theory-interested people in my undergrad (they're rare) but haven't found any yet here. Guess I'm lucky that I fucking love theory.

File: Sonnenbrille-nah.png (702KB, 772x1134px) Image search: [Google]

702KB, 772x1134px

2nd year applied math

anyone want to collaborate over break (or longer)? I'm open to consider any and all ideas. I just submitted a paper and other projects are slowing down over holidays due to people having families and lives. I prefer to work balls to the wall permanently otherwise I get bummed out.

let me kno

>>8552384
>chemistry / materials engineering
>I just started, so 5.
>I like it more than I thought I would. Made sure I got into an interesting, good job field project and ran with it
>I dont really have any advice, I'm a noob. but If I could say one thing it is live close to campus. dont commute an hour as a student that hasnt passed their qualifying exams yet. its a pretty bad idea if you plan on sticking around

Horror story
>student up for his second year qualifying exam
>gives his presentation
>professor basically shits on him to the rest of his committee because he doesnt like him (?)
>has to either leave grad school or abandon his project and switch to another lab after 2 years of work

>>8552542

I see this all the time. grad students bragging about how relaxed their work is.

you'll end up with a degree in theoretical physics with no one willing to hire you.

>>8553481
why do you say that?

>>8553476
wtf what did the student do to piss off the prof so much that he sabotaged his entire qualifying exam?

File: 1402949363606.jpg (471KB, 1920x1080px) Image search: [Google]

471KB, 1920x1080px

Grad student in philosophy here. I came here to get flamed.

I was planning on finishing in two years, but because i'm me and everything always sucks for me, the two professors I wanted to work with on my thesis went on sabatical and left permanently right when I was time for me to get started. Now I'm delayed another semester at least.

This is the last week of finals week and I still have two essays to finish. one stupid bullshit one on the ethics of immigration where I try and present a positive account for broadening the definition of refugee to include those who's state has failed to realize any of Elizabeth Anderson's three modes of being an individual (as a human being, as a participant in the cooperative system of economic production, and as a citizen of a democratic nation.) The international community is obligated to admit these people into their borders because, in their source country, they're unable to exist as moral equals. This account is motivated by Anderson's democratic equality, which seeks to equalize moral consideration.

The other paper I have to finish is for phil of experimentation. I'm writing on the problem of coordination. Doing a review of hans reichenbach's treatment of the problem of coordination from his dissertation all the way through Philosophy of Space and Time. Then I plan to refute some criticisms of an article by this dude named Andrew Peterson who's treatment of Reichenbach is anachronistic. He accuses reich's treatment of the problem of coordination as too a prioristic, when that was only characteristic of reichenbach's earliest account.

Fucking kill me now i just want to be done

>What field?
neutrino physics
>How many years (approximately, because research is research) left?
5-6 years
>How are you liking it?
kinda, no work so far, probably because of the holidays
>Any advice?
for what?
>Any horror stories
I don't earn shit.

>>8554566
What experiment? I am interested in SNO+ for phds

>>8554566
Also it seems that tutoring is the only way to have a stable income if you're a grad student. And if you're doing science in general. Grants and post-doc. contracts are awesome but they're not reliable source of income.

>>8554584
GERDA.
I'm actually supposed to go there next year. Not sure when though. Everyone is lazy as fuck right now because it's the end of the year.

>>8552542
Postdoc here. If you're doing a theory Ph.D and plan to go on the academic job market, you won't get far unless you have twice as many pubs that an experimentalist has.

So get off your ass and start publishing for fuck's sake.

Can somebody explain the concept of grad schools to a britbong? Are there separate schools only for graduates, or is it just a name? I'm doing my phd at the moment and just work in the physics department of my university.

>>8552384
Computer Science student here. I'm in a 4+1 program where I can double count a bunch of courses - for every grad credit I take, it also counts for undergrad (there's a cap obviously). With research and a final thesis I'll be graduating after 1 year.

Any thoughts on 4+1 programs? It's a completely no name uni but it's ABET accredited and all that jazz. I figure the name isn't a big deal since it's CS and the degree is free due to research and TAing.

Any thoughts would be cool, feel free to shit on the cs meme

>>8554825
it's just a name for anything above bachelor's, i.e. master's, phd, postdoc

Aerospace engineering (CFD). Doing first year of my masters. I'm debating whether to stay at my current school for my PhD or apply to somewhere more ambitious. What I feel lacking in my application are my recommendation letters and lack of publications. I can get one really good letter from my current research supervisor, but the other 2 will have to be from profs I only took a course with. If I really buckle down, I can get a conference paper before I finish. Will this be enough to get me into top schools? Anyone have experience applying to grad school after doing a masters?

