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Post Closed as "Not suitable for this site" by enthu, user3209815, Jon Custer, Tommi, ZeroTheHero
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TL;DR:

  • Find myself under-qualified for PhD programs but I'm afraid getting a MS degree will hurt my chances at a better PhD program.
  • U.S. based.

Longer background:

  • I graduated with a math degree in undergrad from a top liberal arts college.

  • Two years after graduating, working, and reading some textbooks and taking a course in my longtime interest, I decided I want learn / research Natural Language Processing (AI).

  • Downside: I've only taken one CS course during undergrad. I took a deep learning / natural language processing course this summer, and am taking a Data Structures/Algorithms class right now, but still I feel woefully underqualified for PhD programs.

  • Pros on Masters:

  1. It will help me shore up the missing areas in my CS education.
  2. It will let me know if CS is something I want to do for the rest of my life.
  • Cons on Masters:
  1. Certainly two years gone.
  2. I've heard that PhD programs often don't like MS applicants -- that they're held to a much higher standard, and that PhD programs may accept undergrads instead.
  3. MS is a different ballgame from PhD programs.
  4. Many MS programs are "cash cow" programs.
  • Pros on PhD's
  1. I've published two math papers as an undergrad, and I enjoyed that experience a lot.
  2. Being a professor has always been a long time dream of mine, however much it may be improbable.
  • Cons on PhD's:

  1. I just don't think I'll get in having taken just 1 CS course in undergrad. If I do, it likely won't be a very good program.

  2. I'll have committed to a PhD program even though I'm sure if I want to do this or not (which I may!! But I just don't have enough exposure to know).

  3. I don't even know if I'll be sufficiently prepared to pass my quals.

  • TL;DR (after the background): Ultimately, I think I want to go to a PhD program. But I'm underprepared and want to scope out more and go to a MS program. But I'm afraid it'll hurt my chances for a better PhD program later.

TL;DR:

  • Find myself under-qualified for PhD programs but I'm afraid getting a MS degree will hurt my chances at a better PhD program.

Longer background:

  • I graduated with a math degree in undergrad from a top liberal arts college.

  • Two years after graduating, working, and reading some textbooks and taking a course in my longtime interest, I decided I want learn / research Natural Language Processing (AI).

  • Downside: I've only taken one CS course during undergrad. I took a deep learning / natural language processing course this summer, and am taking a Data Structures/Algorithms class right now, but still I feel woefully underqualified for PhD programs.

  • Pros on Masters:

  1. It will help me shore up the missing areas in my CS education.
  2. It will let me know if CS is something I want to do for the rest of my life.
  • Cons on Masters:
  1. Certainly two years gone.
  2. I've heard that PhD programs often don't like MS applicants -- that they're held to a much higher standard, and that PhD programs may accept undergrads instead.
  3. MS is a different ballgame from PhD programs.
  4. Many MS programs are "cash cow" programs.
  • Pros on PhD's
  1. I've published two math papers as an undergrad, and I enjoyed that experience a lot.
  2. Being a professor has always been a long time dream of mine, however much it may be improbable.
  • Cons on PhD's:

  1. I just don't think I'll get in having taken just 1 CS course in undergrad. If I do, it likely won't be a very good program.

  2. I'll have committed to a PhD program even though I'm sure if I want to do this or not (which I may!! But I just don't have enough exposure to know).

  3. I don't even know if I'll be sufficiently prepared to pass my quals.

  • TL;DR (after the background): Ultimately, I think I want to go to a PhD program. But I'm underprepared and want to scope out more and go to a MS program. But I'm afraid it'll hurt my chances for a better PhD program later.

TL;DR:

  • Find myself under-qualified for PhD programs but I'm afraid getting a MS degree will hurt my chances at a better PhD program.
  • U.S. based.

Longer background:

  • I graduated with a math degree in undergrad from a top liberal arts college.

  • Two years after graduating, working, and reading some textbooks and taking a course in my longtime interest, I decided I want learn / research Natural Language Processing (AI).

  • Downside: I've only taken one CS course during undergrad. I took a deep learning / natural language processing course this summer, and am taking a Data Structures/Algorithms class right now, but still I feel woefully underqualified for PhD programs.

