Questions tagged [graduate-school]
On schools that award advanced academic degrees, such as masters and doctoral degrees. This tag is mainly for questions about the structure and organization of a graduate school or the fundamental experience of being a graduate student. Do not use this tag for questions about research in graduate school (use [research] instead), coursework in graduate school (use [coursework] instead), gaining admissions to graduate school (use [graduate-admissions]), etc.
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Should I give a brutally honest feedback on course evaluations?
We are towards the end of a graduate level course of about 20 students, and its time for course evaluation. The instructor is fairly new (just graduated from Ph.D a year ago) and is not a native ...
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Can I report my WES GPA?
Let's say my undergraduate institute has "GPA: 3.78" on its official transcript.
Then I requested World Education Services (WES) to evaluate my GPA based on their "standard" ...
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Under which circumstances should I have additional recommendation letters?
Many Ph.D. programs in the U.S. require "a minimum of 3 recommendation letters", and you can submit up to 6 letters if you like. I am under the impression that most people just have 3 LoR, ...
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Should I mention in my SoP that this university is my "top" choice
I am applying to graduate schools this year for a master's degree, and might be considered a "strong" applicant - my school is "top-tier" in my country, I have a "good" ...
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Does the order of referees matter?
One friend told me that I should order the referees by the (estimated) strength of their letters.
She believes it makes a difference since the admission committee would start reading letters in the ...
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Template for follow up mail after no response for a letter of recommendation? [duplicate]
I am currently applying to graduate school and trying to gather some solid letters of recommendation. I already contacted three professors (almost 1 month before application deadline) and 2/3 gladly ...
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2
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Teaching Large Graduate Level Classes Online - Information Technology / Computer Science
I am expected to teach a large (80-100 students) graduate level class in AI this spring. The class is offered exclusively online, and students from various backgrounds are expected to join. It is not ...
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2
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What is the difference between a MSc in Mathematics, a MSc in Applied Mathematics, and a MSc in Applied and Computational Mathematics?
I'm interested in how a MSc in Mathematics, MSc in Applied Mathematics, and MSc in Applied and Computational Mathematics compare in terms of content, but also in terms of how they are perceived and ...
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2
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Did our class do wrong or is the professor being odd?
I'm a master's student at a world-wide top business school. In one subject (a subject that related to my undergraduate specialization) I had a very good professor. He researches in the same field I ...
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2
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Why do referees ask for a school list?
I asked a professor for a recommendation letter for my Ph.D. application, and she said something like
Sure, I am willing to write you a letter. Can you send me your research statement and school list ...
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3
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Does mentioning why I took a break after my MSc affect the chances of admission?
I had taken a year break after my masters, before seriously applying to PhD programs. The reason was that I was stressed and burnt out, especially during the COVID times, and wasn't ready for a PhD ...
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Should I Upload the Current Version of My Master's Thesis for PhD Application
I am currently a physics master's student and am applying to physics PhD programs this season. My master's defense will occur sometime after the application deadlines, and I will (hopefully) get ...
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Why doesn't your stipend increase after your courses are complete?
A big argument I hear for why stipends are actually a great deal is because tuition is covered(often).
This makes sense for the first year or two but once courses are complete it's no longer a valid ...
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Can I join academia after doing industry?
I'm a vaguely math/cs/anthropology major (I say vaguely because I'm doing a interdisciplinary aka "Do It Yourself" major) who recently decided to drop their Theoretical Computer/Social ...
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2
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Fail grade in transcript vs "not allotted" in transcript
I am an international student in my final year of Electrical Engineering. I enrolled in an RnD course last semester and tagged it as an honor course. This is a semester-long research project where you ...
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How do I defend myself from leaving one graduate program for another
I'm a student applying for the 2023 fall Ph.D. program.
While doing my master's degree in 2022, I transferred to A University from B University.
The reason was that I wanted to learn both ...