I was invited to interview at Duke, UNC chapel Hill, U Chicago, and Wisconsin. Can anyone from those schools, or even anyone who has been to a grad school interview and gotten accepted, give me some tips? They say they're gonna take me to a kareoke bar with current students. That sounds fucking awful. Any way to get out of it without looking like a dick? My field is genetics.

>>8554938
My interview into graduate school was incredibly relaxed. I'm in physics but the interview was like 30 minutes long and they only asked me 2 subjective physics questions. the rest was things like hobbies and what field I'm interest in. Honestly don't stress too much about it. They want to interview you because they think you're a viable candidate. I would just go, be polite but not super formal or uptight. In graduate school professors start to see you as a peer, not as a student that needs to be spoon-fed, so you don't have to suck up to them all the time and act like they're leagues ahead of you.

>>8554549
Sup bro. PhD student in Philosophy & History of Science here. Sounds like we take different tacks though. I'm more of a phenomenology & SSK nigga myself.

>>8554938
I'm at UChicago but in an entirely different field. They make you do interviews for STEM?! Damn.

>>8554963
This. Apparently if you get an interview you're already have 50/50 shot of getting in. Usually its even higher.

As a matter of fact, the interview is really a ruse for them to try and convince you to choose their school over others.

Undergrad from University of New Hampshire here, trying to go to a top tier grad school.

What do you guys think of my profile?
>B.S. Mechanical Engineering trying to do Ph.D. in applied math.
>I have research experience, but did not publish.
>I have good grades (3.95 GPA) but average GRE scores
>I am confident with the quality of my recommendations.

>>8555012
If you're research is already in applied mathematics you're probably in a good spot. If not it'll probably take some convincing for them to accept you. Unless you took a lot of extra math courses you might not be very well prepared and that might make schools wary. If you're confident, make sure your letters of rec focus on general problem solving and mathematics and don't focus on the engineering background. Also, it's probably worth taking the math gre if you haven't.

>>8555012
>good grades but average gre scores
rofl i'm the opposite.
i'm doing an ms in applied math
>1.5 years left
>it's k. like the work ok. classes are tougher than i remember them being.
>feels like too much busy work
probably end up in some mid tier phd program. i'm not very motivated. i just want to coast thru life doing math.

>>8554984
>I'm at UChicago but in an entirely different field. They make you do interviews for STEM?! Damn
The competitive programs do. Pretty sure it's like that for top hummanities programs, too. It's just a matter of supply and demand I guess. They have so many qualified candidates to pick from that it couldn't hurt to have an interview to make sure the guy isn't a total sperg, an asshole, or borderline schizophrenic.

>>8555040
Weird. Not to anonymously show off how enormous my dick is, but I got into a couple Ivy programs + UChicago, which is super well-rated for my department, and I didn't get asked for any interviews.

>>8555049
>Not to anonymously show off how enormous my dick is
it's ok i'm sure you just can't help yourself

>>8555062
Sometimes it's irresistible.

>>8555066
i'd probably do it too if i was ever that good of a student

>>8554938

I'm thinking about applying to UoW-Madison, and UNC-Raleigh?

Any advice on how easy/difficult it is to get into either? I visited a friend in Madison and really fell in love with the place, going to be really sad if I can't get in.

>>8555068
Nah in all seriousness I just about shit my pants when I got into any of the programs I did. I think a lot of it comes down to schmoozing and luck at the end of the day. I was being serious about not wanting to be a braggart asshole.

>>8555098
Just giving you one in the ribs m8.

>>8555023
ok. This gives me confidence.

I have made moves to take high level math courses next semester (PDEs and High Performance Computing) so I think that will impress, based on what you say. I have belabored my math skills in my personal statements and asked my recommenders (one of whom was my Vector Calc Professor) to speak to my math skills. I will take the math GRE as per your advice.

>>8555190

When it comes to personal statements, what is it that schools are really expecting? I'm really confused about what I even want to write.