  • Pros on Masters:

  1. It will help me shore up the missing areas in my CS education.
  2. It will let me know if CS is something I want to do for the rest of my life.
  • Cons on Masters:
  1. Certainly two years gone.
  2. I've heard that PhD programs often don't like MS applicants -- that they're held to a much higher standard, and that PhD programs may accept undergrads instead.
  3. MS is a different ballgame from PhD programs.
  4. Many MS programs are "cash cow" programs.
  • Pros on PhD's
  1. I've published two math papers as an undergrad, and I enjoyed that experience a lot.
  2. Being a professor has always been a long time dream of mine, however much it may be improbable.
  • Cons on PhD's:

  1. I just don't think I'll get in having taken just 1 CS course in undergrad. If I do, it likely won't be a very good program.

  2. I'll have committed to a PhD program even though I'm sure if I want to do this or not (which I may!! But I just don't have enough exposure to know).

  3. I don't even know if I'll be sufficiently prepared to pass my quals.

  • TL;DR (after the background): Ultimately, I think I want to go to a PhD program. But I'm underprepared and want to scope out more and go to a MS program. But I'm afraid it'll hurt my chances for a better PhD program later.
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gust
gust
  • 527
  • 1
  • 5
  • 9

TL;DR:

  • Find myself under-qualified for PhD programs but I'm afraid getting a MS degree will hurt my chances at a better PhD program.

Longer background:

  • I graduated with a math degree in undergrad from a top liberal arts college.

  • Two years after graduating, working, and reading some textbooks and taking a course in my longtime interest, I decided I want learn / research Natural Language Processing (AI).

  • Downside: I've only taken one CS course during undergrad. I took a deep learning / natural language processing course this summer, and am taking a Data Structures/Algorithms class right now, but still I feel woefully underqualified for PhD programs.

  • Pros on Masters:

  1. It will help me shore up the missing areas in my CS education.
  2. It will let me know if CS is something I want to do for the rest of my life.
  • Cons on Masters:
  1. Certainly two years gone. (For various reasons money is not as big a factor for me).
  2. I've heard that PhD programs often don't like MS applicants -- that they're held to a much higher standard, and that PhD programs may accept undergrads instead.
  3. MS is a different ballgame from PhD programs.
  4. Many MS programs are "cash cow" programs.
  • Pros on PhD's
  1. I've published two math papers as an undergrad, and I enjoyed that experience a lot.
  2. Being a professor has always been a long time dream of mine, however much it may be improbable.
  • Cons on PhD's:

  1. I just don't think I'll get in having taken just 1 CS course in undergrad. If I do, it likely won't be a very good program.

  2. I'll have committed to a PhD program even though I'm sure if I want to do this or not (which I may!! But I just don't have enough exposure to know).

  3. I don't even know if I'll be sufficiently prepared to pass my quals.

  • TL;DR (after the background): Ultimately, I think I want to go to a PhD program. But I'm underprepared and want to scope out more and go to a MS program. But I'm afraid it'll hurt my chances for a better PhD program later.

TL;DR:

  • Find myself under-qualified for PhD programs but I'm afraid getting a MS degree will hurt my chances at a better PhD program.

Longer background:

  • I graduated with a math degree in undergrad from a top liberal arts college.

  • Two years after graduating, working, and reading some textbooks and taking a course in my longtime interest, I decided I want learn / research Natural Language Processing (AI).

  • Downside: I've only taken one CS course during undergrad. I took a deep learning / natural language processing course this summer, and am taking a Data Structures/Algorithms class right now, but still I feel woefully underqualified for PhD programs.

  • Pros on Masters:

  1. It will help me shore up the missing areas in my CS education.
  2. It will let me know if CS is something I want to do for the rest of my life.
  • Cons on Masters:
  1. Certainly two years gone. (For various reasons money is not as big a factor for me).
  2. I've heard that PhD programs often don't like MS applicants -- that they're held to a much higher standard, and that PhD programs may accept undergrads instead.
  3. MS is a different ballgame from PhD programs.
  • Pros on PhD's
  1. I've published two math papers as an undergrad, and I enjoyed that experience a lot.
  2. Being a professor has always been a long time dream of mine, however much it may be improbable.
  • Cons on PhD's:

  1. I just don't think I'll get in having taken just 1 CS course in undergrad. If I do, it likely won't be a very good program.