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First meeting with potential PhD supervisor
I have meeting with my potential supervisor in a few days. He already told me that I should prepare talk about my previous research and steps that I took. Do you have any advices how to be precise and ...
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Attending grad school in US or Canada with a dependent spouse
I am finishing up my undergraduate degree in mathematics in my home country and expect to apply for PhD studies in statistics in the US (I am also willing to consider Canadian options but more on this ...
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How do TA-ships / RA-ships / Fellowships work when you are doing a PhD and have a full-time job?
I was reading through the post Is it possible to work full time and complete a PhD and had a few follow up questions:
(1) I read somewhere that one can complete a PhD without funding from a TAship or ...
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How to network with professors when not attending a univeristy
My story is a long one to tell, so I will just say my current situation and leave out how I got here. I am interested in studying mathematics but I do not have the opportunity to attend a university ...
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2
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Grad schools in which countries, besides the US, allow you time to figure out your research topics?
I am applying for a PhD in Math at US grad schools mainly because they allow you one or more years of coursework to figure out your research interests and potential advisors. Are there any other ...
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LOR from employer sent from unofficial email id as using official e-mail id is against the company policy
My senior is ready to write a LOR for me, but cannot use a company letterhead or official email id as it is against the company policy.
Company policy states use of official email id and letterhead ...
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880 in GRE Mathematics Subject: should I submit my score?
I'm a non-US citizen applying for PhD programs in pure mathematics in the US. I'm mainly aiming for top schools, e.g. Harvard, MIT, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, UCLA.
I have taken the GRE mathematics ...
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Ph.D. rejection from German University due to citizenship and gotten degree from my previous institute by BAFA
This spring I ran away from Russia due to increasing repressions and other risks. Long story short, I got a Ph.D. position in quantum computing at Stuttgart University in the state of Baden-...
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Will it be annoying for my referee to submit recommendation letters for multiple institutions?
I am currently applying for multiple graduate art programs in the UK, and I asked a former professor of mine to write me a recommendation letter. However, because I am applying for quite a lot of ...
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1
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Is it necessary to get a recommendation letter from every mentor I did research with?
I am a senior applying to CS PhD programs this fall.
I have got two summer research experiences and my mentor from Summer 21 is writing one of my letters. In summer 22 also, I worked on a research ...
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Computer Science: Can I change research groups during PhD?
I am currently an undergrad looking to apply to PhD programs in CS this fall. I just had a quick question about switching research groups in PhD. So I will be applying to the Theory group at most ...
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2
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Is there a notion of one year placement / pre-PhD programs in top universities?
I'm a fresh master degree graduate from central Europe. I would like to apply to selected top graduate schools in US and Europe, and hopefully pursue a PhD degree (in applied math field). I searched ...
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Can a mathematics undergraduate go directly into a physics graduate program? [duplicate]
I have graduated with a mathematics bachelors but I have recently became very interested in physics, especially theoretical physics. To my great regret, I did not take a physics course during my time ...
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Proofreading Struggles and Research Proposal Feedback
First off: I really like my supervisor. I’ve worked well with her, I’m on her research team for her own research and I really appreciate her and look up to her.
Long story short. Continuous feedback ...
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5
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What are my chances of getting into a top PhD program in the US when coming from a no-name university?
I have a 4.0 GPA in computer science from a no name university (1001-1200 in THE) and I have 3 months worth of research experience at a good university in Europe plus one semester of a research ...
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Is it reasonable for my master's supervisor to forbid me from having private communications with my co-supervisor?
I am an electrical engineering master's student in the USA. My research is in a slightly different area than my supervisor's background, and so I suggested adding a co-supervisor at a different ...
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My poster didn't win the "best poster award", is it desperate to ask the committee about an evaluation of my poster quality?
My poster didn't win the "best poster award" at a top conference in mathematics, is it desperate/impolite to ask the committee about an evaluation of my poster's quality?
I don't want to ...