>>8555075
Here are my stats:
I have my name in one publication
My undergraduate GPA was a 2.7, from Cornell but my GPA during my Master's degree was a 3.85.
My GRE bio was 97th percentile. Math was 93rd percentile, verbal reasoning 98th percentile. Two of the professors I asked for letters knew me personally, outside of just teaching a class I did well in. Also in my essay I mentioned faculty I wanted to work for by name, and was pretty clear about my skills etc and what type of work I was interested in doing (I do cell culture work, and said I wanted to keep working with cells and also potentially learn a mammalian model.) For UNC I had to disclose that I got in trouble for smoking pot in undergrad.

So there are some good aspects to my application but also some not so good stuff so it seems there is room for not being perfect. Of course I might still get rejected, but this is the story of profile that gets you an interview at least, apparently.

File: 13c.jpg (64KB, 709x538px) Image search: [Google]

64KB, 709x538px

>he's in grad school and he's not even a golden boy
Rofl. Your life is going to be totally fucked after graduation. No one in industry wants to hire a science Ph.D. No one in academia gives a shit about you if you're not a golden boy. Your life is going to be shit. I really hope your piece of paper that certifies your autism to the world is enough for you. I really hope you are braindead and servile enough that being granted a degree from an institution means the world to you. Because you will have nothing else. You should probably just kill yourself.

>>8555223
What the fuck is a golden boy?

>>8555223
Should I just stop at a master's? I got invited to interviews at a lot of good schools but if it's really like that maybe I should just quit while I'm still young. You're saying my job prospects will go down if I get a PhD? Is that true?

>>8555229
Favorite student of the principal investigator, who gets all the support and opportunities.

>>8555206
No one really knows, man. That's one of the worst things about applying. Get a lot of advice from high level professors on that one.

>>8555242
Oh why didn't you just say asskissers only?

>>8555206
I recommend looking at personal statements of other people that are posted online for programs similar to your own.

In general its a chance to explain other circumstances (e.g in my case, being a first generation college grad and coming from a impoverished background)

>>8555262
HAhahahaha yep that'll do it

>>8555254
That wasn't me, but it's a common term in grad school slang. That guy is exaggerating anyways. Don't listen to him.

File: 1478973434418.png (399KB, 406x483px) Image search: [Google]

399KB, 406x483px

>>8554874
Please respond.

>>8555206
You should include a paragraph about why that school in particular is a good fit for you. Talk about how you were attracted to it not only because of its storied history of turning out brilliant researchers, but also because of the robust curriculum, the interests of the faculty, and any other features that attracted you to the school, for example if it exists at a nexus of biomedical research or contains special facilities or collaborative programs.

You should also include a paragraph about one, two, or maybe even three professors you want to work for. For maximum impact, cite one of their recent publications and if possible connect the techniques they use in their work to your own research experience.

If you have research experience, elaborate on it in detail, because your resume might not completely capture the nature of your involvement, skillset, and motivations.

>>8555266
I'm not he sounds like a person who has read a lot of boards and has zero experience...like everyone here basically

>>8555262
In my case, my personal statements were 90% about showing that I had concrete research proposals. But I'm in a different discipline.

Seriously, you want as many opinions as possible from people in your field about what constitutes an interesting statement/proposal. Don't listen to any one person.

ALSO: IF YOU ARE APPLYING TO GRAD SCHOOL, REACH OUT TO POTENTIAL ADVISERS. THIS IS HUGE. TALK TO THEM EARLY ON.

>>8555206
Haven't been accepted yet, but what I did:...

>Talk about professional interests
>Name your intended specialization and why it interests you
>Mention professors you would be interested in working with during your grad schooling (i.e. potential advisors)
>Talk about work you've done and how it prepares you for grad school in your intended field
>Talk about relevant skills you have
>Talk about steps you've taken to improve your skills and make you a good fit for grad school

professional interests is a big one, I guess. My professor said nobody really likes to read the hokey stuff about why you always wanted to be a scientist. Rather, you want to give the impression that you have a clear endgame and have a plan to reach it.

File: Bill Unger.jpg (140KB, 620x750px) Image search: [Google]

140KB, 620x750px

>>8555232
It depends on your field and your interest. If you are a math4lyfe autist you have no choice.

>>8555266
>>8555286
Yes, yes, of course. Don't listen to the mean man saying those negative things! Just get your Ph.D, bro! Jobs will come flying at you! You'll be a great big success at what you're passionate about! You two really are naive people. Go ahead and chase your "dream," you dumb faggots. I really don't care. But what I am saying is the truth. See you in 6 years when you're an adult. Hopefully you can handle it by then.