  2. I'll have committed to a PhD program even though I'm sure if I want to do this or not (which I may!! But I just don't have enough exposure to know).

  3. I don't even know if I'll be sufficiently prepared to pass my quals.

  • TL;DR (after the background): Ultimately, I think I want to go to a PhD program. But I'm underprepared and want to scope out more and go to a MS program. But I'm afraid it'll hurt my chances for a better PhD program later.

TL;DR:

  • Find myself under-qualified for PhD programs but I'm afraid getting a MS degree will hurt my chances at a better PhD program.

Longer background:

  • I graduated with a math degree in undergrad from a top liberal arts college.

  • Two years after graduating, working, and reading some textbooks and taking a course in my longtime interest, I decided I want learn / research Natural Language Processing (AI).

  • Downside: I've only taken one CS course during undergrad. I took a deep learning / natural language processing course this summer, and am taking a Data Structures/Algorithms class right now, but still I feel woefully underqualified for PhD programs.

  • Pros on Masters:

  1. It will help me shore up the missing areas in my CS education.
  2. It will let me know if CS is something I want to do for the rest of my life.
  • Cons on Masters:
  1. Certainly two years gone.
  2. I've heard that PhD programs often don't like MS applicants -- that they're held to a much higher standard, and that PhD programs may accept undergrads instead.
  3. MS is a different ballgame from PhD programs.
  4. Many MS programs are "cash cow" programs.
  • Pros on PhD's
  1. I've published two math papers as an undergrad, and I enjoyed that experience a lot.
  2. Being a professor has always been a long time dream of mine, however much it may be improbable.
  • Cons on PhD's:

  1. I just don't think I'll get in having taken just 1 CS course in undergrad. If I do, it likely won't be a very good program.

  2. I'll have committed to a PhD program even though I'm sure if I want to do this or not (which I may!! But I just don't have enough exposure to know).

  3. I don't even know if I'll be sufficiently prepared to pass my quals.

  • TL;DR (after the background): Ultimately, I think I want to go to a PhD program. But I'm underprepared and want to scope out more and go to a MS program. But I'm afraid it'll hurt my chances for a better PhD program later.
Source Link
gust
gust
  • 527
  • 1
  • 5
  • 9

How can getting a masters hurt PhD admissions?

TL;DR:

  • Find myself under-qualified for PhD programs but I'm afraid getting a MS degree will hurt my chances at a better PhD program.

Longer background:

  • I graduated with a math degree in undergrad from a top liberal arts college.

  • Two years after graduating, working, and reading some textbooks and taking a course in my longtime interest, I decided I want learn / research Natural Language Processing (AI).

  • Downside: I've only taken one CS course during undergrad. I took a deep learning / natural language processing course this summer, and am taking a Data Structures/Algorithms class right now, but still I feel woefully underqualified for PhD programs.

  • Pros on Masters:

  1. It will help me shore up the missing areas in my CS education.
  2. It will let me know if CS is something I want to do for the rest of my life.
  • Cons on Masters:
  1. Certainly two years gone. (For various reasons money is not as big a factor for me).
  2. I've heard that PhD programs often don't like MS applicants -- that they're held to a much higher standard, and that PhD programs may accept undergrads instead.
  3. MS is a different ballgame from PhD programs.
  • Pros on PhD's
  1. I've published two math papers as an undergrad, and I enjoyed that experience a lot.
  2. Being a professor has always been a long time dream of mine, however much it may be improbable.
  • Cons on PhD's:

  1. I just don't think I'll get in having taken just 1 CS course in undergrad. If I do, it likely won't be a very good program.

  2. I'll have committed to a PhD program even though I'm sure if I want to do this or not (which I may!! But I just don't have enough exposure to know).

  3. I don't even know if I'll be sufficiently prepared to pass my quals.

  • TL;DR (after the background): Ultimately, I think I want to go to a PhD program. But I'm underprepared and want to scope out more and go to a MS program. But I'm afraid it'll hurt my chances for a better PhD program later.