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Are poster sessions worthless for math grad students?
Are poster sessions important in mathematics?
Does being accepted to present a poster at a SIAM conference add something to my CV when I apply to graduate programs or it won't add much?
I am a master'...
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2
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Typical agendas for meetings among PhD candidates
The graduate students of my institute want to establish a regular meeting (two hours, once a month) just for themselves.
All of us are happy to have this regular opportunity of sharing ideas & ...
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Best website for giving details of a book mentioned in a Statement of Purpose
I want to mention a book in my SOP/PS and would like to provide a link so that the reader can easily get more details about the book instead of googling it. What would be the ideal website for this ...
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Reasons for differences in the Ph.D. admission process in India vs U.S. and Europe
While searching for universities to do my Ph.D. in mathematics, I noticed that most top universities in India use incredibly competitive entrance exams (much more difficult and time constrained than ...
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1
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Is it better to merge my SOP and PS into a single essay or just join the two files one after the other to create a single file?
I'm applying to grad schools in the U.S. for a Ph.D. in mathematics and I recently read about the key differences between an SOP(Statement of Purpose) and a PS(Personal Statement) after noticing a few ...
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As a PhD student in theoretical physics, what fraction of my time (if any) should I spend on background material rather than my research problem?
I am a theoretical physics PhD student in the initial years. There is something which has been bothering me ever since I have started my PhD till today i.e whether one should completely focus on ...
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My professor says he'll send me recommendation letters once he finished writing them, what should I respond?
I asked for a recommendation letter from a professor and sent him all the required materials. He agreed to write me the letters, but he also said that he will send me the letters later next week. Is ...
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Is there an independent and fair organisation for investigating and documenting discrimination and power abuse in academia?
Instances of discrimination and/or bullying are common in academia. Here are some examples from BzH, Elephant in the Lab.org, Science, Nature, Guardian, and Guardian again.
Is there any place where ...
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1
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How to contact a potential graduate supervisor who is on sabbatical?
I am trying to manage graduate advisor before I can start my grad school application. There is this particular professor from this university whose research interest aligns with mine. However, this ...
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How can I pursue CC(computational creativity) in my postgraduate study as a BFA student?
I am a Y4 student who majored in BFA Arts, technology and entertainment. Our curriculums are combinations of art practices and technology in audio, video, 3D modeling, VR/AR and AI, etc. During my ...
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Is doing a PhD in philosophy with a master's in an unrelated discipline viable?
I have a master's degree in computer science, and have been working as a software developer outside of academia for about a decade. I'm considering trying to transition into academic philosophy with ...
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Will it hurt to not get a letter of recommendation from REU advisor?
So I will be applying to graduate schools in Computer Science this fall. I am an undergrad senior currently.
Last summer, I participated in an REU. I am wondering whether I should get my REU mentor's ...
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How to avoid disappointing a professor interested in supervising me?
I am a PhD student in the social sciences and I already have a first advisor.
A few years ago, eyeing the possibility of a PhD, I had informally asked a professor of mine if she would be possibly ...
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How can I pursue academic side interests during my PhD?
I've come out of undergrad (during COVID, too) with a degree in science, unsatisfied with my general knowledge and work ethic outside of the sciences. I especially regret not pursuing a minor in a ...
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Research experience not matching what I want to study in the future. Problem?
My research experiences have been in Information Theory and Computational Number Theory.
However, in my PhD in Computer Science, I want to do research with professors working with computer algorithms, ...
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What can grad chairs/departments do to help senior PhD students under a toxic advisor?
My advisor has become increasingly toxic since the beginning of the pandemic. He makes belittling comments about my competence over small things like typos, shuts down my ideas as "bullshit" ...
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Is graduate school still an option for me? [duplicate]
I am a senior in Electrical Engineering. I always wanted to go to graduate school to at least get a Masters but I am now starting to doubt that it is even an option for me. GPA of 3.4ish with a major ...
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