>>8555313
>It depends on your field and your interest. If you are a math4lyfe autist you have no choice.
Well what about biology? I have been looking into this professor who works on fluorescent proteins, which I think will have commercial applications. Is it a good idea to do a PhD if I think that there is a clear path to industry?

>>8555012
I got my 1st class BEng in mechanical engineering, and tried to go for a phd in physics, but they wouldn't have it. Apparently masters is almost a requirement for a phd now. You can get in without one, but only if you've proved yourself already or get along with the professor really well. If you're trying to move up schools AND switching disicple AND don't have a masters degree you're pretty much gonna get trumped by 90% of other candidates.

Britfag here, but I can't imagine its that differant.

>>8555289
>ALSO: IF YOU ARE APPLYING TO GRAD SCHOOL, REACH OUT TO POTENTIAL ADVISERS. THIS IS HUGE. TALK TO THEM EARLY ON.
So if I have already been accepted to an interview but never contacted someone, should I do so now? They told me to include a list of potential collaborators so I could speak with them, but should I also email some of these people or would that be annoying?

>>8555313
You're not "saying" anything you're offering a narrow worldview with zero experience to back it up and projecting to boot.

>>8555351
No you'll risk fucking everything up. Just go along to the interview and don't sperg out.

>>8555357
different guy
how do you mean? I thought it was important to reach out and be heard, as with an application to any job in general.

>>8555369
If he's already got an invite for an interview then he's doing just fine. They already know about him and want to find out more about him. However, they'll want to do this in their own time. The people doing the selection process are busy people. Getting in contact without a legitimate reason could lead to you being perceived as an irritant.

>>8552384
Earth Sciences / Climate / Remote Sensing
about 1.5 max
Pretty good
Advice: take the PhD seriously from day one, keep tabs on your progress and flag up issues as soon as you're aware of them
Horror stories: nope, because I work with competent people. Also Earth Sciences seems to be littered with jobs, every PhD seemed to find a job/postdoc like 2 months after graduating, some even before. Meanwhile my friends from astrophysics go a year or two without a job.

>>8555357
>don't sperg out

Easier said than done. Are there any resources where I can learn to pretend to be a normie? I'm really bad at it. For example they want to take me to a kareoke bar to socialize with current students, but I don't want to drink (since my coworker said they watch out and select against people who drink) but also can't deal with noisy bar environments. I think the problem is that since it's so loud, I can't follow what anyone is saying. Can I just opt out? Is that too rude? It just sounds like it'll be a horrible experience. In fact I suspect that they're trying to do this to annoy people.

>>8555423
That seems really, really strange for an interview. I'm guesing they're just wanting to make sure you get along with the rest of the people there, a lot of professors really value the whole team atmosphere thing. Just be polite and friendly, ask people about their research and don't talk about anything that you've ever seen posted on here. Also (a big one) don't try to go in and prove that you're smart, you'll just come across as an asshole. Arrogance is the biggest turn off for meeting new people. They know you're qualified enough or they wouldn't have invited you for the 'intrview'.

>>8555447
For some reason all the schools I got invited to are doing something like this. It's awful, instead of a one day interview like a sane person, they're paying my travel and lodging expenses so I can do three days of tours, dinners, interviews (they want me to interview with three professors and the admissions committee) and a gay poster session. And I literally can't say no if I want to get in. It's horrible. Whoever decided that this was a good idea should be forced to attend the whole event every year.

Are there any Americans or Canadians here that go to grad school in the UK? I've always wanted to study abroad, but my school only offered classes abroad for the humanities. I figured grad school would be a good opportunity for this. I was wondering what the process of applying, getting funding, and whatnot is like.

>>8555423
Like what other people said, don't try to act superior. Most likely everyone there is just as qualified to be there as you are, and some will be way more so. It really shouldn't be that hard to socialize, since everyone at least has the common ground of the PhD program. Talk about research, talk about some stuff from undergrad, and try to enjoy yourself. If you decide to go you'll be around the people you'll be seeing for the next like 5 years, so you might as well get to know them now. Also I wouldn't worry about drinking. Clearly don't get wasted, but having a drink and talking with other colleagues and professors is perfectly normal. I'm only a first year and I've gone out drinking with professors and talked about classes while drinking and stuff. Just remember everything in moderation.

Tell me how to get a postdoc in physical chemistry. I finish in less than 8 months and I have no idea what I'm doing. Is it too late already? I have 4 papers submitted/almost submitted, none published yet, and I want to get out 2 more. Is that shit?

File: 855238_1318607051730_full.jpg (182KB, 1600x1200px) Image search: [Google]

182KB, 1600x1200px

>>8555347
If you have a realistic idea of what you want and how to get it, go for it. I am warning against people from being influenced by pie in the sky idealists like this fool >>8555355 who brag about how "comfy" their postgrad life is.

>>8555355
You've offered nothing of substance. I'm not even sure what your position is other than trying to discredit what I am saying. Your claim that I have no experience comes from nothing. Keep living in your delusional fairy tale.

What do I do about two interviews falling on the same weekend?

>>8555527
Ask to reschedule the one you care less about. Be polite as hell, but inform them that another school wants you. This can work in your favor where if they really want you they'll start a little bid war.

>>8555527
You go to the first one, sit down and talk for a few minutes. Then you say you really need to use the men's room. Run out into the street, hail a cab and then go to the second interview. Apologize for being late and talk for another 5 minutes. Ask to use the restroom again, and return to the first interview.

>>8555537
wew lad. If only the schools weren't literally several states away.

Also by what time can I say that "I'm not getting an interview from this school?"

>>8555289
That's what I used the statement of purpose for. Previous research experience and a simple research proposal. I applied for a Comp Bio/Bioinfo program, so it could be different.

>field
neuro
>years left
1 year research left 2 years medschool. MD-PhD. doing 2 years medschool, 3 year phd, last 2 years med.
>How are you liking it:
awesome. in a meme field where have multiple first author pubs and many more 2nd/3rd author papers. Everyone in this field publishes like 10-20 or more papers a year. If a mouse so much as farts you can write a paper on it in this field. get free med school + stipend.
>Any advice?
The only thing that matters is if your mentor is nice enough to put you on a lot of papers. I have seen students graduate without any first author pubs and only 2-3 2nd/3rd author because professor was stingy. also need a mentor who publishes a ton.
ideal mentor is a 45-50 year old white male who publishes at least 5-10 papers a year (varies with field). need a mentor who is still "peaking" and motivated to do 10+ papers a year, but also want a mentor who had at least one student before. Don't want a female as she might get pregnant and then you are screwed. Minorities usually from Asia and could decide to return at a moments notice. Also usually don't speak english well. Don't want an older mentor as they are often in a slow down mode doing maybe 2-3 papers a year rehashing what they did in their prime.

>Any horror stories
Even at top institutions maybe 1% of PhD students go on to get tenure. I am doing this with the full expectation that I will likely never have tenure, but at least I can work as an MD as backup.

>>8552384
>photonics
>3 years left, started in september
>its going good
>get an industry sponsor if possible. i'm earning more than most of the people I know in grad jobs
>haven't heard any horror stories

>>8554825
its the school where graduates go

>>8555607
I'm in electrical engineering and I think I might want to go to grad school for photonics. Any recommendations?

File: test5.jpg (15KB, 640x400px) Image search: [Google]

15KB, 640x400px

>What field?
"Theoretical chemistry". I do mostly soft matter based research though.
>How many years (approximately, because research is research) left?
1
>How are you liking it?
I'm not exactly thrilled with the subject, but I've learned useful skills. I absolutely dislike 99% of my peers though, as they are always cold, hostile and dismissive.
>Any advice?
In relation to the above, try to go to a school where you think you'll fit in and be able to bond. Being in the situation where you're the paraih for not "fitting in" with the crowd only shortens your opportunities for success and your chances of success.
>Any horror stories
You've already read 90% of it.

File: universitystandrews.jpg (85KB, 400x400px) Image search: [Google]

85KB, 400x400px

>>8555876
would definately reccomend pic related

>>8556585
Oops, should have said advice for an undergrad. I'm a little worried I won't have enough physics knowledge since my schedule for the next two years is mostly EE and math stuff.

>>8555223
How do you become a golden boy? Or is it just luck of the draw?

>>8557046
Combination of luck, brown nosing and some hard work.

>>8553476
Hey. I was interested in getting into material science. Could you tell me what your research/project is on? Was your undergrad research related to what you"re doing right now?

plant molecular biology. probably about two and a half years left. program average is a little under six years.

i'm enjoying it, but i lucked out and landed in a lab with a good PI.

>advice
the only person with your best interest as their first priority is you. grad school is a job application, treat it like a real job. Ask your PI about salary, benefits, expected hours, time off. make sure you have a clear understanding of your expectations.

>any horror stories
jesus christ yes. people who rotated in labs that turned out rarely accept students and just want free rotation student labor. people who joined labs that turned out to have a long history of refusing funding for students past their third year (not strictly allowed anymore by department rules but there's always ways around it). people who joined labs that just turned out to have toxic atmospheres or PIs that decided to passive-aggressive-push their students out of the program because they didnt' like the student or their project anymore. PIs who are so toxic that their lab members tell everyone interested in the lab to stay teh fuck away. PIs who are so narrow-mindedly focused on their favorite research that they just assume everyone is ok with working 14 hour workdays every day of the week and set the tone for the whole lab by hiring like-minded people, so anyone who joins the lab who isn't like that burns out in three months

>>8555389
I was interested in doing that for grad school. Could you tell me a bit about your research? Does undergrad major matter much or does it just need to be stem?

For those of you in grad school, did you reach out or have an existing correspondence with your graduate advisor/professors before you applied?

I guess what I'm asking is: do departments need to recognize your name from the pile of applications or do you basically just shotgun off a bunch of applications to different schools without ever talking to potential advisors before hand?

computational chemistry/physics
Time left: Well, not really sure, but if the 5 year average holds, another ~42 months. Been in my program 3 semesters now, which is just long enough to knock out my course requiresments (acutally I have one small one left because the guy who was supposed to teach it took a year off), do my rotations, find my PI and join their lab, find two others to be on my committee, and get the general picture of what the lab does. But I am no-where near figuring out what I myself will do, I've just been learning my lab's background. Going from a regular chemistry background to computational chemistry is a big transition so most of what I have been doing the last ~3 months is learning a lot about coding, programming, computer systems, etc with minimal chemistry.
Liking it: Well, I'm getting paid enough to juuuuuuuuuuust pay my rent and go out to eat with friends once in a while, and I don't work very hard yet. Now that the first class I TA'd (freshman chem lab, not as bad as I thought it'd be) is done, I think I actually put in about 15 good hours of effort + 7 or 8 more of half-assing a week, frankly.

>>8557232

continued:

The PI is relaxed (Maybe a bit too much for my own good, to be honest). THere is only one other grad student in the group. All three of us remote access the computers so I often don't actually see anyone except the people at the grocery store for days, it's kind of depressing. I don't live where I grew up so all my friends are in my old town. PI is only in his 3rd of 4th year after his post doc, but he seems to be doing pretty well in his field with a couple of connections.
I'm worried that I have no idea what I'm doing, though. I find little bits to learn, like how to use this computational chem program, this bit of theory X, that part of derivation Y, etc but no real big picture stuff. I have no idea how I will get my name on my first paper in the immediate future.

Horror stories: Nothing too bad, just the implicit, ever present horror that some time I will realize I'm too far behind because I didn't work hard enough and have to leave, or that I will suddenly realize what I should be doing, but have to work 60+ hours a week to catch up

>>8557230
In my case somebody who read my application told my eventual PI about it because the stuff I said I was interested in was the stuff he does. I didn't even know about the PI's work when I applied. I got an email from him asking if I wanted to talk, and that's how it started

>Biophysics
>Approximately three, currently in my third year. Expect around five and a half years, based on previous students' PhDs and on the average for my program.
>I am content with my decision. I have a tremendous passion for the work, and I am pleased with my development and my mentorship, and the progression of my project.
>There's a ton of ways to run with this. For starters, you need to have solid reasons to earn a PhD. You shouldn't go because you don't know what else to do, or you don't want to do med school, or whatever.
>None yet as a PhD student. Though, before grad school, I was a tech in some academic labs, and there I definitely had a few rough experiences in different labs. Looking back now, part of me is surprised I was able to move on to grad school.

>>8555347
I think so. Doing a PhD does not mandate a career in academia. In fact, in biomedical research, approximately 1 in 12 PhD students go on to tenure-track faculty positions. So, the vast majority are not in academia, and many go into R&D in industry.

>>8552384
Astronomy
4, just started this past semester.
It's fun. I was very involved with my undergrad's astronomy department and I always felt jealous of the graduate students because they were friends and hung out together. It's great to be in their shoes, I guess. I have a fellowship that lets me avoid TA'ing, so I don't have a very large workload. I've been feeling really depressed due to the cold weather and from imposter syndrome.
Nope.

>>8557230
No, I didn't have any existing relationship with anyone in the grad department I currently attend.

>>8557245
So you just sent off applications to schools that interested you? What happens after? Do they call for an interview if you're a viable candidate?

Apologies in advance for the elementary questions.

>>8554938
My undergrad started to do interviews for their incoming grad students during my time there. My advisor (chair, who started the policy) told me that the only real reason they were doing it was because they didn't want to accept anyone crazy, so someone abnormally quiet or awkward or even someone angry and loud.

>>8557247
Yeah, you just send them off and wait. If you get denied, they'll likely either a) send you an email telling you sorry, b) won't send you anything and expect you to look it up yourself on admission pages, or c) literally not say anything whatsoever. It's frustrating. Most departments will email you, though. Expect them to start coming in 2-3 months after you submit your application.

Depending on the department and field, they might interview you if they like you. I commented this just before, as long as you're not crazy or too abnormal, the interview shouldn't be a big deal.

If you're lucky and get accepted, (this is in my field) they'll invite you for a few days to the university. At this point, they're doing their best to convince you that they're the right fit for you. Fit is very important - you'll be spending many years of your life in this new place, so consider it carefully.

>>8557258
Thanks much for the info. What's your field if you don't mind my asking?

>>8557200
Not OP, but just got accepted into a few top materials science PhD programs.

I did research on stimuli-responsive polymers starting in my freshman year at my undergrad institution and stuck with it until graduation. I took the summers to do internships in similar projects at other schools.

Professors at the places I'm looking at are focused on using polymers for either biomedical or sustainability applications.

>>8557230
I applied to umbrella programs, and had a chance to choose from faculty I wanted to talk to during my interview weekend, and I had a year of rotations in labs.

>>8554140
You should be doing things outside your course work to get a well rounded CV. This is where your stress will come in. Your normal routine will then become an annoying pittance you must complete for livelihood.

>>8557347
What are some things "outside coursework" which are universally well regarded and can be put on a CV?

>>8557365
Ask professors if they need help. If your field doesn't require dangerous experimental research, take initiative yourself on a subject. Look into topics that interest you and people who are big in those topics. It's going to be hard.

>>8557371
Oh wait, is this for undergrad applying to grad school? I thought you were talking about during Grad school.

>>8555607
Is it really worth it to do a PhD in photonics? What kinds of opportunities does it open up versus just an MS? Do most positions (in industry or otherwise) require a PhD or something?

>>8558379
Its worth it if you want to work in a research based role. Otherwise just do an MS. It opens up the opportunity to work on more cutting edge stuff. A path I almost went down was optical interconnects which are apparently going to replace wires in computers in the next few decades. If that happens, specializing in it now would pretty much guarantee a lead engineer job at Intel or something later down the line. Plenty of military applications too, targeting, radar, lasers etc. The diffraction limit has been beaten pretty recently by a new lens design, so that's pretty exciting too. I'm doing Astronomy systems though, which is interesting.

>>8554984
Jesus. How'd you swing UChicago philosophy graduate program?

This may be irrelevant but I was going to start my PhD next year but I didn't get a scholarship. So for the first year I'll be working as a class demonstrator paying for it while my professor can partially fund as well.

I'm fairly sure I can get a scholarship in 2018 but has anyone else experienced this? Or am I just retarded?

>>8558458
Is this a simulation or are you monitoring something physical? I have no idea what's going on.

>>8558463
It's a simulation, 'gene pool'. My field of research

>>8557250
How awkward are we talking? Are you saying they're gonna think I'm insane just for being awkward?

Fucking normies..

>Masters in Math and Finance.

>Done with it

>It was quite fun and very challenging, lots of coding which I'm not too keen on, but I get to apply math principles to implement models, so it's all good. Very competitive though

>Bring some nerves of steel along, you're going to have to study together with the cockiest shitheads on the planet who think money = everything.

>I have no free time. My finance job is my life. Coworkers all have inflated egos. Constant nightmares pondering situations where everything goes wrong. My stress levels have gone through the roof compared to my undergrad days.

The contract, was it worth the price?

>>8558482
90% of academia is awkward. Its to filter out the people with personality disorders that make working with them a nightmare.

>>8552393

>TA duties

FUCK THAT SHIT. It's probably better to just find a job outside of uni, hours/pay wise.

I'm debating whether to continue with a Ph.D after my masters.

My master is very generic pure Math stuff. After I finish I can just go work or I could do four years of Ph.D and then go work.

I don't think I want to be an academic.

I think I want to get 10 years experience in some field and then open a consultancy of my own.

Now the thing is, Ph.Ds have automatically more respect and get an automatically better salary and here in Europe it sort of counts for something. And some jobs require a Ph.D just because the firm will have a higher reputation.

But at the same time, it's four years more of school which I'm not really looking forward to. However I fear I might regret it later if I don't do it now cause then I'm not going to be 30 and go back for a Ph.D.

What do you guys think?

Maybe if I'm lucky I can find some job with a sponsored Ph.D but for Math, I don't think those exist.

>>8558516
You can try to get a job with your masters and say work for a year or two. Maybe negotiate with your job (if possible) that they can fund or partially fund you for a PhD. If not, you'll still have that job experience to potentially apply for a scholarship. Honestly I don't know what the job prospects are for math PhD.

Have you had difficulty getting a job with masters? Is PhD necessary for you? You can always do it a year or two later.

>>8558484
Being a wagecuck seems like a nice deal until you start working your first day.

>>8558482

They mean they don't want mega autists who can't communicate on a basic level.

If you're just a quirky awkward geek or whatever, don't worry.

>>8558518
>Have you had difficulty getting a job with masters?

Not at all.

>Is PhD necessary for you?

A Ph.D is sometimes required for a job at higher end consultancy firms. It's basically just for the prestige of the firm. Just like some firms in the US will only hire MIT/Harvard grads.

It also affects your salary. Doing the same exact job, you get better pay if hold a Ph.D instead of only a Masters.

>You can always do it a year or two later.

What I fear is that I'll be 6 years into my career and then run into some kind of glass ceiling simply because I don't hold a Ph.D. That would really suck.

>>8558527

I imagine it would be nice to have a 9-5 job though. I'm sick of stupid schedules where you're working weekends and nights.

File: airplane_robert_hays_ted_striker_sweating_profusely.jpg (90KB, 853x480px) Image search: [Google]

90KB, 853x480px

Guys what's the likelihood of getting a job in research after a physics P.h.d I'm a brit bong if that matters

>>8558577
You mean a post-doc position? You can get one if you did a good job in your Ph.D, but after that it's really hard.

>>8558577
about three fiddy

>>8558580
I'd consider research in industry as well

>>8558545
If I don't ever get to do a PhD (probably never will) I don't think I'd mind much a comfy 9-5 job actually, but it's not like I'd have much choice (appart from NEETdom, of course).

>>8558583
That depends entirely on what area of physics you specialize in.

>What field?
Astronomy
>How many years (approximately, because research is research) left?
1 ish
>How are you liking it?
It varies between fun and grinding. Research is fun, paper writing sucks. Reducing data can be pretty miserable too.
>Any advice?
Think very carefully about your supervisor, ask someone you trust on what to look for. It's too easy for potential supervisors to not look like a cunt during the interview.
>Any horror stories
None personal to me. I know one case where there were two students doing virtually the same project in a big collaboration without the students knowing. In the end the collaboration decided one student was the official one and could publish, the other passed but without any publications to his name.
A friend of mine also got his paper torn apart twice (8 pages of comments) and then rejected. It was good work and the referee turned out to have a very similar (but worse) paper doing virtually the same thing.

>>8558516
Also European. The only people I see that flourish and doing anything worthwhile in their PhD fucking love research and academic work.

If you're doubting research is fun it will not work

Im currently at a small no name undergrad for biochem and Im tryna get into a top school for Synthetic biology (degree is usually labelled as bioengineering), specifically gene circuit design.
Do you guys got any real tips for me? I already do research with a professor, and even though it isnt exactly what i want to do, it is getting me some good lab experience. My grades are also close to a 4.0 (3.95) but I still got take my GRE.

Also, would anybody happen to know any non-top tier schools for the same subject? are University of Washington Seattle and Rice University top schools?

>>8559032
Do a masters at a tier 2 university, then phd at top tier.

>>8558545
>It also affects your salary. Doing the same exact job, you get better pay if hold a Ph.D instead of only a Masters.
Pretty much one of the reason why i do this.
It's just more prestige for your and you can ask for more if you're Ph.D

>>8552404
>There is a lot of sexual frustration among grad students.

Interesting. Can you elaborate?